Reminder Text and Color Identity

Hey fellow Magic: The Gathering players! Let's dive deep into something that often causes a bit of confusion in Commander: the relationship between reminder text and color identity. It's a common question, and understanding it can really help you build better, more compliant decks. First off, what exactly is reminder text? You've seen it countless times – it's the italicized text that often appears in parentheses on a card, explaining what a keyword ability does. Think of it as a helpful nudge from Wizards of the Coast, especially for evergreen keywords like Flying, Trample, or new, complex mechanics. It's there to make the game more accessible and reduce the need to constantly consult the comprehensive rules. The key takeaway here, and something I learned the hard way, is that reminder text is not rules text. It's purely informational and has no bearing on a card's actual abilities or, more importantly for us, its color identity. Now, let's quickly recap Commander color identity. Your commander's color identity determines what colors of mana symbols can appear on any card in your 99-card deck. This includes mana costs, activated abilities, and even color indicators. The official rule, CR 903.4, explicitly states this. For example, if your commander is mono-red, you can't include a card with a blue mana symbol in its cost or text, even if that symbol is in reminder text. Oh wait, that last part isn't quite right! And that's where the confusion often comes in. The crucial point, and something I always emphasize when explaining this to friends, is that reminder text does NOT contribute to a card's color identity. Let me give you an example from the OCR content: the ability 'Extort'. The reminder text for Extort reads: "(Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay {W/B}. If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.)" Notice the {W/B} hybrid mana symbol? If this were part of the actual rules text or mana cost, it would mean any card with Extort would have a white and black color identity. However, because it's only in reminder text, a card like Basilica Screecher, which is a black creature with Extort, still only has a black color identity. You could absolutely run Basilica Screecher in a mono-black Commander deck, even though its reminder text mentions white mana. This principle also applies to other mechanics. For instance, the 'Craft' ability, which some players wonder about in terms of reminder text, often involves specific mana costs or types in its explanation. But again, if those symbols are only within the italicized reminder text, they do not add to the card's color identity. It's only the mana symbols in the card's mana cost, rules text (not italicized), or color indicator that count. I’ve seen players mistakenly exclude cards from their decks because they saw a mana symbol in reminder text. Don't make that mistake! So, when you're building your Commander deck, always remember to look beyond the helpful hints. Focus on the mana cost, any mana symbols in the non-italicized rules text, and the color indicator. The reminder text is your friend for understanding mechanics like Extort, but it's not a factor when it comes to the sacred rules of color identity in Commander. Happy brewing, and may your decks always be rules-compliant and powerful!