Editor's Note: Sorry things have slowed down around here folks, big stuff in the works. Hang in there!

You stare at your opponent, fists clenched angrily. He circles around you slowly, and you watch his every move. As you start to throw your first punch, some guy leaps out of nowhere and brains you with a baseball bat.

That's multiplayer.

Whether you've been playing with a circle of friends for years, or are just taking your first steps into the realm of free-for-all, you've probably made someone want to take you out without realizing it.

"Don't worry about it. It happens to every mage sooner or later." – Denied!

In Commander, the chances of this happening are even greater. Games last a long time, and a series of plays against a particular player, even if they were justified, can build up a nasty grudge. It can also lose you the game. To survive in the brutal world of multiplayer, you'll need to know how to avoid becoming a target, or at least how to deal with it when it happens.

Baby Steps

One good way to avoid attention is to avoid playing big, game-changing spells. Cards that give you an incremental advantage over time can still lead to victory, and can make the path to get there a lot smoother. Generals like Sygg, River Cutthroat thrive on this strategy.

Have Defensive Options

Of course, big, game-changing spells are an integral part of Commander, and can add a lot of fun to the game. To play these spells and get away with it, you'll need to be able to defend yourself. Cards that add a cost to attacking like Propaganda and Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs can help here, as can repeatable removal like Tower of Calamities. Mystifying Maze and its older brother, Maze of Ith, are great options that can go into any deck.

Avoid Locking Out Opponents

Players tend to get upset when you won't let them do anything. This can happen in many ways. If you're playing a lot of counter magic or removal in your deck, try to avoid using it all against one player unless absolutely necessary. Sooner or later you're going to run out, and then that player will be coming after you hard. On the other hand, cards like Privileged Position will often throw up a red flag as well, even if you have nothing devastating on the board. Taking away your opponents' ability to deal with any major threat you play will often cause them to attack you in an attempt to ensure that that threat never comes down. Consider using cards like Cloud Cover instead. They can provide a similar advantage, without worrying your opponents too much.

Know Your Commander's Rep

Many Commanders such as Zur the Enchanter and Uril, the Miststalker have a reputation for enabling decks that are powerful and hard to deal with. If someone has had an unpleasant experience facing a deck with your Commander, they may target you before the game has even begun! Learn what people think of your Commander, and be prepared to deal with those reactions.

The Play's the Thing

Although there are many precautionary measures you can take when building a deck, a lot of the time the major political swings are going to be caused by your choices, not your cards. If there's no clear threat when choosing who to attack, rolling a die to decide might help ease tensions. If the other players appear to be fighting amongst themselves, it may be best to wait until they've weakened each other before casting your big splashy spell. Saving another player will often net you an ally, but can also make an enemy of their attacker. On the other hand, helping someone eliminate another player may help gain the respect of the attacker, and even the other players as well if the eliminated opponent was becoming too powerful.

One often overlooked aspect of multiplayer politics is conversation. When making a decision, the difference made by voicing your reasons (or keeping them to yourself) can be immense. Complaining too much about another player's actions can annoy your opponents, making them more open to acting against you, and being stoic and serious can make your opponents feel that your only goal is to eliminate them all, and cause them to make a Preemptive Strike. Even if it's true, you can at least act like you're having fun.

If everything goes according to plan, then at the end of the game, everyone should be happy. Especially you, since you probably won. But remember that the goal here isn't just winning. Playing the political game right will mean that your opponents will happily play against you again. This means more Magic, more multiplayer madness, and maybe even more winning. What else could you ask for?