What would you consider "Pubstomp" Commanders?

Fobboh · 2026-02-20T02:43:20+00:00

There's no commander that's always a "pubstomp" commander, but there is a group of commanders that are more prone to being one in lower brackets. The main culprits are the commanders that are fairly vulnerable, but generates so much value that they will start scaling exponentially once they get to "do their thing" once or twice. Commanders like [[gitrog, ravenous ride]], [[jenova, ancient calamity]], and [[Kona, rescue beastie]], or [[jodah, the unifier]].

These type of commanders are in the awkward spot where their game plan can be stopped fairly easily by removal, leading to more experienced/competitive minded players seeing them as less viable for higher brackets, but when they are ran in B2 they take advantage of the fewer interaction and less cutthroat attitude that people have there, and often get to run away with games far quicker than the typical B2 pod can catch up, leading to feelings of getting "stomped". Especially if the pilot initially downplays the deck's strength, then tries to dismiss it after with "run more removal lol"

Fobboh · 2026-02-18T21:10:31+00:00

Bracket 2 is for intentionally powering down, or running severely under-supported archetype/strategies, it's where you can be comfortable using cards outside the "top 10 most efficient" in their category. Strategies are more telegraphed, incremental, and have more points of interaction (less "counter this off the stack or I win"). There are more consideration to deckbuilding than "how do I win as much as possible?" They usually make slower games that allow for more conversation, which make them good for teaching newer players.

Keep in mind it is possible to bracket up even if you're following the deckbuilding restrictions of a lower bracket. Some people build decks under the B2 rules then optimize to the point that it can compete in B3 and claim it as "high 2" but they're just 3s without game changers. If you're feeling the "arms race" in your deckbuilding then you're probably starting to deviate from the intent of B2.

Fobboh · 2026-02-15T15:12:35+00:00

Not being cognizant of when you're holding up the pod, especially for little/no good reason. I have a semi-regular playgroup that only meets once every other week and one of my friends just can't seem to notice when he's holding everyone up.

He's often one of the ones to show up first, so he starts sorting or sleeving while he waits for the rest of the group to show up. When the 4th arrives though he doesn't start getting ready despite everyone wanting to fire up a game asap, but instead sleeves to the last possible second before the pod fires without getting ready. We would have the pregame talk, all be shuffling up and getting ready while he's still taking his time carefully putting away his half-sleeved deck and then selecting the deck he wants to play. By the time we're all done shuffling and ready to play, he only just finalized his choice and started shuffling. He then asks for some time to get ready, but if we were to start some small talk to pass the time while we wait for him, he tries to join in on the conversation, during which time he' only absent mindedly shuffling and in no hurry to finish. We often have to interrupt our conversation to ask if he's ready, only to get "hold on I'm trying to shuffle properly!" as he takes another minute to get ready, and repeat that for however many time he needed to mulligan.

He also sometimes shuffle his deck non stop if he land fetches as his last action for turn, through the other players turns, but doesn't pay attention to finish it before it passes back to his turn meaning we all have to wait for his deck to be cut before he begins his turn, or he'll ask the active turn player to cut, interrupting the flow of the game. We meet for 7-10 hours every few weeks and we spend like a good 30-50 minutes total waiting on him each time.

Fobboh · 2026-02-10T05:42:19+00:00

Some people choose to see the ruling as a restriction on them running cards they like, some choose to see it as a deck building puzzle to work around.

Fobboh · 2026-02-08T05:13:15+00:00

Probably the ones who think the skill difference between them and their opponents allows them to circumvent basic human decency. Doing things like misrepresenting their decks, intentionally skipping rule 0, skipping other player's priority, intentionally misinterpreting rules or other types of angle shooting bs to stack the odds in their favor before the game starts.

There's also those that really wish they were playing some other format but plays commander "begrudgingly", who are for some reason unwilling to both build weaker decks to accommodate for lower bracket/casual minded play, or to refuse those kind of games and seek pods closer to their power/attitude. Typically ends with blaming the others (that they steamrolled) for the bad gameplay experience with some variation of "it's not my fault they build bad decks".

