by Shawn Leonardo, CommanDollar

Commander is a format dedicated to the unusual,the wacky, the crazy, and the occasional rules question that make judges cry themselves to sleep.  The 100-card Highlander format was first geared towards multiplayer  and social play, though through the support of Wizards of the Coast (via creating products for the format and taking it into consideration when designing sets), the format has  taken a sharper edge. 

With the release of  Aether Revolt  comes Exquisite Archangel, a creature that many who enjoy the format are divided on-some think this to be an auto-include in their decks, while others believe it should be struck with the almighty ban-hammer. But why? 

At first, Exquisite Archangel looks bland-a  5/5 flyer for a total converted mana cost of 7 isn't all that exciting. The controversy comes from the small wall of text:
"If you would lose the game, instead exile Exquisite Archangel and your life total becomes your starting life total."

Put into layman's terms, if this card is on a player's field and  they take lethal damage, they simply remove this card from the game and start with a new buffer of life. In formats like standard, modern, etc. this may  be concerning-after battling  and slinging spells to eliminate your opponent from the lofty amount of twenty life, they simple reset to the start with all the board advantage intact. For commander players, however, this card is a much greater issue, as the format  has a starting life total of forty.  So what are the arguments for and against banning this card?

Why Exquisite Archangel should be banned in Commander
1) It negates all of  a player's hard work  in eliminating a single opponent
2) It is a single card that can change the outcome of an entire game
3) It can be splashed in any deck with white

Why Exquisite Archangel shouldn't be banned in Commander
1) It dies easily to removal
2)  Higher mana cost
3) Exiles, meaning it cannot be reused  multiple times
4) One-of in a 99-card deck

These arguments echo similar sentiment over the years, of cards players want banned from the game due to their degenerative nature. More often than not, however, cards become banned only  after   they have been tried in the format, and found guilty of warping the game around themselves (we're looking at you, Primeval Titan).

What are your thoughts on Exquisite Archangel? Should it be banned, or allowed to stay in the  format?

With  Aether Revolt     coming soon to  a kitchen table near you,  it's the perfect time to be both excited and prepared. The latest Magic: the Gathering set promises a whole new batch of fun, unique interactions that can potentially change a number of format's metagames. 

While it is sometimes difficult to get Commander players excited for a new set,  Aether Revolt seems to have delivered on that end of the bargain, especially with its set of Legendary Creatures.  Players both new to the format and experienced are bound to pick up these cards and want to  bring them to their maximum potential, and the ideas below  can give everyone a headstart on the process.

Sram, Senior Edificer and Batterskull

Draw in any mono-color besides blue makes everyone think twice , and after careful consideration it looks like Batterskull would be a Sram commander's best friend.  It doesn't take any kind of deep analysis  to see that  Batterskull can provide you with some much-needed card draw, as well as a potential threat. While somewhat expensive already, I can forsee the price rising just a hair due to the desire for commander players. Hopefully this has inspired you to  go to Gathereror some other card database and pour over the pages!

Baral, Chief of Compliance  and Arcane Denial

Counterspells were already pretty great before Baral was spoiled. Now, cards like Dissolve   are all Counterspells,  meaning two open blue mana will always signify a resounding "No" while this legend is out on the field, cancelling your plans entirely. Arcane Denial becomes merely one blue mana to outwit your opponents. This cryptic command will lock down the board state  as long as there is open mana, and is a wonderful option for the right control player. Foil your opponent's plans before they even get going with sheer force of will,  or wait for them to make a mental misstep before profiting  from your oppressive will.

Rishkar, Peema Renegade and Forgotten Ancient

Rishkar seemed underwhelming at first-until you notice that he turns your creatures with counters into Llanowar Elves. You could easily go into Elf tribal with this legend, however  you can go in almost any direction you want  with Rishkar's burst of strength.  Forgotten Ancient allows you to rapidly increase your mana sources, since everyone will be playing spells as much as they can to try and keep up. Note how this card's first ability is  triggered when  it enters the battlefield, meaning you can find ways to flicker it, adding to both your mana base as well as an increasing savagery during combat.  Once you've enjoyed the fruits of this card's natural panoply , casting as many cards as you have the mana for (which should be a lot, and quickly), the game should soon swing in your favor, and your opponents will find themselves in death's presence. A deck centered around  Rishkar will certainly be a triumph  of the hordes!

