Wizards Unveils Commander Brackets Beta

Finally, after an early reveal with the announcement of the Commander Format Panel last year, Wizards (and the CFP) have announced the beta test for Commander Brackets!

Gavin Verhey joined Blake Rasmussen on the Weekly MTG stream to discuss it all, in addition to later releasing a video of his own on YouTube and an article on DailyMTG. Through all of this there were two major takeaways. The first of these was a clear definition of different levels and guidelines for core elements players should expect to find of their current levels. While there's not much difference between levels 4 and 5 in a definition-sense, it should be clear to you if you're trying to build a cEDH deck or not.

The second part showcased forty so-called "Game Changers." These represent incredibly powerful cards that players shouldn't expect to see at lower power tables, and should instead be used to help differentiate how you play at higher levels. You can use them sparingly at level three, but at level four, you can use however many you want. This aspect in particular has sparked plenty of discussion on what should or shouldn't be here, replacement options, and more.

Finally, Gavin noted that there would likely be unbans coming in April, so watch for that. In the meantime, he recommends giving this new system a try and pass along any feedback you have to members of the CFP.

You can also check out these articles from fellow CoolStuffInc writers talking about Commander Brackets and what they mean for the format:

• Ten Observations About the Commander Bracket System by Stephen Johnson
• Breaking Down the Commander Game-Changers List by Matthew Lotti
• Deck Examples for the Commander Brackets by Mark Wischkaemper
• Cards That Could Wind Up on the Game-Changers List by Matthew Lotti

Aetherdrift Releases

The latest Magic set Aetherdrift is now released wherever you buy products! Check out your local game store to pick up some of the new death race set or hop online and play digitally on MTG Arena and Magic Online! If you can't find what you're looking for locally, race on over to the Aetherdrift store page right here on CoolStuffInc.com to find all your Aetherdrift needs from singles to sealed products and supplies!

New RCQ and Magic Spotlight Promos Revealed

Wizards revealed another batch of upcoming event promos for the coming RCQ season as well as the next two Magic Spotlight Series events. For the next RCQ season (Modern), players will receive participation promo copies of Prosperous Innkeeper while those who top 8 will earn cool Fauna Shamans. Additionally, players who participate in Regional Championships for the current season (Standard) will earn copies of Living End for attending. Finally, the promo for Spotlight Series Denver was revealed to be Sword of Forge and Frontier. Spotlight Series Indianapolis' was revealed to be Garruk Wildspeaker with an additional note that the top prize will involve consulting on a future Secret Lair product.

You can find all of the information on these promos and the upcoming events here.

Achievements Come to MTG Arena

If you're reading this article, odds are good that you're a video gamer in addition to a tabletop one and know all about achievements. Now you can put those achievement hunting skills to the test on MTG Arena with a whole slew of new achievements for players to work toward. Players can unlock cosmetics, emotes, all-new player titles, and more as you reach more achievements. Check out the official MTG Arena announcement page for all the details. Happy hunting!

Magic Online Creator Showdown this Saturday

This Saturday, Magic Online is hosting the first Creator Showdown event of 2025. 32 of your favorite content creators are going to be duking it out showing off the all-new Standard format with the new Aetherdrift expansion. Tune into the official Magic Online stream this Saturday, or see if your favorite streamer is participating!

TCC Annual Fundraiser for Trans Lifeline Currently Ongoing

As has become an annual tradition, Tolarian Community College has once again fired up another fundraiser program for Trans Lifeline. The Professor has put up ten booster boxes of various Magic Masters sets and, as usual, many other community members have put up their own prizes to aid the cause as well. As of the writing of this article, the fundraiser has crossed $300,000 in donations to a tremendous cause. If you want to contribute (and take a shot at some great prizes) check out the post linked above or check out the direct link to the fundraiser here.

Decklist of the Week

Amulet Titan | Modern | Peter Husisian, 1st Place US Regional Championship Portland

• Creatures (10)
• 1 Aftermath Analyst
• 1 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
• 4 Aftermath Analyst
• 4 Primeval Titan

• Instants (3)
• 3 Summoner's Pact

• Sorceries (8)
• 2 Scapeshift
• 3 Green Sun's Zenith
• 3 Malevolent Rumble

• Enchantments (4)
• 4 Spelunking

• Artifacts (5)
• 1 Expedition Map
• 4 Amulet of Vigor

• Lands (31)
• 3 Forest
• 1 Dryad Arbor
• 1 Echoing Deeps
• 1 Hanweir Battlements
• 1 Mirrorpool
• 1 Otawara, Soaring City
• 1 Shifting Woodland
• 1 Tolaria West
• 1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
• 1 Vesuva
• 2 Lotus Field
• 3 Boseiju, Who Endures
• 3 Crumbling Vestige
• 3 Simic Growth Chamber
• 4 Gruul Turf
• 4 Urza's Saga

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Endurance
• 1 Grist, the Hunger Tide
• 1 Keen-Eyed Curator
• 2 Collector Ouphe
• 2 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
• 2 Force of Vigor
• 2 Vampires' Vengeance
• 3 Dismember

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This week saw two more Regional Championships come and go for Modern, including one in the United States. This one was won by Peter Husisian on Amulet Titan who defeated Jackson Knorr on Temur Breach in an epic finals match. Titan was seen as somewhat of an underdog with decks like Breach, Boros Energy, Eldrazi Ramp, and Orzhov Blink being seen as the favorites going into the weekend. This classic and famously complicated deck requires a ton of skill to pilot well and Peter was certainly up to the task this time around. Congratulations!

Paige Smith

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