So I'm looking at making a Commander sealed variant where at least one of your "packs" is a selection of "staples" for your selected commander (or, at least, staples within that commander's color identity).
Excluding some obvious catch-alls (I.E. Sol Ring), what 15 cards do you consider integral to your favorite commander(s)? What cards do you know you would want to start with if you were building the deck from scratch? Edit: Which is to say, what 15 cards jump out as cards that go great with your commander build, not necessarily "just" goodstuff, though the cards are almost certainly going to be good.
Edit 2, Clarification Boogaloo: Since there is at least some minimal confusion, when I say "sealed variant" I also mean the sealed deck format as opposed to a draft. You get one or more seeded pack and an assortment of additional packs guaranteed to be within your commanders color identity. No draft picks to fight for.
Ooh, I like this. But it's quite tricky. Are you looking for cards that are generally good in these colors (the usual suspects) or ones that have a particular synergy with the commander, or integral pieces of a particular deck's strategy?
I am a little confused about your phrase "cards you would want to start with if you were building the deck from scratch". I assume you're not interested in the basic card draw, ramp and removal suite of a deck (which will be fairly similar across different commanders and not tell you much about the deck) - but they're usually what I start with when building a deck. I mean, obviously these cards need to be in a Commander sealed format, but I am sure you can think of them yourself.
So here is a booster with 15 cards that synergize particularly well with Riku of Two Reflections. Please note that this list is not balanced by card function, but a random assortment of 15 cards that increase in value exponentially when Riku is on the board (e.g. by giving free spells or creatures to copy, or turning into a different card, like Venser becoming Capsize):
Riku of Two Reflections - Copy, then copy again | Shattergang Brothers - Token Sac&Recur | Gahiji, Honored One - Multiple attack steps | Karametra, God of Harvests - Landfall, Creaturefall, Shroud | Ruhan of the Fomori - Stop hitting yourself | Zurgo Helmsmasher - Equipment&Wraths | Crosis, the Purger - Dragon Tribal Reanimator | Derevi, Empyrial Tactician - No stax, just tap and untap fun | Anafenza, the Foremost - Enduring Ideal Enchantress | Sharuum, the Hegemon - Sphinx Tribal Control | Noyan Dar - Spellslinger | The Mimeoplasm - Counterpalooza
Lists can be found here.
Still convinced the guy on Beseech the Queen is wearing a Mitra-type hat. Wake up sheeple!
Ooh, I like this. But it's quite tricky. Are you looking for cards that are generally good in these colors (the usual suspects) or ones that have a particular synergy with the commander, or integral pieces of a particular deck's strategy?
I am a little confused about your phrase "cards you would want to start with if you were building the deck from scratch". I assume you're not interested in the basic card draw, ramp and removal suite of a deck (which will be fairly similar across different commanders and not tell you much about the deck) - but they're usually what I start with when building a deck. I mean, obviously these cards need to be in a Commander sealed format, but I am sure you can think of them yourself.
Added an edit to the OP for clarification, you got there on your own though! Definitely want to see what you would always want to run with whatever version of your commander(s) you have going, excluding the obvious ramp and generic goodstuff, as that kind of content would be included in the non-seeded packs.
Personally would not do it that way. f you want to draft commander decks, build your nrmal cube, and then when people finish drafting pull out a box fo commanders that can work in those colors. So say someone has been draftung green black and red, you can give them a jund commander.
I just don;t think drafting commander is a great way to play.
What makes this thing difficult is that in draft, if you can't get good cards because the person in front of you is in the same color, you can switch colors. But if you choose your commander beforehand, you cannot.
Since this is a "new" format anyway, you could just make sure you have lots of legendary creatures in your cube, then everyone builds a deck with the card they have and select a commander from among the cards they drafted but you do away with the color identity deckbuilding rules. That could give your new format something unique in that it allows you to play cards of a color with a certain commander but it is balanced because of the fact that you have to draft it (And if there turns out to be seomthign broken, you can just remove it from your cube).
