Command Tower MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 69 setsSee all
RarityCommon
TypeLand

Key Takeaways

  1. Command Tower provides crucial mana flexibility, essential for smooth card play in Commander format decks.
  2. Despite its benefits, Command Tower lacks in strategic depth compared to lands with discard requirements.
  3. It’s an MTG staple for multicolored decks, fundamental for mana base optimization and enabling combos.

Text of card

: Add to your mana pool one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.

When defeat is near and guidance is scarce, all eyes look in one direction.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Command Tower offers exceptional mana flexibility by tapping to provide one mana of any color in your commander’s color identity. This seamless access can help keep your hand flowing with the cards you need without the drawback of entering the battlefield tapped or costing life points.

Resource Acceleration: Being able to tap for any color your commander represents, Command Tower acts as a powerful resource accelerator. It fuels multicolored decks by eliminating mana shortages that could otherwise slow down your gameplay.

Instant Speed: Though Command Tower itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, having it on the battlefield means you can effortlessly cast instant speed spells with diverse mana requirements. Its presence ensures you’re always ready to react to opponents’ moves or exploit opportunities at a moment’s notice.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One aspect of Command Tower that could be considered a con is that it doesn’t necessitate a discard, differentiating it less from basic lands in formats where color-fixing isn’t as crucial. This makes it less strategic and more of a straightforward addition without cost-benefit considerations.

Specific Mana Cost: While Command Tower can tap for any color of mana in a commander’s color identity, it doesn’t address the fact that it can’t produce colorless mana, something increasingly relevant with the rise of powerful colorless cards that require specific colorless mana to cast.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Command Tower doesn’t have a mana cost itself, it may not always be as cost-effective in a two-colored deck versus a similar land that enters untapped, since the color-fixing advantage is less significant, creating situations where a basic land or another dual land might serve the same purpose without taking up a non-basic slot.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Command Tower is a staple in any multicolored Commander deck. Its ability to tap for any color in your commander’s color identity ensures your mana base is always optimized, making it a must-have for ensuring smooth gameplay.

Combo Potential: The seamless mana fixing of Command Tower can be critical for enabling combos. It simplifies the color requirements for multi-colored combo pieces, letting you execute your win conditions more reliably.

Meta-Relevance: With Commander being a socially-driven format that’s constantly evolving, Command Tower maintains its relevancy by providing effortless color fixing in a meta where mana efficiency can make or break a game.


How to Beat Command Tower

Within the multiplayer format of Commander in Magic: The Gathering, the Command Tower card stands out for its simple yet powerful ability to tap for one mana of any color in your commander’s color identity. Its utility in providing color fixing effortlessly makes it a staple in nearly any multicolored EDH deck, allowing players to cast spells more consistently.

To counteract Command Tower, one strategy is to use land disruption. Cards like Strip Mine or Ghost Quarter can directly remove the Tower from the battlefield, momentarily disrupting an opponent’s mana base. Alternatively, Blood Moon can effectively neutralize the usefulness of Command Tower by turning it into a basic Mountain, thus limiting the player’s access to other colors and hindering their ability to cast multicolored spells.

While direct removal is one avenue, another is to focus on a more strategic long-term disruption through cards like Aven Mindcensor, which limits the ability to search for nonbasic lands like Command Tower. Efficient use of counterspells and resource denial strategies can also prove crucial when playing against decks that heavily rely on their Command Tower for mana fixing.


Cards like Command Tower

Command Tower stands out as a staple in any multicolored Commander deck for Magic: The Gathering aficionados. It shares similarities with cards like Mana Confluence and City of Brass, which also provide mana of any color. However, Command Tower has a significant advantage – it doesn’t cost life to use its ability. This marks a stark contrast with Mana Confluence and City of Brass, both of which exact a life point toll for their versatile mana.

Another card with resemblances to Command Tower is Exotic Orchard. Exotic Orchard can tap for any color of mana that a land an opponent controls could produce. While this card’s potential is determined by opponents’ lands, Command Tower’s utility is solely based on the player’s own deck, making it more consistent in a multicolor Commander deck. Reflecting Pool is yet another land that can mirror the abilities of other lands, but its effectiveness is again contingent on having other sources of mana colors, unlike the inherent reliability of Command Tower.

Evaluating these alternatives highlights Command Tower’s intrinsic value in providing consistent, pain-free mana in diverse Commander decks, solidifying its esteemed position in the Magic: The Gathering realm.

Mana Confluence - MTG Card versions
City of Brass - MTG Card versions
Exotic Orchard - MTG Card versions
Reflecting Pool - MTG Card versions
Mana Confluence - Journey into Nyx (JOU)
City of Brass - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Exotic Orchard - Conflux (CON)
Reflecting Pool - Tempest (TMP)

