Commander Theory

About a third of all colorless commanders have been printed in the last 2 years. The family is small, but they sure are mighty! And with more confirmed on the way combined with a fairly large swath of exciting designs to choose from, Nick and Zak thought it would be a good time to talk about the best things you can do in a colorless commander deck! What payoffs exist that you should be focusing on? What staples exist in these colors, and what traps should you avoid? It's all here! So let us know your favorite colorless commander and enjoy!Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon! Now with ad-free episodes!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affiliate link. It costs you nothing and earns money for the show!The opening theme is Lincoln Continental by Entrophy (now Nic Cage on Soundcloud)

LAST CALL! Boy, I sure am glad everything is one! But it's time to move on, and we had fun! Right? In this episode, Nick and Zak spend time looking over the cards that were most popular in BRO and make some guesses as to what cards people will like best from ONE. There are the card-by-card discussions, debate, and a final top 10 list that surprises even the cohosts! So let us know what cards you think will be popular as well! Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon! Now with ad-free episodes!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affiliate link. It costs you nothing and earns money for the show!The opening theme is Lincoln Continental by Entrophy (now Nic Cage on Soundcloud)

ALL WILL BE ONE... top ten list! Normally we'd do the legends, and then the main-deck cards, but we had gotten some feedback and wanted to try something different this time. Here are Nick and Zak's 10 favorite cards from ONE! Both cohosts drop their top 10 cards, as well as why and what they think about the format at large, so you better listen and then tell us what you think too! If you like this episode format let us know and we'll keep doing it! If you miss the older, more in-depth dive please let us know as well.  And to note, one of the perks of being a patron is that you get access to our show notes, and can see that we reviewed most of the cards in the set there! So if we didn't cover something you were thinking about, feel free to check there and let us know if you agree! It's probably in there with some words about it. Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon! Now with ad-free episodes!If you're pla

ALL WILL BE ONE. Unless you're this review of ONE which is broken up into multiple parts. In this episode, Nick and Zak look at the commanders in the main set/theme boosters and see what each legend is doing. Are there any new archetypes? What's the deal with the allied color-paired commanders? DOMINI?!?! It's all here! So let us know what your favorite commander is and we'll see you in our maindeck cards episode (which will be a little different than normal!) Decklists: Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines Unctus, Grand Metatecht Drivnod, Carnage Dominus Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres Graaz, Unstoppable Juggernaut  Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon! Now with ad-free episodes!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affiliate link. It costs you nothing and earns money for the show!The opening theme is Lincoln Continental by Entrophy (now Nic Cage on Soundcloud)

Welcome to preview season! Is that some oil dripping from your eyes, or are you just happy to see us? All Will Be One is here and with it, two whole commander decks! As is tradition Nick and Zak get into the nitty gritty of all the new cards, the decks as a whole, and their favorite (and least favorite!) things about the decks. Let us know what you liked the most (or least!) and enjoy! Decklists: Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa Neyali, Suns' Vanguard Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon! Now with ad-free episodes!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affiliate link. It costs you nothing and earns money for the show!The opening theme is Lincoln Continental by Entrophy (now Nic Cage on Soundcloud)

Nick and Zak are off this week, but here's an episode from about a year ago they "Many content creators on the internet have posted episodes of shows and podcasts where they discuss a baseline way to build decks. They're usually heuristics like, "You need 10 ramp spells" or "you need 3 board clears" that are easy to follow and remember. But what do the Commander Theory hosts use...? In this episode, Nick and Zak lay out their process for deckbuilding in as simple a way as possible (which sounds worse than it is!) We get into the weeds about why decisions are made, how to use a hypergeometric calculator, and just why to do this at all in the first place! So listen in and let us know what you think about deck-building and your favorite deck compositions! Is there a list you made you were super proud worked out? Tell us all about it! Here's a link to a super easy-to-use Hypergeometric Calculator"Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like t

Since the story is out, and so are we, why not try this fun module Nick put a lot of effort into? "You read that right: this week on Commander Theory Nick and Zak discuss a project Nick has been working on for a while.  Phyrexian Rebirth is a fan-made module to be run using the 5th edition DnD rules that allows players to explore the world of New Phyrexia just after the event of the Mirrodin storyline.  The GM and players will be able to use the rules to create phyrexians of every type, or just a sad elf that got stuck on this plane that's so inhospitable to natural life. Nick did a great job with this 100% fan made module that we think you'll love. We in no way own the rights to any of the material inside, so please, download for free, have fun, and...Welcome to New Phyrexia! We can't wait to show you the potential that lies just beneath your skin...Link to the Download (for now)Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patre

