Netherborn Altar
~$0.38 low · ~$0.46 high
Black. Artifact
Commander 2020 #45 · Illustrated by Titus Lunter
Commander 2020 #45 · Illustrated by Titus LunterWhat is Netherborn Altar worth?
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TCGplayer market prices in USD, updated October 14, 2026. Each price is for one printing and one finish.
Oracle text
, Put a soul counter on this artifact: Put your commander into your hand from the command zone. Then you lose 3 life for each soul counter on this artifact.
It is spoken of only in whispers, visited only by the desperate.
Format legality
All 2 printings of Netherborn Altar
| Printing | Rarity | Non-foil | Cardmarket (EUR) | My collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The List plst #C20-45· 2023rare· Cardmarket €0.30 | rare | $0.46 | €0.30 | |
 Commander 2020 c20 #45· 2020rare· Cardmarket €0.41 | rare | $0.38 | €0.41 |
Prices are TCGplayer market prices in USD for each printing and finish, via Scryfall. They are a guide, not an appraisal.
Where to buy Netherborn Altar
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Card details
- First printed
- 2020
- Printings
- 2
- Mana value
- 2
- EDHREC rank
- #9,768 on EDHREC (Commander popularity)
- Artist
- Titus Lunter
What the codes mean
The small print at the bottom of the Commander 2020 card (#45).
045 · C20 · R · EN
- 045Collector number: this card's place in the set list. Main-set cards print it over the set's card count.
- C20Set code for Commander 2020
- RRare
- ENPrinted in English
How to read a Magic card: every part and code, on real cards.
Card breakdown
The parts of Netherborn Altar, read from the Commander 2020 printing. Tap a label to highlight its line. How to read any Magic card.
- Top: name and cost
- Art and type line
- Text box
- Bottom: stats and the info line
The info line, magnified
Swipe to see the whole line.
Top: name and cost
Art and type line
Text box
Bottom: stats and the info line
Also on this card
- Flavor text
- Italic story text below the rules. It has no effect on the game, and it can differ between printings.
Rulings (5)
2020-04-17
If your commander isn’t in the command zone (or if you’re not playing the Commander variant), Netherborn Altar only makes you lose life.
2020-04-17
Putting a soul counter onto Netherborn Altar is part of the cost to activate its ability, and counting the number of soul counters is done as the ability resolves. Players may take actions between those times to change the number of soul counters, perhaps by removing them all so that you lose no life.
2020-04-17
If you have two commanders in the command zone, Netherborn Altar’s ability puts one of your choice into your hand, not both.
2020-04-17
The “commander tax” increases based on how many times a commander was cast from the command zone. Casting a commander from your hand doesn’t require that additional cost, and it doesn’t increase what the cost will be the next time you cast that commander from the command zone.
2020-04-17
If Netherborn Altar leaves the battlefield while its ability is on the stack, the amount of life you lose is determined by the number of soul counters it had on it immediately before it left the battlefield.
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