MTG PRINTING GUIDE
Command Tower is defined by the commander beside it, but its artwork can be chosen independently. The 2011 original, Adam Paquette’s Arsenal foil, Ryan Yee’s extended art and Donato Giancola’s borderless version provide very different visual anchors for a mana base. Its many later deck reprints make exact identification more useful than an undated claim about the “standard” Tower.
QUICK ANSWER
Command Tower first appeared in Commander 2011 (CMD), 17 June 2011. The original is CMD #269, at common, illustrated by Ryan Yee. Available original finishes: Nonfoil only.
Printing records and official context reviewed . Use the shortlist for a physical-edition comparison and the explorer for current availability and format data.
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REPRESENTATIVE PRINTING
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RULES & FORMAT CONTEXT
Command Tower taps for a colour in your commander’s colour identity. With a supported commander pair, it uses the combined identities. Its own colour identity is colourless, which is separate from the colours it can produce.
With no commander, or a commander with no colours in its identity, the ability produces no mana: it does not produce {C} as a fallback. That is why Tower and Sol Ring fill different infrastructure roles. Deck Studio checks the chosen format and current data; this guide does not promise every land is appropriate for every deck.
PRINTING HISTORY
Command Tower debuted in Commander 2011 on 17 June 2011. The original is CMD #269, a common illustrated by Ryan Yee and available in nonfoil only. CMD is the original product code; later Commander decks have their own codes and numbers.
Commander’s Arsenal #2 appeared on 2 November 2012 with Adam Paquette’s illustration and a foil-only finish. That is an artistic change as well as a boxed-product edition. A foil Tower is not automatically an original Commander 2011 copy.
Commander Legends #350 returned to Yee’s illustration in 2020, with nonfoil and foil options. Extended-art #705 offers both finishes too. The expanded image and different number do not make extended art a separate type of foil.
Commander Masters #659 introduced Giancola’s borderless interpretation in 2023. Later setting-led Commander decks add still more paintings; ECC #60 from Lorwyn Eclipsed Commander in January 2026 credits Randy Gallegos and is nonfoil-only. This shortlist selects meaningful comparisons rather than claiming to enumerate every Tower.
PRINTING SHORTLIST
Selected physical editions; not every language, digital entry or minor reprint.
| Release / set | Collector number | Rarity | Artwork / treatment | Artist | Available finishes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commander 2011 (2011) | CMD #269 | common | Original illustration | Ryan Yee | Nonfoil only |
| Commander’s Arsenal (2012) | CM1 #2 | common | Alternate illustration; premium boxed release | Adam Paquette | Traditional foil only |
| Commander Legends (2020) | CMR #350 | common | Regular-frame original-art reprint | Ryan Yee | Nonfoil, traditional foil |
| Commander Legends (2020) | CMR #705 | common | Extended-art presentation | Ryan Yee | Nonfoil, traditional foil |
| Commander Masters (2023) | CMM #659 | common | Borderless alternate illustration | Donato Giancola | Nonfoil, traditional foil |
| Lorwyn Eclipsed Commander (2026) | ECC #60 | common | Boggart tower; setting-specific artwork | Randy Gallegos | Nonfoil only |
Finish labels belong to the individual source record. An etched or textured treatment is not an extra finish invented for every edition. A missing price is unknown, not zero.
ARTWORK & FRAME COMPARISON
If the 2011 image is the attraction, compare CMD #269 with CMR #350 and #705. Hold the finish constant first to separate edition and framing from reflectivity. Familiar art is not enough to identify the original product.
Paquette’s CM1 #2 and Giancola’s CMM #659 supply different illustrations. The Arsenal card is foil-only, whereas #659 has nonfoil and traditional foil: the art preference determines which finish comparison is available.
ECC #60 depicts a Lorwyn boggart construction in a later setting-specific edition. Choose such a version because its world belongs in your deck’s appearance, not because every new crossover or Commander release implies more powerful rules.
FOILS & SPECIAL TREATMENTS
The original CMD #269 is nonfoil-only. For Yee’s image in foil, compare CMR #350 with extended-art #705. CM1 #2 is a different artist’s foil-only edition.
CMM #659’s borderless treatment offers both surfaces; ECC #60 does not gain a foil just because other cards in that product family have premium versions. Consult the exact printing when comparing a collector’s edition or a special-product label.
MANASCOUT RECOMMENDATIONS
Historical copy: use CMD #269 as the first-printing reference. Check its actual edition rather than identifying it only by the Ryan Yee image.
Original art with more room: CMR #705 nonfoil is our starting comparison against the original. Select its traditional foil only if that physical surface matters to you.
Different artwork: compare Paquette’s foil-only CM1 #2 with Giancola’s #659 and Gallegos’ #60. They illustrate how artist, product and finish can lead to different choices.
Curating a deck: choose the exact Tower through individual printing selection, or review a bulk appearance preview. Those operations change printing and finish, not its mana rules or your chosen strategy.
ALL PRINTINGS / LIVE EXPLORER
Use the shared set, language and finish filters to inspect an exact printing. Cardmarket links are independent third-party destinations. Catalogue prices are live reference fields where available, not fixed GBP offers. The digital foil animation is illustrative, not a photograph of a physical finish.
SCOUT MORE
Edgar Markov — compare the related card’s own printing history and collector choices.
Sol Ring — compare the related card’s own printing history and collector choices.
Arcane Signet — compare the related card’s own printing history and collector choices.
Cavern of Souls — compare the related card’s own printing history and collector choices.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL REVIEW
Reviewed . The linked exact-edition catalogue records support dates, artists, rarity and finish availability; official sources support product treatment and format context where cited. The live explorer retrieves current Scryfall data separately. This is a dated editorial selection, not a guarantee of stock, price or unchanged future legality.