So, my LGS is looking to start a commander league and I'm trying to help out. What are some of the things that we should focus on and are there any specifics DO/DONTS that you guys would recommend? I know the main thing is to keep it casual and fun and to cater to the play group, but in looking for some outside advice as well.
Outside of the banned list, which can be agreed upon in part or in whole, also other cards that create infinite combos or locks on your opponents can cause for un-fun gameplay for everyone.
Don't use {Zur the Endhahter} or any land destruction ;)
We have had a commander legue at my locals and we have a point system like doing certain things in a game can get us points and lose us points for instance controlling a creature with exactly 21 power gets u 2 points and playing a spell turn 1 because of sol ring loses u one point killing someone before turn 5 gets u minus 5 points and so on and u can create ur ur point System but that's what we use also we have a prize pool were the person with the most points gets first pick and second most gets second pick and so on hope this helped
Quote from: Weldrodson on November 20, 2013, 07:12:24 PM
We have had a commander legue at my locals and we have a point system like doing certain things in a game can get us points and lose us points for instance controlling a creature with exactly 21 power gets u 2 points and playing a spell turn 1 because of sol ring loses u one point killing someone before turn 5 gets u minus 5 points and so on and u can create ur ur point System but that's what we use also we have a prize pool were the person with the most points gets first pick and second most gets second pick and so on hope this helped
For the prize pool in your league, is it at the end of each day, or the end of a "season"
End of each season and each season is about 3 months long also everyone pitches in a few bucks or cards or even mats for the prize pool in the past we didn't but we agreed that everyone pitching in was better and also because our league is free each week it's the least we can do I got a misty rainforest long season
Last not long
Land destruction used as a strategy in EDH is really quite terrible. I came across a guy who used mono black land destruction to keep his opponents down while he constantly pinged with his Commander. Almost got him killed.
Otherwise, almost any combo is fair game in EDH. I use my {Sword of Kaldra} + {Lord of Shatterskull Pass} combo mercilessly, simply cause its something my deck does.
Has anybody ever used {Willow Satyr} in EDH? I just noticed this card while browsing through Legends. Oh how I'd love to open a booster box of Legends.
just use merit - she takes control of any creature.
Quote from: Mlerner12 on November 20, 2013, 05:41:38 PM
Don't use {Zur the Endhahter} or any land destruction ;)
He's not on the banned list. And spot land removal is fine. Zur isn't the most broken commander ever like you may think.
Quote from: Vileo on November 21, 2013, 12:03:57 AM
Quote from: Mlerner12 on November 20, 2013, 05:41:38 PM
Don't use {Zur the Endhahter} or any land destruction ;)
He's not on the banned list. And spot land removal is fine. Zur isn't the most broken commander ever like you may think.
I know, but people HATE him. You may lose friends like I did :(
Quote from: Mlerner12 on November 21, 2013, 07:59:00 AM
Quote from: Vileo on November 21, 2013, 12:03:57 AM
Quote from: Mlerner12 on November 20, 2013, 05:41:38 PM
Don't use {Zur the Endhahter} or any land destruction ;)
He's not on the banned list. And spot land removal is fine. Zur isn't the most broken commander ever like you may think.
I know, but people HATE him. You may lose friends like I did :(
If you lose friends over a game, they probably weren't very good friends to begin with. Just saying. But sorry to hear that, all the same.
The tric is to have multiple commander decks. One that's a lot more competitive, and one that's a lot more fun to play against (and pilot).
Quote from: Jlamb5 on November 20, 2013, 10:58:40 AM
So, my LGS is looking to start a commander league and I'm trying to help out. What are some of the things that we should focus on and are there any specifics DO/DONTS that you guys would recommend? I know the main thing is to keep it casual and fun and to cater to the play group, but in looking for some outside advice as well.
Is your LGS in Jacksonville by chance?
Unfortunately it's not in Jacksonville. We're located in OC, CA.
Quote from: Mlerner12 on November 21, 2013, 07:59:00 AM
Quote from: Vileo on November 21, 2013, 12:03:57 AM
Quote from: Mlerner12 on November 20, 2013, 05:41:38 PM
Don't use {Zur the Enchanter} or any land destruction ;)
He's not on the banned list. And spot land removal is fine. Zur isn't the most broken commander ever like you may think.
I know, but people HATE him. You may lose friends like I did :(
First off, please stop the irrational Zur hate.
If he was actually as bad as some people seem to think he is, he would be banned.
Now, my mono blue {Erayo, Soratami Ascendant} deck, it was that bad. People hated it. They hated it for a good reason, it was so non interactive that after about 3 turns it was no longer a game of magic, just solitaire until i finally won... Every single game.. And then they banned him, for good reasons.
Zur is not the problem, and to continually spread irrational fear and hatred of this single commander, like he is the best of the best, is simply foolish.
I will gladly play any Zur deck 1v1 with my riku combo deck
Secondly, land destruction is the most hated strategy where you play? I mean no one really enjoys having their lands blown up, but
{Seedborn Muse}+ {Opposition}+ an army of tokens that doesn't let you do anything pretty much does the same thing... Like {Isochron Scepter}+ {Orim's Chant}
So it's not the land destruction really, it's not being able to play the game in what you conceive to be a "fair" way.
