<p style="text-align: right;"><em>MagicCon | Image courtesy of Wizards of the Coast/ReedPop</em></p>
<p>Welcome back to <em>How To Be New</em>, where I give advice for new Commander players by a new Commander player. But I'll be honest, I'm not sure how long I'll be able to carry that tag. Because I did pull an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Lord High Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Lord High Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at a prerelease and it feels like a real turning point. It calls to me to do crimes I never would have even considered when I was first learning to play Commander. But now I've seen the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hullbreaker Horror" href="#" target="_blank">Hullbreaker Horror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and I'm... well... I'm afraid I won't be able to look away...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urza, Lord High Artificer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hullbreaker Horror"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malevolent Whispers"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>So, You Wanna Go to MagicCon?</h2>
<p>MagicCon is in Las Vegas this weekend. As a <em>Magic</em> player, you might reasonably want to go. But as a new player, I'm sure you probably have some unanswered questions: What can I expect at a MagicCon? Will people play Commander with me? What's the percentage chance that someone will see me misplay, yell, "Hey! They're too <em>new</em> to be here!" and then a group of 30-80 people will lift me up, carry me outside, and dump me onto the street?</p>
<p>These are all extremely natural questions for you to have. They're all questions I had before my first MagicCon earlier this year. So let me share my story and some friendly advice to help answer these questions and more.</p>
<p>Some time around last December, I became aware that MagicCon would be taking place in February in Chicago. I happen to live in Chicago, so I had a relatively low barrier to entry. But still, it felt like such a big leap.</p>
<p>I've been going to board game conventions for years without any worry, but one specifically for <em>Magic</em>? Would they expect me to know things about <em>Magic</em>? Would they expect me to be <em>good</em> at it??</p>
<p>These questions plagued me. I was still going to FLGS Commander Nights mostly, and at that time didn't really have a regular rotation of players I liked to play with, so I didn't have any friends I could ask about it. Information online was somewhat scant.</p>
<p>But eventually the temptation of a "free" Collector Booster of <em>Aetherdrift</em> was enough for me to buy a weekend pass (Collector Boosters have always seemed too expensive to justify buying them on their own, which makes them a perfect incentive to buy a $150 convention ticket).</p>
<p>So, on that extremely cold Friday in February I made the trek down to the McCormick Place Convention Center. Over my weekend there, I got answers to many of my questions. Let me pass those answers along to you, so you can focus on more important questions like, "I shouldn't get a <em>Final Fantasy</em> Collector Booster... right?" and "What if I just cut like one or two lands from this deck?"</p>
<h2>What Is There to Do at Magiccon?</h2>
<p>There are quite a few things to do at MagicCon, to be sure. There are panels, events, and probably some other things too. But mostly what I spent my time doing was playing Commander at the free play tables. There's an ocean of free play tables with different sections allocated to different play experiences (casual vs. competitive, for example).</p>
<p>They also have volunteers there to connect people with open games, so you can just see one of them and they'll broadcast to the area to find you a table with an opening. It's really an excellent setting, and they do amazing work for the number of people who are playing there.</p>
<p>As with all public <em>Magic</em> experiences, your mileage will vary based on the other players in your pod. If you have any friends to go with, that's certainly helpful, but not required. And if you're not meshing with your pod, just leave the table after your game, go somewhere to have a snack or a drink, and then come back and find a new pod to play with.</p>
<p>"There's plenty of fish in the sea" has never been more true in a Commander setting than it is here.</p>
<h2>Ok, Cool. Is There Anything Else to Do?</h2>
<p>I'll be honest with you, based on my first experience, it seems like by and large the answer is no.</p>
<p>I spent a little time wandering the show floor. But if you've been to the show floor at other gaming conventions, like Gen Con or Origins, you'll get a very different vibe at MagicCon.</p>
<p>Since there's only one game here, there's not row after row of booths demoing different games. Instead, there's a few vendors you might expect, like Dragon Shield and Ultra PRO selling relatively expensive sleeves, deck boxes, playmats, etc.</p>
<p>There are also some areas set up by different card dealers, setting appointments to buy and sell cards from people who seem to be serious collectors.</p>
<p>Those places felt literally above my paygrade, and even when I did work myself up to try and sell a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> I'd picked up to get a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the usual trick of standing around and looking like you'd like to speak with someone didn't work.</p>
<p>It very much seemed like they had more important business to conduct than to give their time for my meager trade offer, so I ended up just leaving.</p>
<p>I will give a quick aside to say that a local arcade had brought a few of the brand new <em>Dungeons and Dragons</em> pinball machines to the show floor for folks to play. And seeing as pinball is another one of my nerdy vices of choice (look for the initials SKA on a pinball machine near you) I did spend some time on those.</p>
<p>But I wouldn't expect that to be a regular feature.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Expropriate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Split Decision"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Valeyard"></div></div>
<p>There's also a huge line for official show merch. This is true seemingly at all times of day and on every day of the con. I can't imagine wanting any of the things they were selling bad enough to brave that queue. Especially when I could head downstairs and drop <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Expropriate" href="#" target="_blank">Expropriate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on a table of unsuspecting strangers, and then copy it, so that I end up taking 15 turns in a row.<strong>*</strong></p>
<p>I also want to say that if meeting artists and getting their cards signed is your jam, this is very much the place for you. There are also some meet and greets and the chance to say hi to some of your favorite content creators. Unfortunately, Spice8Rack didn't attend this one, so I couldn't get them to sign my newly acquired <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Grenade" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Grenade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Maybe next time.</p>
<p><strong>*</strong>It was this incident, and the bad vibes that came after it, that finally made me take <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Expropriate" href="#" target="_blank">Expropriate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> out of my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Valeyard" href="#" target="_blank">The Valeyard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. I simply couldn't be trusted with that sort of power.<strong>**</strong></p>
<p><strong>**</strong>Ok, but also, those guys definitely could've, and should've, just conceded. Plus, then one of those guys got out a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxrill, the Corrosive" href="#" target="_blank">Toxrill</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, so you tell me who the real villain is here.</p>
<h2>You Mentioned Events Before. Should I Try to Do Those?</h2>
<p>Yes! The other thing I spent most of my time on was events. There are all sorts of events running through the weekend. And above all else, my best advice is to look for events that seem like the most fun to you. Because the odds are that you'll meet people at those events who are the most like you. And people who are alike are more likely to get along.</p>
<p>Overall, low pressure events seem to bring in the most friendly, easygoing players. For example, the two events I participated in were a Precon Chaos event and an event put on by Brian David Gilbert and Ify Nwadiwe (with special guest Ally Beardsley!) with a light D&amp;D/Umm, Actually theming.</p>
<p>The PreCon Chaos event was first. They sit you at a table, have people come by and drop off a random PreCon for you to open, sleeve, and play with. And that's it! No deckbuilding, no hard decisions, only vibes!</p>
<p>And the vibes were amazing at those tables. Nobody had their ego hinging on how they did in this event. Everyone got the same number of prize tickets (tickets you'll get from events which you can turn into any number of packs and other merch). It was all just for fun.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brash Taunter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidisi, Brood Tyrant"></div></div>
<p>It didn't hurt that I got the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser" href="#" target="_blank">Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> precon and immediately fell in love (turns out I'm a sucker for roleplaying the act of accusing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Queen" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver Queen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of a heinous murder, and also am head over heels for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brash Taunter" href="#" target="_blank">Brash Taunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of my favorite lil bois in all of <em>Magic</em>).</p>
<p>One of the last events of the weekend was the Umm, Actually event, and it was packed with my kind of nerds.</p>
<p>I put together a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidisi, Brood Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Sidisi, Brood Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck and had a wonderful time. There was one other player who removed my Commander somewhere around five or six times in a single game, which I didn't love. But I did knock him out of the game in retaliation, which honestly felt great.</p>
<p>Another great thing about these events is that the people at your table can easily turn into people to start pods with in the play area later in the weekend. Just strike up a little conversation around the table and suddenly you're planning to meet up at the tables around lunchtime tomorrow to compare <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/landfall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Landfall decks</a>.</p>
<p>And if you're lucky, those people will then turn into friends who you play with outside of the con! It's like combo-ing off, but with human companionship. And I highly recommend it.</p>
<h2>Will I Have Fun?</h2>
<p>Well, it sort of depends on you. MagicCon isn't going to be spoon fed to you. You'll have to take an effort to find a game for yourself, to sign up for events you'll enjoy, to hopefully make new friends. But these things are absolutely achievable. And if you enjoy playing <em>Magic</em>, you can very easily find yourself having a blast at MagicCon. I know I did.</p>
<p>Lastly, I did want to shout out the excellent people from EDHREC who I got to meet up with at MagicCon. They're extremely kind people. I even lucked into an in-person <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/mike-carrozza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Am I the Bolas</a> when I was playing a game with Mike where I happened to knock a stranger out of the game relatively early and they got fairly salty about it (and it even turned out that I wasn't the Bolas in the situation, which was a huge relief).</p>
<p>If you get the chance to meet any of them at a MagicCon, absolutely take it. They're uniformly wonderful.</p>
<h2>Any Last Tips?</h2>
<p>Yes, I do have a few. In no particular order.</p>
<ul>
<li>Bring a waterbottle. In Chicago, the water coolers were somewhat few and far between, and often empty, so you'll want to stock up when you see an opportunity.</li>
<li>Bring snacks. They're welcome around any Commander table. And as their owner, by extension, you'll be welcomed too.</li>
<li>Don't bring all of your decks. Go with fewer than you'd bring to your regular Commander night. That backpack gets heavy as you lug it around all day. Do yourself a favor and drop a couple fringe decks. You can bring them tomorrow if you really want.</li>
<li>Have Rule Zero conversations. You're playing with strangers. Talk about the things your deck can do.</li>
<li>Leave extra space in your bag for decks, cards, and merch you'll acquire throughout the weekend.</li>
<li>Go to MagicCon. Just go for it. You'll be happy that you did.</li>
</ul>


