It’s good to be king, but is it good to be the kingmaker? So often in Commander, a player on the brink of death has the power to choose which remaining opponent will get the crown or who will take the loss. But what’s the right thing to do in that situation? Do you spite the player who wronged you?? Flip a coin? Or simply go quietly into the knight and let the game take its course? Today we ask the question: Does Kingmaking Ruin Games? -------- OUR OFFICIAL MERCH STORE: If you love our content, ...
Mar 16, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Building a powerful deck can be a lot easier than building one you actually love to pilot, especially after repetitive play. Today, we’re breaking down the steps you can take to make sure your final brew is just as fun as the brewing process. From effective playtesting to identifying pain points, this episode is all about listening to your gameplay, playing what you love, and building the deck of your dreams. So come see how you can brew decks that are satisfying each and every game! -------- OU...
Mar 14, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 519
Commander can be expensive, especially when you’re starting to build your collection! When you’re trading your cash for cardboard, take a moment to optimize your spending. This episode, we’re breaking down some of the format’s priciest staples to determine whether they’re actually worth the price tag. Be sure to check it out before you hit “Checkout!” -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone ...
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 518
MagicCons are Wizards’ latest attempt at cracking “The Gathering.” But are these big live events actually worth attending? We’re breaking down our experiences from Vegas and Philly to determine just how much bang you’re getting for your buck. Is Command Zone access worth the extra charge? How about the VIP passes? Most important of all, are Magic Cons actually fun? Tune in and find out! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! ...
Mar 02, 2023•59 min
Can any Magic card truly be called “bad?” Yes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun playing them! This episode, Rachel polls the Command Zone crew on cards they love to play even though they aren’t exactly optimized. Commander is a casual format! Play more bad cards! From 9-drops to draft chaff, come see if your pet card is on our list. -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- OU...
Feb 28, 2023•57 min•Ep. 517
Do you love Commander but hate counting past 10? Then we have a strategy for you! This episode, Craig “Mr. Infect” Blanchette is here to teach you about–you guessed it–playing infect in Commander! With Phyrexia: All Will Be One bringing the new “Toxic” mechanic into the format, poison counters are all the rage once again. So today we’ll go over the ins-and-outs of this controversial strategy and give you all the tips you need to start poisoning your friends at your next game night. -------- Supp...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 516
Show Notes: Just because a card can’t be your commander, doesn’t mean it's not the piece you need to turn your deck into a perfect, mechanical abomination! This episode we’re going over the cards that matter for your 99 from Phyrexia: All Will Be One. We’ll cover the cards we think could be the newest staples, cards that fill niche roles, and cards that get your engine oiled up and firing on all cylinders! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome...
Feb 14, 2023•2 hr 24 min•Ep. 515
Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- Show Notes: When Phyrexia took over Mirrodin, parts of the plane itself came to life, becoming the godlike monsters we know as the Domini. In All Will Be One, these giant overlords take the form of legendary creatures with high-impact doubling effects. This episode, we discuss the Dominus cycle both as commanders and in the 99, exploring the synergies ...
Feb 06, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 514
In Phyrexia: All Will Be One, every color has been corrupted by Phyrexia’s influence, and that means a bunch of new compleated commanders! This episode, we’re delving into the best mono-colored legendary creatures from Magic’s latest set. We’ll go through the synergies and strategies you’ll want to graft into each commander’s deck to make them shine like glistening oil. Hail Phyrexia! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! ht...
Feb 03, 2023•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 513
Show Notes: Poison counters are back in Phyrexia: All Will Be One and with them returns the age-old Commander question: Is infect too strong? Sure, 10 is a lot less than 40, but is it actually easier to pull off? This episode, our poison expert Craig “Mr. Infect” Blanchette joins the table to discuss the power of poison in EDH. Does the new “Toxic” ability affect whether the poison counter rule should be raised to 15 or even 20? Tune in and find out. -------- Support the show and become a Patron...
