Commander Brackets Beta: Major October 2025 Update
▼ Summary
– The Commander Bracket system is being updated with clearer expectations for each bracket, including specific turn counts before games can end to help players find suitable matches.
– Bracket 1 (Exhibition) now emphasizes thematic decks over power, allowing flexibility with commanders and cards to showcase unique creations during pregame discussions.
– Bracket 2 (Core) is no longer tied to preconstructed decks, focusing instead on unoptimized, straightforward gameplay to reduce confusion about power levels.
– Tutor restrictions have been removed from all brackets, relying on the Game Changers list to manage efficient tutors while allowing less impactful ones for deck consistency.
– The Game Changers list has been refined by removing high-mana value cards and powerful commanders, prioritizing cards that warp games early and cause frustration in casual play.
The Commander Brackets system is receiving a significant update following extensive community feedback and the recent Commander Summit held in September. This update aims to refine bracket expectations, clarify terminology, and adjust the Game Changers list to better serve players seeking balanced and enjoyable games. These changes are designed to enhance pregame conversations and help players find the right match for their deck’s power level and theme.
After nine months of use across multiple MagicCons, the bracket system has proven successful in facilitating game matching. Survey data and player anecdotes confirm that brackets help initiate discussions about deck power and gameplay expectations. While the system isn’t perfect, it has successfully encouraged more pregame dialogue than ever before.
Several areas needed improvement. The lack of clear intent guidelines allowed players to technically comply with bracket rules while operating at much higher power levels. Some rules, like restrictions on early-game combos or tutor usage, were too vague. Additionally, player distribution became skewed, with too many participants defaulting to Bracket 3 (Upgraded). The Game Changers list also required refinement after previous adjustments added too many cards.
Setting clearer expectations for each bracket represents a major step forward. Each bracket now includes guidelines about deck contents, win conditions, and gameplay style, plus specific turn expectations indicating when players should feel satisfied if the game concludes. For instance, Bracket 3 players should expect to play at least six turns before winning or losing, providing clearer parameters for combo timing.
Bracket 1 (Exhibition) now emphasizes thematic decks over power level. Players should prioritize creative goals and unique commanders, with flexibility for unconventional cards during pregame discussions. These games typically last at least nine turns, allowing thematic elements to shine.
Bracket 2 (Core) has been decoupled from preconstructed deck comparisons due to varying precon power levels. Instead, it focuses on unoptimized decks with incremental, disruptable win conditions and low-pressure gameplay emphasizing social interaction. Players should expect at least eight turns of gameplay.
Bracket 3 (Upgraded) features decks with strong synergy and high-quality cards capable of disrupting opponents. Game Changers here typically include value engines and game-ending spells, with wins often coming from accumulated resources deployed in single turns. Six turns represents the minimum expected gameplay duration.
Bracket 4 (Optimized) contains lethal, consistent decks designed for fast victories without crossing into competitive EDH territory. These decks utilize efficient win conditions and powerful disruption, with games typically lasting at least four turns.
Bracket 5 (cEDH) remains for competitively optimized decks built using established metagame knowledge, where games can end on any turn and victory takes priority over other considerations.
Tutor restrictions have been removed from all brackets, relying instead on Game Changers to regulate the most efficient tutors and turn expectations to prevent combo abuse. This change addresses confusion around what constitutes a tutor and recognizes that inefficient tutors don’t significantly impact game balance.
The Game Changers list philosophy has been refined to focus on cards that dramatically warp games early, create unpleasant experiences, or prevent opponents from playing. High-mana-value cards and powerful commanders have been largely removed from the list, as expensive spells naturally balance themselves and commanders are easily identified during pregame discussions.
Several cards have been removed from the Game Changers list, including high-mana-value options like Expropriate and Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger, along with powerful commanders like Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy and Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow. Deflecting Swat and Food Chain have also been removed, as they don’t meet the updated criteria for game-warping effects.
The Commander Format Panel continues monitoring several format considerations, including Rhystic Study’s potential impact, Thassa’s Oracle’s prevalence at casual tables, possible additional brackets for better granularity, and hybrid mana cost rules that would allow more deck-building flexibility.
Players can expect another update by February 2026, which may address these topics and include panel membership changes. The overall goal remains preserving Commander’s enjoyment while making targeted improvements to the matching system.
(Source: Magic Wizards)