How To Be New at MagicCon

<p>New to EDHREC or unsure of how some of its features will work for you? Here is a simple guide to the site's core features. Have other questions about the site? <a href="https://edhrec.com/faq">Check out our dedicated FAQ page for more information and how to contact us</a>.</p>


<p>EDHREC is a versatile resource for all types of deck builders. At its core, EDHREC is a deck analysis and recommendation tool for the Commander format of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>.</p>
<p>EDHREC compiles deck lists from popular deck-building websites, and computes data from those lists to help players build decks.</p>
<p>Whether you're upgrading a freshly unwrapped preconstructed deck, copying a ready-to-go netlist or expressing your own unique and original brewing style, EDHREC has features to help you make informed card choices.</p>
<p>Also, we produce a variety of professional-grade, regularly scheduled content. You can read <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles">articles on EDHREC.com</a>, listen to the <a href="https://rss.com/podcasts/bolcast/">Am I the Bolcast</a> podcast, or watch the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/EDHRECast">EDHRECast on YouTube</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/newsletter">Our primary newsletter, EDHRECap</a>, is your dedicated recap of the week's news and deck techs sent free to your inbox every Monday and Thursday.</p>


<p>EDHREC collects deck data from <a href="http://www.archidekt.com">Archidekt</a>, <a href="http://www.moxfield.com">Moxfield</a>, and <a href="http://www.scryfall.com">Scryfall</a>, and new data often appears on our pages within a few days.</p>
<p>Updating your deck a bunch of times does not make duplicates of the deck in our database.</p>


<p>There's a lot of data on EDHREC, and there are several ways to approach it. Before you get lost in the twists and turns, take a little time to get familiar with the interface.</p>
<p>From left to right, the main menu includes a link to the home page, dropdown menus for primary features, a clipboard, search bar and optional account access.</p>
<div id="attachment_154619" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EDHREC-Menu.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154619" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154619 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EDHREC-Menu-1024x47.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the EDHREC menu bar." width="1024" height="47" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EDHREC-Menu-1024x47.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EDHREC-Menu-300x14.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EDHREC-Menu-768x35.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EDHREC-Menu-1536x70.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EDHREC-Menu.jpg 1901w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154619" class="wp-caption-text">It's easy to get lost, browsing thousands of commanders and tens of thousands of cards. The menu bar is your dungeon map, compass and key all in one convenient package.</p></div>
<hr />
<h3>Use the Clipboard!</h3>
<p>As you're browsing EDHREC, you can click the "<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>+</strong></span>" sign over any card to add it to the clipboard. The + sign appears when you hover over the card with a computer cursor, or after a single tap on the + sign on a mobile device.</p>
<div id="attachment_155533" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-06-at-10.17.36 AM.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155533" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-155533 size-medium" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-06-at-10.17.36 AM-300x127.png" alt="image showing the plus sign after hovering over a card on desktop" width="300" height="127" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-06-at-10.17.36 AM-300x127.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-06-at-10.17.36 AM.png 506w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155533" class="wp-caption-text">Desktop view</p></div>
<p>Your clipboard is cached on your current device, and you can conveniently export the clipboard's contents as text, or directly to certain deckbuilding applications.</p>
<p>Once a card has been added to your clipboard, you'll get a confirmation check and the number will be added to your clipboard tally next to the search bar.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/clipboardplus.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-155535 size-medium" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/clipboardplus-300x81.png" alt="clipboard add confirmation" width="300" height="81" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/clipboardplus-300x81.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/clipboardplus.png 504w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>
<div id="attachment_155536" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/clipboardbar.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155536" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-155536" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/clipboardbar-300x22.png" alt="clipboard confirmation near search bar" width="400" height="29" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/clipboardbar-300x22.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/clipboardbar-1024x75.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/clipboardbar-768x56.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/clipboardbar.png 1172w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155536" class="wp-caption-text">Confirmation for card(s) added to clipboard.</p></div>


<h3>Signing into EDHREC</h3>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/signin?redirect=/signin">Signing in</a> to EDHREC gives you a few customization options for browsing the site.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/signinedhrec.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-155818" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/signinedhrec-1024x700.png" alt="signinedhrecscreen " width="1024" height="700" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/signinedhrec-1024x700.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/signinedhrec-300x205.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/signinedhrec-768x525.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/signinedhrec.png 1232w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p>
<h3>Patreon status and connection</h3>
<p>Once you're signed in, you should see your Patreon status (if any) as well as options to change your password and sign out.</p>
<h3>Toolbar site settings</h3>
<p>If you're signed in, you also get access to more options within the settings section of the toolbar.</p>
<div id="attachment_155821" style="width: 280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/randomcontactsettings.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155821" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-155821" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/randomcontactsettings.png" alt="" width="270" height="60" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155821" class="wp-caption-text">(Left-right) random card, contact, settings</p></div>
<h3>EDHREC retail affiliate price settings</h3>
<p>If you click on settings, the signed in options now contain retail pricing filters and salt scores (if desired).</p>
<p>Note that EDHREC is affiliated with multiple retail affiliates in and outside of the US, and you can filter these options (or for Magic Online/MTGO) in these settings.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/settingspricing.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-155823" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/settingspricing.png" alt="" width="972" height="944" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/settingspricing.png 972w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/settingspricing-300x291.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/settingspricing-768x746.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px" /></a></p>
<h3>How to toggle Dark Mode for EDHREC</h3>
<p>From here, you can also toggle Dark Mode on or off.</p>
<div id="attachment_155826" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/darkmode-scaled.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155826" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-155826 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/darkmode-1024x271.png" alt="" width="1024" height="271" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/darkmode-1024x271.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/darkmode-300x80.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/darkmode-768x204.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/darkmode-1536x407.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/darkmode-2048x543.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155826" class="wp-caption-text">Dark Mode on</p></div>
<div id="attachment_155827" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lightmode-scaled.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155827" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-155827" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lightmode-1024x280.png" alt="" width="1024" height="280" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lightmode-1024x280.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lightmode-300x82.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lightmode-768x210.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lightmode-1536x421.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lightmode-2048x561.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155827" class="wp-caption-text">Dark Mode off</p></div>


