MTG New Nostalgic Commander Sub-Format Gains Popularity

Introduction

Commander, also known as Elder Dragon Highlander or “EDH” is unique among MTG formats. EDH was created by the player base and is still managed by a rules committee of fans who are not employed by Wizards of the Coast. In fact, Wizards of the Coast did not release any products for the format until 2011 when they brought out a set of five preconstructed decks. Since then, Wizards of the Coast have released an increasing number of Commander focussed products. Every standard legal set is now accompanied by a few new preconstructed decks, and there have been several Commander focussed supplemental sets.

Commander has now become the most popular way of experiencing Magic: the Gathering. The influx of support from Wizards of the Coast has, broadly, made it a more powerful and fast-paced format than it was before. Cards like Dockside ExtortortionistDockside ExtortortionistWhen this creature enters, create X Treasure tokens, where X is the number of artifacts and enchantments your opponents control. (Treasure tokens are artifacts with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color."), Arcane SignetArcane Signet{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity. and Thassa’s OracleThassa’s OracleWhen this creature enters, look at the top X cards of your library, where X is your devotion to blue. Put up to one of them on top of your library and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. If X is greater than or equal to the number of cards in your library, you win the game. (Each {U} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to blue.), amongst many others, all greatly increase the pace of gameplay. There are some players who are nostalgic for Commander’s early days when the format was defined by high-cost cards which have since become too expensive and impractical to use. Cards like the original cycle of Elder Dragons, Insurrection, and Blazing ArchonBlazing ArchonFlying
Creatures can't attack you.. A new way of playing Commander, known as “PreDH”, is developing, harkening back to these older days.

What is PreDH?

PreDH was designed by Brian David-Marshall. The idea is that it captures Commander as it was prior to Wizards of the Coast beginning to support the format. PreDH decks cannot contain any cards printed after New Phyrexia, the final Magic set which was released before the first Commander product came out in June of 2011. PreDH has the same ban list that regular Commander has, although naturally any banned cards released after New Phyrexia are already excluded from the format. This means no casting Coalition Victory, Biorhythm or ShahrazadShahrazadPlayers play a Magic subgame, using their libraries as their decks. Each player who doesn't win the subgame loses half their life, rounded up.. Getting rid of such a huge chunk of cards makes the format pretty radically different from Commander as we know it.

Changes To Each Color

Many staple cards are longer available under the restrictions of PreDH. Every Color loses access to some of its best tools.

White players can no longer accelerate their mana as effectively without Smothering TitheSmothering TitheWhenever an opponent draws a card, that player may pay {2}. If the player doesn't, you create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.") or draw cards as reliably without Esper SentinelEsper SentinelWhenever an opponent casts their first noncreature spell each turn, draw a card unless that player pays {X}, where X is this creature's power.. There will still be ramp tools available though in the form of cards like Kor Cartographer and Knight of the White Orchid. Draw options will also still be out there for Enchantment-based decks thanks to Mesa EnchantressMesa EnchantressWhenever you cast an enchantment spell, you may draw a card. and Kor SpiritdancerKor SpiritdancerThis creature gets +2/+2 for each Aura attached to it.
Whenever you cast an Aura spell, you may draw a card., as well as for Equipment-based decks thanks to Puresteel PaladinPuresteel PaladinWhenever an Equipment you control enters, you may draw a card.
Metalcraft — Equipment you control have equip {0} as long as you control three or more artifacts..

Cyclonic RiftCyclonic RiftReturn target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.") was first printed in the 2012 set Return to Ravnica, meaning that Blue players looking to bounce a lot of creatures will need to use EvacuationEvacuationReturn all creatures to their owners' hands. instead, which also hits their own board.

Black decks can no longer finish opponents off using Torment of HailfireTorment of HailfireRepeat the following process X times. Each opponent loses 3 life unless that player sacrifices a nonland permanent of their choice or discards a card., or drain their life away with a Grey Merchant of AsphodelGrey Merchant of AsphodelWhen this creature enters, each opponent loses X life, where X is your devotion to black. You gain life equal to the life lost this way. (Each {B} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to black.). ExsanguinateExsanguinateEach opponent loses X life. You gain life equal to the life lost this way. is still around though to fulfill a similar function.

