The Command Zone

Utility lands may not cost you a card slot, but they can cost a fortune! This episode, we’re highlighting some lands that’ll let your mana base make an impact on your gameplan, but not your wallet. We’ve got 10 sweet utility lands you can pick up for just $10 TOTAL, so don’t miss this sweet list that’s anything but basic! -------- WATCH OUR MAGIC MOVIE: Don’t miss our biggest production ever! Four...

It ain’t easy beating green, but MTG Hall of Famer Brian Kibler is here to help! Yes, with all that ramp, green can get so far ahead that catching up feels impossible. But today we’re sharing some tips and tricks to exploit the color’s weaknesses and give yourself the best shot against the big bad green deck that keeps stomping your pod! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of...

Commander sucks, right? It’s impossible to balance, you have to sit through long turns, sometimes it feels like you didn’t even get to play. Yes, as much as we love the format (we promise) there are definitely some inherent flaws in our favorite way to play. But what are they and how can we mitigate them to still have a good time even when game night doesn’t go as planned? There’s a lot to talk ab...

When you love a deck you want to upgrade it to the best it can be, but what do you do when a beloved brew becomes too powerful?  In this episode, we explore that question by analyzing the life of Rachel’s high-powered Aeve, Progenitor Ooze deck. What started as a mono-green stormy dream became the ooze that cannot lose, until it finally had to get taken apart. Are there decks that just have no pla...

Looking to tune up your Commander decks without taking out a loan? This episode we’re here to show off some cheaper sleeper hits you can nab for a total of 10 bucks. These cards give a ton of bang for your buck, so don’t miss our list of underappreciated tech. The budget is low but the power is high—come see what made the cut! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our communi...

In Edge of Eternities, we learn the vastness of space contains a vast amount of cards—but which are worth bringing aboard your favorite Commander decks? This episode, we’re breaking down this new set’s best and brightest stars to go in the 99. Which new tech will power up your engine to warp speed? What cards are powerful in a vacuum… of SPACE! Tune in and find out. -------- Support the show and b...

In space, no one can hear your opponents scream. Even when you play an out-of-this-world commander from Magic’s latest set Edge of Eternities! We’re going over all of the most powerful new legends from MTG’s first foray into the great unknown, laying out all the synergies and strategies you need to know so your next interstellar deck is guaranteed to hit warp speed! -------- Support the show and b...

Magic’s newest set addresses the age-old question: “Is there intelligent life in the universe?” The answer is YES! It’s in the new “Counter Intelligence” (blue/white/red) precon from Edge of Eternities. So to make you look extra smart at your next game night, we’re bringing you our $50 upgrade guide, with 10 cards to add for big-brain plays, and 10 cards to put out the airlock! Soon you’ll be maki...

With Edge of Eternities, Wizards is shaping whole new worlds, and with this never-before-seen Commander precon, you can do the same! It’s time to reveal the brand new land-sacrifice themed “World Shaper” (Black/Red/Green) deck, including the two Commanders and 10 cosmically powerful new cards. Then we’ll help you terraform the list with our $50 10-card upgrade guide, so that you have the firepower...

If you want to win more in Commander, it’s not just about how you play your decks—it’s about how you play your opponents! This episode, we’re revisiting some political tips and tricks that still hold up at today’s tables. Whether you’re new to the social game or just want a refresher, don’t miss this masterclass in manipulation. -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our commu...

Wanna brew something broken with tokens? Then look no further, because this episode we’re breaking down the best commanders for going wide. Come see which legends will help you wreck with a board full of rectangles, and don’t miss any of the hot tech you’ll need to make things really pop off. With our help, you won’t just be creating tokens with your next deck—you’ll be creating a masterpiece! ---...

A lot of Commander’s most high-impact staples also come at a high price point. But which of the format’s costly cardboard rectangles are actually worth it? This episode, we’re going through some expensive cards that actually do pay for themselves (in wins), and calling out some that may feel more like a rip-off. They say money can’t buy happiness, but winning is fun, right? So let us help you spen...

The Command Zone hosts are going head-to-head-to-head once again in an epic fantasy draft of Commander’s splashiest sorceries! This episode, Rachel,  Jimmy, and JLK will be choosing from the biggest and baddest spells the format has to offer. What effects will be worth first-picking? Who will end up with the flashiest final pool? You just have to watch and find out! -------- Support the show and b...