<p><a href="https://www.patreon.com/edhrec">EDHREC's Patreon</a> is a great way to support the development of the site and get access to some advanced features for Patrons only.</p>
<p>You can join for free or with a paid subscription that gives access to various features, with two paid subscription options:</p>
<div id="attachment_155895" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/patreonperks.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155895" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-155895" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/patreonperks-1024x865.png" alt="" width="1024" height="865" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/patreonperks-1024x865.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/patreonperks-300x253.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/patreonperks-768x649.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/patreonperks-1536x1297.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/patreonperks.png 1584w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155895" class="wp-caption-text">Patreon perks include Uncommon and Rare support tiers</p></div>
<h3>Uncommon</h3>
<p><strong>$2 USD/mo</strong></p>
<div class="sc-9cf63b2c-1 fdXOlh">
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<ul>
<li>Ad-free website layout</li>
<li>Access to our private Discord</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<h3>Rare</h3>
<p><strong>$5 USD/mo</strong></p>
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<div class="cm-VzrHRj cm-dupTbP cm-NAbYEF cm-TOsLDU cm-ThmtRO cm-GGZhvK">
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<ul>
<li>Ad-free website layout</li>
<li>Card art selector</li>
<li>Access to "Load More" on Recs</li>
<li>Access to experimental features before they're available to anyone else. The current experimental feature is on-card Advanced Filters.</li>
<li>Access to our private Discord, including an exclusive channel where we test new website features and share ideas</li>
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<p>By supporting EDHREC on Patreon, you'll also be among the first to know about any new Patreon-exclusive features or site updates.</p>


<p>The figurehead of every Commander deck is a legend you play from the Command Zone. Commanders determine a deck's color identity, and most commander decks are built to capitalize on the commander's abilities.</p>
<p>The tools and content on EDHREC are dedicated to <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-commander">helping you choose</a> this most essential card to lead your Commander deck.</p>
<p>If you already know the card you're looking for, you can simply type the name in our search bar.</p>
<div id="attachment_153514" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-12.09.24 PM.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153514" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-153514 size-medium" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-12.09.24 PM-300x255.png" alt="edhrec searchbar variant" width="300" height="255" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-12.09.24 PM-300x255.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-12.09.24 PM-768x653.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-12.09.24 PM.png 816w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153514" class="wp-caption-text">The search bar includes an autocomplete function.</p></div>
<p>There are over two thousand possible commanders, and that's not counting the numerous possible partner pairings. EDHREC has tools to help you break past the decision paralysis and enjoy the journey of building a deck.</p>
<h3>Top Commanders</h3>
<p>The EDHREC home page features a list of the most popular commanders other players built in the last week. This list may change rapidly during spoilers for a new set, and it tends to be fairly stable between set releases. The home page also spotlights one lucky <strong>Commander of the Day</strong>.</p>
<div id="attachment_153491" style="width: 286px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/topcommandershomepage.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153491" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-153491 size-medium" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/topcommandershomepage-276x300.png" alt="top commanders weekly homepage screenshot" width="276" height="300" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/topcommandershomepage-276x300.png 276w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/topcommandershomepage.png 610w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 276px) 100vw, 276px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153491" class="wp-caption-text">The list of Top Commanders Weekly list updates frequently with new data.</p></div>
<hr />
<div id="attachment_155213" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/acornganger.jpeg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155213" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-155213" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/acornganger.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="434" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/acornganger.jpeg 535w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/acornganger-207x300.jpeg 207w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155213" class="wp-caption-text">The Commander of the Day is randomly selected.</p></div>
<p>To view more Commanders based on popularity, you can check out the <strong>Top Commanders</strong> page under the Commanders menu. This menu also allows you to browse Commanders by Partner variations and color identities.</p>
<p>Browsing by color identity is easy and straightforward. However, one of the key aspects of EDHREC is the ranking of cards by popularity.</p>
<p>Viewing possible commanders in order of popularity can help you jump to the top of the power creep heap, or dig deep for something unconventional.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-12.26.03 PM.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-153516 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-12.26.03 PM-230x300.png" alt="top commanders dropdown" width="230" height="300" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-12.26.03 PM-230x300.png 230w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-20-at-12.26.03 PM.png 430w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 230px) 100vw, 230px" /></a></p>
<p>The default view of the <strong>Top Commanders </strong>page shows the most popular commanders of the last two years.</p>
<p>There are tabs to filter <strong>Top Commanders</strong> by <strong>Past Month</strong> and <strong>Past Week</strong>. The filter menu also gives us a bunch of other options to better sort cards to our needs.</p>
<div id="attachment_153517" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11bee1d2-cace-4d6f-8be1-7770296791ec.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153517" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-153517 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11bee1d2-cace-4d6f-8be1-7770296791ec-1024x162.png" alt="top commanders menu" width="1024" height="162" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11bee1d2-cace-4d6f-8be1-7770296791ec-1024x162.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11bee1d2-cace-4d6f-8be1-7770296791ec-300x48.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11bee1d2-cace-4d6f-8be1-7770296791ec-768x122.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11bee1d2-cace-4d6f-8be1-7770296791ec-1536x243.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11bee1d2-cace-4d6f-8be1-7770296791ec-2048x324.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153517" class="wp-caption-text">You may change views between card images, tables and text. This menu also allows you to group, sort and filter the results. Give it a try!</p></div>
<h6 style="text-align: center;"></h6>


<p>You chose a commander. Now what? Let's take <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oloro, Ageless Ascetic" href="#" target="_blank">Oloro, Ageless Ascetic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for an example, and explore the options and features <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/oloro-ageless-ascetic">on a commander page</a>.</p>
<div id="attachment_154789" style="width: 772px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Oloro-Commander-Numbered.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154789" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154789 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Oloro-Commander-Numbered.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the Oloro, Ageless Ascetic commander page on EDHREC." width="762" height="458" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Oloro-Commander-Numbered.jpg 762w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Oloro-Commander-Numbered-300x180.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 762px) 100vw, 762px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154789" class="wp-caption-text">A commander page is organized into boxes with functions.</p></div>
<p>The Commander page is divided into boxes of buttons that are designed to help you build a deck.</p>
<ul>
<li>Box 1 features the card image with the commander's deck count and rank compared to every other commander in the database.</li>
<li>Box 2 has links to the Commander's decks, plus simple filters for Commander Bracket, Budget and Tags.</li>
<li>Box 3 shares a link to an EDHREC article featuring the chosen card. Maybe this content will inspire your next brew.</li>
<li>Box 4 provides advanced filters to include or exclude user-selected parameters from displayed commander data.</li>
<li>Box 5 shows charts, combos and similar commanders, as well as links to other helpful <em>Magic</em> sites.</li>
</ul>


<div id="attachment_154770" style="width: 281px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Card-dropdown.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154770" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154770 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Card-dropdown.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the card dropdown menu on EDHREC.com." width="271" height="235" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154770" class="wp-caption-text">The "Cards" dropdown is the fastest route to view data on the most popular cards and combos.</p></div>
<p>The <strong>Cards</strong> dropdown leads to data on all cards, not just commanders.  Legendary creatures are viewed here as cards in the 99, alongside the non-legendary cards that make up most deck lists.</p>
<p>The majority of <em>Magic's </em>30,000+ cards are fair game in the 99 of your Commander decks. Every Commander-legal card has its own page with deck data, combos and similar cards.</p>
<p>Often, the search for a card begins with a broad sense of the slot it needs to fill. Browsing cards <strong>By Color</strong> identity or <strong>By Type</strong> is a direct, but often overwhelming approach. Be sure to use the filters to narrow the field.</p>