Kari Zev, Skyship Raider and Confusion in the Ranks

Red has a fatal attraction when it comes to...well, pretty much anything. As far as legends go, Kari may be the  weakest amongst the  Aether Revolt  when it comes to being a Commander.  Acting on impulse and reflexes alone won't get you far in the multiplayer format,  and fortunately this article can become a useful chasm guide for you. Kari likes to work with cards like Confusion in the Ranks, swapping a tapped Ragavan for your opponent's best creature, then watching the pandemonium that ensues when they lose Ragavan and their best creature after combat ends. Use these arcane teachings to cause impact tremors in the game, and you'll have a good chance of  avoiding where ancients tread.

Yahenni, Undying Partisan and Dictate of Erebos

Yahenni was made with some small measure of diabolic intent. With cards like Dictate of Erebos and Grave Pact,  this commander becomes an abhorrent overlord, making everyone  barter in blood. If your deck is not centered around creatures, you have a stronger chance; if not, the game becomes one of attrition, and you will soon eliminate the competition. There is no such thing as innocent blood in a game Commander , but with the right cards on the field this new legend becomes a merciless executioner, and one sinister concoction of a deck.

Hope of Ghirapur and Whispersilk Cloak

Wow! A new colorless Legendary! What a godsend! Now, what do we do with it? Attack, of course! Whispersilk Cloak is perfect for this creature, ensuring the ultimate evasion to get damage through in combat. This creature should be cast every first turn if it is your commander, to carry a blazing torch  to your  opponent's field. You may not be delivering any hot soup, however this card will certainly give you an infiltration lens on what your opponent's strategy is. It may not be  a power house, and it may earn a glaring spotlight from your opponent(s) who are locked down,  but if all your opponent can cast is creatures (locking out instants, sorceries, planeswalkers, artifacts, and enchantments), there will be more than just hope for victory.

These legendary creatures all have a  lot of potential for the Commander format, and players around the world are excited to get their hands on them and weild them with deadly efficiency.  

Prerelease for Aether Revolt   is this weekend, January 14-15, and releases in stores on January 20th, 2017!

   The concept of a New Year's resolution is that a person takes the opportunity of a fresh start,  often changing an undesired trait or behavior, or attempting to grow as an individual.  It is a time honored tradition that often sees people looking to lose weight, eat healthier,  and spend more time with loved ones. But how does Magic: the Gathering fit into this tradition?

In truth, Magic has so much room to grow and change, both as a game and as a community of players. The formats aren't perfect, the community isn't perfect, and that means we can make many resolutions together, and hold each other to them as well-after all, a major part of  making a change permanent is having accountability. With this, I present to you: A Magic: the Gathering Player's 2017 Resolutions!

Resolution #1: Be bold in your builds
We all know what works, what's consistent, what's valuable,  and what wins.  There are staples for each format that make the game run smoother, from fetch lands to Command Tower , and  while they don't ruin formats, they do stabilize it-or stagnate it, as some would believe.  Think of your local meta-what decks are there to always meet/beat?  Do they ever change?  Why not take the steps to change yourself? Be bold-build a jank deck, something with budget cards that might never work, but is fun and new and different.  Shake up your local meta with something out of nowhere, and inject some new life into it; there are over 16,000 cards in the game-be daring, be different, and be creative!

Resolution #2: Try a new format
This may be the most challenging resolution for some. They have seen and tested a number of formats, but have settled for the one(s) they enjoy the most. Fortunately, most Magic players like to make multiple decks in the formats they love for the very reason this resolution may become the easiest for you to tackle. Ask that one friend who plays Modern, or Standard, or EDH/Commander, Legacy, Vintage, Frontier, etc. to borrow a deck and learn the format. You never know what you'll discover-though your wallet may cry for the  results.

Resolution #3: Keep the community diverse
Wizards of the Coast has made great strides in diversifying its cast within the last year or so, and it is a warming sight to see the company power forward in making sure everyone has a character they can identify with, whether it be Saheeli Rai,  Narset, Alesha (my favorite EDH/Commander deck!),  and others. Yet when we go to card shops to play, trade or...well, talk shop, we find the population far less diverse than our cast of characters.  This may not be malicious intent on many of our part, however there are a few quick tips to keep in mind when someone new shows up to the LGS you frequent:

• Invite them over, greet them in a friendly manner, and ask if they want to play a game. They probably do, but are looking for someone to invite them first!
• Remember that people are here to play, and have a good time. Treat your LGS like neutral ground-no trying to hook up with anyone, start an argument , or any other behavior that would drive someone away.
• Treat any/everyone with the level of respect you would want others to treat you with if you were new. 
• Understand that people play for different kinds of fun, and that their deck  may be set up for just that.  Feel free to give advice, but only if you ask permission to give it first.

