The Gathering's Opinion: Commander Brackets and its impact

The Magic: The Gathering community received a significant announcement with the reveal of Commander Brackets, a new system designed to better balance matches in the game's most popular format. The new feature was presented last Tuesday (11), on the DailyMTG program, by Wizards of the Coast, and it's been already a hot topic among players.

Brought upon by the Commander Format Panel (CFP) and led by Gavin Verhey, the system establishes a method for defining power levels in Commander decks. The goal is to create a communication standard between players, facilitating more balanced matches without compromising the format's flexibility.

Why create Brackets?

It’s common for players to join Commander tables and notice significant differences in deckbuilding, which can negatively impact the game experience. Commander Brackets are designed to help prevent this problem by aligning expectations and ensuring fairer matches.

Wizards emphasizes that the system is non-mandatory, but it can be a useful tool for those seeking more balanced experiences. It also refines the traditional “1-10 power level” scale, making communication between players clearer and more efficient. As it is still in Beta, the company encourages the community to test and provide feedback for future improvements.

The 5 Commander Brackets

The system organizes decks into five main categories:

- Bracket 1: Exhibition: This level is for creative and experimental decks, not necessarily focused on winning, and no cards from the Game Changers list.

- Bracket 2: Core: Equal to the level of pre-constructed decks, allowing strategic matches, but without oppressive gameplay.

- Bracket 3: Upgraded: Slightly improved decks, allowing up to three cards from the Game Changers list.

- Bracket 4: Optimized: Advanced level, where aggressive combos and powerful strategies run rampant.

- Bracket 5: cEDH: Competitive environment, where each move is planned with precision to maximize chances of victory.

This structure helps players organize themselves more efficiently, reducing frustration and improving the game experience.

The Game Changers of the Commander Format

Along with the new system, Wizards introduced the Game Changers list, made up of 40 cards that can drastically influence games. To maintain balance, these cards are restricted in the more casual brackets, but allowed at the higher levels.

What should we expect in the future?

The system will be tested at events like MagicCon: Chicago, allowing players to try out the brackets and provide feedback. Wizards will monitor feedback for adjustments and may even reconsider banned cards, moving some to the Game Changers category instead.

What do players think of this change? We spoke to a variety of people to get their perspectives and thoughts. Will Commander Brackets actually make matches more balanced?

Eduardo Silveira

A great enabler for Rule Zero, the bracket model has revolutionized pre-game conversations in Commander. By allowing groups to customize rules to suit their playstyle and preferences, it replaces the old level system, which was subjective and often detracted from the gameplay experience, in a much more practical way.

Brackets are, in essence, a good-manners guide to promote a more inclusive and fun gaming environment. They are not a set of rigid and inflexible rules, but rather a support for everyone to feel comfortable and enjoy each game to the fullest. In essence, brackets encourage conversation and negotiation, while preserving the essence of Rule Zero: a fair and fun game for everyone.

I love the idea of ​​the Game Changers list! It's a super clever way to have a "watch list" and use it to test out the ban list. I'm really excited about the future releases. You know those cards that are problematic at one level of play, but easy at another? With this list, we can allow those cards without compromising anyone's experience.

Antonio Faillace - MtG Judge

The system proposed by the CFP is very interesting, specially in some points that go beyond the system itself.

First of all, it is important to remember that the brackets are not set in stone, but rather a starting point under which the Panel relies on feedback from the community to further developments. There are undoubtedly imperfections in how they were divided - but it would be astonishing if an idea of ​​this magnitude came completely finished and polished, with no room for improvement.

One of the problems that can be raised with the "brackets" is that it is based on dividing the community, instead of uniting it. The idea of ​​making games more balanced through a measure of the competitiveness is not a new one, but coming from those officially responsible for maintaining the format is an indication that, perhaps, Commander has become too big and therefore it is no longer possible to serve the interests as if it were one cohesive group. Therefore, the creation of subgroups - apparently separated by how efficient their deck is in winning a game - will allow a better communication of goals and expectations when playing Magic.

The biggest positive aspect of the CFP bracket system, in my opinion, is the encouragement of communication and debate within the community about the differences in power levels between decks - and doing so in a way that respects both casual and competitive players. Identifying certain play patterns, such as mana denial, extra turns, infinite combos, and getting people to express themselves about what they want or don't want to see at their game table is something very important brought up by the Panel.

