Commander 2018 | |||||
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Set Information | |||||
Set symbol | |||||
Symbol description | A lightning bolt over a shield | ||||
Design |
Ken Nagle (lead) Jules Robins Glenn Jones Mclane Crowell | ||||
Development |
Gavin Verhey (lead) Scott Larabee Jules Robins Eli Shiffrin | ||||
Art direction | Mark Winters | ||||
Release date | August 10, 2018 | ||||
Plane | Multiversal | ||||
Themes and mechanics | Planeswalker commanders | ||||
Keywords/ability words | Bestow, Commander ninjutsu, "Commander storm", Constellation, Evoke, Improvise, Landfall, Lieutenant, Manifest, Metalcraft, Miracle, Retrace, Totem armor | ||||
Set size | Four 100-card decks | ||||
Expansion code | C18[1] | ||||
Commander series | |||||
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Magic: The Gathering Chronology | |||||
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Commander 2018, officially styled as Commander (2018 Edition), is a product in the Commander series that was released by Wizards of the Coast on August 10, 2018.[2][3]
Set details[ | ]
“ | Call on powerful planeswalkers and deploy their signature strategies to make sure you're the last player standing. | ” |
Like its predecessor, Commander 2018 consists of four preconstructed theme decks, and features twelve premium foil commanders.[4] The four 100-card decks contain 307 different cards in total. There are 59 new cards legal in Vintage and Legacy. Each deck comes with a deck box, a foil oversized Commander card, 10 double-faced token cards, a strategy insert and a rules reference guide.
There is no pattern of colors between the decks. The themes are:[5]
- Exquisite Invention (, Artifacts)
- Nature's Vengeance (, Lands)
- Adaptive Enchantment (, Enchantments)
- Subjective Reality (, Top-of-Library matters)
Mechanics[ | ]
Commander 2018 once again features Planeswalkers that can be used as a commander, as first seen in Commander 2014. Lieutenant, introduced in Commander 2014, is also a returning mechanic.
It also introduces variants for previous abilities which care about the command zone.
- Commander ninjutsu is a variant of ninjutsu, which allows the Ninja to be in your command zone or your hand.
- Commander storm is a variant of storm which takes the number of times your commander was cast from the command zone into account. The ability was not keyworded, due to R&D not being able to settle on a name, but all cards with the ability have "Storm" in the name.
The set further features several returning non-evergreen mechanics on new cards.[6] These mechanics are:
- Bestow, introduced in Theros (Kestia, the Cultivator)
- Constellation, introduced in Journey into Nyx (Nylea's Colossus)
- Evoke, introduced in Lorwyn (Night Incarnate)
- Improvise, introduced in Aether Revolt (Saheeli's Directive)
- Landfall, introduced in Zendikar (Nesting Dragon)
- Manifest, introduced in Fate Reforged (Primordial Mist)
- Metalcraft, introduced in Scars of Mirrodin (Vedalken Humiliator)
- Miracle, introduced in Avacyn Restored (Entreat the Dead)
- Retrace, introduced in Eventide (Reality Scramble)
- Totem armor, introduced in Rise of the Eldrazi (Octopus Umbra and Estrid, the Masked)
Card types[ | ]
Commander 2018 introduces the Aminatou, Estrid, and Windgrace planeswalker types.
