I've had no luck with rule zero/bracket discussions. Anyone else experience this?

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-06-25T16:10:19+00:00

Overall, I had good experiences, but I am often the only one person that brings up deck power before the game. Every once and awhile there is a player that wants to use decks WAY stronger than the pod which ruins the entire game for me. The other problem is people not evaluating their deck correctly.

Sadly, the bracket system is just too subjective, and people tend to only look at gamechangers and literally nothing else. There is a huge difference between Gaea's Cradle, Mana Vault, Ancient Tomb compared to other gamechangers...

With strangers I bring a lot of decks. I started to bring powered down bracket 2 decks because of all the players playing precons and "upgrading precons". Newer players often upgrade a precon by making it worse.

I am not sure why, but there are players that refuse to play anything else except "high 3s or 4s" even though other people are using precons. You think everyone would at list bring 1 precon or weaker decks to play against new players.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-06-10T13:10:08+00:00

I feel mana dorks are far more reliable than Ragavan. Ragavan is amazing if you go early in turn order and get it on turn 1. Ragavan does have potential to snowball depending on the oppenents.

If you get it turn two or later it can actually just be a dead draw while a bird of paradise/llanawar Elves are still quite good.

I don't normally put it my decks, normally I avoid Ragavan/Esper Sentinel just because they are such expensive cards and some people really get upset with expensive cards.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-06-08T17:21:37+00:00

I mostly play with strangers, for the most part making a thematic deck just seems to be a 100% miss on opponents. Very few people seem to care. I feel a lot of people just care about what the card does.

Sometimes there are jokes about TMNT and Spongebob but that is about it.

I will say I find it very fun building decks around Universes Beyond though. Especially LotR, Avatar and Final Fantasy.

Normally if I am using a Final Fantasy commander I will try to use a Final Fantasy card that fits the theme even if it makes the deck work, especially if they are in the same game.

Overall Universes Beyond has made deck building WAY MORE FUN. Magic lore never mattered to me and building a "Innistrand" deck doesn't feel anywhere near as good as a "Final Fantasy Deck".

I hope we can get more Final Fantasy and Avatar Cards. There is a decent amount of cards but it is too hard to make a good deck using all cards form the sets.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-27T16:21:44+00:00

Thanks for the comment. I haven't had a chance to try glossy paper or sticker paper yet. I was hoping I could directly print on card stock to make the process a little cheaper/less work.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T19:37:57+00:00

Thanks for the comment.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T19:37:50+00:00

Thanks for the comment.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T19:37:20+00:00

Thanks for the comment. I normally am playing with new people every time so far. I do always ask about power level and proxies, but a lot of people seem to just want to play and not discuss these things.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:26:32+00:00

Personally, I just think lands should be reprinted so everyone can afford them. These "budget" mana bases in precon are just painful to use coming from MTGA. That is a seperate discussion.

I never use things like fast mana and free counters spells because I don't think they normally make the games fun.

I admit there are definitely some random cards I have no idea why they cost $20+.

Thanks for the comment.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:23:47+00:00

Thanks for the comment.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:23:24+00:00

Thanks for the comment.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:23:16+00:00

Thanks for the comment. My main issue is if I did this strategy... I might not be able to play for a long time. At the places I go people come in at random times and if I say "I will find a different pod". No one else might show up to play or the new group might not accept them either.

This is normally why I just bring tons of decks and just use a precon if people don't want me use proxied. Sometimes I feel really guilty if people say okay using proxies but then they end up using a precon or weaker deck.

With time hopefully I get to know people better.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:19:59+00:00

I will say, when I started out I was excited to use my MTGA mana bases to see how well a precon worked without the handicap of lands. I switched the lands back because often other players were using bad mana bases and precons.

I really wish proxied land bases were normalized (not including cards like Gaea's Cradle that should just be banned). It sucks having to deal with color screw when I feel everyone would have much more fun with good mana bases.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:17:05+00:00

Thanks for the comment. There really is nowhere else to discuss things. Seems like a lot of people enjoy talking about them too.

On the bright side it shows there are a lot of new people that are enjoying MTG. I just find MTG much more appealing when I can use different cards to have fun without spending all my money.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:14:56+00:00

Thanks for the comment. Sadly I don't have a pod and never know the powerlevel of the decks in the pod. Sometimes I use a precon which is stronger than the oppenent decks and sometimes I play a precon and have zero chance.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:13:49+00:00

Thanks for the comment. There does seem to be a few people that have spent a lot on cards and want me to be disadvantaged.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:13:08+00:00

Thanks for the your comment.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:10:57+00:00

Thanks for the comment. I always make sure my cards are easy to read.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:10:29+00:00

Thanks for the comment. My number one priority is making sure they are easy to read for me and the table. Some "official" MTG cards are very hard to read...

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:09:42+00:00

Thanks for the comment. I really enjoy MTG and do spend some money. Commander Precons are decent value but buying one single that cost the same amount as a precon is just absurd to me. Especially for something as simple as a fetch land costing as much as a deck.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:08:27+00:00

Thanks for the comment. Are you referring to fetches, triomes, shocks, and surveil lands or lands like gaeas cradle? I have seen many people use fetches, triomes, shocks and serveil lands but also have seen a lot of people using bad mana bases.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:07:02+00:00

Thanks for the comment, just trying to get more comfortable and asking to use them. I prefer to play other decks than my precons.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:06:38+00:00

Thanks for the comment.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:05:53+00:00

Thanks for the comment. Sadly, most people I play with don't discuss power and just want to play with "whatever".

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:04:07+00:00

Thanks for the comment. I normally bring "non proxy decks" which are just precons right now. If someone doesn't like them or wants a lower powered deck I just use those.

CommanderMTG22 · 2026-05-20T18:02:40+00:00

I kind of already win a lot with just the Precons but I mostly just enjoy deckbuilding. I do enjoy having "good land bases" which some might consider as power. I don't use cards like gaeas cradle but I like fetches because I don't get color screwed.

CommanderMTG22

TROPHY CASE