Summary
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say thatMagic: The Gathering’s Commander format is not the same as it was in September 2024 now, and the bans of four powerful staples as well as the general public’s reaction to them are the main reasons for this. When the bans for Mana Crypt, Dockside Extortionist, Jeweled Lotus, and Nadu were issued, some fans started petitions to remove the Commander Rules Committee or revert theMTGCommander bans, whereas a smaller percentage of individuals sent death threats to the CRC members. The CRC forMagic: The Gatheringwas dissolved and WotC took over, and so far it has started speaking about some of its plans for the future of Commander.
One of the big pain points in Commander games is thatMagic: The Gatheringdoesn’t really have an official system to determine how powerful a given deck is, which eventually became a meme of sorts to say that “every deck is a 7.” This is because the fan-made system before WotC took over the CRC was just ranking decks from 1 to 10 in terms of how powerful they are, but it’s not exactly easy to do that and have healthy Rule 0 conversations. Enter WotC’s proposition to make a power bracket system, which could have its pros, but it’s far more likely to do more harm than good.
Magic: The Gathering’s Commander Bracket System Explained
Why Magic: The Gathering’s Commander Bans Sparked a Problematic Bracket System
The current system the way Wizards of the Coast explained it is that there will be tiers, which at the moment go from Bracket 1 to Bracket 4 in terms of power, and these will all contain cards. These brackets will then be used for the Rule 0 conversation in Commander games, adapting the deck’s power level to that of the highest bracket of cards in it. For example, anMTGCommander deckwith 98 basic lands, Ancient Tomb, and a precon commander would be a Bracket 4 deck.
This sets a problematic system because while some Bracket 4 cards are mostly overpowered compared to other brackets, there can be exceptions and considerations to make. For example, players may have Vampiric Tutor in their deck because it’s all vampire-themed in terms of card names, effects, illustrations, and so forth. This is addressed by Wizards, but at the same time, the Bracket System may end up as a tool for players to police what others can or can’t play, which doesn’t truly solve the problem, and instead creates a new one.
Some of the most valuable and/orrarest Magic: The Gathering cardswould likely go in Brackets 3 and 4, which would pose a deckbuilding limitation for players.
The Pros and Cons of Magic: The Gathering’s Commander Bracket System Explained
The Bracket System is not all bad, however. This is because players who don’t know much about Commander could use it to learn more about the power level of their decks by having Rule 0 conversations where they explain which are the best cards in their deck and why. Likewise, it helps set expectations for the table, and with some players being able to only dedicate so much time toMagic: The Gatheringas a TCG, it helps to be on the same page.
Still, the Bracket System in its current iteration doesn’t address all there is for Commander. For example, Thassa’s Oracle, Demonic Consultation, and Tainted Pact would most likely be Bracket 2 or 3 cards on their own, if not Bracket 4 anyway, but Thassa’s Oracle with either of these two wins the game assuming no counterspells or other responses. This makes the vision of the Bracket System limited overall, and more could be done to addressproblematicMagic: The Gatheringcards in Commanderwithout full-fledged bans.
Furthermore, one could argue that these brackets would end up creating more ban lists. If players at a Commander table insist that every deck should be a pure 2 or 3, any cards in the brackets above would be automatically banned, which is far from ideal and it can lead to a lot of frustration. It remains to be seen what WotC will do, especially now that the game is about to enter anew era withMTGFoundations.
Magic The Gathering
Magic the Gathering is a tabletop and digital collectable card game created by Richard Garfield and released in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Players take on the role of a Planeswalker and use various cards to battle other players by casting spells, summoning creatures, or utilizing artifacts. It features two main rule categories, constructed or limited, and can be played by two or more players at a time.