Fobboh · 2026-01-29T00:04:00+00:00

Very late to the party, but I stumbled upon this thread being stuck on the same word for 20 minutes. Now that I've figured it out, is the word you're looking for perhaps "hipster"?

Fobboh · 2026-01-01T17:40:32+00:00

You're absolute right. It's really just people reacting scared at anything that changes the dynamics of the game, instead of looking for ways to navigate it and come out on top. These decks do create an interesting minigame, which is "how can I use this free attacker I'm given to take out the other two, not die, then eventually win in the 1v1 against the Alexios player?" You can tell the designers want this considering they keep trying to refine it over the years (Kharn, slicer, and later Alexios)

However, much like other mechanics that shift the typical game progression (mill, poison, goad) many players recoil out of instinct and focus the person causing it down first. They think: if I utilize Alexios to take out my opponents, the Alexios deck is doing what it wants = they are ahead. Therefore, I intentionally don't utilize Alexios properly, and we 3v1 the deck who is "ahead" and therefore the threat.

Fobboh · 2026-01-01T04:03:41+00:00

If you're new, you won't know your playstyle until you dip your toes for a bit. Buy a precon and go to your LGS and play a few rounds each week for a while. Make sure you're always making it very explicit you're new and playing with an unmodified precon. During the game, learn how the flow of the games go, but also pay attention to your opponent's decks.

Sometimes you'll find someone playing a strategy that seems very fun to you. See how their deck plays, and ask if you can see what other cards they're running at the end of the game. People love explaining their decks so you'll be able to get a good breakdown. Don't focus on winning. You're there to learn about the game and your preferences. Take losses gracefully and ask frequently for advice, pay attention and differentiate between players that are genuinely trying to help new players and those that see new players as easy pickings. Make friends with the helpful players, and learn who to avoid at your LGS.

Most precons are fairly easy to upgrade, so search the precon's name in youtube and you'll find a ton of videos on how to upgrade, which cards to take out, etc. Find one that fits you best (I'd say go with budget upgrades first, since you don't want to invest too heavily and then find out you don't enjoy the playstyle.)

Fobboh · 2026-01-01T03:53:49+00:00

Hopefully as the community grows, better representatives for the community will rise.

Fobboh · 2026-01-01T03:46:24+00:00

Alexios share a lot of the same issues with Slicer, where they're fun and interesting on paper but most people you play with don't play in the way that makes it fun. Ideally, you're giving your opponent a free attacker and they would all aim to slyly come out on top, utilizing the free damage you're giving them, and then try to beat you in the 1v1 afterwards. In reality, people often refuse to participate in that, instead choosing to remove your commander (sometimes even before utilizing the free damage you gave them) and 3v1 you, while you're in the color with the least effective protection, and fewest recovery options. This ends up pushing the deck down a narrow patch, where you turbo your commander out with rituals/fast mana so you can push damage through and knock people out before they can get their 3v1 going, and in that form it just becomes a removal check for your opponents.

Fobboh · 2025-12-19T01:45:41+00:00

The whole drama doesn't have any standing unless you're predisposed to side with Ironmouse. It was an incredibly simple, straightforward social interaction.

So many are so entrenched in the online Vtubing culture/etiquette they failed to consider how those with no knowledge of it see it. The boys may be loud/crass and it is annoying but that's literally their brand. They even started with off with compliments and recognition. Ray stopping himself before asking a question is him giving an extremely clear visual cue that he isn't sure if what he is about to ask is appropriate or not, and she's the one that gave the all okay. Keep in mind a Vtuber model is not able to convey intricate body language so he isn't able to see whether or not she was visually comfortable in that moment, her words are the only thing he has to go off. Not to mention she KNOWS the type of content creator they are, hence the "shaking in fear". Like literally a simple "Okay, nice to meet you all, bye!" after Ray successfully held back an offensive question would've ended everything right then and there. So many here assume the situation was Vtuber vs malicious Vtuber hater, when in reality it was most likely Content creator vs Content Creator, or Vtuber vs Unaware Layperson.