Recently Sam Black Tweeted about lands in commander which started a whole fire of people online getting upset and discussing something that's just probably true: you probably run too few lands in your commander decks. Most people will say that they supplement the lack of lands with ramp, as 2 mana rocks and others are all fairly ubiquitous within the format at this point. Sam Argues there's a point at which the mana rocks are a scam, and that you're probably better off just hitting your land drops and not playing some do-nothings that might lack synergies with your deck or are easily destroyed. So on this episode, Nick and Zak discuss some of their own decks and look at land counts, ramp, and what types of decks should be running ramp. Which decks are probably better off slimming down on rocks for more action and lands? It's an interesting topic, a little heady, but we assume that's what you're all into if you're listening! So let us know what you think, and what categories

Magic is hard! Sometimes there are corner cases in the rules that people never learn or interactions that don’t quite work the way people expect them to. Are there any cards that people are just playing wrong? Today friend of the show and CAG member Charlotte Sable joins Nick and Zak (who's just kinda hanging out) to talk about some card interactions that are not very intuitive! And worse yet, tons of people are including them in their decklists on EDHREC! We learned a lot, had a lot of fun, and hope you all do too! This is the last show of the year! We'll probably take a break after the next set drops, but for now, thank you for staying with us through this crazy year and a million new cards! We couldn't do this without you all, and we're so thankful for the community that's grown because of so many creative and wonderful people who listen in! Thanks, and happy new years! Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon

What a wild time it was for Magic back in 1998! Cards were crazy powerful, interaction was basically non-existent, and there were bannings galore in the only real format at the time. People were leaving in droves! And yet, most people look back fondly to Urza's Saga and laugh about it, the cards, the power level! In this episode, Nick and Zak look back at one of the most influential sets of all time: Urza's Saga. What was happening at the time? What cards and mechanics made a splash? And what were the two host's favorite cards? Listen in and find out! And be sure to tell us YOUR favorite card from Urza's Saga too! Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon! Now with ad-free episodes!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affiliate link. It costs you nothing and earns money for the show!The opening theme is Lincoln Continental by Entrophy (now Nic Cage on Soundcloud)

How well did Nick and Zak do on their Dominaria United predictions? What made the top ten? And what's on the co-hosts lists for most played in BRO? But honestly, what were YOUR favorite cards from BRO? Let us know! The BRO content ends with some discussions of individual cards. Later this week will be a Season's Past, and then even more NON-SPOILER CONTENT. Thank you all for listening through these insanely busy times. Only with your support can we do any of this, so enjoy, and thank you for coming along on this ride with us! Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon! Now with ad-free episodes!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affiliate link. It costs you nothing and earns money for the show!The opening theme is Lincoln Continental by Entrophy (now Nic Cage on Soundcloud)

AND NOW we return to the Brother's War! This time closing out the set with Maindeck cards. What caught Nick and Zak's interest and what looked like cool cards for specific decks? Listen in and find out! There will be one more BRO episode, looking at predictions and the overall set, and then WE'RE FREE BABY HELL YEAH. We have some cool episodes planned, notably something with Charlotte Sable (it's been too long!) So be ready for some fun stuff in the pipeline! And, as always, let us know you're thoughts on BRO or anything that's come out recently. We can only do our job well because of all of you, and we always love seeing your takes on the format, sets, good cards, etc. Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon! Now with ad-free episodes!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affiliate link. It costs you nothing and earns money for the show!The opening theme

Hi! Hello! Took a little unintended break, but we're back! And no, we didn't forget about BRO. Brother's War maindeck cards will be releasing next week! This episode was short, sweet, and more timely so Nick and Zak just kinda... did it. So... yeah! Jumpstart! This set followed the lead of the original jumpstart, introducing new commanders and supporting archtypes that haven't gotten support in the past, but was it worth it? Does this stand up to the original Jumpstart? Or does this one fall flat with the set-specific jump starts? Listen in and find out! Also there's a Monkey commander! Hell yeah! Decklists:Lita, Mechanical Engineer Preston, The Vanisher Kibo, Uktabi Prince Zask, Skittering Swarmlord Kenessos, Priest of Thassa Mizzix, Replica Rider Argus Kos, Eternal Soldier Isu the Abominable Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon! Now with ad-free episodes!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, y

Time for the Legends of Brother's War! In this episode, Nick and Zak go over the many legendary creatures you can pick up in Brother's War packs. Which version of Urza is the strongest? Did Mono-White get shafted again? Was Wizard's listening to our last podcast?!? (probably not) It's all here! So listen in and tell us which is your favorite legendary creature too! Decklists:Myrel Gix Gwena, Eyes of Gaea Urza, Prince of Kroog Mishra, Tamer of Mak Fawa Tawnos the Toy Maker The ArchimandriteLiberator We will be back with two more BRO episodes, Maindeck cards and Predictions. We will also be at the Magic Summit in Salt Lake City this weekend! If you see us feel free to say hi and play some games! You can reach us on Twitter or Tumblr, and our YouTube has videos for even more Commander content! You can even email us at commandertheory@gmail.comIf you like our podcast, please support us on Patreon! Now with add-free episodes!If you want to hear more of Zak's band, The Havnauts, you can do

