the negative connotation of the term cEDH

[DirkGently]

This is why people think you're a dick. Because you go out of your way to be insulting. I don't play cEDH, but I've always found the anti-cEDH folks to be far more condescending and aggressive than the pro-cEDH ones, here especially.

I'm only returning what those people are giving out. I think I was clear that I'm not contemptuous of all cEDHers, just the ones who are disdainful of EDH players.

If that makes me a dick then I'm good with it.

And I think it's fair for EDHers to harbor more aggression for cEDHers than the reverse. EDH is basically the only casual format in magic, so if all of EDH were to become cEDH, there would be no format left to play casual magic (not that I think that's likely, but it's fairly inarguable that EDH has become more competitive over time, whether that's the fault of cEDH or other factors). Whereas if cEDH evaporated, there are still loads of other competitive formats available. There's also the fact that one pubstomper ruins a casual game, whereas one casual player wandering into a cEDH game probably has no impact at all. And that EDH was a casual format first.

Blurring lines between the formats is at worst neutral for cEDH players and at best it massively grows their format. Whereas it's a big negative for the casual crowd who want to play jank without getting run over. I think it conforms to expectations that EDH players are touchy about power creep whereas cEDH players don't mind.

I think you need some pretty firm evidence before you start declaring something an "existential threat".

Why?

It's my opinion. I don't need permission to have an opinion.

Also how do you propose I do that? I think my (incredibly tedious) combing through the wayback machine does a reasonable job of illustrating my point given my 100% success rate with everything I thought to search for. If that's not enough for you to believe me, then you don't have to agree. I don't think it's possible to prove a causal link here, at least not with the information I have available.

[Cyberium]

First of all, each player can choose their own playgroup with the most suitable pace.

Of the topic, I have several thoughts:

1) My problem is less with cEDH format and more with some cEDH players whom I had the displeasure of meeting. They KNEW the power of their decks, yet they'd come to a random table at a my shop and unleashed T1~3 combos, then brag about how leet they are. When they lose because of our combined effort, they still bragged about how it took three people to beat him. There are also some cEDH players who were particularly sour when they lost to unique combos, when they realized that their gold-plated deck of big $ lost to a jank combo he couldn't find online, or because they failed at politics.

2) Competitiveness is the antithesis of creativity, because it's meant to be cutthroat and win at all cost, and in cEDH some colors/cards/combo are simply better for that purpose, much like in Vintage when you need Moxen and Lotus no matter what deck you play. What drew me to MtG in the first place is the fun of deck building and EDH is suppose to that format, cEDH on the other hand is keeping a good distance away. With WotC's tendency to print more and more staples these years, I fear the trend will only grow.

3) Another problem I have with cEDH is that their mentality of speed and precision is seeping into the casualer part of EDH community, and WotC is unfortunately also largely responsible for this shift. In the past when most cards weren't designed for EDH, it's fun to discover combos and synergies, now with most new cards catering to EDH things just become more and more "efficient", then used by the aforementioned toxic players, pushing this supposedly casual format closer and closer to cEDH border. We all say WotC has the power to print/reprint powerful cards to help colors/tribe/etc, but few people realized that WotC is also capable of printing cards that could hinder abusive cards/deck types, instead they just print out more and more staples. When WotC see printing auto-includes as an opportunity profit, they are also slowly killing this format.

[Vertierer]

Just a quick reminder for the "the banlist should cater to the cEDH" folks: if it would come down to bannings from a competitive/powerlevel POV there would be no fast mana, partners, necropotence and unconditional tutoring... Welcome to the stone age or, as I like to call it, French banlist edh.

The human compulsion to adhere to a greater power to tell them what is ok to play, is also kinda obnoxious. Just talk with each other, be nice and unban recurring nightmare.

