In my years playing this format, I've encountered many viewpoints about its purpose. Oftentimes, these are assumptions and opinions presented as fact. I'm interested in finding out what forces are strongest in shaping folks' opinions about the format. Having already come across many of these opinions, I'm more curious to find out who or what is influencing them.
Please note that this is NOT a question about what is or isn't "fun".
Also, there is very little diversity in folks' opinions about the Commander format in my experience. While there might be some opinions regarding the format that I have yet to encounter, I think it likely that these are outliers and as such are of small interest to me.
What is fun and not fun (which I think the question is really asking) is completely dependent on the people you're playing with.
Thank you for participating in the poll. I've edited it to clarify that I'm specifically NOT asking about what is or isn't "fun". I'm not concerned with what folks think the purpose of the format is, but what influences their opinion of the purpose the most.
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There are no divisions: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
The purpose of something is the reason for which it was created. So it can only be the creators of the format.
However the purpose doesn't matter. It is a mistake to put any sort of extra significance on it.
Magic will always be different to every person. The purpose of formats are usually completely irrelevant to the games you play. If you change the way you play just because you discover the purpose was different from what you thought then I guess it matters to you a little.
Normally, whatever the reason it is what it is,
It is what it is. Make the most of it. Whatever that means for you.
I chose myself; not from the view of 'this is how I want to play so this is how the rest of my group must play', but rather 'this is how I want to play so it's up to me to find others who have the same ideas about the format'. There are three aspects of the format that really appeal to me - the broken cards, the wide array of strategies viable, and the constraints and challenges placed on a deck by the color identity and highlander construction rules, and they're the things that I really focus on when building decks.
I know that there are plenty of other aspects to the format and there are a lot of people who dislike those three aspects in various ways, but those are the parts that I really enjoy and rather than force myself to play how others want to I'd much rather take the time to find other people who enjoy the same aspects of the format that I do.
This, especially the bold part.
The only thing I would add is that this format allows for the use of cards that would otherwise rot in a binder, so part of the purpose for me is finding use for those cards as well.
There is only one correct answer. Everything is chaff.... the answer is myself.
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**** this site. I'd delete this account but that doesn't seem to be an option. The mods here are ******* useless ********s who ban people for simple ass normal words. **** them and **** this site.
I'm really curious as to why people voted for the Rules Committee. Even if you agree with their vision for the format, which is a totally legitimate place to be, it is you deciding that you agree. I seriously doubt that anybody would agree the purpose of EDH was frustrate, annoy, and lose your friends, even if the RC said it was.
I really think the only possible answer here is yourself, since it is only by you agreeing with the vision that the RC has for the format that you adopt it.
The question is difficult to read: the "purpose of the format" is a term that implies (to me at least) that there is an objectively correct answer. The "for you" part at the end totally changes the question.
We all have our reasons to play Commander and those reasons are obviously personal. They could be influenced by others but that is much harder to define.
The question is difficult to read: the "purpose of the format" is a term that implies (to me at least) that there is an objectively correct answer. The "for you" part at the end totally changes the question.
What confuses me is that the OP goes on to say that it's not asking what the purpose is to us but what influenced that opinion.
I'm having difficulty figuring out why it matters whether anyone helped us decide our opinion if it doesnt matter what that opinion is.
I voted for the RC, my playgroup and myself. I allow the RC to define the purpose of the format in so much as when I am playing with new players or at my LGS I expect people to honour the official banlist. The banlist exists to allow the purpose of the format to be more easily understood when in new meta games, however the RC also acknowledges that the purpose of the format is to be social, and that is where my own feelings and the feelings of my playgroup are most influential. This is probably a rambling mess, I'm way too tired and taking a break from an assignment due tomorrow...
I agree with Blackvise, in that it's my job to find like minded people to play with, but as a member of my playgroup, I'm also somewhat responsible for how I interact with them, so long as I don't have to change my viewpoint on the format and it doesn't clash with the groups.
The question is difficult to read: the "purpose of the format" is a term that implies (to me at least) that there is an objectively correct answer. The "for you" part at the end totally changes the question.
We all have our reasons to play Commander and those reasons are obviously personal. They could be influenced by others but that is much harder to define.
The question is difficult to read: the "purpose of the format" is a term that implies (to me at least) that there is an objectively correct answer. The "for you" part at the end totally changes the question.
What confuses me is that the OP goes on to say that it's not asking what the purpose is to us but what influenced that opinion.
I'm having difficulty figuring out why it matters whether anyone helped us decide our opinion if it doesnt matter what that opinion is.
Thank you both for participating in the poll. I've edited it to elaborate on my reasons for posting this thread.
There is very little diversity in folks' opinions about the Commander format in my experience. While there might be some opinions regarding the format that I have yet to encounter, I think it likely that these are outliers and as such are of small interest to me. As I wrote in the original post, many of folks' opinions about the Commander format are stated as facts. Having already come across many of these opinions, I'm more curious to find out who or what is influencing them.
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There are no divisions: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
The RC for the most part plays the banlist fast and loose so for the most part what is considered acceptable and not is left to playgroups and individuals. I think personal take as well as a meta's takes on LD and combo is one of the biggest examples of this. I put a lot of money into my decks so I could tune them for as cutthroat as possible but I wouldn't have fun with that so I myself as well as my own meta's take on that is our preference not to do that.
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I have officially moved to MTGNexus. I just wanted to let people know as my response time to salvation decks being bumped is very hit or miss.
Please note that this is NOT a question about what is or isn't "fun".
Also, there is very little diversity in folks' opinions about the Commander format in my experience. While there might be some opinions regarding the format that I have yet to encounter, I think it likely that these are outliers and as such are of small interest to me.
What is fun and not fun (which I think the question is really asking) is completely dependent on the people you're playing with.
Thread | Draft
However the purpose doesn't matter. It is a mistake to put any sort of extra significance on it.
Magic will always be different to every person. The purpose of formats are usually completely irrelevant to the games you play. If you change the way you play just because you discover the purpose was different from what you thought then I guess it matters to you a little.
Normally, whatever the reason it is what it is,
It is what it is. Make the most of it. Whatever that means for you.
This, especially the bold part.
The only thing I would add is that this format allows for the use of cards that would otherwise rot in a binder, so part of the purpose for me is finding use for those cards as well.
I really think the only possible answer here is yourself, since it is only by you agreeing with the vision that the RC has for the format that you adopt it.
We all have our reasons to play Commander and those reasons are obviously personal. They could be influenced by others but that is much harder to define.
What confuses me is that the OP goes on to say that it's not asking what the purpose is to us but what influenced that opinion.
I'm having difficulty figuring out why it matters whether anyone helped us decide our opinion if it doesnt matter what that opinion is.
I agree with Blackvise, in that it's my job to find like minded people to play with, but as a member of my playgroup, I'm also somewhat responsible for how I interact with them, so long as I don't have to change my viewpoint on the format and it doesn't clash with the groups.
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Thank you both for participating in the poll. I've edited it to elaborate on my reasons for posting this thread.
There is very little diversity in folks' opinions about the Commander format in my experience. While there might be some opinions regarding the format that I have yet to encounter, I think it likely that these are outliers and as such are of small interest to me. As I wrote in the original post, many of folks' opinions about the Commander format are stated as facts. Having already come across many of these opinions, I'm more curious to find out who or what is influencing them.
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