I can't help but criticize the chosen way of visualizing this separation of tiers - a numerical progression, with 1 being the most casual level, in which the decks are considered "weaker" than a preconstructed deck, and 5 being the highest level, with the strongest and most efficient decks. Choosing a numerical symbology implies that there are better/worse decks, when in fact what there are just different expectations of what would be fun in a game of Magic. I really think there are better ways of visually demonstrating the separation - by colors, by character names, etc.

The famous separation of psychographics/types of players often mentioned by Mark Rosewater comes to mind - the well-known Timmy/Johnny/Spike -, and there is no hierarchy between them, only the understanding that there are different goals when playing Magic. I would have liked to see the CFP do something along these lines, instead of relegating casual/fun decks to level 1 - the lowest - and the powerful cEDH decks to level 5 - the highest.

Humberto Romeu - Journalist

The Brackets system is well structured and exceeded my expectations. It is simple to explain and easy to understand for any attentive player. There are some debates that will certainly occur over time. For example:

- The term "mana denial" seems to be understood as interaction with lands like Ruination, Blood Moon and Winter Orb, but what about taxing cards like Thorn of Amethyst or Sphere of Resistance? Are they considered Mana denial by more casual audiences? Would a Thalia, Guardian of Thraben as a commander be unpleasant for lower Brackets?

- I was very surprised that all the cards with Eminence weren't considered Game Changers given how much they twist the dynamics of a game. I can safely say that no one in Bracket 1 or 2 is going to enjoy seeing Edgar Markov on the board because he dictates the pace of a Commander game around him from turn zero.

- On the other hand, it bothers me that commanders are on the Game Changers list because it creates an assumption that they are not welcome at more casual tables, even with the necessary adjustments.

It is worth mentioning that Brackets are not mandatory and Rule 0 still reigns supreme, so each group has its own social contract to define what is allowed and what is not. It is an excellent proposal, it meets what Commander needs (organizing the communication of power levels without inserting too many rules), but given the repercussion of the debate around the format last year, it is likely that the panel will need to work on some nuances to improve it in the next six months.

Mateus Nogueira - CEDH Brasil and Conquest Brasil

Since the formation of the Commander Format Panel and the announcement of the intention to create a bracket system, many questions have been raised among the different Commander communities. How would this system work? Would it be like different banlists within the same format? Wouldn't this divide the audience even further? Is Wizards going to destroy Commander? We finally have answers to some of these questions.

First of all, the system is not a system of bans by categories. Well... not exactly that. A list of cards called Game Changers was created, defined by their ability to significantly impact a game. Depending on the intentions and the expected power level, the cards on this list function as a suggestion as to whether to use them or not, maintaining the status and relevance of the famous Commander Rule 0 - Whatever everyone at the table agrees is fair game.

However, the reality is that we won't always play with people we know or are close to, and a way to guide and align expectations is necessary in places like the local store or a big event. Therefore, the Brackets system comes to aid those situations, with 5 different categories, from 1 to 5: Exhibition, Core, Upgraded, Optimized, cEDH.

In Exhibition and Core, the use of Game Changers is not recommended, in addition to mana denial cards and extra turns (not at all in the first case and/or non-repeating in the second), no infinite 2-card combos, and also expect few tutors to be used. The main difference between them is in their intention, where Exhibition clearly tends to have themed, fun-based lists (for example: people sitting down, girls looking to the left, only cards from a certain artist, cards you owned back on 5th grade, etc.). In Upgraded, there is the possibility of using 3 Game Changers and infinite 2-card combos in later stages of the game. Finally, in Optimized and cEDH, there is no restrictions from Game Changers or anything other than the banned list, and what differentiates both is basically approach and game mentality, where in cEDH the focus is on the best deckbuilding and game play choices in regards to win a match or tournament.

Having made the considerations about how the system works, I can now share my thoughts. Clearly, brackets are an improvement over the 1 to 10 Power Level system in alignment of expectations. It was an extremely arbitrary way of measuring a deck's potential, leaving too much room for subjectivity and endless discussions about how to classify a deck using the system. This doesn't mean Brackets have no subjectivity involved, since the purpose of a deck cannot be measured using a calculator. For example, there is a very high chance that at the LGS' Bracket 1 event, a try-hard player will bring an extremely optimized deck, without any Game Changers, mana denial or extra turns, and run over the other players while claiming that their deck is in accordance with the Bracket, which brings a huge headache for both the local community and the event organizer. I can easily think of several optimized decks that suit this scenario and, therefore, it will still require a great deal of maturity from players to understand that the overall game experience is a fundamental part of the lower Brackets.

