MTG Commanders That Ignore Commander Tax: Best Picks

If you’ve been building Commander decks, you know that MTG commanders that ignore commander tax are absolute game-changers. The commander tax—that escalating cost penalty every time you cast your general from the command zone—can turn a powerful strategy into a sluggish one real fast. But some commanders have built-in abilities that let them bypass this cost entirely, or they’re designed in ways that make the tax irrelevant. Let’s break down the best picks and why they matter for your next game night.

Understanding Commander Tax Basics

Before we dive into the commanders that sidestep this mechanic, let’s clarify what we’re dealing with. Every time you cast your commander from the command zone, the cost increases by {2} for each previous time it’s been cast from the command zone that game. This tax stacks fast—by turn 5, your 3-mana commander could cost 11 mana to cast. It’s designed to balance the commander format, but it can feel brutal.

The key insight? Some commanders don’t care about this cost at all because they’re not relying on traditional casting mechanics. Others have abilities that circumvent the rule entirely. Understanding the difference is crucial for building a competitive deck.

Commanders That Cast From Graveyard

One of the cleanest ways to ignore commander tax is to cast your commander from somewhere other than the command zone. Commanders like Prosper, Tomb-Bound and Feldon of the Third Path let you cast or create copies from your graveyard without triggering the tax at all.

When your commander ends up in your graveyard, you can cast it directly from there (if it has that ability) or use self-mill strategies to stock your graveyard. This approach turns what would normally be a setback—your commander getting milled—into an advantage. The graveyard becomes your second command zone.

Cards like Geth’s Grimoire and Stitcher’s Supplier help you fill your graveyard consistently, turning this strategy into a reliable engine rather than a lucky break.

Commanders With Enter Battlefield Effects

Some commanders are so powerful on entry that the commander tax becomes irrelevant. Mulldrifter, Solemn Simulacrum, and Shrieking Drake exemplify this principle—they generate value the moment they hit the battlefield, regardless of how much you paid to cast them.

These commanders essentially pay for themselves through card draw, mana acceleration, or board advantage. If your commander draws two cards or ramps your mana when it enters, the extra {2}, {4}, or {6} in commander tax doesn’t sting as much because you’re immediately ahead on resources.

This strategy works best in decks built around flicker effects and bounce spells that let you abuse the enter-the-battlefield triggers repeatedly throughout the game.

Commanders That Ignore Casting Entirely

The ultimate tax dodge? Never casting your commander at all. Commanders like Zur the Enchanter and Narset, Enlightened Master work best when you’re tutoring enchantments or casting spells from exile, not when you’re repeatedly casting the general itself.

These commanders are designed to generate incremental advantage without needing to hit the battlefield multiple times. Your strategy revolves around their abilities rather than their casting cost. You’re not paying the tax because you’re not repeatedly casting them—you’re casting them once and letting them work their magic.

This is particularly effective in control-heavy metas where you’re not trying to swing for lethal damage, but rather grinding out incremental advantages until opponents concede.

Commanders With Cost Reduction Mechanics

Some commanders come with built-in cost reduction. Baral, Chief of Compliance reduces spell costs by {1} for each instant or sorcery in your graveyard. While this doesn’t directly ignore the commander tax, it significantly softens the blow.

Similarly, commanders in blue and artifact-heavy decks can leverage cost reduction through Goblin Electromancer, Foundry Inspector, and other permanents that reduce casting costs. By the time the tax reaches {6} or {8}, your cost reductions might have brought it back down to manageable levels.

This strategy requires more setup but creates a more resilient system—you’re not ignoring the tax, you’re making it irrelevant through efficient deck construction.

Commanders That Cheat Into Play

Why cast your commander when you can cheat it into play? Commanders like Kaalia of the Vast and Sneak Attack effects let you put creatures directly onto the battlefield without casting them. This completely bypasses the command zone and its associated tax.