Finally, to stay on topic here with the league idea, it is important to remember that EDH is intended to be a social game with a "gentlemen's (or woman's) agreement... However without a certain amount of social pressure the aforementioned agreement is void, because when prizes are offered, the spikes will come out to play.
And as a johnny Spike, let me tell you, there are much worse things to worry about than a little LD and zur... Things like completely degenerate combo's that don't allow interaction and instantly win the game for one person, thereby nullifying the entirety of the previous gameplay.
I believe that if there is going to be successful league gameplay that "achievements" much like in playing a game on the xbox are the best way to go.
Ensure that the point system will help provoke the type of gameplay that you are after as a group, while still allowing for a great deal of individual choice to take place.
For example, my meta has a 5 turn for the first game rule... The first game that someone plays with our group, no one is allowed to eliminate them from the game in the first 5 turns.
I have seen several lists of these points or achievement style awards online so I suggest you discuss with your meta what type of gameplay you want and then google some of the examples and go from there to create your own system that works for you. (Wow run on sentence much?)
Just my 2cents
{sharuum of the hegemon} has an infinite combo. Zur can get out of hand quick. {Arcum dagson} affinity is crazy quick. Also oona and kaalia and Aurelia are pretty intense. Other than that, it's a pretty level playing field which is ultimately why I enjoy the format so much.
Any deck can have an infinite combo, that's not hard, let alone very creative (guess that's just my opinion, depending on what the combo is).
See, people always talk about "tier 1" commanders, and I wholeheartedly believe there is no such thing. There are commanders that are better suited for the job, but in building your EDH deck you get to decide what that job is... Catch my drift?
EDH is by far my favorite format and I consider myself to be a competitive EDH gal, but I almost always keep at least 1 "just for fun" Deck on me whenever I go play, just in case the table just isn't at the level of my usual competition. ...See the social contract in action ;)
Usually commander leagues aren't based around eliminating someone immediately, getting insta win combo decks don't always work well in leagues.
And if you're playing commander, usually its multiplayer... So sure, they may have an annoying combo deck, but if every player hates the one guy... well he dies first.
Things like points for having a vanilla creature, saving another player from being eliminated, gaining 100 life, taking 3 or more turns in a row, not using your commander, eliminating a player with commander damage - Stuff like that.
Also - where do people play magic in OC? The spot in Fullerton?
I have a lot of people telling me that {Iona, Shield of Emeria} is a jerk card to have in a deck. I do it anyway, purely for the {W} 7/7 flier.
{sharuum the hegemon}, {sculpting steel}, {disciple of the vault}
Quote from: Muggywuggy on November 22, 2013, 06:36:46 AM
{sharuum the hegemon}, {sculpting steel}, {disciple of the vault}
And that's with the new legend rule in mind right? Where only one dies?
Believe
Sharuum first
Have sculpt enter after
Copy sharuum
Legendary rule blows up one, throws in GY
Return to battle field triggers
Bring back
Rinse and repeat
The disciple is for your damage
Quote from: Spikepit on November 22, 2013, 06:10:20 AM
I have a lot of people telling me that {Iona, Shield of Emeria} is a jerk card to have in a deck. I do it anyway, purely for the {W} 7/7 flier.
I run Iona in both my mono-White and Kaalia decks. She's my "get lost, Blue control" card.
look at it this way,
dont be a jerk and play infect or slivers.
scratch the esper deck if you want to keep it fun,
no kalia,
blue control is out if you want to keep it fun,
have someone play group hug,
have someone play chaos edh,
and thats all i can say if you want to keep it casual :)
The most confusion fun deck I've got AND played against: {Norin the Wary}
Here is the link that the godfather of EDH wrote regarding league and points systems. I think it is valuable reading regarding this subject.
http://www.starcitygames.com/article/23603_Armada-League-Points-System.html
This one is directly from the armada EDH league Facebook, where current iterations if their points systems can be seen.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/armada-games-edh/edh-league-awards-league-8/145957452133670
Enjoy :)
Quote from: FlickerYourOwnIdentity on November 23, 2013, 09:28:58 PM
look at it this way,
dont be a jerk and play infect or slivers.
scratch the esper deck if you want to keep it fun,
no kalia,
blue control is out if you want to keep it fun,
have someone play group hug,
have someone play chaos edh,
and thats all i can say if you want to keep it casual :)
A few of these things aren't remotely true. Kaalia is fine to run. I play Kaalia, and there are plenty of casual decks that trump it, and there are times when I beat those same decks. It's all about the luck of the draw.
As for Esper, it's fine if its not Esper control. Way I see it, every tri-colour deck has a focus on two of three colours. My Kaalia deck focuses mainly on {W} and {B}. The Esper deck I'm building focuses on the same colours. Control is predominantly a {U} trait, so if its an Esper deck that's not control, then dandy.