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If my post has no tags, then i posted from my phone.
Personally would not do it that way. f you want to draft commander decks, build your nrmal cube, and then when people finish drafting pull out a box fo commanders that can work in those colors. So say someone has been draftung green black and red, you can give them a jund commander.
I just don;t think drafting commander is a great way to play.
What makes this thing difficult is that in draft, if you can't get good cards because the person in front of you is in the same color, you can switch colors. But if you choose your commander beforehand, you cannot.
Since this is a "new" format anyway, you could just make sure you have lots of legendary creatures in your cube, then everyone builds a deck with the card they have and select a commander from among the cards they drafted but you do away with the color identity deckbuilding rules. That could give your new format something unique in that it allows you to play cards of a color with a certain commander but it is balanced because of the fact that you have to draft it (And if there turns out to be seomthign broken, you can just remove it from your cube).
Added an additional clarification. You're both absolutely correct, a draft format would never work for this kind of play (though, obviously, commander cubes work fine, this is a separate thing entirely) however the idea here is for a repeatable sealed deck experience, letting people build from a more randomized pool alongide the guaranteed cards from these seeded "boosters."
Do you have a list of draft archetypes in your cube? Would make it easier to suggest generals if we knew what kind of limited environment the cube was generally trying to foster.
I would think that to simplify this, you would either a) figure out which 20, 30, or 40 commanders you want to have available before making theoretical seeded booster packs, or b) create a seeded booster for each supported color combination rather than by commander. Doing it by Commander, even if you limit it to just two options per color and you limit yourself to 3-colors, you will need to create 50 packs. Doing it by color with the same restrictions would mean that you only need to make 25 packs.
If you want to stick with the original idea and do it by Commander, then I would take some time to figure out what ones you want to include first. This will also go a long way towards figuring out what else you need to include in the random sealed pool.
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras. Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power. Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza. Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall. Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana. Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die. Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Excluding some obvious catch-alls (I.E. Sol Ring), what 15 cards do you consider integral to your favorite commander(s)? What cards do you know you would want to start with if you were building the deck from scratch? Edit: Which is to say, what 15 cards jump out as cards that go great with your commander build, not necessarily "just" goodstuff, though the cards are almost certainly going to be good.
Edit 2, Clarification Boogaloo: Since there is at least some minimal confusion, when I say "sealed variant" I also mean the sealed deck format as opposed to a draft. You get one or more seeded pack and an assortment of additional packs guaranteed to be within your commanders color identity. No draft picks to fight for.
Never looked at my deck(list)s that way and even more interested in what others will come up with.
So without further ado and without chronological order:
Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
Entomb, Key to the City, Tragic Arrogance, Shizo, Death's Storehouse, Master of Cruelties, Grenzo, Dungeon Warden, Karmic Guide, Stinkweed Imp, Avalanche Riders, Duergar-Hedge Mage, Duplicant, Anger, Filth, Reveillark & Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Prossh, Skyraider of Kher
