How many cards are in a Commander deck?

Exactly 100 cards, including your commander. The deck is singleton, so you can only run one copy of each card except for basic lands, which have no limit.

What is commander tax?

Each time you cast your commander from the command zone beyond the first time, it costs an extra 2 generic mana per previous cast. So the second cast costs 2 more, the third 4 more, and so on.

Why do Commander games start at 40 life?

Because Commander is usually a multiplayer free-for-all, 40 life gives games room to develop, lets slower decks survive, and keeps big plays exciting instead of immediately lethal.

Commander (EDH) Rules Explained

A clear beginner's guide to the core Commander rules: 100-card singleton decks, color identity, the command zone, 40 life, and commander tax.

The deck: 100 cards, singleton, and your commander

A Commander deck is exactly 100 cards, and one of those is your commander, a legendary creature (or another card the rules allow to be a commander) that leads your deck. The format is singleton, meaning you may only include one copy of any card with a given English name, with the sole exception of basic lands, of which you can run as many as you like. This rule pushes you to build varied, flavorful decks rather than stacking four copies of your best cards like you would in 60-card formats.

Your commander's color identity also determines what cards are legal in the deck. Every other card in your 99 must fit within your commander's colors, so choosing a commander is really choosing the boundaries of your whole deck. Picking a legendary creature you enjoy and building the remaining 99 cards around its strategy is the heart of deckbuilding in Commander.

The command zone and commander tax

Your commander does not start in your library; it begins in a special area called the command zone. From there you can cast it like a normal spell, paying its mana cost. Because it lives in the command zone, your commander is reliably available game after game, which is why the format is built around it as a centerpiece.

If your commander dies, gets exiled, or is bounced to your hand, you may choose to send it back to the command zone instead. Each time you cast your commander from the command zone after the first, it costs an extra 2 generic mana per previous cast. This escalating cost is called the commander tax, and it stops players from recasting a powerful commander endlessly for free.

Starting life and the social shape of the game

Commander games begin at 40 life instead of the usual 20, because games are typically multiplayer free-for-alls with three or four players. The higher life total lets games breathe, gives slower strategies time to develop, and makes splashy, game-swinging plays feel rewarding rather than instantly lethal. There is also commander damage: if a single commander deals 21 or more combat damage to a player over the course of the game, that player loses.

Most Commander games are played multiplayer and casual, with an emphasis on fun, interaction, and memorable swings rather than the fastest possible win. Understanding the 100-card singleton rule, color identity, the command zone, 40 life, and commander tax gives you everything you need to sit down at a table and play your first game confidently.

FAQ

How many cards are in a Commander deck?: Exactly 100 cards, including your commander. The deck is singleton, so you can only run one copy of each card except for basic lands, which have no limit.
What is commander tax?: Each time you cast your commander from the command zone beyond the first time, it costs an extra 2 generic mana per previous cast. So the second cast costs 2 more, the third 4 more, and so on.
Why do Commander games start at 40 life?: Because Commander is usually a multiplayer free-for-all, 40 life gives games room to develop, lets slower decks survive, and keeps big plays exciting instead of immediately lethal.