Everyone has a favorite Final Fantasy character. And this episode, we’re here to help you make them as impactful on the battlefield as they were on your console! We’re covering all the most iconic legends from Magic’s new set: from loveable Chocobos, to brooding swordy-bros, we’ve got something for everyone. Jump in and let’s start turning those characters you remember into decks you’ll never forg...

A good Commander deck doesn’t just need a strong protagonist—the whole party’s gotta pack a punch! Today, we’re breaking down which cards from Magic’s latest set, Final Fantasy, are most worth including in the 99. How busted is the Buster Sword? How far can a Traveling Chocobo take you in a game of Commander? This set is full of new tech to level up your decks, so don’t miss the strategy guide tha...

Final Fantasy is completely revealed and it is FULL of powerful legends from across the franchise’s over-30-year history! But which of these new Commander contenders are the absolute strongest? This episode, we’ve narrowed down the roster to the most playable characters. We’ll lay out the strategies and synergies you’ll need to min/max their potential, so you can live out your final fantasy: winni...

Final Fantasy VI did a LOT with only 16 bits, but we’re here to do even more with only 10 cards! That’s right! It's time for our $50 budget upgrade guide for the new Magic the Gathering: Final Fantasy “Revival Trance” (red/white/black) precon Commander deck. We’ll bring you 10 cards to add as playable characters, and the 10 you can cut from the party so you can show that this retro classic still p...

Ready to begin your pilgrimage across the land of Spira to defeat Sin and save the world? You’re definitely going to need the Final Fantasy X “Counter Blitz” (green/white/blue) preconstructed Commander deck from the new Universes Beyond set, Final Fantasy! To help you along the way, check out our $50 upgrade guide, showing you 10 cards to add and 10 to take out. We’ll give you everything you need...

The Final Fantasy + MTG crossover is going to be huge… TITANIC even! And today we’re summoning an equally enormous preview card: “Summon: Titan!” It could leave a massive footprint in multiple formats, so if you don’t want to get stomped, you need to be in the know. Come find out what this cool new Universes Beyond: Final Fantasy saga does! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part...

Ready to go from MMO to MTG? Now you can with the new FFXIV Esper (white/blue/black) precon deck “Scions & Spellcraft” from the latest Universes Beyond: Final Fantasy set!  We’re here to save you some time loot-farming by providing you with our $50 upgrade guide. We’ll show you 10 cards to add to your party and 10 to remove, so that the next time you start a PVP encounter at your LGS, you’ll wind...

BOOM! No, that’s not a Mako reactor exploding, it’s Final Fantasy 7 busting out of Midgar and into the world of Magic: The Gathering! Today, we’re bringing you our upgrade guide for the brand new Universes Beyond: Final Fantasy 7 “Limit Break” (white/red/green) Commander precon deck. Equip Cloud, Tifa, Aerith and the rest of Avalanche with 10 cards in and 10 cards out, all for under $50, so that w...

In 2018, we thought these Commanders were the worst of the worst, the scourge of the game, we HATED them! But do these boogeymen from the past still haunt our nightmares? This episode, we’re taking a look back and reacting to episode 561 “Commanders We Hate Playing Against” to see how our evaluations hold up. Which are still banes of the format, and which ones will feel a little silly in retrospec...

After 15 years on the banlist, the dastardly Braids, Cabal Minion has been UNLEASHED on the world of Commander once again! But after such a long time on ice, is Braids the unbridled force of evil she once was?   There’s no question that the game of MTG has changed since the last time this game changer saw play, so it’s time to look at a brand new Braids deck tech to see how this terror from a bygo...

Commander Brackets: It’s the new WotC-led deck classification system that’s taking the format by storm! But wait-- they’re in BETA! So what’s keeping Commander Brackets from being a complete and final product?  In this episode, Jimmy and Rachel sit down to discuss this question and many more in-depth. Do brackets work well as-is? What issues need to be ironed out? How do we make sure the rules are...

THE GAME OF COMMANDER HAS CHANGED!  In their first major act since taking control of the format, Wizards has released a new Commander B&R announcement, and five whole cards are coming OFF the banned list! At the same time, 18 cards have been added to the list of Commander Bracket “Game Changers.” Needless to say, there’s a lot to talk about! This episode, JLK and Rachel (both part of the Commander...