Phyrexian Tower, Kessig Wolf Run, Chandra's Ignition, Momentous Fall, Burn at the Stake, Vicious Shadows, Riskhar's Expertise, Purphoros, God of the Forge, Smothering Abomination, Impact Tremors, Beastmaster Ascension, Black Market, Goblin Bombardment, Vicious Shadows & Tainted Strike
Edric, Spymaster of Trest
Burgeoning, Druid's Repository, Teferi's Veil, Harvest Season, Beastmaster Ascension, Triumph of the Hordes, Biomass Mutation, Notorious Throng, Equilibrium, Noxious Revival, Reclaim, Reliquary Tower, Skyshroud Ranger, Sakura-Tribe Scout & Nature's Will
Brago, King Eternal
Cloudform, Lightform, Mystic Remora, Vedalken Plotter, Wu Spy, Panharmonicon, Elspeth, Sun's Champion, Venser, the Sojourner, Conjurer's Closet, Gideon's Intervention, Pithing Needle, Ancestral Knowledge, Cathars' Crusade, Solemn Simulacrum & Clever Impersonator
Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist
Nacatl War-Pride, Holdout Settlement, Survivors' Encampment, Chitinous Cloak, Hymn of Rebirth, Glare of Subdual, Righteous Aura, Unquestioned Authority, Angelic Skirmisher, Giant Adephage, Gustcloak Savior, Herald of the Host, Pristine Angel, Steel Hellkite & Swooping Talon
Omnath, Locus of Rage
Boundless Realms, Chandra's Ignition, Shamanic Revelation, Nissa, Vital Force, Elemental Bond, Greater Good, Warstorm Surge, Where Ancients Tread, Zendikar's Roil, Amulet of Vigor, Oracle of Mul Daya, Rampaging Baloths, Tireless Tracker, Evolving Wilds & Terramorphic Expanse
Zada, Hedron Grinder
Crimson Wisps, Expedite, Otherworldly Outburst, Kari Zev's Expertise, Mizzix's Mastery, Reckless Charge, Isochron Scepter, Strionic Resonator, Legion Loyalist, Archetype of Aggression, Urabrask the Hidden, Krenko, Mob Boss, Mercadia's Downfall, Twinflame & Heat Shimmer
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Blade of Selves, Conjurer's Closet, Panharmonicon, Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Sepulchral Primordial, Sidisi, Undead Vizier, Phyrexian Reclamation, Fortuitous Find, Grim Discovery, Ritual of the Machine, Corpse Dance, Supernatural Stamina, Undying Evil, Ravenous Chupacabra & Noxious Gearhulk
Talrand, Sky Summoner
Kindred Discovery, Teferi's Veil, Trail of Evidence, Bident of Thassa, Coastal Piracy, Isochron Scepter, Inundate, Talent of the Telepath, Frantic Search, Rewind, Snap, Turnabout, Gravitational Shift, Soulblade Djinn & Metallurgic Summonings
Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Copperhorn Scout, Elvish Archdruid, Karametra's Acolyte, Priest of Titania, Seedborn Muse, Wirewood Channeler, Wirewood Symbiote, Asceticism, Thousand-Year Elixir, Benefactor's Draught, Squall Line, Vitalize, Wirewood Lodge, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx & Yavimaya Hollow
Odric, Master Tactician
Anointed Procession, Cathars' Crusade, Crackdown, Mobilization, Militia's Pride, Elspeth, Sun's Champion, Launch the Fleet, Martial Coup, Brimaz, King of Oreskos, Captain of the Watch, Evangel of Heliod, Hero of Bladehold, Mirror Entity, Knight-Captain of Eos & Land Tax
Treasonous Ogre, Basalt Monolith, Golem Foundry, Dross Scorpion, Krark-Clan Ironworks, Voltaic Key, Dreamstone Hedron, Unstable Obelisk, Liquimetal Coating, Tower of Fortunes, Pia's Revolution, Comet Storm, Magistrate's Scepter, Myr Battlesphere, Coretapper
Karametra, God of Harvests
Whitemane Lion, Rampaging Baloths, Zendikar Resurgent, Rishkar's Expertise, Avacyn's Pilgrim, Wood Elves, Temur Sabertooth, Collective Blessing, Elvish Mystic, Quest for Renewal, Gaea's Touch, Wall of Blossoms, Emeria Shepherd, Masked Admirers, Wolfbriar Elemental
I am a little confused about your phrase "cards you would want to start with if you were building the deck from scratch". I assume you're not interested in the basic card draw, ramp and removal suite of a deck (which will be fairly similar across different commanders and not tell you much about the deck) - but they're usually what I start with when building a deck. I mean, obviously these cards need to be in a Commander sealed format, but I am sure you can think of them yourself.
