When can't a commander return to the command zone?
Asked by nobu_the_bard 11 years ago
In EDH/Commander, when can a commander NOT return to the command zone? We have not played this consistently at my local venue in certain strange cases, except for "tuck" effects like Hinder or Condemn or "bounce" effects like Boomerang or Capsize , which I am pretty sure work normally and have been played as such. My examples here of how these situations happened are simplified a bit to give you an idea.
For example, we have allowed a commander to be returned to the command zone when being discarded (Capsize followed by Thoughtseize for example). My understanding was the replacement effect only worked if the commander went to the graveyard from the battlefield.
It also been allowed to have a commander return to the command zone when the commander was in a graveyard and the graveyard was exiled. (Murder , player allows commander to go to the graveyard, then attempts Faith's Reward but it is countered by Counterspell , then at the end of the phase someone activates Relic of Progenitus to exile all graveyards). Again, I think the replacement effect wouldn't take effect here.
Yet another situation, the commander is tucked somehow (Hinder ) then exiled from the library (Jester's Cap ), again allowed to return to the command zone. In other similar situation this was allowed when the commander was hit by Condemn then the library hit by Life's Finale , choosing the commander to go to the graveyard.
I hope my attempts to illustrate the confusion I have seen help explain the situations. I am pretty sure in all of the above cases, the commander was stuck where he was sent, but I ask because I might be completely misunderstanding.
nobu_the_bard says... #2
Alright thanks, I should have checked the rules there first. When I was taught to play Commander, it was phrased differently than the way it is actually written, and for some reason I just took it for granted. Guess I was mistaken after all.
This rule is completely new to me, but seems related: If a card is put into the exile zone face down from anywhere, and a player is allowed to look at that card in exile, the player must immediately do so. If it's a commander owned by another player, the player that looked at it turns it face up and puts it into the command zone.
Huh! Did not know that.
December 19, 2013 10:31 a.m.
In French List EDH (which is a competitive 1v1 alternative to normal EDH) you can also move the commander to the command zone if it would go to a player's library (So tuck effects like Oblation and Condemn will still allow a move to the Command Zone.
December 19, 2013 12:06 p.m.
Also, cards exiled with say Pyxis of Pandemonium are face down and players can't look at them, you can exile a general this way (say use Unexpectedly Absent and then activate pyxis's 1st ability) and it won't go to the command zone and remain effectively exiled, if/unitl the 2nd activativated ability is activated.. Of course French EDH rules, ua would most likely put it in the command zone instead.
gufymike says... Accepted answer #1
If a Commander would be put into a graveyard or exile from anywhere, its owner may choose to move it to the command zone instead. Details
This is a replacement effect; the creature never goes to the graveyard and will not trigger such abilities.
Commanders will move to the library or hand as normal; only transitions to Exile or the Graveyard may be replaced.
rule 12 here (click play).
The way you've been playing is right. "fropm anywhere' being the key phrase I think you're missing.
December 19, 2013 10:07 a.m.