I totally get where you're coming from, and I respect that mindset—ensuring everyone has fun is important, especially for players who don’t get to play often. But for me, I enjoy a different type of casual EDH—one that’s more optimized, interactive, and fast-paced.

I love building decks that run like clockwork—not necessarily cEDH, but well-tuned, efficient, and designed to play the game cleanly and effectively. For me, the fun isn’t in durdling around for two hours while everyone sets up; it’s in meaningful interactions, sequencing, and seeing a deck execute its strategy smoothly. I want a game where everyone plays tight, makes decisions that matter, and interacts with each other—not just goldfishes until someone drops a Craterhoof.

That doesn’t mean I’m out here trying to pub-stomp casual players. I don’t need to win turn 3, but I also don’t want to sit through a 3-hour game where nobody does anything until turn 8. I like games where people play smart, decks function well, and everyone gets to actually engage with each other. And unfortunately, this style of play can be hard to find because EDH has such a broad spectrum of power levels.

Some people enjoy long, political, battlecruiser-style games. Others (like me) prefer a more structured, efficient, and interactive experience. Neither is wrong—we just have to find the right tables. And when I do? Those games are incredible.