Feb 01, 2023•40 min
Show Notes: In Phyrexia, all may be one but today all the legends will be at least two… colors! That’s right! On this episode, we’re diving into the best new multi-colored commanders from Phyrexia: All Will Be One. We’ll go over the synergies and strategies you need to start crafting the perfect deck around your favorite new metallic monstrosities! You don’t want to miss it! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www....
Jan 27, 2023•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 512
Have you been drinking glistening oil? Because it looks like you’re under a “Corrupting Influence.” Join us for our budget upgrade guide of this toxic white, black, and green Phyrexia: All Will Be One preconstructed Commander deck that promises to poison all who oppose it. Find out which 10 cards to inject and 10 to remove to compleat your list and be perfectly positioned to compete at any table. -------- OUR OFFICIAL MERCH STORE: If you love our content, then you should see our merch: https://s...
Jan 23, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 511
The Mirran resistance fights for its mere existence, and we’re here to help them out… on a BUDGET! This episode we bring you our budget upgrade guide for the new red and white “Rebellion Rising” Phyrexia: All Will Be One preconstructed Commander deck. With a budget of only $30, we’ll give you 10 cards to add to your ranks and the 10 to remove. Your deck will be a lean mean Phyrexian-smashing machine, ready to fight the power at any table. -------- OUR OFFICIAL MERCH STORE: If you love our conten...
Jan 20, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 510
Normally, we don’t like being toxic here at The Command Zone but today we’re making an exception for the reveal of “Corrupting Influence,” the Abzan precon Commander deck from Phyrexia: All Will Be One! It’s compleat with 10 new cards including 2 brand new Commanders which we think will be infectiously fun, so join us as we break down the reprints, deck value, stats, and more. -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://ww...
Jan 18, 2023•45 min•Ep. 509
If a Magic card is powerful, you should play it right? Well in a format like Commander, the choice isn’t always that simple. There’s a whole bevy of reasons a discerning player might choose not to play perfectly “good” cards. This episode, the Command Zone crew weighs in on the staples and high-powered cards that they refuse to put in their decks. Whether it’s the art, the gameplay pattern, or just plain old gut instinct these are the good cards we don’t play! -------- Support the show and becom...
Jan 12, 2023•49 min•Ep. 508
This year, make a New Year’s Resolution to be a better Magic Player. There are a lot of bad habits around the Commander table. This episode, we're talking about what they are, why they're bad, and how to fix them. This is a complex format with plenty of room to make mistakes, but many of them are easy to avoid if you start putting in the effort. Find out what you can do to keep games fun and the format healthy! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive aw...
Jan 05, 2023•59 min•Ep. 507
Show Notes: 2022 is done, and it’s time to lay everything out on the table. (Yes, even 30th Anniversary Edition!) It’s been a year of new hosts, new events, new controversies, but most of all, lots and lots and LOTS of products. It might be fair to say that 2022 has had more Magic: the Gathering than any year in the history of the game. This episode, we join together to go over the highs and lows of the year, giving our opinions on how things have gone and our hopes for what the future may bring...
Dec 30, 2022•2 hr 49 min•Ep. 506
Show Notes: Jumpstart is back and better than ever! It’s fun right out of the box, but it’s also loaded with new cards for your decks! So let’s jump right in and talk about the all-new commanders from Jumpstart 2022. We’ll be going over the most interesting and powerful legends from the set, outlining the synergies and strategies that you can use to really get your engine going. Come check it out! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards,...
Dec 19, 2022•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 505
This epispose-- Sorry. This ebidsode-- Ugh, let me try that again. This episode, we’re going to discuss How To Mulligan! Sure the actions you take during a game matter a lot, but if you don’t pay enough attention to your opening hand, you could lose before you even get started! We’ll go over how mulligans work, what you should be looking for in a good hand, and even give you some examples of common traps and mistakes players fall into. Getting better at mulligans is one of the quickest and easie...
