1. Commander Nexus
2. Banned list

Commander Banned List

A banned card is one you are not allowed to put in a Commander deck, in any of the hundred slots, including as your commander. Every other card ever printed is legal. 83 cards are on this list today. Commander Nexus flags a banned card the moment it lands in one of your decks — we tell you, we do not stop you.

The list is Wizards of the Coast's, not ours, and it changes. We mirror what Scryfall records. We do not republish the reasoning behind any single ban here; what is printed beside each card is what the card itself does.

Banned in Commander (58)

• Amulet of Quoz

  {6} Artifact

  Remove this card from your deck before playing if you're not playing for ante. {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Target opponent may ante the top card of their library. If they don't, you flip a coin. If you win the flip, that player loses the game. If you lose the flip, you lose the game. Activate only during your upkeep.

• Ancestral Recall

  {U} Instant

  Target player draws three cards.

• Balance

  {1}{W} Sorcery

  Each player chooses a number of lands they control equal to the number of lands controlled by the player who controls the fewest, then sacrifices the rest. Players discard cards and sacrifice creatures the same way.

• Black Lotus

  {0} Artifact

  {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add three mana of any one color.

• Bronze Tablet

  {6} Artifact

  Remove this card from your deck before playing if you're not playing for ante. This artifact enters tapped. {4}, {T}: Exile this artifact and target nontoken permanent an opponent owns. That player may pay 10 life. If they do, put this card into its owner's graveyard. Otherwise, that player owns this card and you own the other exiled card.

• Channel

  {G}{G} Sorcery

  Until end of turn, any time you could activate a mana ability, you may pay 1 life. If you do, add {C}.

• Chaos Orb

  {2} Artifact

  {1}, {T}: If this artifact is on the battlefield, flip it onto the battlefield from a height of at least one foot. If this artifact turns over completely at least once during the flip, destroy all nontoken permanents it touches. Then destroy this artifact.

• Cleanse

  {2}{W}{W} Sorcery

  Destroy all black creatures.

• Contract from Below

  {B} Sorcery

  Remove this card from your deck before playing if you're not playing for ante. Discard your hand, ante the top card of your library, then draw seven cards.

• Crusade

  {W}{W} Enchantment

  White creatures get +1/+1.

• Darkpact

  {B}{B}{B} Sorcery

  Remove this card from your deck before playing if you're not playing for ante. You own target card in the ante. Exchange that card with the top card of your library.

• Demonic Attorney

  {1}{B}{B} Sorcery

  Remove this card from your deck before playing if you're not playing for ante. Each player antes the top card of their library.

• Dockside Extortionist

  {1}{R} Creature — Goblin Pirate

  When this creature enters, create X Treasure tokens, where X is the number of artifacts and enchantments your opponents control. (Treasure tokens are artifacts with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")

• Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

  {15} Legendary Creature — Eldrazi

  This spell can't be countered. When you cast this spell, take an extra turn after this one. Flying, protection from spells that are one or more colors, annihilator 6 When Emrakul is put into a graveyard from anywhere, its owner shuffles their graveyard into their library.

• Erayo, Soratami Ascendant // Erayo's Essence

  {1}{U} Legendary Creature — Moonfolk Monk // Legendary Enchantment

  Flying Whenever the fourth spell of a turn is cast, flip Erayo. // Whenever an opponent casts their first spell each turn, counter that spell.

• Falling Star

  {2}{R} Sorcery

  Flip Falling Star onto the playing area from a height of at least one foot. Falling Star deals 3 damage to each creature it lands on. Tap all creatures dealt damage by Falling Star. If Falling Star doesn't turn completely over at least once during the flip, it has no effect.

• Fastbond

  {G} Enchantment

  You may play any number of lands on each of your turns. Whenever you play a land, if it wasn't the first land you played this turn, this enchantment deals 1 damage to you.

• Flash

  {1}{U} Instant

  You may put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield. If you do, sacrifice it unless you pay its mana cost reduced by {2}.

• Golos, Tireless Pilgrim

  {5} Legendary Artifact Creature — Scout

  When Golos enters, you may search your library for a land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. {2}{W}{U}{B}{R}{G}: Exile the top three cards of your library. You may play them this turn without paying their mana costs.

• Griselbrand

  {4}{B}{B}{B}{B} Legendary Creature — Demon

  Flying, lifelink Pay 7 life: Draw seven cards.

• Hullbreacher

  {2}{U} Creature — Merfolk Pirate

  Flash If an opponent would draw a card except the first one they draw in each of their draw steps, instead you create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")

• Imprison

  {B} Enchantment — Aura

  Enchant creature Whenever a player activates an ability of enchanted creature with {T} in its activation cost that isn't a mana ability, you may pay {1}. If you do, counter that ability. If you don't, destroy this Aura. Whenever enchanted creature attacks or blocks, you may pay {1}. If you do, tap the creature, remove it from combat, and creatures it was blocking that had become blocked by only that creature this combat become unblocked. If you don't, destroy this Aura.