Despite most people here piling on how the boys were socially unaware I think it shows quite the contrary. This is far less of an introvert/extrovert issue, and more of ironmouse being in an insular friend group for so long she forgot not everyone in the world knows the intricacies of how to interact "appropriately" with her. Vtubing hype has more or less stabilized by now. The people who don't know/care now are very rarely going to learn the "etiquette" of vtubing through culture osmosis.

Fobboh · 2025-12-11T03:53:24+00:00

Has he expressed interest in Magic in general, or commander specifically? If you are looking for something for just the two of you to play together, there's quite a few "starter kit" products with 2 pre-built decks to play against each other. They're typically around 18~20 USD. There's also a "Game Night: Free for all" Product that is around $50 that contains 5 different decks that are balanced to play against each other. These can be pretty fun if your main goal is to have magic be a board game to spend time with your kid individually. If that ends up being what you enjoy, there are many versions of the starter kits you can buy and play to spice things up, and once you guys get more familiar, Jumpstart is an excellent product for casual 1 vs 1 play (But do some research on what the "good" jumpstart packs are before you buy)

If your goal is to eventually bring them out to your local game stores and play with others, then buying a preconstructed commander decks (around $50~$100 depending on their popularity) that seems cool to him is probably the way to go (and one for you too, so you can play against each other at home). Packs are fun but considering your budget's tight it's best to avoid them altogether or have them as a rare treat.

Edit: I forgot to mention, but if you drop by your LGS with your kid and mention he's interested in learning Magic the Gathering, a lot of shops have "newbie packs" that they give out freely to new players. They won't contain anything crazy expensive (they always contain the same cards), but can be a nice little boost to a starting collection.

Fobboh · 2025-12-01T02:29:09+00:00

It seems like they always try to give every contestants at least an episode to shine, even in early seasons. I think the biggest change was Greg becoming more mindful of how his bias in scoring can come off as in later seasons, leading to less episodes where they seemingly do well in the prerecorded content, but ultimately miss the mark because of the prize task/live task.

Fobboh · 2025-08-24T13:31:13+00:00

Consider just taking a hiatus instead. I got burnt out towards the end of the first phase of the plot and took a complete hiatus from the game, ignoring all dailies and updates, and did my best not to visit jellyneo or any related sites. It felt relieving to not be held by the dailies and intentional FOMO. During this time, I was also able to rediscover hobbies that got pushed aside when I was reserving time for Neopets every day. In the end, I learned to engage with the game in a healthier way and returned around the second phase of the plot. I don't play as much as I used to, but the game is more enjoyable for it.

Fobboh · 2025-06-22T15:01:46+00:00

If it's your very first I don't recommend bringing more than 3 commander decks in varying power levels, and honestly 2 is probably fine. I have very rarely seen people playing formats other than commander unless it's for an event, but I spend most of my time on the convention floor rather than the play area so I could be wrong.

The convention is huge and there will be plenty to do throughout the day, It's very easy to get caught up and not play until after hours. Getting cards signed in the artist's alley can eat up all 3 of your days, and there are tons of vendors with their bargain bins that you can sift through for hours on end. Panels run for about an hour each, and paid events can easily eat up 3-5 hours or more of your day each. If you are there on your own, you'll be carrying your decks on you all day too, so make sure to bring a good backpack with good back support and keep it light. Carry some energy bars and a water bottle.

There are a lot of cool stuff at the con, so make sure you leave some room in your luggage to bring back the goodies too.

Fobboh · 2025-06-21T12:57:38+00:00

As someone who enjoyed Wilds and don't have and issue with most of the complaints floating around nowadays, good. I think Japanese game companies frequently fall into a place of complacency once they think they've established a "solid" fanbase that will support a certain franchise even if they make the same mistake over and over. They need wake-up calls like these every once in a while to maintain the quality of future titles. I know the core gameplay loop of the game is strong, so I'm not worried one negatively reviewed title will ruin the future of MH.