<p>EDHREC presents cards with data organized to help you make deckbuilding decisions. The most popular cards in the Commander format appear on the <a href="https://edhrec.com/top">Top Cards</a> page.</p>
<div id="attachment_154623" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Top-Cards-Menu.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154623" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154623 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Top-Cards-Menu-1024x154.jpg" alt="A screen shot of the EDHREC Top Cards menu." width="1024" height="154" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Top-Cards-Menu-1024x154.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Top-Cards-Menu-300x45.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Top-Cards-Menu-768x116.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Top-Cards-Menu-1536x231.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Top-Cards-Menu.jpg 1908w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154623" class="wp-caption-text">View the top cards of the Past 2 Years, Past Month or Past Week</p></div>
<p>The default view of Top Cards displays data for the last two years, in thumbnail view without grouping, sorting or filtering. This is just the tip of the data iceberg. Here, as on other EDHREC pages, there's a lot more to see beneath the surface.</p>
<p>You can reduce the size of the data pool by selecting the tabs for Past Month or Past Week. Additionally, there are options to narrow and organize the Top Cards to hone in on details such as card characteristics or inclusion percentages.</p>


<p>The marrow in the bones of every deck are the lands. EDHREC's <a href="https://edhrec.com/lands">Landbase</a> page takes the guesswork out of choosing lands for any deck. Simply select a color identity to browse the lands that fit those colors.</p>
<p>The lands page for each color identity displays lands by cycles and other common descriptors. You may also choose to view lands alphabetically, or ranked by popularity based on EDHREC data.</p>
<div id="attachment_154779" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mono-Red-Lands.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154779" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154779 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mono-Red-Lands-1024x266.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the mono Red lands page on EDHREC." width="1024" height="266" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mono-Red-Lands-1024x266.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mono-Red-Lands-300x78.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mono-Red-Lands-768x199.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mono-Red-Lands-1536x399.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mono-Red-Lands.jpg 1919w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154779" class="wp-caption-text">Someone please challenge the stats on that [el]Krosan Verge[/el].</p></div>


<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/top/salt">Once a year, EDHREC surveys the community to rate the "saltiness" of every card</a> in the database. Anyone may participate in grading cards on a scale from <strong>0</strong> (not salty) to <strong>4</strong> (most salty). The resulting salt score is the average of all the votes a card received.</p>
<p>Although salt scores are mostly for fun, the cards with high salt scores have infamous reputations. There is no connection between the salt scores and Commander Brackets or the Game Changers list.</p>
<p>Along with community members and other sites, <a href="https://archidekt.com/search/decks?">Archidekt</a> utilizes EDHREC's salt score as a casual statistic for deckbuilders to check at a glance. You can see this on a deckpage under "Salt Sum" along with further information about how this is calculated.</p>
<div id="attachment_155538" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/saltsumarch.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155538" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-155538 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/saltsumarch-1024x101.png" alt="archidekt precon deck title and stats" width="1024" height="101" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/saltsumarch-1024x101.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/saltsumarch-300x30.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/saltsumarch-768x76.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/saltsumarch-1536x151.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/saltsumarch.png 1704w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155538" class="wp-caption-text">(On Archidekt) The Salt Sum is total sum of all the salt scores of every card in your deck.</p></div>
<p>The EDHREC salt score is a helpful litmus test for the vibes certain cards might bring to your games.</p>


<p>The Game Changers list is determined by Wizards of the Coast based on input from the <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/introducing-the-commander-format-panel">Commander Format Panel</a>.</p>
<p>EDHREC hosts a dedicated page for Game Changers because this is essential information for deckbuilding within the <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/commander-brackets-beta-update-april-22-2025">Commander Bracket system</a>.</p>
<p>If you're building for a lower bracket, then you can refer to this list as cards to avoid. If you're building for higher brackets, then look at these cards as spicy recommendations.</p>
<p>At Bracket 3 and above, you should be prepared to face off against these cards, even if you don't play them in your own decks.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/commander-bracket-system-updates-and-unbans-april-2025"><em>This list has been updated with April 2025's additions and removals.</em></a></p>
<h3>White</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drannith Magistrate" href="#" target="_blank">Drannith Magistrate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enlightened Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Enlightened Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Humility" href="#" target="_blank">Humility</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Serra&#039;s Sanctum" href="#" target="_blank">Serra&#039;s Sanctum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3>Blue</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Consecrated Sphinx" href="#" target="_blank">Consecrated Sphinx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Expropriate" href="#" target="_blank">Expropriate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Intuition" href="#" target="_blank">Intuition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Will" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fierce Guardianship" href="#" target="_blank">Fierce Guardianship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Parter of Veils" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Parter of Veils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa&#039;s Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa&#039;s Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Lord High Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Lord High Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystical Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Mystical Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur" href="#" target="_blank">Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3>Black</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bolas&#039;s Citadel" href="#" target="_blank">Bolas&#039;s Citadel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Imperial Seal" href="#" target="_blank">Imperial Seal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necropotence" href="#" target="_blank">Necropotence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opposition Agent" href="#" target="_blank">Opposition Agent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Orcish Bowmasters" href="#" target="_blank">Orcish Bowmasters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tergrid, God of Fright" href="#" target="_blank">Tergrid, God of Fright</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampiric Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Vampiric Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ad Nauseam" href="#" target="_blank">Ad Nauseam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3>Red</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deflecting Swat" href="#" target="_blank">Deflecting Swat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gamble" href="#" target="_blank">Gamble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3>Green</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crop Rotation" href="#" target="_blank">Crop Rotation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Food Chain" href="#" target="_blank">Food Chain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gaea&#039;s Cradle" href="#" target="_blank">Gaea&#039;s Cradle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Natural Order" href="#" target="_blank">Natural Order</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Survival of the Fittest" href="#" target="_blank">Survival of the Fittest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger" href="#" target="_blank">Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldly Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Worldly Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3>Multicolor</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aura Shards" href="#" target="_blank">Aura Shards</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Notion Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Notion Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winota, Joiner of Forces" href="#" target="_blank">Winota, Joiner of Forces</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grand Arbiter Augustin IV" href="#" target="_blank">Grand Arbiter Augustin IV</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3>Artifacts</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chrome Mox" href="#" target="_blank">Chrome Mox</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Monolith" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Monolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mox Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Mox Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3>Lands</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Tomb" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Tomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glacial Chasm" href="#" target="_blank">Glacial Chasm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mishra&#039;s Workshop" href="#" target="_blank">Mishra&#039;s Workshop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale" href="#" target="_blank">The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>


<p>Combos have been an archetypal pillar of <em>Magic: the Gathering</em> since the beginning. There's a broad range of combos from <a href="https://edhrec.com/combos/early-game-2-card-combos">elaborate multi-card loops to powerful 2-card pairs</a> that can immediately win the game.</p>
<p>Because the Bracket system asks players to be honest about the speed and efficiency of their combos, EDHREC identifies combos that are appropriate for your target bracket.</p>
<div id="attachment_154781" style="width: 774px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Combo-Menu.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154781" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154781 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Combo-Menu.jpg" alt="Screenshot of the combo menu on EDHREC." width="764" height="279" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Combo-Menu.jpg 764w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Combo-Menu-300x110.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154781" class="wp-caption-text">The combo menu  provides links to view combos by color identity or recommended bracket.</p></div>
<p>EDHREC's combos pages are powered by <a href="http://www.commanderspellbook.com">Commander Spellbook</a>, with step-by-step instructions, metadata, and Bracket recommendations.</p>
<div id="attachment_154782" style="width: 767px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Iso_Rev.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154782" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154782 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Iso_Rev.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the EDHREC combo page for Dramatic Reversal and Isochron Scepter." width="757" height="544" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Iso_Rev.jpg 757w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Iso_Rev-300x216.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 757px) 100vw, 757px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154782" class="wp-caption-text">The Isochron Scepter and Dramatic Reversal  combo is a frequent flyer in Optimized (4) and cEDH (5) games.</p></div>