• Invoke Prejudice

  {U}{U}{U}{U} Enchantment

  Whenever an opponent casts a creature spell that doesn't share a color with a creature you control, counter that spell unless that player pays {X}, where X is its mana value.

• Iona, Shield of Emeria

  {6}{W}{W}{W} Legendary Creature — Angel

  Flying As Iona enters, choose a color. Your opponents can't cast spells of the chosen color.

• Jeweled Bird

  {1} Artifact

  Remove this card from your deck before playing if you're not playing for ante. {T}: Ante this artifact. If you do, put all other cards you own from the ante into your graveyard, then draw a card.

• Jeweled Lotus

  {0} Artifact

  {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add three mana of any one color. Spend this mana only to cast your commander.

• Jihad

  {W}{W}{W} Enchantment

  As this enchantment enters, choose a color and an opponent. White creatures get +2/+1 as long as the chosen player controls a nontoken permanent of the chosen color. When the chosen player controls no nontoken permanents of the chosen color, sacrifice this enchantment.

• Karakas

  Legendary Land

  {T}: Add {W}. {T}: Return target legendary creature to its owner's hand.

• Leovold, Emissary of Trest

  {B}{G}{U} Legendary Creature — Elf Advisor

  Each opponent can't draw more than one card each turn. Whenever you or a permanent you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, you may draw a card.

• Library of Alexandria

  Land

  {T}: Add {C}. {T}: Draw a card. Activate only if you have exactly seven cards in hand.

• Limited Resources

  {W} Enchantment

  When this enchantment enters, each player chooses five lands they control and sacrifices the rest. Players can't play lands as long as ten or more lands are on the battlefield.

• Mana Crypt

  {0} Artifact

  At the beginning of your upkeep, flip a coin. If you lose the flip, this artifact deals 3 damage to you. {T}: Add {C}{C}.

• Mox Emerald

  {0} Artifact

  {T}: Add {G}.

• Mox Jet

  {0} Artifact

  {T}: Add {B}.

• Mox Pearl

  {0} Artifact

  {T}: Add {W}.

• Mox Ruby

  {0} Artifact

  {T}: Add {R}.

• Mox Sapphire

  {0} Artifact

  {T}: Add {U}.

• Nadu, Winged Wisdom

  {1}{G}{U} Legendary Creature — Bird Wizard

  Flying Creatures you control have "Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability, reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land card, put it onto the battlefield. Otherwise, put it into your hand. This ability triggers only twice each turn."

• Paradox Engine

  {5} Legendary Artifact

  Whenever you cast a spell, untap all nonland permanents you control.

• Pradesh Gypsies

  {2}{G} Creature — Human Nomad

  {1}{G}, {T}: Target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn.

• Primeval Titan

  {4}{G}{G} Creature — Giant

  Trample Whenever this creature enters or attacks, you may search your library for up to two land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

• Prophet of Kruphix

  {3}{G}{U} Creature — Human Wizard

  Untap all creatures and lands you control during each other player's untap step. You may cast creature spells as though they had flash.

• Rebirth

  {3}{G}{G}{G} Sorcery

  Remove this card from your deck before playing if you're not playing for ante. Each player may ante the top card of their library. If a player does, that player's life total becomes 20.

• Recurring Nightmare

  {2}{B} Enchantment

  Sacrifice a creature, Return this enchantment to its owner's hand: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate only as a sorcery.

• Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary

  {G}{G} Legendary Creature — Elf Druid

  {T}: Add {G} for each Forest you control.

• Shahrazad

  {W}{W} Sorcery

  Players play a Magic subgame, using their libraries as their decks. Each player who doesn't win the subgame loses half their life, rounded up.

• Stone-Throwing Devils

  {B} Creature — Devil

  First strike

• Sundering Titan

  {8} Artifact Creature — Golem

  When this creature enters or leaves the battlefield, choose a land of each basic land type, then destroy those lands.

• Sylvan Primordial

  {5}{G}{G} Creature — Avatar

  Reach When this creature enters, for each opponent, destroy target noncreature permanent that player controls. For each permanent destroyed this way, search your library for a Forest card and put that card onto the battlefield tapped. Then shuffle.

• Tempest Efreet

  {1}{R}{R}{R} Creature — Efreet

  Remove this card from your deck before playing if you're not playing for ante. {T}, Sacrifice this creature: Target opponent may pay 10 life. If that player doesn't, they reveal a card at random from their hand. Exchange ownership of the revealed card and Tempest Efreet. Put the revealed card into your hand and Tempest Efreet from anywhere into that player's graveyard. This change in ownership is permanent.