WELL WELL WELL, if it isn't the perpetual hype machine coming to roost.  In this episode Nick and Zak review the new cards from the two Brother's War commander decklists. What's really hitting the mark this time? Are there common design themes the deck creators were leaning on? What do I do with these counters?!?! (The answer is Skullbriar) It's all here! So listen in and be sure to tell us what you liked best about these decks. Decklists:Ashnod The Uncaring You can reach us on Twitter or Tumblr, and our YouTube has videos for even more Commander content! You can even email us at commandertheory@gmail.comIf you like our podcast, please support us on Patreon! Now with add-free episodes!If you want to hear more of Zak's band, The Havnauts, you can do so Here, Here, Here, Here, and Here!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affiliate link. It costs you nothing and earns money for the show!The opening theme is Lincoln Continental by Entr

Typal is a well you can come back to over and over because, well, it's fun! And there are infinite possibilities! So in this episode Nick and Zak dive into which types have the highest ranking members on EDHREC, and compare that to what the type overall is ranked to see where the biggest delta of power is. What's the difference between "how often played" and "how often played together"? What do these creature types need to "get there"? And why aren't people taking notice now if the cards are so strong? Listen in and find out! And get in touch with us at the links down below! Support the showYou can reach me on Twitter or email me hereIf you like the podcast, please support it on Patreon! Now with ad-free episodes!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affiliate link. It costs you nothing and earns money for the show!The opening theme is Lincoln Continental by Entrophy (now Nic Cage on Soundcloud)

We asked our patrons for some episodes you might want to hear before ENDLESS HYPE started up and one of the topics was our decks! We try to keep Commander Theory free of deck techs for the most part (If you want them they're out there!) so instead, we looked at some of our decks we love or made recently and the lessons they taught us about deck building, card selection, gameplay, all of it! Even though the real lessons were the friends we made along the way. Or something! Listen in and tell us a deck that taught you a lot too! Decklists: ShanidHazezonBurakos + Guild Artisan CadiraJaradGale + Raised By GiantsWillowduskStrefanYou can reach us on Twitter or Tumblr, and our YouTube has videos for even more Commander content! You can even email us at commandertheory@gmail.comIf you like our podcast, please support us on Patreon! Now with add-free episodes!If you want to hear more of Zak's band, The Havnauts, you can do so Here, Here, Here, Here, and Here!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer

Another spoiler episode? Would it be modern magic if it wasn't? Irrelevant! In this episode, Nick and Zak talk about the surprise cards you can find in BRO set and collector boosters: TRANSFORMERS. Every card has two sides and converts (yes, not the other word) back and forth! Pretty cool idea! But what do the decks look like? And what Transformer card is your favorite? Use the socials below and let us know! DECKLIST (only one this time):Ratchet You can reach us on Twitter or Tumblr, and our YouTube has videos for even more Commander content! You can even email us at commandertheory@gmail.comIf you like our podcast, please support us on Patreon! Now with add-free episodes!If you want to hear more of Zak's band, The Havnauts, you can do so Here, Here, Here, Here, and Here!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affiliate link. It costs you nothing and earns money for the show!The opening theme is Lincoln Continental by Entrophy (now Nic Cage on Soundc

Better late than never! (for this podcast and the set at hand!) Nick and Zak split this one up a little differently, first the Non-Acron Stamped legends and main deck cards, THEN the Acorn cards. We highly recommend you stay for the acorn section, because (no spoilers) the eternal-legal cards might leave you with a negative taste in your mouth if you're anything like the two hosts. And Nick did some major diving into cards for the goofs, so stay tuned, and let us know what cards you liked, what you wished was or wasn't legal, or just your feelings about the set as a whole! You can reach us on Twitter or Tumblr, and our YouTube has videos for even more Commander content! You can even email us at commandertheory@gmail.comIf you like our podcast, please support us on Patreon! Now with add-free episodes!If you want to hear more of Zak's band, The Havnauts, you can do so Here, Here, Here, Here, and Here!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support the show by using our affilia

In a violently long episode (sorry!) Nick and Zak dig pretty deep into the new commanders and cards of the Warhammer 40K Universes Beyond Commander Decks. There is A LOT going on, so best to just dig in and prey to your appropriate void entity for a swift victory! Next week we will be taking a break, so you'll see a re-run in the feed, then UNFINITY EPISODES. So see y'all soon! Last thing: a massive thank you to Alex Whiteclay for all the help with these cards. DECKLISTS: Ghyrson Starn KelermorphMagnus The RedBe'lakor, The Dark MasterImotekh The StormlordCelestine, The Living SaintMarneus CalgarYou can reach us on Twitter or Tumblr, and our YouTube has videos for even more Commander content! You can even email us at commandertheory@gmail.comIf you like our podcast, please support us on Patreon! Now with add-free episodes!If you want to hear more of Zak's band, The Havnauts, you can do so Here, Here, Here, Here, and Here!If you're planning on shopping with TCGPlayer, you can support th