Commander Power Brackets And "Game Changers" Explained

When the Commander Rules Committee stepped down and WOTC took control of the commander format, one of the first things they announced was a new "power bracket" system for ranking the power level of EDH decks coming in the future. Well, that future is upon us, and we have our look at the bracket system and a list of "game changers" cards that go with it.

Today, I'll be breaking down how the bracket system works and what each bracket looks like. I will explain what game changers are and which card in each color is a "game changer." So, without further ado, let's get into everything you need to know about the new EDH power level ranking system.

Commander Power Brackets Explained

Until now, the power level of commander decks was ranked on a scale from 1 to 10. However, there were few hard and fast rules on what metrics landed a deck where. This new system has five brackets and some extra guidance to help players identify and communicate how powerful their deck is compared to others. Here is a look at each bracket and a description:

These should seem pretty straightforward for most seasoned commander players. However, "game changers" and how many a deck can have is a new term! So, let's cover that.

What Are Game Changer Cards In Commander?

The "game changers" list includes heavy-hitting, powerful cards that elevate the power of a deck all by themselves. The goal here is to give players a curated list of cards that tend to skew games heavily or change the game experience from casual to more competitive so that we have an easier time with even matchmaking.

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WOTC also hopes to use this list as a bridge between the EDH ban list and the format. In other words, it's now possible for them to unban cards that are only problematic for casual play and place them on the game changers list. With these being deemed the most powerful cards in the format, it's also sort of a "watch list" of things that could potentially be banned at some point.

That sounds scary, but they added this:

"Now, to be clear: most of these cards are unlikely to be banned. You shouldn't go trading away your Gaea's Cradles in concern. However, it is a clear signal for players to know that these cards indicate a different kind of play and that others might prefer not to play against them."

They further add that while the cards on the list aren't likely to be banned, it "also really helps ensure that you know what cards we have our eyes on so cards won't feel like they're banned out of nowhere in the future." You can read their full article here - Introducing Commander Brackets Beta

Here is a look at the game changers list as it stands:

To recap, decks playing any of these cards would not be considered bracket one (exhibition) or bracket two (core or "precon level"). In bracket three (upgraded), you can play up to three game changers. And finally, brackets four (optimized) and five (CEDH) can use any number.

Conclusion

There you have it, my friends - Everything there is to know about the new commander matchmaking brackets. While I was originally skeptical of a somewhat rigid system like this, I think it's a decent start. Using the game changers list as an in-between area to play around with the ban list is interesting and makes me wonder if things like Mana Crypt and Jeweled Lotus may be slid onto the game changers list and unbanned.

Now I want to hear from you - What do you think of the brackets? Do you think keeping up with a list of cards beyond the ban list will be inconvenient and confusing? Comment below and let me know what you think. Until next time, take care and get out there and play some MTG.