[folding_music]

3) Another problem I have with cEDH is that their mentality of speed and precision is seeping into the casualer part of EDH community, and WotC is unfortunately also largely responsible for this shift. In the past when most cards weren't designed for EDH, it's fun to discover combos and synergies, now with most new cards catering to EDH things just become more and more "efficient", then used by the aforementioned toxic players, pushing this supposedly casual format closer and closer to cEDH border. We all say WotC has the power to print/reprint powerful cards to help colors/tribe/etc, but few people realized that WotC is also capable of printing cards that could hinder abusive cards/deck types, instead they just print out more and more staples. When WotC see printing auto-includes as an opportunity profit, they are also slowly killing this format.

it definitely seeps in and the toxicity extends beyond card choice. you'll see the usual suspects here talk about bad players and how that extends past strategy and into mechanical skill. games like this are rife with nitpickers and correctors and the difficulty in finding a comfortable EDH game accelerates that to the point where I wanna throw my cards out of the window; you sit down with someone and they start incorrectly guessing the contents of your deck out loud, complain you shuffled too long, roll their eyes when you glance back at the board after announcing a targetted spell, or whatever? if you want the game to be mutual entertainment, which it really should be, then practise sympathy, patience, community and stop inventing new meta-sidelines to be competitive and disatisfied with

[5colorsrainbow]

So generally speaking, I find a lot more cEDH folks telling EDH people that the format needs to be run their way than there are EDH people telling CEDH people not do whatever they want amongst themselves. I think that's the major distinction for me.

This has been my main thing, commander is at its heart meant to be a casual format and I dislike how *some* cEDH folks want commander to become a more competitive format and how many spike-y players can have an attitude of "if your deck/cards aren't optimized your a loser".

That said I *think* most of them are a vocal minority that drown out the more reasonable players. I think covid and having people to play remote with new people has added to this but again folk should just talk about what kind of games they want to run.

[rogerandover]

Just something to consider. Would it be possible to imagine that it should be EDH (and not cEDH) that changed to a more casual format? Given @DirkGentlys banlist-thread, not few wanted more cards on the ban-list.

I used to play regulary, but now I rarely play. One reason being the powercreep (and I don't have the oppotunity to pick my own playgroup). If we where to tune down EDH, into a more casual state, where "banned-as-a-commander" returned, would it be more enjoyable?
All sorts of cEDH-format sees the day of light. Why not subformats of casual EDH?

[materpillar]

And I think it's fair for EDHers to harbor more aggression for cEDHers than the reverse. EDH is basically the only casual format in magic, so if all of EDH were to become cEDH, there would be no format left to play casual magic (not that I think that's likely, but it's fairly inarguable that EDH has become more competitive over time, whether that's the fault of cEDH or other factors). Whereas if cEDH evaporated, there are still loads of other competitive formats available. There's also the fact that one pubstomper ruins a casual game, whereas one casual player wandering into a cEDH game probably has no impact at all. And that EDH was a casual format first.

Blurring lines between the formats is at worst neutral for cEDH players and at best it massively grows their format. Whereas it's a big negative for the casual crowd who want to play jank without getting run over. I think it conforms to expectations that EDH players are touchy about power creep whereas cEDH players don't mind.

This is basically where I'm at. I see cEDH/power creep/optimization or whatever seeping into the format I love and I hate it. cEDH is far from the only driver of things I dislike creeping into the format.

Wizards is to blame for a lot of the rampant power creep. EDHrec is to blame for a lot of homogenization. EDH's popularity is to be blamed for drawing in a lot of spiky constructed players who pubstump because they don't understand the format. I hate all these things.

cEDH popularized that this format can and should be looked at from a peak optimization perspective. That philosophy is fundamentally incompatible with how I want to interact with this format. How much that has impacted the format is impossible to say but I have interacted with people who read that Demonic Consultation/Thassa's Oracle was good and built a crappy cEDH netdeck around it that I had to deal with. As a result of which I can inarguably say cEDH's existence has negatively impacted my play experience in a tangible way. Clearly dirk has had similar experiences.