Red loses what is probably its best board wipe in Blasphemous ActBlasphemous ActThis spell costs {1} less to cast for each creature on the battlefield.
Blasphemous Act deals 13 damage to each creature. and, arguably, its best card draw spell in Faithless LootingFaithless LootingDraw two cards, then discard two cards.
Flashback {2}{R} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.). Both of these cards debuted in Innistrad block which narrowly misses out on being PreDH legal. Red players will have to make use of weaker alternative board wipes like InfernoInfernoInferno deals 6 damage to each creature and each player.. Red’s card draw suite is severely impacted, as cards like Cathartic ReunionCathartic ReunionAs an additional cost to cast this spell, discard two cards.
Draw three cards., Tormenting VoiceTormenting VoiceAs an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw two cards. and Thrill of PossibilityThrill of PossibilityAs an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw two cards. simply did not exist yet.

Green players will no longer have access to Craterhoof BehemothCraterhoof BehemothHaste
When this creature enters, creatures you control gain trample and get +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of creatures you control. and will instead need to rely on cards like OverrunOverrunCreatures you control get +3/+3 and gain trample until end of turn. (Each of those creatures can deal excess combat damage to the player or planeswalker it's attacking.) and Beastmaster AscensionBeastmaster AscensionWhenever a creature you control attacks, you may put a quest counter on this enchantment.
As long as this enchantment has seven or more quest counters on it, creatures you control get +5/+5. to close out the game.

Cut Commanders

PreDH also features a significantly lower number of Commanders to brew decks around. There are fewer than 500 legal Commanders in the format, with no four-color options available at all. PreDH tables will feature Commanders like Sedris, the Traitor KingSedris, the Traitor KingEach creature card in your graveyard has unearth {2}{B}. ({2}{B}: Return the card to the battlefield. The creature gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step or if it would leave the battlefield. Unearth only as a sorcery.), and Zur the EnchanterZur the EnchanterFlying
Whenever Zur attacks, you may search your library for an enchantment card with mana value 3 or less, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle. rather than the likes of Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice and The Ur Dragon.

In addition, the Commanders that are in the format will have fewer options available to support the strategies they enable. Rhys the Redeemed decks will have to get by without Anointed ProcessionAnointed ProcessionIf an effect would create one or more tokens under your control, it creates twice that many of those tokens instead. to double the tokens they generate and Sliver LegionSliver LegionAll Sliver creatures get +1/+1 for each other Sliver on the battlefield. has a smaller pool of Slivers to draw from.

Some lesser known Commanders may also rise to take the place of big names that are absent from the format. Without Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss{T}: Create X 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens, where X is the number of Goblins you control. around, PreDH Goblin tribal decks may be led by Ib Halfheart, Goblin TacticianIb Halfheart, Goblin TacticianWhenever another Goblin you control becomes blocked, sacrifice it. If you do, it deals 4 damage to each creature blocking it.
Sacrifice two Mountains: Create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens., or Wort, Boggart AuntieWort, Boggart AuntieFear (This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may return target Goblin card from your graveyard to your hand.

Whilst all of these cuts may seem daunting, it’s important to remember the mantra of Magic’s lead designer Mark Rosewater: “Restrictions Breed Creativity“. PreDH decks will certainly not be as synergistic, or powerful as contemporary Commander decks, but this will open up new avenues for unknown or forgotten cards to see play. Will the slower pace of PreDH games make Plauge Wind viable? Will Serra Avatar return to the spotlight as one of the pre-eminent threats of the format? Is it Godsire’s time to shine? Who can say?

Conclusion

The meta of PreDH is still forming. In an article published for Star City Games Sheldon Menery, the head of the Commander Rules Committee, said that he: “would wager that there will be creature-heavy environments”. Whether this prediction will come true and PreDh will resemble Commander as it was in 2011, or whether players will design innovative new strategies using this pool of cards and the meta will evolve in new and unexpected directions remains to be seen.

In the same article, Menery writes that he intends for PreDH to evolve as an officially recognized sub-format with its own distinct ban list developing over time. There have been many Commander variants and other singleton 100-card formats over the years like Oathbreaker and Tiny Leaders. PreDH has received more support and recognition from the Rules Committee than these other formats. PreDH is designed to bring Commander back to its roots and that is certainly an appealing prospect to some MTG players.

If you’re looking to build a PreDH deck of your own, a list of all the cards legal in the format can be found here.

Read more: Fourteen new Preconstructed Commander Decks Announced!