What Is Commander – How Do I Win -Combat and Direct Damage

Commander offers players more creative options than any other format. This landscape of possibility means there are many ways to win a game. Below are some common win conditions that a deck can be built around:

Combat and Direct Damage
The most common way to win a game of Magic is through combat damage. Each player’s creatures battle it out as their controller’s life totals are reduced. Eventually, only one player is left standing. This strategy can be enhanced by including creatures with keyword abilities (i.e. trample, haste, flying, etc). It is not uncommon to see an “Overrun” effect finish out a game, such as the ever-popular [Craterhoof Behemoth].

Alternatively, it’s difficult to prevent damage from an army of 1/1 creatures. While the strategy for dealing damage will vary, the goal is simply to deal enough damage to knock out the competition.

Alternatively, a deck might attempt to sidestep combat damage by dealing direct damage instead. This decidedly aggro deck focuses on cards like Lightning Bolt, which can deal damage directly, whittling away player life totals.