I learned long ago that I hate competitive magic. I despise competitive REL types of magic. I made a conscious choice to avoid those events. I would appreciate it if they did the same for me.

[Yatsufusa]

Food for thought: How much has the recent changes in the greater Magic eco-system affected the format?

EDH is a format not available on Arena, nowadays arguably the de-facto introductory system to the newer generation of players to Magic itself, especially during the pandemic period. This has a cascading effect that these players will likely go on to utilize Arena to introduce future generations of players as well.

Old-School EDH was built up back then by paper players introduced to the game by-paper, played their limited games/cracked their packs on paper, sitting on a hoard of paper cards unplayable in 60-card formats because those were competitive as heck and found a home in EDH instead.

The new generation has no such hoard, their hoard existing in an online client that doesn't support the format. They jump into the format with resources effective as a complete novice essentially. A multitude of factors, majorly being there's no incentive to play Limited on paper because they already did online (and likely already met their threshold), the sage-old advice that buying singles is better than just cracking packs and all the optimized deck-building resources old-school EDH didn't have, amplified by WotC's "power-creeping" could logically only lead to one result for the typical Arena player who had to convert to paper for EDH and likely only plays walk-in games at the LGS like they would just match randomly in Arena - embrace the higher tiers of power.

This applies true for even old-school players who had to adapt to the "LGS meta" (honestly I believe there was an earlier wave of such LGSes/players, myself included before the Arena/pandemic warping happened), where it was not possible for maintain a state of consistency in players (some older players had to leave cold-turkey due to life, others rotate inconsistently due to the same reason, newer players also came in (pre-arena or post-arena) and were also subject to the same rotations due to life). In some LGS settings, Rule 0 was never applicable to begin with, not unless a small group of regulars splintered themselves away (making themselves a non-factor) or strong-armed every rotating player to their rules (which does them no good socially).

Add these two major factors together (Arena-Generation that would just buy power directly, because it's logically the sound choice) and a "dying" (I exaggerate) paper generation that couldn't really Rule 0 before and definitely not now if they don't want to extinguish the dwindling supply of new paper players, is it really a surprise the format is changing the way it is? The splintered groups still playing old-school EDH probably have no incentive to mix back with the "main group" either (initially with the pandemic, but now it is already warped the landscape they would be hard-pressed to re-integrate themselves back either).

To be honest, cEDH could be argued to be the most effective use of Rule 0, at least initially. The healthy ones established what exactly they wanted and got. It was the pubstompers (which may consist of actual cEDH individuals or not) that got mixed in and it was easy to blame cEDH because it was an established sub-group/name (when in reality the spectrum of the format is so wide that the pubstomper could not even qualify as a cEDH deck but got called one because of the discrepancy of game the deck took part in). The Arena generation happens then, sees this "mess" casual is in, realizes cEDH is the only one that got its "Rule 0" mantra together and along with all the incentives I just said in the paragraphs before, jumps straight in the cEDH pool.

[ISBPathfinder]

My biggest frustration is that players playing something that might be cEDH seem to never inform opponents of the level of the deck they are playing. I constantly have issues where players don't say anything about the level of the deck they are playing and show up with some super busted high end deck (its not always cEDH but I have never seen anyone label their deck as such).

A few years ago for instance there was someone who was doing an all in doomsday combo and they did it like every game by turn 4/5 thanks to copious tutors and nobody playing combo or blue control. They never said anything about their deck and I was just like.... wow this is so fun.....

I wouldn't have as much of an issue with high end decks if players were more honest when playing them. I think there might be some level of disconnect about how strong some strategies are for some people but its just frustrating when you end up playing against decks that are in another league. It makes you feel like you are wasting your time at that game.

[BeneTleilax]

I think EDH is being powercrept by a number of different phenomena, and any impact cEDH may have is dwarfed by them. If some people spent a fraction of the effort they do blaming cEDH on actually curating a playgroup, they'd have much better games.

