Commander 2017
| Commander 2017 | |||||
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| Set Information | |||||
| Set symbol | |||||
| Symbol description | A four-parted shield | ||||
| Design |
Gavin Verhey (lead) Ben Hayes Jules Robins Mark Gottlieb Bryan Hawley | ||||
| Development |
Bryan Hawley (lead) Glenn Jones Jules Robins Mark Globus | ||||
| Release date | August 25, 2017 | ||||
| Themes and mechanics | Tribal commanders | ||||
| Keywords/ability words | Eminence, Goad, Phasing, Rebound | ||||
| Set size | Four 100-card decks, 309 cards | ||||
| Expansion code | C17[2] | ||||
| Commander series | |||||
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| Magic: The Gathering Chronology | |||||
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Commander 2017, officially styled as Commander (2017 Edition), is a product in the Commander series that was released by Wizards of the Coast on August 25, 2017.[3][4]
Set details
Starting with Commander 2017, Commander sets are reduced from five to four preconstructed theme decks (without reducing the number of new cards) and will be built around themes instead of focusing on color combinations.[5] The reduction of number of decks comes forth from the idea that the best Commander play experience for a new Commander player is a four-player game.[5]
Commander 2017 features four 100-card decks, with 309 different cards in total. There are 56 new cards legal in Vintage and Legacy. Each of the four decks is tribal themed, based on the “most popular, and interesting, tribes.”[3] Cards from Commander 2017 will be featured and distributed in connection with a future offering on Magic Online.
Each preconstructed deck was designed with an identity for each tribe:[6]
Draconic Domination (“Dragons matter” and ramp)[5]- Feline Ferocity (“Cats matter” and equipment)[5][7]
- Vampiric Bloodlust (“Vampires matter” and lifegain)[8]
- Arcane Wizardry (“Wizards matter” and graveyard interactions)
Each comes with an oversized foil card that corresponds to the main commander of that deck. This card is for fun only and isn't required for Commander gameplay.[4]
Mechanics
Commander 2017 introduces eminence, an ability word that occurs on legendary creatures.[4] Eminence indicates the creature has an ability that triggers both while the creature is on the battlefield or in the command zone; but in exchange requiring a deckbuilding restriction (in this case, building tribally).[5]
Returning non-evergreen mechanics on new cards include goad on Disrupt Decorum (last seen in Conspiracy: Take the Crown); rebound on Taigam, Ojutai Master (last seen in Dragons of Tarkir); and phasing on Teferi's Protection (last seen in Unhinged and Visions), which is notable for being the first new black-bordered card with phasing to be printed in over 13 years.[8] Kindred Boon uses the first Divinity counters since Planechase.
Cycles
Commander 2017 has three cycles of new cards, one of which only consists of four cards. It also continues one as-of-yet incomplete mega cycle:
- Tribal commanders: Four mythic rare legendary creatures with the eminence keyword, each representing the tribe of one deck — The Ur-Dragon (dragons), Arahbo, Roar of the World (cats), Edgar Markov (vampires), and Inalla, Archmage Ritualist (wizards).
- "On attack" curses: Five uncommon monocolored curses, each of which trigger when the curse-bearer is attacked, and give both the controller of the curse and the attacking player a beneficial effect. Each card in the cycle also depicts the same character — Curse of Vitality (), Curse of Verbosity (), Curse of Disturbance (), Curse of Opulence (), and Curse of Bounty ().[4][8][9]
- Kindred spells: Five rare noncreature spells that "are extremely powerful in dedicated tribal decks"[5] — Kindred Boon (), Kindred Discovery (), Kindred Dominance (), Kindred Charge (), and Kindred Summons ().
Mega cycle
- Sorcery magi: Rare Wizards with the converted mana cost and abilities of iconic sorceries from Magic's past, one printed in each Commander set since Commander 2015.[10] This in itself is a reference to Time Spiral block. Commander 2017 adds Magus of the Mind (Mind's Desire, ) to the cycle, with previous members being Magus of the Will (Yawgmoth's Will, ) and Magus of the Wheel (Wheel of Fortune, ).
Theme decks
Commander 2017 consists of four multi-colored decks:[3][11]
| Theme deck name |
Color Identity | Commander | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Draconic Domination | W | U | B | R | G | The Ur-Dragon |
| Feline Ferocity | W | G | Arahbo, Roar of the World | |||
| Vampiric Bloodlust | W | B | R | Edgar Markov | ||
| Arcane Wizardry | U | B | R | Inalla, Archmage Ritualist | ||
Tokens
Commander 2017 has 11 different tokens.[12] There are 10 double-faced tokens in each deck.
- 2/2 Cat creature for Kemba, Kha Regent and White Sun's Zenith
- 1/1 Bat creature with flying for Skeletal Vampire
- 1/1 Rat creature with deathtouch for Hungry Lynx
- 1/1 Vampire creature for Edgar Markov
- 2/2 Zombie creature for Curse of Disturbance
- 4/4 Dragon creature with flying for Broodmate Dragon
- 6/6 Dragon creature with flying for Utvara Hellkite
- 2/2 Cat Warrior creature with forestwalk for Jedit Ojanen of Efrava
- 3/3 Cat Dragon creature with flying for Wasitora, Nekoru Queen
0/1 Eldrazi Spawn creature with “Sacrifice this creature: Add ” for Pawn of Ulamog- Artifact named Gold with “Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color” for Curse of Opulence
References
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