Cards similar to Command Tower by color, type and mana cost

Urza's Tower - MTG Card versions
Ice Floe - MTG Card versions
City of Brass - MTG Card versions
Bloodstained Mire - MTG Card versions
Zoetic Cavern - MTG Card versions
Grixis Panorama - MTG Card versions
Rupture Spire - MTG Card versions
Terramorphic Expanse - MTG Card versions
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx - MTG Card versions
Wasteland - MTG Card versions
Eldrazi Temple - MTG Card versions
Tectonic Edge - MTG Card versions
Maze of Ith - MTG Card versions
Homeward Path - MTG Card versions
Field of Ruin - MTG Card versions
Forge of Heroes - MTG Card versions
Ancient Tomb - MTG Card versions
Temple of the False God - MTG Card versions
Sanctum of Eternity - MTG Card versions
Reliquary Tower - MTG Card versions
Urza's Tower - Commander Masters (CMM)
Ice Floe - Fifth Edition (5ED)
City of Brass - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Bloodstained Mire - World Championship Decks 2003 (WC03)
Zoetic Cavern - Future Sight (FUT)
Grixis Panorama - Commander 2013 (C13)
Rupture Spire - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
Terramorphic Expanse - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx - Theros (THS)
Wasteland - Zendikar Rising Expeditions (ZNE)
Eldrazi Temple - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Tectonic Edge - Friday Night Magic 2012 (F12)
Maze of Ith - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Homeward Path - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Field of Ruin - The List (PLST)
Forge of Heroes - Commander 2018 (C18)
Ancient Tomb - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Temple of the False God - Commander 2019 (C19)
Sanctum of Eternity - Commander 2019 (C19)
Reliquary Tower - Love Your LGS 2020 (PLG20)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Command Tower MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Online Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Command Tower and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Command Tower Magic the Gathering card was released in 42 different sets between 2011-06-17 and 2024-03-08. Illustrated by 21 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 479792003normalblackAdam Paquette
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 860882015normalblackRyan Yee
32011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 2692003normalblackRyan Yee
42012-11-02Commander's ArsenalCM1 22003normalblackAdam Paquette
52013-11-01Commander 2013C13 2812003normalblackRyan Yee
62015-11-13Commander 2015C15 2812015normalblackRyan Yee
72015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 1372015normalblackAdam Paquette
82016-11-11Commander 2016C16 2862015normalblackRyan Yee
92017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 2452015normalblackRyan Yee
102017-08-25Commander 2017C17 2422015normalblackRyan Yee
112018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 2422015normalblackRyan Yee
122018-08-09Commander 2018C18 2402015normalblackRyan Yee
132019-08-23Commander 2019C19 2372015normalblackRyan Yee
142019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 3332015normalblackEvan Shipard
152019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 14962015normalborderlessDani Pendergast
162019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 7582015normalblackJubilee
172019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 6772015normalborderlessKevin Gnutzmans
182019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 7442015normalblackSerena Malyon
192019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 7102015normalblackJoana LaFuente
202019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 6972015normalblackRiot Games
212019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 7922015normalborderlessKamila Szutenberg
222020-04-17Commander 2020C20 2642015normalblackRyan Yee
232020-08-13Arena Beginner SetANB 1182015normalblackEvan Shipard
242020-09-25Zendikar Rising CommanderZNC 1242015normalblackRyan Yee
252020-09-26The ListPLST C21-2842015normalblackEvan Shipard
262020-09-26The ListPLST MIC-1702015normalblackEvan Shipard
272020-09-26The ListPLST CMD-2692003normalblackRyan Yee
282020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 3502015normalblackRyan Yee
292020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 7052015normalblackRyan Yee
302020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 4792015normalblackRyan Yee
312021-02-05Kaldheim CommanderKHC 1082015normalblackEvan Shipard
322021-04-23Commander 2021C21 2842015normalblackEvan Shipard
332021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 2302015normalblackEvan Shipard
342021-09-24Midnight Hunt CommanderMIC 1702015normalblackEvan Shipard
352021-11-19Crimson Vow CommanderVOC 1722015normalblackRyan Yee
362022-01-28Commander Collection: BlackCC2 82015normalblackJulian Kok Joon Wen
372022-02-18Neon Dynasty CommanderNEC 1672015normalblackRyan Yee
382022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 3952015normalblackEvan Shipard
392022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 3512015normalblackMuhammad Firdaus
402022-09-09Dominaria United CommanderDMC 2042015normalblackEvan Shipard
412022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 2702015normalblackLogan Feliciano
422022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 270★2015normalblackLogan Feliciano
432022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 271★2015normalblackGames Workshop
442022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 272★2015normalblackGames Workshop
452022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 2722015normalblackGames Workshop
462022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 2712015normalblackGames Workshop
472022-11-18The Brothers' War CommanderBRC 1781997normalblackRyan Yee
482023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 1512015normalblackEvan Shipard
492023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 3962015normalblackEvan Shipard
502023-05-08From Cute to BrutePCTB 672003normalblackRyan Yee
512023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 3012015normalblackSean Vo
522023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 4202015normalblackRyan Yee
532023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 6592015normalborderlessDonato Giancola
542023-08-04Commander Masters Art SeriesACMM 472015art_seriesborderless
552023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine CommanderWOC 1562015normalblackRyan Yee
562023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2632015normalblackHector Ortiz
572023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8562015normalblackPierre Loyvet
582023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8572015normalblackHenry Peters
592023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8542015normalblackHector Ortiz
602023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8552015normalblackSean Vo
612023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2642015normalblackSean Vo
622023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2652015normalblackPierre Loyvet
632023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2662015normalblackHenry Peters
642023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 3252015normalblackEvan Shipard
652024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 2562015normalblackRyan Yee
662024-03-08FalloutPIP 3602015normalborderlessAKQA
672024-03-08FalloutPIP 2592015normalblackGabriel Tanko
682024-03-08FalloutPIP 8882015normalborderlessAKQA
692024-03-08FalloutPIP 7872015normalblackGabriel Tanko

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Command Tower has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Command Tower card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2020-11-10 If you don't have a commander, Command Tower's ability produces no mana.
2020-11-10 If you have two commanders, the ability adds one mana of any color in their combined color identities.
2020-11-10 If your commander is a card that has no colors in its color identity, Command Tower's ability produces no mana. It doesn't produce .

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