So here is a booster with 15 cards that synergize particularly well with Riku of Two Reflections. Please note that this list is not balanced by card function, but a random assortment of 15 cards that increase in value exponentially when Riku is on the board (e.g. by giving free spells or creatures to copy, or turning into a different card, like Venser becoming Capsize):
Riku of Two Reflections
Maelstrom Wanderer, Unexpected Results, Rashmi, Eternities Crafter, Venser, Shaper Savant, Supplant Form, Bribery, Recurring Insight, Deadeye Navigator, Birthing Pod, Moldgraf Monstrosity, Woodfall Primus, Myojin of Life's Web, Heat Shimmer, Volcanic Vision, Strionic Resonator
The deck is built around ETB creatures and clones. I didn't include cards that are plain value like Panharmonicon or great clone targets like Sphinx of Uthuun, Inferno Titan or Diluvion Primordial, nor my win-cons that I use to close out games like Tooth and Nail, Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, Worldspine Wurm, Genesis Wave or Rite of Replication.
Tamanoa - Welcome to the Jungle
Lists can be found here.
Added an edit to the OP for clarification, you got there on your own though! Definitely want to see what you would always want to run with whatever version of your commander(s) you have going, excluding the obvious ramp and generic goodstuff, as that kind of content would be included in the non-seeded packs.
I just don;t think drafting commander is a great way to play.
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
Since this is a "new" format anyway, you could just make sure you have lots of legendary creatures in your cube, then everyone builds a deck with the card they have and select a commander from among the cards they drafted but you do away with the color identity deckbuilding rules. That could give your new format something unique in that it allows you to play cards of a color with a certain commander but it is balanced because of the fact that you have to draft it (And if there turns out to be seomthign broken, you can just remove it from your cube).
If my post has no tags, then i posted from my phone.
Added an additional clarification. You're both absolutely correct, a draft format would never work for this kind of play (though, obviously, commander cubes work fine, this is a separate thing entirely) however the idea here is for a repeatable sealed deck experience, letting people build from a more randomized pool alongide the guaranteed cards from these seeded "boosters."
If you want to stick with the original idea and do it by Commander, then I would take some time to figure out what ones you want to include first. This will also go a long way towards figuring out what else you need to include in the random sealed pool.
Baleful Strix
Master Transmuter
Etherium Sculptor
Foundry Inspector
Scourglass
Magister Sphinx
Nevinyrral's Disk
Muzzio, Visionary Architect
Padeem, Consul of Innovation
Sculpting Steel
Phyrexian Metamorph
Sphinx of the Steel Wind
Sphinx Sovereign
Sen Triplets
Sydri, Galvanic Genius
Interesting idea for sure. This thread is actually a good resource for just finding good cards in these commanders.
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds:
Prime Speaker Zegana:
Edgar Markov:
Jori En, Ruin Diver:
The Scarab God
Johan
Wort, the Raidmother
Young Pyromancer
Dragon Broodmother
Siege-Gang Commander
Hordeling Outburst
Goblin Rally
Vengeful Rebirth
Hull Breach
Goblinslide
Clan Defiance
Sprout Swarm
Earthcraft
Tooth and Claw
Mana Echoes
Parallel Lives
Ashnod’s Altar
Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
Zulaport Cutthroat
Bontu, the Glorified
Smothering Abomination
Pitiless Plunderer
Braids, Cabal Minion
Crypt Ghast
Eliminate the Competition
Death Cloud
Vampiric Rites
Oversold Cemetery
Grave Pact
Black Market
Spawning Pit
Phyrexian Altar
Helm of Possession
Bosh, Iron Golem
Goblin Welder
Daretti, Scrap Savant
Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient
Scrap Mastery
All is Dust
Metalworker
Scrap Trawler
Treasure Keeper
Trading Post
Spine of Ish Sah
Mirrorworks
Paradox Engine
Worn Powerstone
Thran Dynamo
Gilded Lotus
Brago, King Eternal
Deadeye Navigator
Venser, the Sojourner
Panharmonicon
Mistmeadow Witch
Reality Acid
Mulldrifter
Reflector Mage
Stonehorn Dignitary
Archaeomancer
Cloudblazer
Riverwise Augur
Sunblast Angel
Rishadan Cutpurse
Rishadan Footpad
Rishad Brigand