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'''Lieutenant''' is an [[ability word]] introduced in ''[[Commander 2014]]''. It only appears on a horizontal [[cycle]] of 5 [[creatures]]. <ref>{{NewRef|feature/love-letter-vorthos-2014-10-24|A Love Letter to Vorthos|[[Ethan Fleischer]] and [[Ian Duke]]|October 24, 2014}}</ref>
{{Infobox ability
| first = Commander 2014
| last = MH3 Commander
| reminder = As long as you control your commander, ...
| stats = {{stats|W=3|U=2|B=2|R=2|G=2}}
}}
'''''Lieutenant''''' is an [[ability word]] introduced in ''[[Commander 2014]]''.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/love-letter-vorthos-2014-10-24|A Love Letter to Vorthos|[[Ethan Fleischer]] and [[Ian Duke]]|October 24, 2014}}</ref>  
 
==Description==
==Description==
Sometimes, highly competitive [[Commander (format)|Commander]] [[player]]s choose their [[commander (General)|Commanders]] mostly for [[color identity]], without the intent of building their [[deck]]s around them. Lieutenant is meant as a reward for players who actually intend to cast their commanders and try to keep them on the [[battlefield]].   
Sometimes, highly competitive [[Commander (format)|Commander]] [[player]]s choose their [[commander (designation)|commander]]s mostly for [[color identity]], without the intent of building their [[deck]]s around them. Lieutenant is meant as a reward for players who intend to cast their commanders and try to keep them on the [[battlefield]].   
 
A creature with lieutenant gets (or grants) a bonus as long as you [[control]] your commander. It allowed [[R&D]] to create creatures with combat stats that are more generous than they would normally allow for a typical one-on-one duel because their abilities will only be turned on in a context where players have higher starting [[life]] totals. Moreover, unleashing your lieutenant's full power involves keeping your commander on the battlefield, which isn't always a given.
 
===History===
A second cycle of cards with Lieutenant was printed in ''[[Commander 2018]]'' and it made a third appearance as a ''[[Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander]]'' exclusive card. It also appeared as one-off in ''[[MH3 Commander]]''.


A creature with lieutenant gets (or grants) a bonus as long as you [[control]] your commander. It allowed [[R&D]] to create creatures with combat stats that are more generous than they would normally allow for a typical one-on-one duel, because their abilities will only be turned on in a context where players have a higher starting [[life]] totals. Moreover, unleashing your lieutenant's full power involves keeping your commander on the battlefield, which isn't always a given.  
==Examples==
{{examples|<c>Angelic Field Marshal</c> {{2}}{{W}}{{W}}<br>Creature {{-}} Angel<br>3/3<br>Flying<br>''Lieutenant'' {{-}} As long as you control your commander, Angelic Field Marshal gets +2/+2 and creatures you control have vigilance.}}


==Example==
==Rulings==
{{examples|text=''
*Lieutenant abilities apply only if your commander is on the battlefield and under your control.<ref>{{DailyRef|release-notes-2014-11-10|Commander 2014. Release notes|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|November 10, 2014}}</ref>  
*<c>Angelic Field Marshal</c> - {{2}}{{W}}{{W}}<br>Creature - Angel<br>Flying<br>''Lieutenant'' {{-}} As long as you control your commander, Angelic Field Marshal gets +2/+2 and creatures you control have vigilance.<br>
*Lieutenant abilities refer only to whether you control your commander, not any other player's commander.
}}
*If you gain control of a creature with a lieutenant ability owned by another player, that ability will check to see if you control your commander and will apply if you do. It won't check whether its owner controls their commander.
==Creatures with Lieutenant==
*If you lose control of your commander, lieutenant abilities of creatures you control will immediately stop applying. If this causes a creature's toughness to become less than or equal to the amount of damage marked on it, the creature will be destroyed.
* <c>Angelic Field Marshal</c>
*If a triggered ability granted by a lieutenant ability triggers, and in response to that trigger you lose control of your commander (causing the lieutenant to lose that ability), that triggered ability will still resolve.
* <c>Stormsurge Kraken</c>
* <c>Demon of Wailing Agonies</c>
* <c>Tyrant's Familiar</c>
* <c>Thunderfoot Baloth</c>


==Lieutenants==
==Other use==
* The term '''Lieutenant''' is also used to describe the above mentioned creatures.
Sometimes the protecting players in an [[Emperor]] game are also described as "lieutenants".<ref>{{DailyRef|serious-fun/numbers-2009-03-30|By the Numbers|[[Kelly Digges]]|March 30, 2009}}</ref> However the proper descriptor would be "generals", which is ironically how many players call their [[commander (designation)|commander]].
* Sometimes the protecting players in an [[Emperor]] game are also decribed as lieutenants. <ref>{{NewRef|serious-fun/numbers-2009-03-30|By the Numbers|[[Kelly Digges]]|March 30, 2009}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Ability words]] [[Category:Commander]]
 
{{Mechanics|ability}}

Latest revision as of 17:10, 31 May 2024

Lieutenant
Ability Word
Introduced Commander 2014
Last used MH3 Commander
Typical Text Lieutenant — As long as you control your commander, ...
Statistics
11 cards
{W} 27.3% {U} 18.2% {B} 18.2% {R} 18.2% {G} 18.2%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"Lieutenant"

Lieutenant is an ability word introduced in Commander 2014.[1]

Description

Sometimes, highly competitive Commander players choose their commanders mostly for color identity, without the intent of building their decks around them. Lieutenant is meant as a reward for players who intend to cast their commanders and try to keep them on the battlefield.

A creature with lieutenant gets (or grants) a bonus as long as you control your commander. It allowed R&D to create creatures with combat stats that are more generous than they would normally allow for a typical one-on-one duel because their abilities will only be turned on in a context where players have higher starting life totals. Moreover, unleashing your lieutenant's full power involves keeping your commander on the battlefield, which isn't always a given.

History

A second cycle of cards with Lieutenant was printed in Commander 2018 and it made a third appearance as a Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander exclusive card. It also appeared as one-off in MH3 Commander.

Examples

Example

Angelic Field Marshal {2}{W}{W}
Creature — Angel
3/3
Flying
Lieutenant — As long as you control your commander, Angelic Field Marshal gets +2/+2 and creatures you control have vigilance.

Rulings

  • Lieutenant abilities apply only if your commander is on the battlefield and under your control.[2]
  • Lieutenant abilities refer only to whether you control your commander, not any other player's commander.
  • If you gain control of a creature with a lieutenant ability owned by another player, that ability will check to see if you control your commander and will apply if you do. It won't check whether its owner controls their commander.
  • If you lose control of your commander, lieutenant abilities of creatures you control will immediately stop applying. If this causes a creature's toughness to become less than or equal to the amount of damage marked on it, the creature will be destroyed.
  • If a triggered ability granted by a lieutenant ability triggers, and in response to that trigger you lose control of your commander (causing the lieutenant to lose that ability), that triggered ability will still resolve.

Other use

Sometimes the protecting players in an Emperor game are also described as "lieutenants".[3] However the proper descriptor would be "generals", which is ironically how many players call their commander.

References

  1. Ethan Fleischer and Ian Duke (October 24, 2014). "A Love Letter to Vorthos". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. Wizards of the Coast (November 10, 2014). "Commander 2014. Release notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. Kelly Digges (March 30, 2009). "By the Numbers". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.