The catch is that these effects are usually one-time triggers or require specific conditions (like attacking with Kaalia). But they’re incredibly efficient—you’re getting your commander into play for free or for a much lower cost than casting it would allow.

This approach shines in aggressive decks where you want your commander on the battlefield immediately and repeatedly, without waiting to accumulate mana.

Commanders With Built-In Mana Acceleration

If you can’t dodge the tax, accelerate past it. Commanders like Llanowar Elves and Elvish Archdruid generate mana or ramp your resources so aggressively that the commander tax becomes a minor inconvenience.

By turn 4, you might have enough mana acceleration that casting your commander for {8} or {10} is no problem at all. You’re not ignoring the tax—you’re building a mana engine so efficient that the tax is mathematically insignificant.

This strategy works best in green-heavy decks or decks with artifact acceleration. The key is ensuring your ramp pieces survive long enough to generate the mana you need.

Strategic Deck Building Around Tax Avoidance

Building around commanders that ignore the tax requires intentional deck construction. You need to include tutors, card draw, and protection pieces that support your commander’s strategy.

For graveyard-based commanders, include self-mill and recursion. For commanders with strong ETB effects, include flicker and bounce spells. For commanders that cheat into play, include the cards that enable those effects. Your 99 cards should be specifically chosen to make your commander’s tax-dodging ability shine.

This focused approach makes your deck more consistent and powerful than trying to build a generalist deck with a commander that ignores the tax as a bonus feature.

Impact on Competitive Commander Meta

In competitive Commander, tax-dodging commanders have shaped the metagame significantly. Prosper, Tomb-Bound decks and Dockside Extortionist strategies dominate because they generate so much value that the tax becomes irrelevant.

Tournament results show that commanders with cost reduction, graveyard casting, or strong ETB effects consistently outperform traditional commanders that rely on repeated casting. If you’re building for competitive play, seriously consider one of these strategies.

However, casual playgroups might have different preferences. Check your local meta before committing to a tax-dodging strategy—some groups intentionally avoid the most efficient commanders to keep the format more diverse and fun.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the commander tax apply if my commander is in my hand?

No. The commander tax only applies when you cast your commander from the command zone. If your commander is in your hand or deck, you can cast it without any tax penalty. However, once it’s been cast from the command zone, the tax applies for all subsequent casts from the command zone.

Can I avoid the commander tax by casting my commander from my deck?

Yes, but only if your commander has an ability that allows it. Cards like Zur the Enchanter can tutor enchantments, but they don’t directly cast from your deck. However, if you mill your commander into your graveyard and have an ability to cast from the graveyard, you completely bypass the tax.

What’s the most competitive commander that ignores tax?

In current competitive metas, Prosper, Tomb-Bound is considered one of the strongest because it generates treasure tokens while casting from the graveyard, creating a self-sustaining mana engine that makes the tax irrelevant.

Do cost reduction effects stack with each other?

Yes. If you have multiple permanents that reduce spell costs, their effects stack. This is why decks built around cost reduction can eventually cast their commanders for free or nearly free, regardless of the tax.

Is building around tax-dodging commanders fun for casual play?

It depends on your playgroup. Some casual players love the strategic depth and efficiency. Others prefer avoiding the most optimized strategies to keep games more balanced and unpredictable. Always communicate with your table before bringing a tax-dodging deck.

Conclusion: Choosing Your Tax-Dodging General

MTG commanders that ignore commander tax represent some of the most efficient and powerful strategies in the format. Whether you’re casting from the graveyard, leveraging strong enter-the-battlefield effects, or building around cost reduction, these commanders offer distinct advantages over traditional picks.

The key is matching your chosen strategy to your playgroup’s expectations and your own playstyle. A tax-dodging commander in the wrong deck is just an expensive card. But when you build intentionally around these abilities, they become the centerpiece of a powerful, consistent strategy.

Start with one of the commanders we’ve discussed, build your 99 cards to support its strengths, and watch your opponents struggle with the commander tax while you’re casting your general for free. That’s the real advantage of ignoring the rules.