Do Companions count towards card limits?
Asked by LovelyBrainMaggot 5 years ago
For instance, in Standard, can I have 4 copies of a specific companion (say, Kaheera, the Orphanguard) in my main deck, and also a copy outside the game as my companion? Similarly, would having Kaheera as a companion in Commander prevent me from putting one into my main deck?
SquirrelPenguin says... #2
No, if you use it as your companion, it does not count towards your limit. however, you can ignore the companion ability and put it in your normal deck, in which case it does count towards your card limit. you can have up to one companion chosen is your sideboard.
April 18, 2020 2:33 p.m.
VampDemigod says... #3
The answer is technically yes AND no.
In terms of “how many can I have in my deck?”, it does count toward the limit. The Companion starts in the sideboard in all formats but commander, and you can only have 4 between the main and side boards, just like any other card, even if 1 of the copies in your sideboard is your companion. In commander, you don’t have a sideboard, so the companion starts off in some weird “out of game”-zone. This is especially weird when you consider that we can’t have wish-boards. However, regardless of where it starts, you can still only have 1 copy in commander, just like how you can’t have a copy of your commander in the command zone and a copy in your 99.
Before I get to the other half of this answer, a brief note on companioning in Commander. Your companion’s color identity has to be compatible with your commander (for example, you can’t play Umori, the Collector as companion to a deck that has Kaheera, the Orphanguard as your commander, as one’s identity is BG, and anothers is GW.
Another note: Yorion cannot be your companion, because your deck has to be exactly 100 cards (excluding a companion, as in about to get to!), and also, Lutri is banned for being OP. Make sure you have permission from your playgroup to break the rules if you want to companion these.
On to the second half of my answer!
A companion does not count towards the amount of cards you need to have to meet your minimum deck size. For example, if you have Obosh as your companion in a standard deck, you need to have 60 or more other cards in your deck. This is because companions are technically part of your sideboard. This also means that you can only have 14 other cards in your sideboard if you’re companioning. In Commander, this means if you’re companioning, you’ll have 99 cards that start in your maindeck, 1 commander, and 1 companion (or 98/2/1 if you have partner commanders).
Sorry for the lengthy answer, I just wanted to clarify some things that can be missed in shorter answers.
Tylord2894 says... Accepted answer #1
"Outside the game", in all major formats except for commander and brawl, refers to your sideboard. Since a companion card has to be in your sideboard to function as your companion, you can have a max of three in your deck.
April 17, 2020 4:22 p.m.