Ravnica Allegiance’s Commander Surprises

Brandon IsleibCommander

No matter the format and no matter the card text, new cards get compared to old cards. Ixalan‘s River’s Rebuke drew swift comparisons to Cyclonic Rift because they both bounce loads of opposing permanents. They can be used very differently, but the most natural reaction was to compare them directly. This life cycle can lead to new cards feeling like …

The Art of Avoiding a T-Rex

Erik TiernanCommander, Strategy

Jurassic Park is one of my sister’s favorite movies. While it is an amazing film, we only had one TV, so I’ve seen this movie more than most people. However, it wasn’t until recently that I realized the film has lessons that can be applied to Magic. Building up to your game plan while avoiding being eaten is difficult. Luckily, …

How to Spend Your Card Kingdom Gift Card

Brandon IsleibCommander

A Card Kingdom gift card is a better present than fruitcake – it’s easier to use and tastes better.  Let’s say you’ve been a busy adult, making ends meet and beginnings sweet, and you haven’t had a chance to pay attention to your beloved Commander format this year. Then – bam! One of your frie-latives listens and gets you a …

Experimental Frenzy in Commander

Brandon IsleibCommander

Since making a Kefnet the Mindful Commander deck, I’ve been in love with cards that let you play off the top of your library. With Kefnet, I used those cards to keep a full seven cards in hand so Kefnet could go into combat; I’d just play off my library instead of ever needing to use my hand. This year’s …

Mono-Red in Commander

Erik TiernanCommander

Commander is a challenging format for deckbuilding. There are many moving parts and so many possibilities that it’s natural to look for some guidance. But as Commander continues to grow, we are reaching a situation where there is so much information available that many different decks are being built from the same template, making them feel more similar than ever …

Commander 2018 Deck Tech: Thantis, the Warweaver

Brandon IsleibCommander

When the Command Zone reviewed the Nature’s Vengeance Commander 2018 deck, they asked what Thantis, the Warweaver was good for. Egotistically interpreting this as a deckbuilding challenge, I think Thantis is sweet and will make for intriguing gameplay – she’s way more than the sum of her parts. Framework The tricky bit with figuring out Thantis is that we’ve seen …

Commander 2018 Deck Tech: Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle

Bradley RoseCommander

Five Five is the number of legendary Krakens, Leviathans, Octopi, and Serpents that existed in Magic before Commander 2018’s release. Now, sleeper hit Arixmethes is makin’ waves as the sixth in Magic’s roster of legendary sea monsters. It was awkward building a deck around creatures of the deep and not being able to invite Kiora, the Master of the Depths …

Commander and Mario Kart

Brandon IsleibCommander

If you’re new to Commander, a preconstructed deck is a great way of comprehending and entering the format cheaply.  But where do you go from there? How do you build one on your own? To answer that, I’m taking a look at how Wizards of the Coast built the first six years of Commander preconstructs – 29 decks in all …

Best holiday gifts for Commander players

Top MTG Accessories for Commander Players

Card KingdomCommander, Products

(Editor’s Note: This post has been updated to feature new products.) Commander is probably the biggest format in Magic: The Gathering these days, so there’s probably a good chance the player in your life has a deck or two. It’s also true that no Commander player’s collection is ever complete, which means you can easily find a great gift for them this …

Let’s Brew: Arcades, the Strategist

Aaron DurbinCommander

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Let’s Brew! Much like Magic Origins, Core Set 2019 is once again taking up the narrative gauntlet as we learn the history of bad ol’ Bolas and his Elder Dragon brethren in a not-quite Dominaria follow-up. Today, we’re going to build a deck around another value-driven, two-bird-killing stone that is sure to be a …