Cycles[ | ]
Commander 2018 has at least five cycles, three of which only consists of four cards:
Horizontal Cycle[ | ]
Cycle name | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Commander storm" spells | Empyrial Storm | Echo Storm | Skull Storm | Fury Storm | Genesis Storm |
Five rare spells that copy themselves for each time your commander was cast from the command zone. | |||||
Loyal lieutenants | Loyal Unicorn | Loyal Drake | Loyal Subordinate | Loyal Apprentice | Loyal Guardian |
Five uncommon creatures with the lieutenant ability word. Each has a keyword ability and an ability that triggers at the beginning of combat if you control your commander. |
Mega cycle[ | ]
Cycle name | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sorcery magi | Magus of the Balance (Commander 2018) (Balance) |
Magus of the Mind (Commander 2017) (Mind's Desire) |
Magus of the Will (Commander 2016) (Yawgmoth's Will) |
Magus of the Wheel (Commander 2015) (Wheel of Fortune) |
Magus of the Order (Commander Legends) (Natural Order)[7] |
Rare Wizards with the converted mana cost and abilities of iconic sorceries from Magic's past. |
Theme decks[ | ]
Commander 2018 consists of four decks featuring twelve premium foil commanders. Each deck contains 100 cards plus an oversized foil commander card.[8]
Theme deck name |
Color Identity | Commander | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exquisite Invention | U | R | Saheeli, the Gifted | |||
Nature's Vengeance | B | R | G | Lord Windgrace | ||
Adaptive Enchantment | W | U | G | Estrid, the Masked | ||
Subjective Reality | W | U | B | Aminatou, the Fateshifter |
Tokens and overlay cards[ | ]
Commander 2018 features 25 tokens and 1 overlay card:[8]
- Manifest overlay card, for Cloudform, Jeskai Infiltrator, Lightform and Primordial Mist.
- 1/1 Shapeshifter creature with changeling, for Crib Swap.
- 4/4 Angel creature with flying, for Empyrial Storm, Entreat the Angels and Sigil of the Empty Throne.
- Aura enchantment named Mask with enchant permanent and totem armor, for Estrid, the Masked.
- 2/2 Cat creature, for Ajani's Chosen.
- 1/1 Soldier creature, for Martial Coup.
- 2/1 Myr artifact creature, for Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer.
- 1/1 Thopter artifact creature with flying, for Sharding Sphinx.
- 2/2 Zombie creature, for Army of the Damned and Varina, Lich Queen.
- 0/2 Dragon Egg creature with defender and "When this creature dies, create a 2/2 red Dragon creature token with flying and ': This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn,'" for Nesting Dragon.
- 2/2 Dragon creature with flying and ": This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn," for Nesting Dragon.
- 1/1 Survivor creature, for Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor.
- 4/4 Beast creature, for Rampaging Baloths.
- 5/5 Beast creature with trample, for Spawning Grounds.
- 2/2 Cat Warrior creature with forestwalk, for Lord Windgrace.
- */* Elemental creature, for Dokai, Weaver of Life.
- 0/1 Plant creature, for Avenger of Zendikar, Khalni Garden and Turntimber Sower.
- 1/1 Worm creature, for Worm Harvest.
- Clue artifact with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card," for Magnifying Glass.
- 4/4 Construct artifact creature, for Retrofitter Foundry.
- 6/12 Construct artifact creature with trample, for Ancient Stone Idol.
- */* Horror artifact creature, for Phyrexian Rebirth.
- 1/1 Myr artifact creature, for Myr Battlesphere.
- 1/1 Servo artifact creature, for Retrofitter Foundry and Saheeli, the Gifted.
- 1/1 Thopter artifact creature with flying (1 of 2), for Loyal Apprentice, Maverick Thopterist, Retrofitter Foundry, Thopter Assembly, Thopter Engineer, Thopter Spy Network and Whirler Rogue.
- 1/1 Thopter artifact creature with flying (2 of 2).
Reception[ | ]
Some elements of design, the lack of wanted reprints and the increased price attributed to a lukewarm reception of the set.[9]
References[ | ]
- ↑ Product Information
- ↑ Blake Rasmussen (February 14, 2018). "Valentine's Day Mini–Announcement Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (July 27, 2018). "Commander (2018 Edition) Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards Play Network
- ↑ Gavin Verhey on Twitter
- ↑ Gavin Verhey (July 24, 2018). "Designing Commander 2018". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Gavin Verhey (August 7, 2019). "To steel everybody appropriately: the 5th Magus is absent from MTGC19.". Twitter.
- ↑ a b Blake Rasmussen (July 27, 2018). "Commander (2018 Edition) Deck Lists and Tokens". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Gavin Verhey (2019-02-05). "State of Product Design 2018". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.