The pre-game talk: matching decks to your pod
The short conversation before a Commander game, often called Rule 0, that makes games fun for everyone. What to say, what to ask, and how to handle a mismatch.
The best Commander games come from tables where every deck is roughly as strong as the others. Players call the conversation that makes this happen Rule 0: before shuffling up, everyone talks briefly about what they're playing. It takes a minute and saves an hour of a lopsided game.
What to share about your deck
- Your bracket. It's the quickest shorthand for power level. See Commander brackets explained.
- How it wins. "I attack with a lot of tokens" or "I have a two-card combo" sets expectations better than any number.
- Anything unusual. Taking extra turns, destroying lands, stopping other players from casting spells, or a very fast win are all worth mentioning up front, even if they're allowed in your bracket.
- How it usually does. "This one tends to win around turn eight" or "it's a slow, grindy deck" helps others compare.
What to ask the table
- "What brackets is everyone playing tonight?"
- "Is anyone playing combos or extra turns?"
- "Are we okay with proxies or cards from outside your collection?" (Groups differ, so it's worth agreeing.)
- "Do we want a quick game, or a long one?"
When decks don't match
If one deck is clearly stronger or weaker than the rest, there are easy fixes:
- Swap decks. Bring a couple of decks at different power levels so you can switch.
- Handicap. A player with a stronger deck can start at lower life, mulligan to six, or agree not to play their combo.
- Play it anyway, knowingly. Sometimes the table wants to try to beat the strong deck together, and that's a fine game too, as long as everyone agrees.
Table etiquette
- Announce what you're doing, especially triggers and targets, so other players can respond.
- Keep your turns moving. Plan during other players' turns.
- Be a gracious winner and loser. Commander is a social game; the people at the table matter more than the result.
- Respect a "no". If someone isn't comfortable with a deck or a play style, adjust.
Playing online
On Podtable you can open a friends table and talk in the chat before starting. Prebuilt AI decks show their bracket, so you can set up a fair game against the computer too: start a game.