Simple question. I'm making an Ashling the Pilgrim commander deck and doing some research I've found lots of people recommend putting in the various swords of protection, such as Sword of Fire and Ice. I didn't think this was legal as Ashling's colour identity is mono red and I'm pretty sure the swords aren't. Maybe I've misunderstood how colour identity works and the swords are colourless? Just thought I'd run this by some people who know what they're talking about.
EDIT: one other question while I'm here. Would copying Ashling's ability count towards the 3? Or could you trigger it twice, copying once each time with something like Rings of Brighthearth without detonating?
The only things that matter for a card's color identity are—
the colored mana symbols that appear in the mana cost and rules text,
color indicators, and
characteristic-defining abilities that add colors (currently only "[This card] is all colors"),
and for a double-faced card, both its faces are considered here (C.R. 903.4, 903.4d, 207.1, 604.3). A color word such as "red" is not a colored mana symbol (compare C.R. 107.4a, 107.4e-f, colored mana symbols, with C.R. 202.2a, color words), and is currently ignored for color identity purposes due to the third point given above.
Therefore, Sword of Fire and Ice has a colorless color identity even though it has the words "red" and "blue". Because Sword of Fire and Ice has a colorless color identity and no basic land type, it can be included in any Commander deck regardless of that deck's commander (C.R. 903.5c-d). The same is true for Sarpadian Empires, Vol. VII.
- Mana symbols, on the card's mana cost and on its text box (but not in reminder text: Crypt Ghast is only black)
- Color indicators, the colored dot on a card's type line that indicates its color, and abilities that define a card's color (Evermind is blue, Pact of the Titan is red).
- Basic land types (a Temple Garden is green and white, because it is a Plains and a Forest)
Both sides of a double-faced card count for this.
Just stating the name of a color doesn't count for Color Identity. Sword of Fire and Ice has a colorless color identity and can go in any commander deck.
903.4. The Commander variant uses color identity to determine what cards can be in a deck with a certain commander. The color identity of a card is the color or colors of any mana symbols in that card's mana cost or rules text, plus any colors defined by its characteristic-defining abilities (see rule 604.3) or color indicator (see rule 204).
903.4b. Reminder text is ignored when determining a card's color identity. See rule 207.2.
903.4c. The back face of a double-faced card (see rule 711) is included when determining a card's color identity. This is an exception to rule 711.4a.
903.5d. A card with a basic land type may be included in a Commander deck only if each color of mana it could produce is included in the commander's color identity.
EDIT: answering your edit, Ashling has the following ruling:
10/1/2007 When the ability resolves, it counts the number of times that same ability from that this creature has already resolved that turn. It doesn’t matter who controlled the creature or the previous abilities when they resolved. A copy of this ability (created by Rings of Brighthearth, for example) will count toward the total. Abilities from other creatures with the same name don’t count towards the total. Neither does an ability that’s been countered.
EDIT: one other question while I'm here. Would copying Ashling's ability count towards the 3? Or could you trigger it twice, copying once each time with something like Rings of Brighthearth without detonating?
Therefore, Sword of Fire and Ice has a colorless color identity even though it has the words "red" and "blue". Because Sword of Fire and Ice has a colorless color identity and no basic land type, it can be included in any Commander deck regardless of that deck's commander (C.R. 903.5c-d). The same is true for Sarpadian Empires, Vol. VII.
See also this thread.
EDIT (Apr. 5, 2022): Edited generally.
- Mana symbols, on the card's mana cost and on its text box (but not in reminder text: Crypt Ghast is only black)
- Color indicators, the colored dot on a card's type line that indicates its color, and abilities that define a card's color (Evermind is blue, Pact of the Titan is red).
- Basic land types (a Temple Garden is green and white, because it is a Plains and a Forest)
Both sides of a double-faced card count for this.
Just stating the name of a color doesn't count for Color Identity. Sword of Fire and Ice has a colorless color identity and can go in any commander deck.
903.4. The Commander variant uses color identity to determine what cards can be in a deck with a certain commander. The color identity of a card is the color or colors of any mana symbols in that card's mana cost or rules text, plus any colors defined by its characteristic-defining abilities (see rule 604.3) or color indicator (see rule 204).
903.4b. Reminder text is ignored when determining a card's color identity. See rule 207.2.
903.4c. The back face of a double-faced card (see rule 711) is included when determining a card's color identity. This is an exception to rule 711.4a.
903.5d. A card with a basic land type may be included in a Commander deck only if each color of mana it could produce is included in the commander's color identity.
EDIT: answering your edit, Ashling has the following ruling:
10/1/2007 When the ability resolves, it counts the number of times that same ability from that this creature has already resolved that turn. It doesn’t matter who controlled the creature or the previous abilities when they resolved. A copy of this ability (created by Rings of Brighthearth, for example) will count toward the total. Abilities from other creatures with the same name don’t count towards the total. Neither does an ability that’s been countered.