<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harmless Offering" href="#" target="_blank">Harmless Offering</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Art by <a href="https://www.howardlyon.com/illustration/proofs">Howard Lyon </a></h6>
<h1>Interaction in a game of Commander is difficult...</h1>
<p>There are three opponents, with their own boards, and own sets and sequences of interaction. You might be tapping out for an Insurrection or <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>, but someone might have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog" href="#" target="_blank">Fog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obscuring Haze" href="#" target="_blank">Obscuring Haze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>We live in fear of someone having the answer, but sometimes we have the game, all interaction in hand to protect our win, but we still don't try to take the win. Some of the reasoning as to why can be broken up into: improper threat assessment and emotional burden.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Craterhoof Behemoth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Insurrection"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obscuring Haze"></div></div>
<h2>Threat Assessment in MTG</h2>
<p><em>Magic: The Gathering</em> is a complicated game with tons of mechanics and points of interaction. Don't get me started with the stack and reverse priority order resolution.</p>
<p>This game is especially complex. Commander makes the game even more complicated with additional players and a more complex stack as they add interaction.</p>
<p>We are going to misplay. We are going to misread a card, forget a trigger, sequence poorly. Maybe we play a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lotus Cobra" href="#" target="_blank">Lotus Cobra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> after out land for turn and miss an extra mana. These aren't the kind of misplays I'm talking about.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lotus Cobra"></div></div>
<h3>Working Against the Rest of the Table</h3>
<p>I want to first talk about the kind of misplay where you correctly understand the board state and make a call that hinges on an accurate assessment of player intentions, or capabilities, and you get it wrong.</p>
<p>I'll set the scene. I'm playing against a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prossh, Skyraider of Kher" href="#" target="_blank">Prossh, Skyraider of Kher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, 10 Kobolds, and they have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirkwood Bats" href="#" target="_blank">Mirkwood Bats</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mahadi, Emporium Master" href="#" target="_blank">Mahadi, Emporium Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I've got an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Olivia, Crimson Bride" href="#" target="_blank">Olivia, Crimson Bride</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in hand and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheoldred, Whispering One" href="#" target="_blank">Sheoldred, Whispering One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in grave. I also have an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eowyn, Fearless Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Eowyn, Fearless Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in hand and a 10/10 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher" href="#" target="_blank">Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I'm at 13 life.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Olivia, Crimson Bride"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred, Whispering One"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher"></div></div>
<p>Do I remove the Mahadi or the Bats with the Eowyn and swing in for the damage, ending that player but leaving me open to the other opponent, or do reanimate the Sheoldred, strengthen my board, and hope the Prossh player doesn't have removal? Sometimes the incorrect assessment is not anticipating or banking on removal.</p>
<p>Don't play with your food. If you can eliminate a threat, you should bite down hard on it. I played this game and the Prossh player <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assassin&#039;s Trophy" href="#" target="_blank">Assassin&#039;s Trophy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'d my Carmen so I didn't remove the Bats or the Mahadi and was dead to the sacrifices.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirkwood Bats"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prossh, Skyraider of Kher"></div></div>
<h3>Arrogance in Interactions</h3>
<p>Here is another situation we might get ourselves into. Imagine you're playing against a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghalta, Primal Hunger" href="#" target="_blank">Ghalta, Primal Hunger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which I do a lot. Imagine they play a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Llanowar Elves" href="#" target="_blank">Llanowar Elves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> one turn, then a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Llanowar Tribe" href="#" target="_blank">Llanowar Tribe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, then a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tribute to the World Tree" href="#" target="_blank">Tribute to the World Tree</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> then a Guardian Project the next.</p>
<p>You have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Generous Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Generous Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dihada, Binder of Wills" href="#" target="_blank">Dihada, Binder of Wills</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; and open mana. The other player has a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist" href="#" target="_blank">Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with three open mana. Everything the Ghalta player has is just mana and value with a creature entering. Nothing seems scary yet. Even if they play a creature right now I'm not the biggest threat.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tribute to the World Tree"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Generous Gift"></div></div>
<p>You know you should deal with that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tribute to the World Tree" href="#" target="_blank">Tribute to the World Tree</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> but you're hoping the Hashaton is a bigger threat and you can hedge your bets that the damage is going that way, and the Hashaton player might remove it themselves.</p>
<p>This is a huge gamble. Removal is important and limited, but this feels like a big gamble. The Ghalta player could play their commander this turn and that's 12 trample damage.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghalta, Primal Hunger"></div></div>
<p>It's tough, but we can't let a threat like that lie, we can't toy around with present danger. Turns out the Hashaton player had nothing and the Ghalta came from me next turn.</p>