Resolution #4: Present your best self
Magic: the Gathering is a medium between two or more people, a language in as of itself that people can speak and find friendship in.  When you speak the language, you represent all those who speak the same lingo, so being a shining role model at all times is critical. Remember that when you go to your LGS, compose yourself in the way you'd like to be seen by others, and that you'll be in close quarters with these people for the majority of the night. Our community has been the target of the internet's unrelenting barrage due to concerns of hygiene and appearance, and while one can argue that they should feel entirely comfortable in their LGS, others would argue the same for everyone.   Know that if you come presenting your best self, nobody stands to  lose. 

This doesn't only apply to appearance, however. Attitude and behavior are just as critical of components to having a fun experience as dress and hygiene. Many players can recall facing someone who was a sore loser-or a sore winner-souring the mood and even at times deterring  players from returning, at threat of a repeated incident. Keep in mind that you're playing a game, and that it is only the medium to the person or people across the table; they will remember some plays, for sure, but they will remember more your behavior and actions throughout it. If you see someone who is being subjected to any negative behavior, from attitude to harassment to worse, have someone inform go get a store management  and separate the persons involved while bringing a few more level-headed individuals to ease tensions . It takes only one negative experience for a player to give up an otherwise wonderful game, and as  Edmund Burke once stated: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.". This applies to all of us as a community-have fun, and do good by ourselves and others.  

And there you have it! Four resolutions  to ring in the New Year, making it all the better with your influence. Keep to these resolutions,  and hold others to these standards, and watch the community you love grow to something even greater than it is now. Draw well, and Happy New Year everyone!

By Shawn Leonardo, CommanDollar

Now that  Battle for Zendikar  has been out for a while, prices and expectations have stabilized for the set-especially with Oath of the Gatewatch  currently morphing the formats. One card has surprisingly dropped off the radar, however.  Despite Sire of Stagnation's decent stats and menacing ability, it's being found in dollar rare bins everywhere; before Battle came out, it was a $15 card-but why?

A card's value typically stabilizes around how often it is seen played in competitive decks. The only deck currently running it is a standard four-color Eldrazi ramp. It's not seeing solid play in any other competitive format so far, which explains the sheer drop in value. For EDH/Commander players, however, picking a copy(or more) of this monstrosity up may be a great idea, because chances are the value of this card will skyrocket in the long run and bolster your binder.

When Consecrated Sphinx was spoiled and finally released in Mirrodin Besieged, it was valued at around $6. While there have been some dips back down to around that number, Sphinx has been slowly yet steadily on the rise, and currently sits at around $23-and what it does is incredible. In a 1v1 game, Sphinx nets you two extra cards on your opponent's turn and has evasion, making it useful for combat as well. In a multiplayer game, Sphinx can be the devastating cascade for a player to win the game, drawing an insane amount of cards for the investment of 6 mana. 

How does Sphinx compare to Sire, though? By all accounts, Sire puts in more work for the investment in Dimir (U/B) rather than just blue-which may also attribute to its low price. Everyone typically has to draw a card during their turn, which will net you two cards of your own with Sphinx-but playing land is a voluntary necessity, and the steep cost Sire makes players pay will make them think twice, watching their deck wither away at the price of trying to win the game. Late-game mana drops for your opponent(s) become painful as their decks begin vanishing right before their eyes. This kind of low-key control strikes fear into players desperately trying to get more mana. You also net two extra cards from their land drop, giving you a distinct and substantial advantage. 

Considering that their converted mana cost is the same(though Sire requires U/B rather than UU), and Sire's stats are better(a 5/7 compared to Sphinx's 4/6), which only balances out because Sphinx has evasion, Sire's level up is that it exiles two cards off the top of your opponent's library, milling them while you gain card advantage. No need to scry or delve into the issue further-if you're running U/B in EDH/Commander, grab a couple of these now while they're cheap, before a frenzy for them drives up the price!