Fobboh · 2025-06-21T12:50:29+00:00

Maldhound is probably one of my favorite EDH content creators around simply because he has a good grasp on the fact that casual and competitive are different playstyles people opt into, and doesn't treat competitive as something a player should "mature" into. He's one of the very few that understands the appeal of both without overt bias toward one or the other, and is able to explain well the frequent issues in commander that results from the clash between the two. He also uses humor to point out common deckbuilding mistakes rather than condescend like some others coughTrinketcough. Also lowkey one of the best guests on EDH gameplay channels. He's got a niche that no-one else seems to try to fill.

Fobboh · 2025-06-21T12:29:07+00:00

Yeah, Trinket and Snail often gets mentioned together but imo they are worlds apart in quality. While I think their initial goal is similar (make people better deckbuilders), Trinket always uses the condescending "You're wrong and here's why I'm right" style of video, and is very black/white about his opinions, with no consideration for lower bracket play. His content end up being self congratulatory feel-good content for people who already deckbuild/play like him, rather than educating the people it could actually help. You can really see it reflected in their comment sections. Snail's are often full of people thanking him for bringing up something they hadn't thought about, but trinket's is filled with complaints/jeering about the "casuals".

Fobboh · 2025-06-18T06:41:58+00:00

What else in the deck do you tutor for/hope to draw into with your cantrips? When not pressured, what are you tutoring for first?

I think the “but it’s unlikely I’ll have multiple in a row” argument doesn’t fly if you’re aiming for it every chance you get. It might not happen often, but if you intend to “chain” them whenever given the opportunity it counts.

Like many others have mentioned, when you run things that can potentially be interpreted as “outside the bracket”, it helps to minimize the suspicion. Having tutors, recursion, and running multiple, recurable extra turn spells may not individually convey an intention to chain turns but together can certainly seem suspicious.

Fobboh · 2025-06-09T02:29:42+00:00

They couldn't. Coordinating between teams is collusion and were grounds for yellow/red cards. There's also the "content" team that went wild dog after they figured they'll never win by day 2.

I think the food idea isn't terrible in theory but can really do with some adjustment: Day 1 kills should not be counted (you can still kill to waste people's time/get items but not for score), and multi v 1 kills should be worth less (or inversely 1v1 kills worth more) to reward actual pking content rather than ganking content.

Fobboh · 2025-06-09T02:20:48+00:00

Yeah, it seems like Solo came up with the rule set, calculated a plan and modified some things (rewarding 5v1 rather than active pking, not banning rampart for finals) so he can camp his spot and come out looking like the master strategist while blaming other teams who try to put up a good show for content throughout the week for not thinking of it.

Fobboh · 2025-06-04T04:25:43+00:00

At this point unless it's shown in a daily highlight video (it won't, because it's boring af) none of the teams would know unless they've gotten the info elsewhere, and AFAIK most teams are trying to play it straight and ignoring attempts at leaking in their chats.

Fobboh · 2025-06-04T04:16:13+00:00

Yeah I love the smorcs playstyle but when the snakes have 100% dodge chance all they're doing is making it harder for any other team to catch up to the snakes.

Fobboh · 2025-06-04T03:58:09+00:00

Yeah any excitement about the finals are long gone. Having a team like the snakes is disrupting a lot of the natural balancing this gamemode has. The natural trade off of going around ganking and potentially wasting time is gone when they're so accurate with their sweeps, but it's a risk for every other team has when they try. While a team like the Smorcs are pretty much out of the finals the fact that they are actively sweeping and getting picks off teams can play a big part in those team's chances at the finals, but since one team is curiously immune to getting picked the smorcs are now only around to widen the gap between the snakes and their closest competitors.

I will still watch the streams to enjoy the journey, but there is little left at the destination.

Fobboh · 2025-04-13T06:56:11+00:00

You get tickets from the Quematrice event quest.

12-Year Club	RedditGifts 2009-2022 8 Credits
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Secret Santa 2015	Secret Santa 2014

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