<p style="text-align: left;">The "<strong>Sets</strong>" dropdown contains upcoming and recent set releases for <em>Magic: The Gathering. </em>Clicking "<strong>More...</strong>" will take you to a page that displays links to every set in in the game.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">If there is a particular set you're fond of, or if you're trying to keep up with the latest and greatest cards, the set pages are great place to find picks for your piles.</p>
<div id="attachment_154793" style="width: 251px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154793" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154793 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sets-dropdown.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the Sets dropdown menu on EDHREC." width="241" height="367" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sets-dropdown.jpg 241w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sets-dropdown-197x300.jpg 197w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 241px) 100vw, 241px" /><p id="caption-attachment-154793" class="wp-caption-text">The most recent Magic sets appear directly in the Sets dropdown.</p></div>
<h6 style="text-align: center;"></h6>


<p>At the bottom of the Sets dropdown is a link to one of the coolest features on the site.</p>
<h2>Precon Upgrades</h2>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/precon">Preconstructed decks</a> are a critical gateway into the Commander format, and many established players enjoy playing and tinkering with precons.</p>
<p>Whether you're setting sail with your first precon, or you're an experience precon shipwright; EDHREC can help you turn your preconstructed deck into a cardboard <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus">Ship of Theseus</a>.</p>
<div id="attachment_154799" style="width: 162px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Precon-Upgrade-sidebar.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154799" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154799 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Precon-Upgrade-sidebar.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the sidebar for the Precon Upgrade section on EDHREC." width="152" height="211" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154799" class="wp-caption-text">The  sidebar on a precon upgrade page is a quick approach to swapping cards for a precon.</p></div>
<p>Once you've selected your precon of choice, you can quickly see alternative commanders, and view cards other players Add or Cut.</p>
<p>This can help you take your deck in any direction you like. Shore up a weak spot, double down on the deck's strengths or tune it to your own unique style.</p>


<p>The <strong>Tags</strong> page is the hub for dedicated themes and strategies. While there's nothing wrong with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, the Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, the Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> goodstuff pile, there's nothing cohesive about it either.</p>
<p>Commander decks often showcase a certain card type or share a primary mechanic. This focus gives the deck clear identity and unified purpose.</p>
<p>If that sounds like your kind of deck building, then the Tags pages were made for you.</p>
<div id="attachment_154800" style="width: 149px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tags-dropdown.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154800" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154800 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tags-dropdown.jpg" alt="A screenshot of the tags dropdown on EDHREC." width="139" height="278" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154800" class="wp-caption-text">Within the Tags dropdown, you'll find Tags, Themes, Kindred and Companions</p></div>
<p>The main <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags">Tags</a> page is wide-cast net for every imaginable deck archetype. Meanwhile the <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/themes">Theme</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/kindred">Kindred</a> tabs divide the tags into two main groups: Themes are tags focused on mechanical cohesion, and Kindreds are tags focused on specific creature types.</p>


<p>Companion decks take the idea of a central theme to a whole new level. There are nine legal Companions (RIP <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lutri, the Spellchaser" href="#" target="_blank">Lutri, the Spellchaser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) from <em><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/iko">Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths</a></em>.</p>
<p>Choosing a companion for a deck requires the deck to follow the card's companion deckbuilding restriction in addition to matching the Commander's color identity.</p>
<div id="attachment_154808" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/All-Companions.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154808" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-154808 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/All-Companions-1024x249.jpg" alt="A screenshot of all the Commander-legal companion cards." width="1024" height="249" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/All-Companions-1024x249.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/All-Companions-300x73.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/All-Companions-768x187.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/All-Companions-1536x374.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/All-Companions.jpg 1904w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154808" class="wp-caption-text">In Commander, choosing a Companion doesn't count toward the 100 card limit.</p></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yorion, Sky Nomad" href="#" target="_blank">Yorion, Sky Nomad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is legal as a Commander or in the 99 of a deck, but its deckbuilding restriction violates Commander's 100-card limit. If you really want to oppress your friends with your EDH version of Yorion Control  then you'll have to ask them nicely, Rule Zero style.</p>
<p>The other eight companion cards have companion restrictions that are achievable within the deckbuilding rules of commander, and each of them presents an interesting challenge to crafting a deck.</p>


<p>Most of the pages on EDHREC involve browsing cards that you can export to your choice of deckbuilding site.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/recs">The <strong>Recs</strong> page is where you can import a partial or complete deck list</a> and EDHREC will make data-powered recommendations.</p>
<div id="attachment_132149" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-12-212301.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-132149" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-132149 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-12-212301-1024x359.png" alt="Screen shot of the Recs page on EDHREC." width="1024" height="359" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-12-212301-1024x359.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-12-212301-300x105.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-12-212301-768x269.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-12-212301-1536x539.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-12-212301.png 1919w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-132149" class="wp-caption-text">The Recs page is your shortcut to personalized card recommendations based on the cards already in your deck, and data from EDHREC.</p></div>
<p>At a minimum, you must select a commander for the Recs page to work. If you add only the commander, then the results will reflect that legend's average deck list.</p>
<p>Add more cards in the 99, the Recs tool makes more specific recommendations.</p>