By Shawn Leonardo, CommanDollar

As of recently,  and according to Wizards Play Network policy, *no* proxies are allowed at WPN-sanctioned venues, regardless of whether the event is sanctioned or not. That means:

• Magic events (sanctioned and unsanctioned) can only allow genuine Magic: The Gathering cards.

• Proxy cards are substitute cards created solely by judges in sanctioned tournaments pursuant to the official tournament rules. These substitutes are allowed when authorized game cards become unplayable during a sanctioned tournament because of damage or excessive wear.

• Counterfeit cards are copies or reproductions of actual Wizards trading cards, whether or not they are identified as non-genuine. The creation and distribution of counterfeits violate United States and international copyright laws and negatively affects the integrity of Wizards’ trading card games. Counterfeits are strictly prohibited, even for personal, non-commercial use. 


While this will affect mainly Vintage and Legacy players, EDH/Commander players may also feel the heat. As an eternal format, giving players access to all cards that have been printed (besides those cards on the ban list) is part of the joy and appeal. Is this update on policy good, bad, or somewhere in the middle?

Why it’s bad for Wizards of the Coast

Part of the appeal of playing Magic: the Gathering is the wide spread of players, formats, and cards you can utilize. As you go further back into MtG cardboard history, it becomes increasingly more difficult to obtain cards due to rarity, price, collections, and other means. That means new players will likely not have access to these rare and often powerful cards. Most stores have accepted this, especially for Legacy and Vintage, allowing a certain number of cards to be proxied to balance the scales. Without the ability to use proxies, Legacy and Vintage tournaments may disappear altogether, becoming a fossil of ancient times, and slashing the value of those cards due to lack of use.

Why it’s bad for the Players

As said before, having access to cards like  dual lands  can severely put you behind in certain formats; proxies are needed just to keep up with the pace. Now, in order to play, you need to truly commit-either own copies of the cards you need, borrow them from a friend, or even rent them, rather than quickly searching to find a decent image and print/sleeve them. 

Why it’s good for Wizards of the Coast

Perhaps WotC is trying to kill its older formats; it’s like that strange old man that comes around stroking his beard, saying “Hmm…” and then moving on to scrutinize someone else-rarely do we know what goes on and is discussed behind closed doors. While something tells me they aren’t too worried about the secondary/third markets on their product, the overall concern may be a longer-term problem-the Reserved List (as if there wasn’t enough controversy here already). For example, all the dual lands are on the list for a reason-they are extremely powerful to the point where the game can warp around them. Every card on the list was likely put there because it as viewed as a “mistake” of sorts, being too powerful for the set or Magic overall, in an attempt to dramatically slow  Power Creep, as making cards of that sort would bring ruin to the game at an unmanageable pace.

Why it’s good for the Players

A few months ago, we published an article on how using proxies is harmful to both the player and the game. It garnished a lot of negative responses, with the words “elitist” and “classist” being used as often as bullets in a minigun. The proxy debate walks quite a fine line there; however, the answer does come down to money. 

Magic: the Gathering is a pay-to-play game, and there is little substance to have any illusions about it. With WotC now pumping out more sets per year than before, and the constant rotation of Standard, their main pull where most new players begin at, it does require taking money out of your pocket and putting it in theirs. Some people do get lucky; having a friend who just gives/sells you their cards, finding a collection at a garage sale, or some other means. Others, mainly new players or those who wish to enter a different format, are often left in the dust. 
How is this good for the players? I often think back to my college days, where in my playgroup we had one friend who would have to borrow a deck from someone. Not because he didn’t have the means to build a deck-he had been collecting since elementary school-but because his one and only “deck” was entirely proxied  Riku of Two Reflections combo deck priced in the thousands.

Unanimously, we told him he couldn’t play that deck with us; every single other player had decks without a single proxy in it, and it wasn’t fair in the slightest. This came when I was new to EDH/Commander as a format, where building a deck was hard, took time and investing in buying/trading/pulling good from packs. It would have been far simpler for me to proxy a $1000+ deck and beat every other player time after time-but I didn’t. I valued what little I had, and slowly worked my way towards the decks I have today(which still often get taken apart and rebuilt on some regular basis). The difference is in work, and fairness. It takes time and work in order to build a deck to the means you want it; it may take weeks, months or years and sometimes even money to “finish” a deck, while printing a deck out takes a few minutes and whatever pittance the printer asks. Yes, it takes time to earn something powerful and useful-which is the entire purpose of something powerful and useful. 

