Most people know Magic: The Gathering's "normal" formats, where two players duel head-to-head with 60-card decks. Others know of Commander, where multiple players battle one another using specially-built 100-card decks with a Legendary Creature at the head. Wizards of the Coast is introducing a new format into the mix that takes elements from both formats and mixes them together. Enter: Oathbreaker.
Oathbreaker MTG Rules
In a game of Oathbreaker, three to five players battle one another with 60-card decks. Instead of a Legendary Creature leading the deck, however, players build them using Planeswalkers. Players also choose a signature spell to go with their deck, which can be cast as long as their Oathbreaker is on the field.
Like Commander, Oathbreaker uses special deck construction rules: Players can only have one copy of non-Basic cards in their deck, and all cards must match the color identity of their Oathbreaker - If their Oathbreaker is Blue, only Blue (and Colorless) cards may be included.
Players may cast their Oathbreaker from a special zone called the Command Zone during their turn. When their Oathbreaker is removed from play, players may choose to return it to the Command Zone, but casting it from there again costs two additional mana per time this has happened. Similarly, players may cast their Signature Spell from the Command Zone as long as their Oathbreaker is on the field, but this "Commander Tax" also applies.
Players begin at 20 life and play then proceeds like normal - players can attack whomever they wish and are free to make deals and alliances with other players - though there can only be one winner.
This article was originally published on dbltap as Oathbreaker MTG Rules.