• Time Vault

  {2} Artifact

  This artifact enters tapped. This artifact doesn't untap during your untap step. If you would begin your turn while this artifact is tapped, you may skip that turn instead. If you do, untap this artifact. {T}: Take an extra turn after this one.

• Time Walk

  {1}{U} Sorcery

  Take an extra turn after this one.

• Timmerian Fiends

  {1}{B}{B} Creature — Horror

  Remove this card from your deck before playing if you're not playing for ante. {B}{B}{B}, Sacrifice this creature: The owner of target artifact may ante the top card of their library. If that player doesn't, exchange ownership of that artifact and Timmerian Fiends. Put the artifact card into your graveyard and Timmerian Fiends from anywhere into that player's graveyard. This change in ownership is permanent.

• Tinker

  {2}{U} Sorcery

  As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice an artifact. Search your library for an artifact card, put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle.

• Tolarian Academy

  Legendary Land

  {T}: Add {U} for each artifact you control.

• Trade Secrets

  {1}{U}{U} Sorcery

  Target opponent draws two cards, then you draw up to four cards. That opponent may repeat this process as many times as they choose.

• Upheaval

  {4}{U}{U} Sorcery

  Return all permanents to their owners' hands.

• Yawgmoth's Bargain

  {4}{B}{B} Enchantment

  Skip your draw step. Pay 1 life: Draw a card.

Conspiracies (25)

These are not really bans. A Conspiracy is a card from the Conspiracy draft sets that you reveal from outside the game; it was never legal in any deck you build in advance, Commander included. They appear on the list so that nothing is missing from it.

• Adriana's Valor

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Whenever a creature you control with the chosen name attacks, you may pay {W}. If you do, that creature gains indestructible until end of turn. (Damage and effects that say "destroy" don't destroy it.)

• Advantageous Proclamation

  Conspiracy

  (Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) Your minimum deck size is reduced by five.

• Assemble the Rank and Vile

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Creatures you control with the chosen name have "When this creature dies, you may pay {B}. If you do, create a tapped 2/2 black Zombie creature token."

• Backup Plan

  Conspiracy

  (Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) Draw an additional hand of seven cards as the game begins. Before taking mulligans, shuffle all but one of your hands into your library.

• Brago's Favor

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Spells with the chosen name you cast cost {1} less to cast.

• Double Stroke

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell with the chosen name, you may copy it. You may choose new targets for the copy.

• Echoing Boon

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, if it targets a creature you control with the chosen name, you may copy that spell and may choose new targets for the copy.

• Emissary's Ploy

  Conspiracy

  (Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) Before drawing your opening hand, choose 1, 2, or 3. You may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast creature spells with mana value equal to the chosen number.

• Hired Heist

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Whenever a creature you control with the chosen name deals combat damage to a player, you may pay {U}. If you do, draw a card.

• Hold the Perimeter

  Conspiracy

  (Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) At the beginning of your first upkeep, create a 1/2 white Soldier creature token with defender. At the beginning of each other player's first upkeep, that player creates a 1/1 red Goblin creature token with "This token can't block."

• Hymn of the Wilds

  Conspiracy

  (Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) The first creature spell you cast each turn costs {1} less to cast. You can't cast instant or sorcery spells.

• Immediate Action

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Creatures you control with the chosen name have haste.

• Incendiary Dissent

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Creatures you control with the chosen name have "{R}: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn."

• Iterative Analysis

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell with the chosen name, you may draw a card.

• Muzzio's Preparations

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Each creature you control with the chosen name enters with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.

• Natural Unity

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Creatures you control with the chosen name have "At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may pay {G}. If you do, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature."

• Power Play

  Conspiracy

  (Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) You are the starting player. If multiple players would be the starting player, one of those players is chosen at random.

• Secret Summoning

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Whenever a creature you control with the chosen name enters, you may search your library for any number of cards with that name, reveal them, put them into your hand, then shuffle.

• Secrets of Paradise

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) Creatures you control with the chosen name have "{T}: Add one mana of any color."

• Sentinel Dispatch

  Conspiracy

  (Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) At the beginning of the first upkeep, create a 1/1 colorless Construct artifact creature token with defender.

• Sovereign's Realm

  Conspiracy

  (Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) Your starting deck can't have basic land cards and your starting hand size is five. Exile a card from your hand: This turn, you may play basic lands from outside the game. Basic lands you control have "{T}: Add one mana of any color."

• Summoner's Bond

  Conspiracy

  Double agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose two different card names. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal those names.) Whenever you cast a creature spell with one of the chosen names, you may search your library for a creature card with the other chosen name, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.

• Unexpected Potential

  Conspiracy

  Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.) You may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast spells with the chosen name.

• Weight Advantage

  Conspiracy

  (Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) Each creature you control assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power.

• Worldknit

  Conspiracy

  (Start the game with this conspiracy face up in the command zone.) As long as every card in your card pool started the game in your library or in the command zone, lands you control have "{T}: Add one mana of any color."