Why do we have a stake in this?

As a blog all about the community, and playing/having fun on a budget, why should we not wholeheartedly support players proxying cards, if not whole decks in order to save money? The short answer is that we in our own way support when Wizards is doing a good job; the long answer is that we support the players’ growth. 

If the clear-cut banning of proxy cards has you upset because of limitations it has placed on you, my response is clear: overcome those limitations, or don’t. It may take time, it may take money, it may be frustrating-but if it’s worth it to you, then it will be worth it to you. The true value of this game is in the interaction between people and cards, however it is all about what you want. For those who still wish to play with proxies, there is honestly nothing stopping you from doing so at the most important battleground-the kitchen table. Only glory and stories for future gatherings are at stake there, and the scales can be evenly stacked to everyone’s liking.

If not being able to use a proxy card because it’s worth $400 (and you would never pay/trade/come into luck with that) causes you to get upset, think of how someone who would sit across from you, having taken the time or money or trading to get that card would feel when you play a proxy version. All that effort that they had taken to obtain such a rare and valuable piece to their deck was printed out for 10 cents in under a minute. Now, that is something to get upset about, especially when anything is on the line (planeswalker points, qualifiers, prizes, etc.). 

As someone who has played Magic on and off(mostly on) for for thirteen years now, I am still nowhere close to making that kind of investment on a card. I likely never will-I’m a budget player at heart, and I’d rather play with a Mountain or an Island than a Volcanic Island, which is easier, more fun for me, and is the whole philosophy of this blog. I also encourage everyone to do the same reason: While WotC may be trying to squeeze every nickel and dime it can out of players, you save TONS of money while still having TONS of fun with what cards you may already have collecting dust in a box or bargain bin. You may think you limit is how much you can spend, or print; I say, your limit is in your creativity, imagination, and willingness to try. So, proxies be damned, and long live the budget options.

*This article was previously posted on Tumblr by CommanDollar.

Millstone Revised artwork by Kaja Foglio

The game of Magic is incredibly diverse-from the amount of zones cards can be placed in, to the types of cards, and the strategies that place cards from one zone to another. One of those strategies is “milling”-putting cards directly from your opponent’s deck into their graveyard. The name comes from that of the card Millstone, one of the first cards with the ability. With around 200 cards that could aid you in winning the game, this alternate win condition has the support needed to take the gold. 

This strategy is difficult to utilize in its entirety, however the results can alter the game tremendously. Through the denial of resources and the unique specific strategy, mill is a viable method. However, beware-its power is great, and not the most well received!

Shawn Leonardo is a casual Magic: the Gathering blogger, and mainly discusses the EDH/Commander format as well as budget solutions. He resides in northern New Jersey, where he plots world domination. ​

by Shawn Leonardo, CommanDollar

Blightsteel Colossus Artwork by Christ Rahn

​The big question is: why hasn’t this changed? After asking the community, it seems that it’s split. With cards like  Blightsteel Colossus, which can be placed in any deck and is a one-shot kill, it’s difficult to grasp why the total for poison counters hasn’t been raised to half the life total.

The answer may be in the game itself, however. The ways to lose in a game of EDH are as such: being at 0 life, being unable to draw a card from your deck, having 10 poison counters, and having 21 commander damage from a single commander in the game.  The varying ways to achieve victory are part of the diversity of the game, and the only reason Infect is played. If Infect was raised to 20 (half the starting life total, which may be the intent of the mechanic’s design), it would be only 1 damage away from being commander damage. That would turn some players away from using Infect, and taking away from the diversity of the format.

Glistening Oil Artwork by Steven Belledin

​Another aspect to consider is the multiplayer foundation of EDH/Commander. When a player starts using infect in a four-player game, the other three can clearly see the threat potential, and typically treat it much as we treat an infection: by cleaning it out. There may be one or even two players who get knocked out via Infect in the game, through a single-shot creature, Triumph of the Hordes or another means, but that’s perfectly alright-the game goes quicker and the other players now know better than to trust the deck when that mana is open.

TL;DR
It's clear that the Rules Committee might never up the amount of poison counters needed to lose in EDH/Commander. It diversifies the game, allows other cards to be played and strategies to be used, and gives players the chance to learn and experience a new strategy in a very large format. Long live the 10; may it compleat you and your game.

This was originally posted on Tumblr by CommanDollar.

