Barely got the site up in time before I head to Commandfest Seattle. Seems that Wizards of the Coast have realized the value that the Commander format brings to the table. Right now, I play a little limited, mainly to get new cards for Commander, and a lot of Commander. Here are my top 8 reasons for playing Commander:
1. I love playing against more than one person, i.e. I love politics. Ever since I was a kid playing monopoly, I’ve been using politics and striking deals to reach my goals. It’s one of the greatest skills that gaming can teach you and it’s just not part of the two player formats.
2. Each game of Commander feels different. In many of the other formats, you are constrained to a couple of effective deck archetypes and tweak them to get the best performance. As Commander decks can only have one copy of any card other than basic lands, every Commander deck plays differently. Most of my Commander decks have more than one win condition so that even the same deck can play differently.
3. I’ve been playing magic for about 24 years. I started in high school. So I love a format where I can use the most powerful cards I’ve seen through the years. Cards that give huge value over time or create huge effects clearing the board or draining all your opponents dead are too mana intensive to use in most other formats, but in commander, they get to shine.
4. As a dad with a business to run, I don’t have the time to keep up with the everchanging metas for Standard and Modern. I like being able to build a deck when I feel like it and play it for a while rather than having to change it weekly to keep up with the meta.
5. Commander is casual, not cut throat. Sure you can play CEDH and go for a 4th turn kill, but that’s a small minority of Commander games. Most Commander players want a good game more than they want a win. When you sit down to a game with new players who haven’t met before, it starts with everyone discussing the power levels of their decks to find a set of decks that are around the same level.
6. Commander decks are expressive. With a little over 60 different cards going into them, they all go about winning in a unique way. In most board games, you’ll find the golden path to give you the best chance of winning each time you play after a while. In Commander, the story changes with each deck you build and each game you play. It’s the best showcase for deck building I’ve found.
7. Commander is inclusive. I’ve played at Local Game Stores with other dads and their kids. I’ve always got decks with a range of power levels with me so that I can have a good game with whoever is there, whatever deck they bring and whatever skill level they’re at.
8. Commander builds strong player communities. Most magic players get along pretty well, but Commander players have to get along well. You need 4 people to play a good game. During a game, players will need to help each other out. When every opponent is also a potential ally, you avoid burning bridges. You keep your word and fulfill your promises because you expect the same from others.
Hope to see you all in Seattle and catch another game. Maybe versus my Ayara Zombies Deck.
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