How to Use EDHREC

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flubs, the Fool" href="#" target="_blank">Flubs, the Fool</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.adamrex.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adam Rex</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>How To Be New</em>, the series where I give advice to new players, from a new player. If you’re here because you’ve never played <em>Magic</em> before but you saw the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tifa, Martial Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Tifa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> card and now find yourself in the middle of a 15-hour <em>Magic</em> researching fugue state, go get some sleep! For the rest of you, welcome in. Today we're talking about how to cut cards from your Commander deck when you have more than 100.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flubs, the Fool"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Laboratory Maniac"></div></div>
<hr />
<p>Ok, so, let me start with an anecdote. My friend, very graciously, gave me a copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flubs, the Fool" href="#" target="_blank">Flubs, the Fool</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> when he found out I was getting into Commander. He was right to do so. I fell in love instantly. All the fun of playing <em>Magic</em> without all the confusion of having to make decisions?? That sort of thing’s perfect for a guy like me.</p>
<p>So I went into my collection that weekend. I have a lot of random bulk from various other dalliances with <em>Magic</em> in my past, including a full collection of the <em>Fallout</em> precons, so I had a lot to work through. Obviously I wanted things that would support <em>landfall</em>, since Flubs let me play extra lands. I also decided I wanted to do +1/+1 counters, since I saw that recommended for Flubs decks somewhere online. And obviously I wanted some things to help play cards from exile, since that synergizes very well with Flubs’ card draw ability.</p>
<p>By the time I got all of my candidates together, I was at over 200 cards. Not including lands. In what was going to be a <em>landfall</em> deck.</p>
<p>At least a couple of these had to go.</p>
<p>But which ones? How could I bear to cut any of my new friends? I had read every single one of these cards and imagined the dream scenario in which they would single-handedly win me the game. Now how could I possibly be expected to relegate some, or even most of them, back into the disorganized maelstrom which roils inside the big white box next to my desk? It’s scary in there. It’s certainly not the kind of place for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lily Bowen, Raging Grandma" href="#" target="_blank">Lily Bowen, Raging Grandma</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. As my elder, she deserves my respect.</p>
<p>I ran into this constantly when I was beginning my Commander journey. There’s just so many fun <em>Magic</em> cards which can support all kinds of different plans. But you need to sit down at the table with just 100 of them. Here’s how I learned to do that.</p>
<h2>Step 1: Start With a Guide</h2>
<p>There are so many excellent guides out there for how to set up your Commander deck. They’re fantastically helpful when determining how many lands to run, how much removal, how many mana artifacts, etc. So which one should you choose?</p>
<p>There’s an extremely easy answer: any of them. Absolutely any of them will be fine. These are great places to start when building your deck, but will absolutely differ from deck to deck and from player to player. So just find one to look at and start setting your deck up using those numbers. For this guide, we’ll be using this one that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSNV6224cHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Command Zone</a> recently put together. Do I agree with every part of it? No. And that’s why it’s a perfect place to start.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cz-deckbuilding-template.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-150362" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cz-deckbuilding-template-300x141.png" alt="" width="753" height="354" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cz-deckbuilding-template-300x141.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cz-deckbuilding-template-1024x483.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cz-deckbuilding-template-768x362.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cz-deckbuilding-template-1536x724.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cz-deckbuilding-template.png 1910w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 753px) 100vw, 753px" /></a></p>
<h2>Step 2: Add the Lands</h2>
<p>This guide wants you to run 38 lands. I’ve heard many other players say that's a great target number. It will absolutely ensure that from your opening draw, you should have enough lands to not miss any land drops and be able to do all of the wonderful things you want your deck to do.</p>
<h2>Step 3: Don’t Touch The Lands</h2>
<p>Set those lands far away. Face down. Don’t look at them. Have your partner or roommate hide them from you if need be. Don’t touch those things. Consider them a foundational cornerstone of your deck. Put a post it note on your desk with “38” written on it so you don’t forget the number and move on to the rest of the guide. You’re going to want a good read on how the cards in your deck play together, and in order to do that, you’ll have to actually play them. So just go with a little more mana than you think you might need, at least for your first couple of games.</p>
<h2>Step 4: Fill In the Rest of the Guide</h2>
<p>Go through and, to the best of your collection's ability, follow the guide you’re using to the letter. Do exactly what it instructs you to do. As you’re going through, do you feel like 10 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">mana rocks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are too much for your three-cost commander? Are you building a group hug deck and feel like maybe 18 disruption cards will sort of counteract what you’re trying to do at the table? Good. Those are useful feelings to have. Keep those with you as you fill out the nonland cards in your deck to the specifications in your guide of choice.</p>
<h2>Step 5: One In, One Out</h2>
<p>Now that you’ve got a sense for your whole deck, start to make some of those changes you were leaning towards before. But do it on a one in, one out basis. You can cut one card to swap in one other card. When you start to do this in sweeping moves or go too fast you’ll start to lose count, and soon you’ll find yourself deep in the dregs of everyone’s least favorite deckbuilding activity: counting through a big stack of cards (and then having it come up different when you do it again). Slow and steady wins the race here.</p>
<p>Take into consideration what you want in your deck. Personally, the “Plan Cards,” as they’re listed here, are my favorite part of EDH deckbuilding, and I have a really hard time keeping those down to just 30. So I’ll usually cut some disruption, and possibly some ramp, to fit in some of those cards that bring me joy every time I draw them. And what’s more, at this point, <em>I don't know</em> what’s going to be good yet! So I’m going to include everything I might want to try out and deal with the consequences later.</p>
<h2>Step 6: Cut a Couple Lands, as a Treat</h2>
<p>Look, 38 lands sounds really great, but I almost always go a little lower. If you’re playing, for example, Boros (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) or like to live dangerously (Izzet, <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>), you can definitely cut a few. You’ve been very good so far, you deserve a little bit of self care. After all, if you draw dry in a game, you’ll have nobody to blame but yourself!</p>
<h2>Step 7: Play The Deck</h2>
<p>The <em>most</em> important step in this process is actually going to the game store and trying the deck out! Getting it out on the table is the only way you’ll be able to evaluate which cards should stay or go. It’s sometimes useful even to goldfish it (this is stolen advice from Am I The Bolas, and it means dealing yourself a hand and playing by yourself on your own table, just to see how things might shake out in a real game), maybe even more than once.</p>
<p>One other thing I like to do is take a small sideboard with a few cards you wanted to include but didn’t make the cut. Swap them in between games for some cards which seemed underwhelming in the first game. Continue to tinker like this to your heart’s content and <a href="https://youtu.be/Sr2PlqXw03Y?si=3Jcg5s9i36vT5hbJ&amp;t=11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">baby, you got a Commander deck going!</a></p>
<hr />
<p>To close the loop, as we fast forward to about six months from the day where I had to cut about 150 cards for my 100 card Flubs deck, I’d wager that maybe seven or eight of those cards are still there. It’s now a deck I call “Doctor Flubsenstein’s Monster” which seeks to reunite Flubs with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Laboratory Maniac" href="#" target="_blank">his creator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and win by playing through the rest of the deck. It no longer places +1/+1 counters. It deals some with playing cards from exile. Honestly, even most of the <em>landfall</em> triggers have fallen out. This deck isn't concerned with things like damage or combat. Now it’s a timeless tale about mankind’s yearning for the one thing that cannot be produced in a lab: love.</p>
<p>But you don’t get to tell a whimsical sci-fi tale of tragedy, yearning, and man’s reach exceeding his grasp if you don’t get those 100 cards to the table. So use a guide, try it out, and rework the deck if it isn’t working. Whenever the process gets tiring, start over with a different deck idea.</p>
<p>Congratulations, you’re now a Commander player.</p>


