Today’s article comes on the back of some serious action in the Magic community. Last week, my wife and I ventured to Providence, Rhode Island, for the Grand Prix. The event was outstanding, well run, and expertly judged, and provided ample opportunity to trade with folks from across the country. I love hunting through trade binders in search of cards from my wish list and especially relish the opportunity to land copies of my favorite foil cards as I march along my journey to pimp out my Commander decks.

Grand Prix events also offer a chance to play Commander with those of us who make a pilgrimage to large events. I think the tournament organizer had fired off almost seventeen four-person Commander pods before the conclusion of Saturday’s action. Sunday brought a chance to continue playing favorite Legacy decks, while others played in a giant PTQ or caught other side events. We had a blast, and I would encourage anyone who can find the time and resources to check out the spectacle of these Magic events with a thousand-plus players.

The world of Standard constructed play is rolling along as players wage war during FNMs or attempt to secure a place at the proverbial (and literal) table at Pro Tour: Philadelphia. Star City Games crowned Florida pro player Pat Cox Invitational champion (congrats, Pat!), Singapore hosted a Grand Prix twice as large as the last event, and Pro Tour players have begun their journey to Nagoya, Japan to sort out the best deck in Block Constructed.

While the world of competitive Magic warms up with the coming summer, the casual side of Magic is also beginning to boil. Commander previews are popping up in various virtual locations, and we are beginning to find out exactly how spicy the preconstructed decks are going to taste. Before June, it was noted that each Commander deck would come with a copy of Sol Ring. Popular artist Mark Tedin did the original artwork for Sol Ring. You can find his work on the original run of the 1-cost artifact and then again on the DCI Judge promotional foil released a couple of years ago, but the Commander decks will be sporting the newer art by Mike Bierek (Stoneforge Mystic, Frost Titan, etc.). This Lord of the Rings–esque version is super-cool and was formerly only available in the limited run of From the Vault: Relics sets. Score #1.

A second release from Wizards indicated that the Commander decks will also contain format staple Lightning Greaves. Score #2. If you are keeping track of the value added by these cards, you were likely quick to note that many online retailers had previously offered these cards for around $15 to $20 USD and $4 to $5 USD, respectively. If these two cards were worth approximately two-thirds of the retail price of the Commander decks, it is very likely that the other ninety-eight or so cards in the set will easily cover the remaining investment gap. Sure, the prices of the reprinted cards will likely take a hit, but that is great for players who are new to the format. Further, new players in the format are great for the existing players in the format. These decks are a win-win.

The barrier to entry into a forbidding, obtuse casual format is being dramatically reduced, and you can expect every player to start carrying a Commander deck to FNM, weeknight drafts, and other Magic events. For those of you who have been crafting league play over the last few months, your preparations are about to pay off. The Commander decks on many sites have sold out or the prices have been adjusted. A month ago, online retailers offered package discounts. If you bought all five Commander decks, you could save a few bucks. Those deals have disappeared. As the spoilers are rolling out and folks are beginning to understand the value of the product, we are seeing some retailers increase the cost to the full, suggested retail price. In fact, some of those retailers have already moved their entire allotment of product.

The implications are twofold: The product seems to be a smashing success, and a huge number of players are snatching up these decks. The buzz on the forums is positive, and local attendance is up at Commander events despite the busy happenings in other formats. Our local brick-and-mortar hosted its largest Sunday tournament this past weekend with twenty-six players. A few friends who play at another location informed me that they also had a record Tuesday turnout. I would be interested in hearing from the readership. Are your events growing?

Spoiled

If you have not checked out Robby Rothe’s preview of Trench Gorger, take some time to find out what is lurking in the deepest blue seas. Retiring Level 5 judge and Godfather of EDH Sheldon Menery is rolling out previews throughout the week. He appears to be dropping early news about the wedge-color Legends that flank the original wedge dragons. It looks like we get The Mimeoplasm to complement Vorosh, the Hunter, Tariel, Reckoner of Souls to entice those loving dark angels, and Animar, Soul of Elements for folks looking for an inexpensive Commander with protection from removal in and . A few weeks ago, we worked through a potential Dredge-style deck using Karador, Ghost Chieftain, and I am excited to start brewing with the new Commander options. This week is filled with the release of new information, so make sure to check out GatheringMagic’s Commander Spoilers section.

