Gimme Five | Art By: Jesper Ejsing

There're many ways that a Commander deck can be built. It could be different color combinations, a unique art style, and everything in between. The power level of a deck can even be a defining factor when it comes to deckbuilding.

A while back, the Commander Bracket system was rolled out, and it has since received an update. An area of the system that I think is still underexplored is Bracket 1 - Exhibition, decks that prioritize theme over function often showcase a unique idea or experience. Today, I'd like to share 5 Fun Ideas for Building a Bracket 1 Deck.

Know Your ABCs

If you watch Commander gameplay content, you've probably seen an episode of a pod playing all cards that start with the same letter. To me, this is an idea that still allows for creative building, but with more manageable restrictions. One of the most common letters in the English language is the letter S, and if you build a deck around this letter, you get a whopping 241 possible commanders to pick from. The letter S has some superbly sweet options as well.

Even the letter Z has a surprisingly high number of options to pick from, with 59 legal commanders. From mono-color up to the full , the alphabet gives a smorgasbord of situations to submit a suite of players to. There is the option to go even extra synergistic by playing Sisay, Weatherlight CaptainSisay, Weatherlight Captain, legendary S creature kindred. Or you can pick the first letter of your name. Maybe I can be the first person to build a fair Najeela, the Blade-BlossomNajeela, the Blade-Blossom deck, or I can be myself and sleeve up Nick Valentine, Private EyeNick Valentine, Private Eye.

A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words

Another classic Bracket 1 idea I hope to encounter is Artist Kindred. Every card in the deck has to be done by the same artist. Sounds easy, right? That's until you remember that not every artist is responsible for land art. Sometimes their skills have been used to bring a landscape to light, but sadly it doesn't fit into the color identity as the legend they created. This idea takes a fair bit of research before attempting to build the deck.

For example, one of my favorite artists, and one whom I had the fantastic pleasure of playing against, is Jesper Ejsing. With 37 different options for a commander, it would appear that making a Jesper deck would not be the biggest challenge, but when you start to fill out your land base, the realization sets in that Jesper does not draw that many lands. Unless you want to play a deck heavy on basic lands, this might be the wrong artist for you.

Does that mean the best idea for this Bracket 1 deck is a quantity-over-quality style approach? If that's the plan, then try Kev Walker. At almost 500 cards, there should be no way not to build a deck using all Walker art. You even get some of the best lands ever to be printed in the game.

Field of the DeadField of the Dead can even be active in something like Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice by getting the seven differently named lands. Pick your favorite artist and head over to Scryfall to start your search. See if you can even talk your table into letting you play a Christopher Rush deck helmed by Ur-DragoUr-Drago so you can play Black LotusBlack Lotus.

Alternate Win Condition

You might be familiar with the idea of an alternate win condition, something other than getting a table's life total to zero or everyone to ten infect counters. Some alternate win conditions are simple, like Maze's EndMaze's End; others are anything but.

An alternate win condition, the Bracket 1 deck might care more about completing a self-imposed challenge rather than winning the game outright. Perhaps you're passionate about combining every possible meld card. Finding a way to build around the mix of Gisela, the Broken BladeGisela, the Broken Blade, Titania, Voice of GaeaTitania, Voice of Gaea, and Hanweir BattlementsHanweir Battlements would undoubtedly be a challenge.

Maybe you love to play with Equipment and are a bit of a snazzy dresser. You might take a legendary creature and attempt to put every piece of "clothing" on it while still adhering to Bracket 1 rules. Shoes are simple to get with cards like Lightning GreavesLightning Greaves and Swiftfoot BootsSwiftfoot Boots, but not all articles of clothing are plentiful.

Right Place Right Time

One way to combat the onslaught of new cards is to forget about them entirely. Go back to a time when was the worst color in the format. When to play three-color, you had to play cards such as ChromiumChromium and Palladia-MorsPalladia-Mors. You could also go back to your favorite plane in the world of Magic. Build a deck around a plane, such as Theros or Alara. Putting yourself into a locked moment in time or space is an expressive challenge.

You might be someone who deeply loved a particular moment while playing the game. Maybe it was during your competitive era or around the time you learned the game. Often seen as building a preEDH deck, a deck consisting of cards before 2011 and the first Commander Pre-cons printing, but almost any time that you choose could work. The year-to-date of playing the game often intersects with set releases, allowing for a unique snapshot in the game's history by combining a specific place and time for deckbuilding. This is one of the best ways to showcase your pet cards and share your journey as a player.

Secret Commander

Build a deck where the real star of the show is your favorite card in the 99. Now, instead of crafting a deck around your commander, you have to craft your commander around a card in the deck.

One of the most popular versions of this idea is building around the card SunforgerSunforger. But who would make the best commander? Is it Kellan, the Fae-BloodedKellan, the Fae-Blooded, to always let you find the SunforgerSunforger? Maybe you're not someone who likes to play tutors, so instead you play Feather, the RedeemedFeather, the Redeemed.

Secret Commander can also allow you to do things like give "partner" to cards without it. You might play a deck with the sole purpose of getting whatever copy of Nissa and Chandra you want on board together. You could go for family icons, Liliana VessLiliana Vess + Josu Vess, Lich KnightJosu Vess, Lich Knight, or Ghoulcaller GisaGhoulcaller Gisa + Stitcher GeralfStitcher Geralf under a Dimir commander besides themselves.

Secret commander decks are a way to build a deck that involves the table, but they don't need to be a typical group hug deck. It often allows other players to find your way to your "real commander" before eliminating you from the game. Cards like Hunted WumpusHunted Wumpus, Rainbow ValeRainbow Vale, or Risky MoveRisky Move allow the table to get in on the action of your deck building with you.

Wrap Up

Bracket 1, much like the other end of the scale, Bracket 5, is not where I find my home when deckbuilding. I have no issue with going all out or going all in when it comes to building a deck. I play cards for flavor purposes, and I play for power within the other numbers. I also know myself, and a Bracket 1 deck is not for me. Maybe this will change as the years go on, and perhaps I need someone who is a Bracket 1 savant to teach me their ways.

Hopefully, one of these ideas gave you something to look into. Maybe they give you a different idea of a great Bracket 1 deck for your next Commander Night. No matter what bracket you play in, someone at edhrec will have an article for you. No matter how you build your deck, I hope to see you in a pod soon. As always, I am still Nick, and you can find me over on Bluesky. Let me know how you would build a Bracket 1 deck or what the best version of a Bracket 1 deck you have ever seen.