Players must choose a legendary creature as the “General” for their deck.
Players may choose any legendary creature as their general, although some choices may be met with disapproval by other players. Two players in the same game may choose the same General, and other players may include that card in their Deck even if it’s not their General. Generals are subject to the Legend rule just like any other legendary creature; multiple copies of the same creature (whether General and non-General) will all be put into the graveyard (or command zone) as a state based effect.
The General is the principle around which an EDH deck is built. It is more easily available than other cards in the deck, and EDH decks will ususally want to leverage their General’s strengths in their plans. It is not, however, guarenteed to be available at every point in the game so EDH decks should be able to function without it for a time.
As of 2009-09-10, this rule has changed. This rule supercedes the older (open play or league) rules for Generals in EDH games. Note that it is not identical to the Open play Rule.
The General’s mana cost defines what colour of mana symbols may appear on cards in the deck.
Coloured mana symbols which may appear in an EDH deck are restricted to the colours appearing in the General’s mana cost.
Lands whose type includes swamp, island, plains, forest and/or mountain (e.g.: basic lands, shocklands, dual lands, Shadowmoor special-basics, etc) DO contain the corresponding mana symbol(s) as per CR 305.6. As such, they may not appear in a deck unless the General is of the corresponding colour(s).
While Hybrid mana symbols may be played with either colour mana, they count as both colours. As such, they may only be played with a general which is ALL of the hybrid mana symbols’ colours.
Basic land words (swamp, forest, etc) in the text box of a card do NOT represent a coloured mana symbol. They are not restricted to generals of the same colour.
An Example of what cards are/aren’t allowed in a three colour deck.
A deck with Phelddagrif (Casting cost 1UWG) as the General may not contain any red or black mana symbols.
These cards would all be illegal in a Phelddagrif deck:
Goblin Piker (Its mana cost contains a red mana symbol)
Elves of Deep Shadow (Its ability contains a black mana symbol)
Talisman of Dominance (All sorts of verbotten mana symbols)
Life//Death (Three shall be the number of the colours)
Degavolver (… right out)
Our Phelddagrif couldn’t use any of these lands:
Underground River (Obvious, see above)
Godless Shrine
Dual Lands
Leechridden Swamp, etc)
Phelddagrif may not call upon Boros Guildmage for help
Phelddagrif IS allowed to use:
Esper Panorama
Shard Convergence
A deck may not generate mana outside its colours. If an effect would generate mana of an illegal colour, it generates colourless mana instead.
An EDH deck must contain exactly 100 cards, including the General.
With the exception of basic lands, no two cards in the deck may have the same english name.
EDH is played with vintage legal cards, with two exceptions:
cards are legal as of their set’s prerelease
Shahrazad is legal for play in EDH