Anara, Wolvid Familiar — ruling 1

If Anara is your commander, its first ability affects itself during your turn.

Anara, Wolvid Familiar — ruling 2

Anara's first ability affects commanders you control even if you don't own them. It doesn't affect your commander if another player controls it.

Anara, Wolvid Familiar — ruling 3

Because damage remains marked on a creature until the damage is removed as the turn ends, nonlethal damage dealt to a commander you control may become lethal if Anara leaves the battlefield during that turn.

Anara, Wolvid Familiar — ruling 4

If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can only include cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders' combined color identities. If Falthis and Kediss are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with black and/or red in their color identity, but not cards with green, white, or blue.

Anara, Wolvid Familiar — ruling 5

Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards (or 58 cards in a Commander Draft game) of your deck are shuffled to become your library.

Anara, Wolvid Familiar — ruling 6

To have two commanders, both must have the partner ability as the game begins. Losing the ability during the game doesn't cause either to cease to be your commander.

Anara, Wolvid Familiar — ruling 7

Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won't have to pay an additional {2} the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 damage from any one of them, not from both of them combined.

Anara, Wolvid Familiar — ruling 8

If something refers to your commander while you have two commanders, it refers to one of them of your choice. If you are instructed to perform an action on your commander (e.g. put it from the command zone into your hand due to Command Beacon), you choose one of your commanders at the time the effect happens.

Anara, Wolvid Familiar : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Anara, Wolvid Familiar is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

During your turn, commanders you control have indestructible. (Effects that say "destroy" don't destroy them. A creature with indestructible can't be destroyed by damage.) Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)

Complete guide

Anara, Wolvid Familiar is a loyal companion designed to keep your most important creatures safe during your own turn. As a legendary Wolf Beast with Partner, this creature ensures that your leaders can charge into battle without fear of being destroyed.

Unbreakable Leadership

Anara, Wolvid Familiar provides a static ability that grants all commanders you control indestructible, but only during your turn. This includes Anara itself if it is your commander. While indestructible, your commanders cannot be destroyed by effects that use the word 'destroy' or by lethal combat damage. Note that this protection vanishes the moment your turn ends, or if Anara leaves the battlefield.

Resolution and Timing

The ability is continuous and does not use the stack; it is active as long as Anara is on the battlefield and it is your turn. If a commander you control is dealt damage that would be lethal during your turn, it survives. However, damage remains marked on creatures until the Cleanup step. If Anara is removed from the battlefield after your commander took damage, but before the turn ends, that commander will lose indestructible and immediately be destroyed if the marked damage is equal to or greater than its toughness.

Common Pitfalls

A common mistake is assuming Anara protects your commanders during your opponents' turns; it does not. Additionally, indestructible does not prevent a commander from being exiled, sacrificed, or having its toughness reduced to zero or less by -X/-X effects. Lastly, remember that Anara affects any commander you currently control, even if you stole it from an opponent, but it does not protect your own commander if an opponent has taken control of it.

When to Play Anara

Cast Anara, Wolvid Familiar when you are ready to make aggressive attacks or if you plan to use board wipes that destroy creatures on your own turn. Since it has Partner, you can pair it with another commander to gain access to more colors and ensure you always have a commander on the board to benefit from the protection.

Interaction examples

Protecting the Team

Solemn Simulacrum

If Anara, Wolvid Familiar is your commander and you control Solemn Simulacrum during your turn, only Anara is indestructible. If you cast a spell that says 'Destroy all creatures,' Solemn Simulacrum will die and trigger its draw ability, while Anara will remain on the battlefield safely.

Safe Recovery

Eternal Witness

You cast Eternal Witness during your turn to return a card from your graveyard to your hand. If an opponent attempts to use a destruction spell on your commander (Anara) in response, the spell will fail to destroy it because it is your turn. However, the opponent could wait until their own turn to cast that same spell, as Anara's protection will no longer be active.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Anara, Wolvid Familiar

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
If Anara is your commander, its first ability affects itself during your turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Anara's first ability affects commanders you control even if you don't own them. It doesn't affect your commander if another player controls it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Because damage remains marked on a creature until the damage is removed as the turn ends, nonlethal damage dealt to a commander you control may become lethal if Anara leaves the battlefield during that turn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can only include cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders' combined color identities. If Falthis and Kediss are your commanders, your deck may contain cards with black and/or red in their color identity, but not cards with green, white, or blue.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards (or 58 cards in a Commander Draft game) of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
To have two commanders, both must have the partner ability as the game begins. Losing the ability during the game doesn't cause either to cease to be your commander.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won't have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 damage from any one of them, not from both of them combined.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
If something refers to your commander while you have two commanders, it refers to one of them of your choice. If you are instructed to perform an action on your commander (e.g. put it from the command zone into your hand due to Command Beacon), you choose one of your commanders at the time the effect happens.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#9November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
An effect that checks whether you control your commander is satisfied if you control one or both of your two commanders.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#10November 10, 2020· Wizards of the Coast
You can choose two commanders with partner that are the same color or colors. In Commander Draft, you can even choose two of the same commander with partner if you drafted them. If you do this, make sure you keep the number of times you've cast each from the command zone clear for "commander tax" purposes.
No other card is named in this ruling.