<p>I know threading the needle with when it absolutely essential moment to use removal, and that's a whole other article, but if you can remove a big value engine and stop snowballing effects you should instead of banking on others to handle it for you.</p>
<p>Also never assume opponents won't see you as a thread just because you aren't doing anything now. Possibility matter too.</p>
<h3>Pity and Underestimating the Other Players</h3>
<p>I know it seems like this should be in the emotional burden section, but the problem with this particular situation is that player will underestimate those they pity. Someone playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titania, Protector of Argoth" href="#" target="_blank">Titania, Protector of Argoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, missing a few land drops shouldn't be underestimated.</p>
<p><em>It is a lands deck, I will catch up. I will make blockers. Get damage in on them ahead of time. Don't let them build up to becoming a threat.</em> We might think a few missed land drops will make them not a threat for a while, but we can be so wrong.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Titania, Protector of Argoth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ramunap Excavator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Terramorphic Expanse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nissa, Resurgent Animist"></div></div>
<p>In a similar vein, don't underestimate a Voltron deck like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aurelia, the Warleader" href="#" target="_blank">Aurelia, the Warleader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, after a board wipe. Unless it's a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, hitting artifacts and enchantments, graveyards, and creatures, they will rebuild and incredibly fast. Don't think little of those who are a little bit behind.</p>
<p>Depending on the deck, rebuilding and recovery might be easy. Improper assessment of when a player is behind and not a threat shouldn't be based on blanket statements, it should be an assessment of their deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aurelia, the Warleader"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sword of Feast and Famine"></div></div>
<h2>Emotional Burden</h2>
<p>Sometimes we are compelled to not remove a threat or win a game because of the social pressures present in a game of Commander. We've all been in a situation where a win feels stinky or uncomfortable, and we lean into that feeling so much that we sandbag or throw. Feels bad to win that way sometimes, but are we helping as much as we think?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tivit, Seller of Secrets"></div></div>
<h3>Winners and Losers</h3>
<p>We all have someone in our playgroup who wins more than anyone else. It's not usually just because their decks are much stronger, but that they're an exceptional pilot of decks in general. They can threat assess well, manage triggers, and sequence very well. They aren't usually playing Bracket 5 at a Bracket 4 table.</p>
<p>There is sometimes a burden to being that winner. Sometimes you've won every game in a session of Commander on Saturday and you want to let your opponent's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reins of Power" href="#" target="_blank">Reins of Power</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> resolve.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reins of Power"></div></div>
<p>I don't know how others feel, but wins like this feel unearned. Finding out my opponent had interaction, but didn't play it, means that in actual fact, I didn't win. It also is a little condescending to let someone else win. Winning is something I would like to earn and it isn't the gift you think it is.</p>
<p>Players want to win on their own merit most of the time and finding out that you actually didn't feels bad. If the goal is to get rid of that bad feeling of constantly losing to the same player, sandbagging doesn't help.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harmless Offering"></div></div>
<h3>Prolonged Enjoyment</h3>
<p>A deck can sometimes outperform your expectations. It can do the thing faster and more efficiently than before. You're having so much fun piloting, even when you're way ahead, and you don't want the fun to end.</p>
<p>You're taking a fifteen minute turn with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urabrask // The Great Work" href="#" target="_blank">Urabrask // The Great Work</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and you see the win in sight but you don't take it. You want other players to get a chance to go off, you want the game to continue.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urabrask // The Great Work"></div></div>
<p>Once again, players like to win on their own merits. Finding out that you took a 15 minute turn, could win, and didn't win might even upset other players. They might want to shift to higher power level in a game two, but can't because you sandbagged your own power level.</p>
<p>Maybe they had interaction and could stop you, but you didn't give them the opportunity by not even playing the card. That's the tricky thing with, "I could have won." You never know what other players are holding up.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swords to Plowshares"></div></div>
<h3>Excessive</h3>
<p>Lastly, decks can be annoying to get the win with, a complicated <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> stack or something. Maybe you don't want to go through the trouble.</p>
<p>Or maybe you can win, but you'd have to remove someone's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for the sixth time. Or maybe you could win, but you'd have to kill the player who has been mana screwed all game. Maybe it will feel bad to win this way.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Food Chain"></div></div>
<p>I like to think that everyone playing Commander likes this game enough that the prospect of losing doesn't make the game unfun. We all grapple with loss when we play.</p>
<p>It's okay to face a loss to a complicated win or a uncomfortable piece of removal before your win. Some of us relish the opportunity to see a complex interaction. We like to learn the lines of an interaction so we can be prepared for it next time.</p>
<h1>Finding the Middle</h1>
<p>Ultimately, the point of this article is to let you know that when you have an opportunity to eliminate a threat effectively, you should probably take it. It's what's best for the feelings and ultimate conclusion to your games. I know it might feel bad sometimes, and the reading player's intentions are hard, but we have to attempt it if we want to remain competitive and learn new things.</p>
<p>Either way, talk about it with your pod; see how they feel about all these kinds of situations and get a pulse on what works for you all. If you want to argue with me about this I'm <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/strixhavendropout.bsky.social">@Strixhavendropout</a> on Blue Sky. Catch me there!</p>


interactions

Don't Play With Your Food: Social Interactions in Commander