Despite the subjectivity problem, I see some points that can be very positive for both casual and competitive players. When creating the Game Changers list, in practice these cards are being soft-banned in the Exhibition and Core Brackets, and restricted in Upgraded. In this way, although not officially, the Commander Format Panel ends up creating a banlist aimed at casual games, having more freedom to adjust gameplay without suffering heavy retaliation for banning a card (Hello, Mana Crypt).

For the Optimized and cEDH Brackets, this can also be very positive, as it can bring greater flexibility to the ban list. Every cEDH player cringes when they see terrible cards like Coalition Victory and Sway of the Stars banned, knowing that they would make absolutely no difference at a competitive level. Even Optimized players dream of the possibility to see cards like Paradox Engine, Primeval Titan, Sylvan Primordial, Iona, Shield of Emeria or Emrakul, the Aeons Torn in action. Cards that could certainly be very damaging at more casual tables, but that could expand the game experience at more powerful tables. What if cards like these, instead of unbanned, were listed as Game Changers? It certainly wouldn't ruin the casual experience and it would amplify the possibilities for deckbuilding and gameplay.

I believe that the Commander Format Panel will be bolder than the Commander Rules Committee ever was, and they started off on a high note. There are likely to be unbans in April, and by creating this softban system for casual, it opens up possibilities for innovation and enrichment of Commander. Let's wait and see.

Wendel Lemos - MtG Judge

Let's all agree that the creation of brackets is nothing more than an attempt to formalize good communication rules within Commander tables. And don't get me wrong, I genuinely think this idea is very good. It needs refinement, yes, but it's a good start.

The announcement of the announcement wasn't the best. I remember that I discussed it a lot in my gaming group, which is totally cEDH-oriented. However, the brackets were a nice surprise and, at least for me, a good one. Although I think the distinction between 4/5 is somewhat foggy, the idea behind ​​the first three is very interesting. In some Brazilian LGS' we already have deck limitations, whether from the most objective one - PRECON (where the deck must be exactly as it came out of the box) - to some variations that I, personally, don't like due to their volatility - yes, I'm talking about CMD 250/300/500/etc.

Despite the popularity of these variations of the format in several communities, I like the idea of ​​an "OK stamp" from Wizards to determine where each deck fits and, in a more concrete way, allow players to know where their decks fit. As I said before, this idea needs a LOT of refinement. After all, there is no shortage of people in Magic who want to break the game and, yes, there are already people who want to break the bracket system. In any case, we seem to have a very promising start.

João Pedro Vieira Barros

The new Bracket System for Commander is an attempt to better organize games, offering a clearer way for players to find balanced tables. The idea is to replace the old "1 to 10" scale with a more objective tier system, dividing decks into five categories that indicate the power level and what kind of interactions to expect. On paper, it is a promising solution, but in practice, the impact may be very limited.

The truth is that for many Commander tables, this change will not make any difference. Closed playgroups already have an understanding of what works and will hardly need these divisions. What really determines the flow of games continues to be the conversation between players before they play. Rule Zero has always been the main mechanism for balancing tables, and that is not likely to change.

On the other hand, in larger events or even in stores where different people meet to play, the Bracket System can help avoid those matches where an optimized deck crushes three casual decks. If it works well, it could create fairer and more enjoyable games, at least in theory.

One of the system's weaknesses is that it doesn't prevent dishonest players from "manipulating" the tiers to gain an advantage. If there were people who said their deck was a "7" and ended up playing with a competitive deck in the previous system, now they will just say they are in Bracket 3, when, in fact, they should be in 4 or 5 (I already experienced this in less than a week with the new system). At the end of the day, the human factor is still the biggest variable when it comes to finding balanced games, and rule zero is still the most important one.

The Bracket System is, first and foremost, a beta. The development team itself knows that adjustments will be necessary. The division of tiers, the list of "Game Changers" and the limits of each bracket are still subject to change as more players test it out. This means it's worth giving it a try to see how it works in practice, especially in open environments.

However, it is unlikely to completely replace the pre-game chat. For many, it will be just another detail that can be ignored. Ultimately, the success of the system will depend on the community embracing the idea and applying it honestly.

Will that happen? Hard to say. But for now, I'll test it out and see what happens.

What do you think of the Brackets? Let us know in the comments!