ManaPalHow to track life and commander damage in Commander
Short answer: in Commander each player starts at 40 life and loses at 0 life, after taking 21 combat damage from a single commander, or at 10 poison counters. Commander damage has to be tracked separately for every commander at the table, so a life counter app that keeps a commander-damage grid for each player is far easier than pen and paper.
Everything you need to track
| What | Rule |
|---|---|
| Life | Everyone starts at 40. At 0 you lose. |
| Commander damage | 21 or more combat damage from the same commander over the game and you lose, whatever your life total. |
| Poison | 10 poison counters and you lose. |
| Commander tax | Casting your commander from the command zone costs {2} more for each previous time you cast it from there. |
| Monarch | The monarch draws an extra card at their end step. Deal combat damage to the monarch and you take the crown. |
| Initiative | Whoever has it ventures into the Undercity when they take it and at the start of their upkeep. Deal combat damage to that player to take it. |
Step by step: a clean four-player game
- Set up before the first turn: players, seat order, and each player's commander (or two, with partner).
- Decide who tracks: each player updates their own life; one shared phone in the middle of the table works best.
- Log commander damage at the moment it happens, on the damaged player's side, against the attacking commander.
- Announce changes out loud ("I'm at 27, 9 from Atraxa"), so the table can catch mistakes.
- Mark the monarch and initiative as soon as they change hands: they're easy to forget.
- Keep a turn count. It helps with "until your next turn" effects and with game length.
- Record the result when the game ends: winner, decks and turns. Over time this tells you which decks actually perform.
Common mistakes
- Counting damage from a commander's ability as commander damage: only combat damage counts.
- Adding commander damage from two different commanders together: each one has its own count.
- Forgetting that lifelink, life drain and life payments change the totals at the same time.
- Resetting commander damage when a commander changes zones: it stays for the whole game.
How to do it with ManaPal
- Open the Games tab and tap New game.
- Choose 2 to 6 players and their decks: each player's area shows their commander's art.
- Tap + and – to change life. Track commander damage, poison, monarch and initiative from each player's menu.
- Pass the turn with the arrow: the turn counter follows along.
- Need a die? Roll the 3D die. Playing a variant? Planechase and Archenemy are supported.
- At the end, the result goes into your stats and your playgroup's leaderboard. Share the game with a QR code so it lands in your friends' stats too.
FAQ
Does non-combat damage count as commander damage?
No. Only combat damage dealt by a commander counts toward the 21-damage limit. Damage from abilities still reduces life normally.
Does commander damage from different commanders add up?
No. You lose when you've taken 21 or more combat damage from the same commander over the game. Damage from different commanders is tracked separately, including two partner commanders.
Is ManaPal's life counter free?
Yes. Games, the life counter, game history and stats are part of ManaPal's free features.