One of my favorite cards from the recent  Battle for Zendikar  set is From Beyond, an enchantment that spawns Scion tokens. While definitively a spitting image of Awakening Zone from Rise of the Eldrazi,  it makes you question: which is better?

It all depends on the play style. Both enchantments offer you tokens that can be sacrificed for a colorless mana each, ramping you just a little more each turn. However, there the similarities end. 

Awakening Zone can be played one turn earlier than From Beyond, giving you a quicker boost in mana/ramp. The trade is that you get 0/1 Spawn, leaving you no real option other than to use as chump blockers or for their mana. From Beyond, while more expensive, seems to be far more versatile. That one extra mana gives you tokens with 1 power, making up for the lack of power that Zone has. The extra sacrifice ability on the bottom of Beyond is also enormous-rather than losing so much to a simple Naturalize, you can pay the 1G (and get a colorless from one of your Scions!) and get any Eldrazi from your deck, be it a Blisterpod, All is Dust, Eldrazi Conscription or even Emrakul, the Aeons Torn!

So, is From Beyond better than Awakening Zone? Perhaps; the more aggressive cost and simplicity of Awakening Zone may be overlooked, even left alone as a non-threat, while From Beyond can cause your opponent(s) to use a counter or removal to deal with how threatening it may be-searching. It all depends on the deck(s), the board state, and the draw. 

Do you believe one is truly better than the other? Comment below!

Shawn Leonardo is a casual Magic: the Gathering blogger, and mainly discusses the EDH/Commander format as well as budget solutions. He resides in northern New Jersey, where he plots world domination.
​

Propaganda  artwork by Clint Cearley
​
It’s Game Night, and your friends gather together for a night of chaos and entertainment; two games later, the night is over, everyone packs up and goes their separate ways. For those unaware of the format, only playing two games in one night sounds both grueling and boring. Why would people play a format that takes so long? If you have been skeptical or downright against playing EDH/Commander, I would recommend giving this a once-over.

The EDH/Commander format is, like all other Magic: the Gathering formats, an acquired taste. There certainly are aspects of the format’s culture that can attract or repel players, though it deserves explanation  before making a final judgement. 
I have been playing EDH/Commander since around fall of 2011. My first deck was hastily assembled with  Darigaaz, the Igniter  at the helm; I was also the first player removed in my first game, and that almost made me abandon the format. Obviously, I stuck with it and now enjoy a good match. But what draws a player who was at first scorned?

Multiplayer Glory
​

Eternal Change​

The financial aspect that drew me back into playing EDH/Commander was the lack of rotation-something that instantly made me drop playing standard and swapping over to something more financially applicable. While decks can be worth anywhere from $20 to several thousand, you have the capability to upgrade them over time, learning strategy and deck tech along the way. Formats like standard may have decks worth slightly less, yet the rotation involved in the format makes everything add up in a shorter period of time. Trading/buying cards for EDH/Commander is often a purposeful investment, a slow but steady progression to building the deck you truly will be satisfied with-though that rarely happens. Decks are built, come apart and are rebuilt as often as a child builds with and destroys Lego sets.  If someone does set in stone a deck they enjoy however, that deck can remain unchanged for as long as they wish; the rare card being banned may occur, however as stated before, the sheer volume of cards to choose from as replacement make all the difference. ​

Shawn Leonardo is a casual Magic: the Gathering blogger, and mainly discusses the EDH/Commander format as well as budget solutions. He resides in northern New Jersey, where he plots world domination.
​

The Good

​For those who play/have played Tiny Leaders, they know that it may never get the support that EDH did due to lack of traction and popularity. Had EDH never gotten a product out, it may not have evolved into what we all enjoy (or despise), and we may not even be playing it at all. While it’s uncertain if WotC took a calculated risk when creating and releasing the first Commander decks, their entrance into the stage of the game certainly upped the ante on how it would be played. 

Similarly, releasing new pre-con decks gets players new and old interested in the format. Rather than having to go home and build a deck, they can buy a “starter deck” for the format, and morph it to something more desirable. New cards come with each release, prompting collectors and players alike to buy decks, only to devour it for a few cards they could use to level up their current decks.

EDH/Commander is an eternal format-there’s no rotation, and very rarely does the mighty Rules Committee come out and ban/un-ban cards. Even if they do, house rules are mightier around the kitchen table; though if someone wants to run  Griselbrand    as a commander, watch out!