New Player Guide - How to Cut Cards From Your Commander Decks

Abzan Armor Precon Guide - Tarkir: Dragonstorm

Sultai Arisen Precon Guide - Tarkir: Dragonstorm

Mardu Surge Precon Guide - Tarkir: Dragonstorm

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Art by <a href="https://www.howardlyon.com/">Howard Lyon</a>)</h6>
<h1>Win Conditions Aren't Equal</h1>
<p>People show up to Commander to play intense games of <em>Magic</em>. Counterspelling counterspells to ensure commanders can set up engines. Intense rushes to deal damage before an opponent draws their perfect card. Four-way political discussions where everyone bargains for just <em>one</em> more turn.</p>
<p>But what if instead of perfectly constructing a deck to achieve victory, you just… <strong>Won?</strong></p>
<p>There are plenty of alternate win conditions, or alt win cons, to damage and decking. As you would expect, not all of them are created equally. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a home in Commander.</p>
<p>Afterall, think of the value.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The One Ring"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Llanowar Elves"></div></div>
<p><em>All valuable in their own way.</em></p>
<h3>The Value</h3>
<p>In a Standard game, you have to deal twenty damage to a single opponent, or have them deck out a sixty-card deck. But in Commander, both the life pools and deck sizes are inflated.</p>
<p>But the cost of alt win cons stays the same.</p>
<p>They might not be efficient. Or advisable. They might simply be ineffectual when you have three individuals who can counter, remove, and respond to what you play.</p>
<p>But it would be so funny if it worked, wouldn’t it?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Here’s The Deal</h2>
<p>There’s a visceral reaction folks have when they see an alt win con being played. At least in my experience, a player is more likely to take aggressive action against someone about to play an alt win con than someone who will win by traditional means.</p>
<p>Whether via commander damage or poison counters or milling, these “mundane” paths to victory often leave wiggle-room to still try your hand at negotiations.</p>
<p>But no one will listen to a word you’re saying under the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Despite the fact they’ll listen to someone fielding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> while they have nine poison counters!</p>
<p>So how do you get around this?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred, the Apocalypse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rhystic Study"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smothering Tithe"></div></div>
<p><em>Just a few Swords of Damocles some folks don't mind discussing under.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Misdirect Them</h3>
<p>Whatever your engine for winning the game is, set aside just a few cards to give the impression you’re shooting for a traditional victory. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, don’t add needless heft to your deck.</p>
<p>Could be as simple as having some <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroes&#039; Bane" href="#" target="_blank">Hydras</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to scale with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Chief Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Chief Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> being kept dirt cheap with a powerful army due to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Encroaching Mycosynth" href="#" target="_blank">Encroaching Mycosynth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Staple combos that are effective across two or three cards regardless of the subject-matter of your deck. Not necessarily two-card “win the game” combos like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet, Parun" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet, Parun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curiosity" href="#" target="_blank">Curiosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Just effective closed-loop combos that keep you relevant.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mossborn Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bristly Bill, Spine Sower"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fabled Passage"></div></div><br />
<em>This is a personal favorite to get explosive growth.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Not only does this lead to your opponents suspecting nothing (the fools!), but it allows you to participate in the game normally. A problem with alt win con decks in casual Commander is that there’s not much to <em>do</em> until you are in a position to end the game.</p>
<p>Just a few cards to keep yourself an active participant alleviates that.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Be Disrespectful</h3>
<p>Alternatively, you could focus on denying victory to your opponents. Whether through <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Herald of Eternal Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Herald of Eternal Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Platinum Angel" href="#" target="_blank">Platinum Angel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you have multiple preventative measures to ensure your opponents can’t steamroll past you.</p>
<p>None of these directly assist your chances of winning the game, but they do buy you time to achieve your own goals.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Everybody Lives!"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Book of Exalted Deeds"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloudsteel Kirin"></div></div><br />
<em>With this and its lifegain, white stalls games longer than blue.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Of course, if you were to be truly diabolical you would grab a card that forces you to lose such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archfiend of the Dross" href="#" target="_blank">Archfiend of the Dross</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Use any of the following cards to boot your Archfiend to an opponent once its usefulness (and oil) runs out.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fateful Handoff"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Coveted Falcon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Custody Battle"></div></div><br />
<em>Because Black’s removal is so useful, splashing into it isn’t even that bad!</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Actually Winning</h2>
<p>Below are just a few cards that allow you to win the game. Some are more viable than others, and certainly some require more support than others. It’s really up to you and your playstyle which ones you gravitate towards.</p>
<p>Just make sure to play it smart. One counter or removal spell or even any of the above-mentioned “win prevention cards” will ruin these strategies if you’re not careful.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Approach of the Second Sun"></div></div>
<p>I can’t speak to if this is the most famous alt win con, but it certainly feels as though it’s had its time to shine since its release in 2017.</p>
<p>This alt win con really is quite simple, in that once you play the first casting of it, your goal is to not die. If any of your opponents have any milling capabilities, that’s something to be careful for, but generally that shouldn’t be a major issue.</p>
<p>Further, watch out for red’s propensity to exile the top card of opponents' decks with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If they time it right, your second casting is exiled. So make sure you have access to counters, card draw, or a means of doing more than just waiting seven turns.</p>
<p>Also, a fun fact about this card is that the first casting doesn’t have to resolve for the second casting to win you the game. So if the first casting is countered and the second isn’t, you still win the game! Just make sure that second casting doesn’t get countered as well.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Biovisionary" href="#" target="_blank">Biovisionary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Biovisionary"></div></div>
<p>In a single-card format, having a creature requiring multiple copies of it seems ridiculous. And, frankly, it kind of is!</p>
<p>Which is exactly why no one will see it coming. Because tokens count towards this alt win con and it’s in your end step, all you need is a great deal of mana and a decent amount of cards in-hand. Fortunately for you, those are two things Simic excels at.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Croaking Counterpart" href="#" target="_blank">Croaking Counterpart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives you two castings in a single card, if you can afford it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Metamorph" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Metamorph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to pay with your life for part of it, which is a fantastic boon. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Three Steps Ahead" href="#" target="_blank">Three Steps Ahead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has the flexibility to act as a counter or card draw on top of advancing your alt win con.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phantasmal Image"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flesh Duplicate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cephalid Facetaker"></div></div><br />
<em>Cheap copies’ downsides don’t matter if you win the turn you cast them!</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Barren Glory" href="#" target="_blank">Barren Glory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Barren Glory"></div></div>
<p>This might be the most out-there of all these options. Afterall, how do you get to such a low point and still survive?</p>
<p>If you can get a board clear, you’re fine. Alternatively, do the math on how much damage your opponents can deal, Commander or otherwise. If you won’t lose as a result of that or something like poison counters, it doesn’t matter that you can’t defend yourself.</p>
<p>Don’t run the deck with too many permanents other than creatures, and all them to die before you play your alt win con. Then cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armageddon" href="#" target="_blank">Armageddon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a similar means of removing your lands from play.</p>
<p>If your opponents’ boards are clear or if the math checks out, you’ll win next turn assuming you can trash your hand. If you have cheap instants and sorceries, that will allow you to burn through your hand in your final turn. Self-discard is even better.</p>
<p>Just make sure no opponent has a means of destroying an enchantment on the board when you cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armageddon" href="#" target="_blank">Armageddon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Otherwise, even with a single mana from their next-turn land drop, they’ll just remove your alt win con and you’re stuck behind the curve.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Various Counter-Building Cards</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azor&#039;s Elocutors"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chance Encounter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Reactor"></div></div>
<p><em>All variations of “keep this card in play to eventually win the game.”</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>You build counters on them, sometimes with ways for opponents to remove counters. Other times, they're just hoping not to be removed before their clock can reach its endpoint.</p>
<p>As with most things counter-related, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is your friend and Proliferate is your new favorite mechanic. Look to All Will Be One and March of the Machine for plenty of cards to bump up your counter production.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska, Betrayal&#039;s Sting"></div></div><br />
<em>Phyrexians are your friends when proliferation is your goal.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>And, of course, be on the lookout for removal. These are generally cards that take some time to mature, meaning there's plenty of time for them to be removed.</p>
<p>Particularly given that you're now the person seen as most likely to win, even if your alt win con isn't viable.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>A Fair Warning</h2>
<p>Just be aware that at any higher level of play, so much as the assumption you have an alt win con will put a target on your back.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter if someone has <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Solphim, Mayhem Dominus" href="#" target="_blank">Solphim, Mayhem Dominus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and has been chipping away the pod’s life all game. Nor does it matter if someone went full Voltron and their <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, Sun-Crowned" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, Sun-Crowned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a 20/20 with Flying, Trample, and Infect. Though I’d love to see someone pull that off!</p>
<p>The mere existence of an alt win con will have the entire table rally against you. Expect no more negotiating and for past deals to be reneged. Every creature on the table to be pointed at you.</p>
<p>So either win fast or enjoy the chaos you’re causing on the way down.</p>
<p>Alternatively, play a game where no one is allowed to win via life loss, decking out, or poison counters. An Alt Win Contest, if you will.</p>


