Color Rulings in the 99

Asked by ZendikariWol 5 years ago

Probably in the faq but I'm not digging. Can you have cards in the 99 whose color is in your commander's identity, but whose color identity is outside your commander's? For example, could you run General Tazri is a Munda, Ambush Leader deck? Or Shaman of the Great Hunt in a Neheb, the Eternal deck?

Arvail says... Accepted answer #1

No, you may not, but you can run something like Blind Obedience in Grand Arbiter Augustin IV because the in blind obedience is part of reminder text and is not considered part of the card.

April 10, 2018 12:06 p.m.

ZendikariWol says... #2

Thanks bro. Kinda figured that, but I had to ask. The synergy was just too good.

April 10, 2018 12:12 p.m.

DrukenReaps says... #3

The rule word for word:

903.4. The Commander variant uses color identity to determine what cards can be in a deck with a certain commander. The color identity of a card is the color or colors of any mana symbols in that cards mana cost or rules text, plus any colors defined by its characteristic-defining abilities (see rule 604.3) or color indicator (see rule 204).Example: Bosh, Iron Golem is a legendary artifact creature with mana cost 8 and the ability 3R, Sacrifice an artifact: Bosh, Iron Golem deals damage equal to the sacrificed artifacts converted mana cost to target creature or player. Boshs color identity is red.

903.4a Color identity is established before the game begins.

903.4b Reminder text is ignored when determining a cards color identity. See rule 207.2.

903.4c The back face of a double-faced card (see rule 711) is included when determining a cards color identity. This is an exception to rule 711.4a.Example: Civilized Scholar is the front face of a double-faced card with mana cost 2U. Homicidal Brute is the back face of that double-faced card and has a red color indicator. The cards color identity is blue and red.

And in case you need to reference the rules I find this one to be accurate and quick to use:

https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Commander_(format)

April 10, 2018 3:38 p.m.

Neotrup says... #4

The relevant rules for what you can include in your deck:

903.5c A card can be included in a Commander deck only if every color in its color identity is also found in the color identity of the decks commander.

And for lands:

903.5d A card with a basic land type may be included in a Commander deck only if each color of mana it could produce is included in the commander's color identity.

The second rule is important for the same reason as being able to run Blind Obedience in Grand Arbiter Augustin IV, color symbols in reminder text, or intrinsic to an ability the rules grant, aren't considered for color identity.

April 10, 2018 10:15 p.m.

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