Dec 14, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 504
In Magic – like in war – a strong commander can’t win alone. You need the best soldiers, tools, and munitions to get the job done. And The Brothers’ War has everything you need to tune up your arsenal! This episode, we’re diving deep to unearth the best cards for your 99 from Magic’s latest set. Fall in line, soldiers! You won’t want to miss it. -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone ------...
Dec 08, 2022•2 hr 21 min•Ep. 503
Decepticons, attack! The evil faction of Magic’s new Universes Beyond Transformers cards are here to convert your battlefield into a full-on war zone. This episode, we lay out the synergies and combos each of these villainous robots brings to the table. Will one rise up as your next favorite double-faced commander? Come see for yourself! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- ORDER...
Dec 01, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 502
Show Notes: Autobots! Transform and roll out! That’s right, it’s time to review the heroic half of these new Universes Beyond commanders. You’re gonna flip when you see the powerful synergies and strategies around these unique double-sided robots. Which are good, which are bad? Which LOOK bad but are… more than meets the eye? Tune in and find out! -------- ORDER OUR NEW GAME KNIGHTS SLEEVES! Get your hands on the new collection of Game Knights Sleeves! These three amazing and unique designs are ...
Nov 22, 2022•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 501
Show Notes: The Brothers’ War features legends so powerful they can’t be contained on just one card. This episode, we’re breaking down the Meld Commanders from Magic’s newest set to see just what we get for all our hard work. Are the synergies and combos worth the trouble? How powerful are the front faces on their own? Come find out what these fusible cards can do! -------- Relevant Links: The Professor: Twitter:@TolarianCollege Gavin Verhey: Twitter: @GavinVerhey Abbott and Costello Who's on Fi...
Nov 15, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 500
Show Notes: You can’t win a war without a capable Commander. Luckily, The Brothers’ War is giving us plenty of powerful new legends to bring into battle. This episode, we’re digging deep into the multi-colored characters who shaped Magic’s oldest conflict to see what combos and synergies we can unearth. Who from Magic’s past do you want to lead your future deck? Come find out! ---------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://...
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 499
Show Notes: The sibling rivalry that nearly shattered a plane is now taking precon form! On this budget upgrade guide for The Brothers’ War Commander deck “Mishra’s Burnished Banner,” Jamie Block joins us to lay out the 10 cards to graft in (for under $30) and the 10 to remove in order to get this powerful precon into top war form! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- OUR OFFICIA...
Nov 03, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 498
Show Notes: The greatest war Dominaria has ever seen is in full swing! So steel yourselves for battle, with our Brothers' War “Urza’s Iron Alliance” budget precon upgrade guide! Jordan Pridgen joins us to recruit 10 cards to add (for under $30) and 10 to eliminate to soup up the deck and prepare it for anything Mishra and his forces can throw your way! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone...
Nov 01, 2022•53 min•Ep. 497
MARVEL SNAP - Global launch was on October 18th so you can download the game right now using our link https://www.inflcr.co/SHEys #sponsored #MarvelSnap ---------- Show Notes: Step right up and behold never-before-seen wonders as we enter the Astrotorium of Fun to break down Unfinity’s best Commander-legal cards. Come see which new legends look out of this world, find out our favorites for the 99, and learn the ins and outs of the all-new stickers and attractions. ---------- Support the show and...
Oct 27, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 496
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Oct 27, 2022•1 hr 22 min
Show Notes: The 40K Universes Beyond Commander decks have more new cards than any precon product ever before! With four factions and 40,000 years of warfare, there’s a lot to consider – but never fear, we’re going to break down the very best cards from the grim dark future. We’ll let you know which ones you’ll want to pick up, and break down the synergies and combos that will make an indispensable part of your arsenal! ---------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, ...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 495
From beyond our galaxy, the ultimate predators have emerged: the Tyranids! Come join The Hive by watching our “Tyranid Swarm” 40K precon budget upgrade guide. Learn the 10 cards you should implant (for under $30) and the 10 you should exterminate to make this deck capable of devouring everything in its path. ---------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone ---------- Find the “Tyranid Swarm” full d...
Oct 14, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 494