Have You Tried Simply "Winning?" A Guide to Alt Win Cons in Commander

Temur Roar Precon Guide - Tarkir: Dragonstorm

Jeskai Striker Precon Guide - Tarkir: Dragonstorm

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/exo/129/survival-of-the-fittest">Survival of the Fittest</a> | <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CPete+Venters%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Pete Venters</a>)</h6>
<p>A voice comes over an intercom: "Now boarding Group One." It's time to check your bag one last time before you board your plane. You see a fresh box of sleeves, a brand new deck box, and all 25 of your freshly-made Commander decks.</p>
<p>Have you ever played any of them? No, but that is what a Magic Con is for, right?</p>
<p>Plus, you must have all of these decks when taking a break between your seven events booked between Friday and Saturday. And how could you forget your front bag pocket with all of your triple sleeve and slabbed cards that you need to get signed by 15 artists there? All this leaves plenty of room for you to come home with that oversized card from the prize wall.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="What (Not) to Bring to MagicCon | Magic: the Gathering | Commander" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B6Eo_FhnT3E?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>This might sound like a great idea, but I promise it will only make your weekend a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dismal Failure" href="#" target="_blank">Dismal Failure</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I have been to a few Magic Cons and thought I would share some things I have learned to help you best "survive" a Magic Con.</p>
<p>My name is Nick, and you do not have to listen to all my tips and tricks, but hopefully, one of them will lead you on the road to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Success!" href="#" target="_blank">Success!</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Success"></div></div>
<h2>Hatching Plans</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hatching Plans"></div></div>
<p>The best advice I can give anyone outside of having fun is to put a plan together for your trip. You do not need to have a full detailed itinerary planning out every minute of your day down to what time you will draw a card, but in my opinion, you should come in with at least a basic outline of how you would like your day(s) to go, otherwise you'll get overwhelmed and overplan. You may have to rely on a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Backup Plan" href="#" target="_blank">Backup Plan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Change of Plans" href="#" target="_blank">Change of Plans</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and maybe even a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Contingency Plan" href="#" target="_blank">Contingency Plan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> by the time you get to the convention.</p>
<p>One of the best things I took advantage of for this year's Magic Con Chicago was to have an idea of what I wanted out of each day I was there.</p>
<p>I was confident in my plans, and even then, I still learned by the end that my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Game Plan" href="#" target="_blank">Game Plan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was not foolproof. For an event like this, things must be done in advance, so even the most well-thought-out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Long-Term Plans" href="#" target="_blank">Long-Term Plans</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will not always result in success.</p>
<h2>Playable</h2>
<p>Magic Cons offers many options for many different types of people. Most people go to Magic Cons to do one thing above all else: sit down and play <em>Magic: The Gathering. </em>Heck yeah.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Assemble the Players"></div></div>
<p>It doesn't matter if you're in the tank and sweating it out to try and win a last-chance qualifier or the Secret Lair Showdown. Maybe you're doing a full box Sealed or Two-Headed Giant with your best mate after a long travel day. Most people are there to sling spells, play a turn-one <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or expertly read all the signals in the triple <em>Homelands</em> draft running Sunday morning.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/nicknaxdeck-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-146174" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/nicknaxdeck-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="525" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/nicknaxdeck-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/nicknaxdeck-300x225.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/nicknaxdeck-768x576.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/nicknaxdeck-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/nicknaxdeck-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a></p>
<h6 style="text-align: center;">Good times at the Commander table</h6>
<p>This year, I knew that there were three particular things I wanted to play: Commander, Canadian Highlander, and Gavin's Mystery Event. I prioritized time each day to do these things and packed accordingly.</p>
<p>This leads me to my downer point for this topic: you <strong>cannot</strong> play everything you want. That might be decks, events, or even with specific individuals.</p>
<p>I won't tell you not to bring all 25 of your commander decks, but do yourself a favor and don't bring all 25 of your commander decks. You have a finite amount of time at these, so I urge people to take advantage and make their best personal impression of the card <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Stretch" href="#" target="_blank">Time Stretch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>Paint Me Like One Of Your French Cards</h2>
<p>At this year's Magic Con Chicago, I hit what I will consider the artistic jackpot. I had a small list of cards I wanted to get signed, and if you have ever been to one of these, you know that sometimes that is daunting.</p>
<p>While I missed out on the incredible Tyler Jacobson, I got all the other cards and more signed by various artists and MTG personalities. I commend you if this is why you go to Magic Cons, and honestly, you might be the strongest among us at these events, outside of the cosplayers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abstract Iguanart"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Artist&#039;s Talent"></div></div>
<p>Many people in the art sphere of the game have great tips and tricks and even complete Scryfall lists of all the artists going so that you do not have to dig through your deck boxes while standing in line looking for cards to get signed.</p>
<p>Just know the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Artist&#039;s Talent" href="#" target="_blank">Artist&#039;s Talent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does not come cheap when considering the time it can take for some lines. If you are like me this year, even your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Well-Laid Plans" href="#" target="_blank">Well-Laid Plans</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be hit by the ticking clock of another commitment.</p>
<h2>It's a Mystery</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trail of Mystery"></div></div>
<p>I have told you a thing or two I would suggest not doing. I have also mentioned the downside to some of those choices, but there is one thing above all of these events that I have and will not recommend to everyone who attends.</p>
<p>That is the Gavin Verhey Mystery Event. For years, Gavin has put on a fantastic event with a cool and unique twist, all while tricking everyone into playing the largest paper brawl event of all time.</p>
<p>This year was no different. Sealed decks built from <em>Mystery Booster 2</em> and what I have been calling the "Gavin Pack." A pack of unique playtest cards that are everything from super funny to extremely broken to loving tributes to those who make the community great.</p>
<p>I never have as much fun as I do playing at this event, and it's something I will always sign up for. Highly recommended, but try to get your tickets fast as they <em>will</em> sell out, even long before the event.</p>
<h2>Mistakes Were Made</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mistakes Were Made"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mistakes Were Made" href="#" target="_blank">Mistakes Were Made</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This is the secret of my Magic Con experience this year. I still made some errors in the tips I tried to follow and thought I had done everything correctly. The first mistake was packing my schedule too tightly from Saturday to Sunday.</p>
<p>I did not realize how a late night and lousy sleep on Saturday would lead to one of the most miserable experiences I have had while participating in a Commander Sealed event on Sunday.</p>
<p>It made me reconsider many life decisions during an event I was genuinely pumped to join in. I also made the classic blunder of waiting till the last day to try and use my little tickets at the prize wall and walked away empty-handed.</p>
<p>Secondly, I did not play as much Commander with friends or randoms as I wanted. I should've used my Sunday for this instead of deckbuilding and waiting for seat pairings to be announced.</p>
<p>Lastly, I did not get to enough panels. This was a new mistake, but it might be my second recommendation for people going. The live EDHRECast was a blast, and while I did not win my challenge against the stats, it was a great time.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/livecastaudience-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-146173" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/livecastaudience-1024x478.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="327" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/livecastaudience-1024x478.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/livecastaudience-300x140.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/livecastaudience-768x359.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/livecastaudience-1536x717.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/livecastaudience-2048x956.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a></p>
<h6 style="text-align: center;">The first Live EDHRECast challenged the hosts' knowledge of the stats! Photo credit: Nick Wolf</h6>
<p>Try to play as much as you can and want and get to all the artists, meetings, and greets, but don't make my mistake of missing out on the great panels people put on in the IRL meet space rather than online.</p>
<h2>Exceeding Expectations</h2>
<p>I won't bore anyone with "normal" travel suggestions. Everyone is already prepared with their food plans, and people often know where they will be for the always fun "Lobby Cons" in the various hotel lobby and bar areas after the convention hall closes for the night. And while this might be a fun little article about "surviving" Magic Cons, this year did not run super smooth for me by comparison.</p>
<p>Luckily, this led me to some <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unexpected Results" href="#" target="_blank">Unexpected Results</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as Magic Con Chicago was full of... <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unexpected Potential" href="#" target="_blank">Unexpected Potential</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I got to chill with friends, new and old; p<span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">lay games with creators like Rachel Weeks and notable artists like <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CJesper+Ejsing%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jesper Ejsing</a> and <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CEvyn+Fong%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evyn Fong.</a> </span></p>
<p>In my mind, the most important thing about going to one of these events is maximizing the defining statement of a Magic Con: It's not about the <em>Magic</em>; it's about <em>The Gathering</em>.</p>
<p>I hope to gather with you at a Magic Con soon, and if you can make one, I suggest you try your best to make it out. If you want to tell me how your Magic Con went or show me what cards you got signed, you can find me here or elsewhere on the internet as nicnax96.</p>
<p>Check out all the other great articles here, and as a treat, if you happen to be in the venn diagram of sports fans and <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> fans, stay tuned in during the start of March Madness...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mandatory Friendship Shackles"></div></div>