The Unknown

There remains a great deal of unknown information about these preconstructed decks. However, it is quickly becoming apparent that the products are filled with lots of interesting legends, staple artifacts, and cards that appear to support group hug–style decks. About two years back, our local playgroup began experimenting with Commander decks that don’t aim to win, beat down, control, or take blatantly oppositional actions during the game. In contrast, group hug decks generally aim to promote fun game states, and offer “opponents” a chance to draw extra cards, play and search for extra lands, gain life, and participate in any number of friendly shenanigans. If you love that style of deck or want to make your own version of a noncompetitive deck, it seems like there will be a number of cards that contribute to this goal. The Join Forces mechanic promotes group collaborations and fits nicely in the shell of the group hug decks.

A few articles back, I suggested that players begin making a hot list of cards that might be Commander staples. The players could then watch during previews and read over the spoiled lists of cards in search for great staples that do not find their way into the new decks. For example, someone might have a list containing Duplicant, Solemn Simulacrum, Sol Ring, Oblivion Stone, and Lightning Greaves. At this point, you could cross off the Sol Ring and Lightning Greaves because they are included in the decks, but it is possible that the other cards might be excluded. When the final deck lists are spoiled, a savvy collector, player, or investor might take the time to snipe some early deals on the staples that remain on the list. It would stand to reason that folks will want some of the excluded staples as they dive into the format.

I am thrilled that Wizards has decided to pack some solid cards into the preconstructed decks, but it is unlikely that they will feature the full range of wonderful staples. A couple of years ago, I started collecting odds and ends that seemed ripe for use in a burgeoning format, and today I have tons of valuable cards that populate my decks, fly out of my trade binders, and help new players get going with their first decks. There is still a great deal of unknown information, but the readership can plan and act to make sure that they don’t miss out on some great value or cheap cards that might come in handy in future deck building endeavors.

Trying to Keep a Level Head

If you have been reading my recent work, it is not hard to understand that I have a bias. I really love Commander, love building the decks, and really love collecting cards. Therefore, I am quick to recommend that players snatch up “good deals,” buy lots of decks, and make an effort to build a playgroup. In my experience, each of these pieces of wisdom has led to great fun and some financial benefit. You might choose to hold off on preordering your decks, or you might choose to only play in the release events for the decks. However, the Twitter buzz and shop talk points to a quick sellout of the initial run of the product. I don’t have personal knowledge of WotC’s intent to keep the run of Commander decks limited, but have heard some folks talk about a second wave while others talked about a small production line. It would be helpful for an insider or educated member of the readership to confirm this information.

However, there are a few scenarios that might lead folks to hoard or snatch up all of the product. In one case, there could be a very limited print run with no second chance to acquire the product. This seems a little unlikely. However, we have seen a few products released, only to dry up nine months later, leaving a wake of inflated prices. Jace Beleren book promos, the Worldwake expansion, and even duel decks have become scarce and later fetched a high price. Have you checked the price of Angels vs. Demons? A quick online glance finds zero at $20 and a greater number above $70.

This might be a different type of product. However, it seems like it’s going to be amazing, and I encourage everyone to secure their personal and collection copies. There are also a couple of other interesting facts/concerns. The cards that are released in the offering are going to be Legacy-legal. Therefore, if there is a strange card that makes its way into a combo deck or some other popular deck, it would be interesting to watch the price of the decks. If there is limited availability, the card prices could go crazy. At this point, it is reasonable to assume that there are no such cards and the good stewards at Wizards have closely guarded against this scenario. You purchase plans should fit your budget, but I have already preordered two full sets of five. One will sit closed with my sealed collection of goodies while the other will grace the tables of league and any other chance I get to play the format.

Trading Places

In 1983, Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy switch bodies in a mildly entertaining comedy. In 2011, beginning next week, Robby Rothe and I are going run it back and trade places on the GatheringMagic lineup. Robby’s Commander article moves to Thursday and I am going to give Monday mornings a try. Keep following both articles, but expect to see our content on different days. Thanks for reading.