I wouldn't have as much of an issue with high end decks if players were more honest when playing them. I think there might be some level of disconnect about how strong some strategies are for some people but its just frustrating when you end up playing against decks that are in another league. It makes you feel like you are wasting your time at that game.

I feel like this is mostly pubstompers, but I do wonder the extent to which stigmatization of cEDH contributes to people not wanting to label themselves as such. I've said before how "casual" as an identity label makes Rule 0 discussions worse, because people get caught up in appearing "casual", whatever that means, rather than stating how they like to play.

[DirkGently]

I think EDH is being powercrept by a number of different phenomena, and any impact cEDH may have is dwarfed by them. If some people spent a fraction of the effort they do blaming cEDH on actually curating a playgroup, they'd have much better games.

As someone who has organised multiple mtg groups, getting people to show up is a lot of work. Being annoyed about something? Very little work. The amount of time I've spent sending out group emails and event reminders is way more than the time I've spent complaining about cedh.

Also having a small consistent group isn't everyone's bag. It's not really mine either. I like slinging spells against new people all the time and facing new challenges. The 4-man every-week group isn't really my goal.

[RowanKeltizar]

My opinion has remained the same regarding this for many years. As long as all decks at a given table are on a similar power level or able to interact with eachother in meaninful ways, the experience will be fun. There are lots of different types of players and lots of different decks out there. I think if people are honest with themselves and others about the power level of their decks everything will be ok.

I think the main thing that saddens me is that there has been some definite power creep occuring in the format. A 6cmc commander is a dubious choice now especially if it doesn't get you card advantage. I struggle to be relevant with my Gishath, Sun's Avatar deck or my Aurelia, the Warleader deck. There are just faster more powerful options.

Agreeing on some house rules for your playgroup goes a long way.

[Yatsufusa]

I wouldn't have as much of an issue with high end decks if players were more honest when playing them. I think there might be some level of disconnect about how strong some strategies are for some people but its just frustrating when you end up playing against decks that are in another league. It makes you feel like you are wasting your time at that game.

I feel like this is mostly pubstompers, but I do wonder the extent to which stigmatization of cEDH contributes to people not wanting to label themselves as such. I've said before how "casual" as an identity label makes Rule 0 discussions worse, because people get caught up in appearing "casual", whatever that means, rather than stating how they like to play.

I suspect it's the conflicting use of terms from both sides, as I pointed out the "LGS meta" is slowly shifting towards the "unspoken agreed meta default" to be closer to what used to be the "pubstomper mistaken for cEDH" level. So what used to be 1 "pubstomper" in your meta against 3 "old-school" decks is now 1 "old-school" deck against 3 "pubstompers".

A "pubstomping" deck is now the default for some LGSes, but the problem is all the terms used for that level are negative ("pubstomping" or "cEDH" due to mistaken association, I think the nearest we came to a positive term was a 75% or 7/8-tier deck, but ultimately that also got lost in the internet tug-of-war.) It's even arguable that even if 1 actual cEDH player enters a pod of 3 "pubstompers", that actual cEDH deck would not "pubstomp" anymore because the discrepancy of power is lessened (alongside with the properties of the format assisting in keeping in check), so folks get even more comfortable with this elevated power level. Now the "Old-school" / "casual" decks are the outsiders that need to overtly invoke Rule 0 verbally in order to get the game they want, or else they'll get destroyed from all sides essentially.

It's a tricky subject to maneuver is this particular time, because we're in a transition phase (and worldwide there might be places still slowed down by the pandemic, so bluntly speaking on the internet the whole transition process is even slower than typical). Some LGSes still manage to maintain in the "old age" where the "pubstomper"/"cEDH" deck is the outlier who must invoke verbal Rule 0, while other places have already moved on completely to where that is the unspoken default that doesn't require verbal rule 0 invoked.

I did the whole Arena analysis mostly to prove that it is more likely that inevitable most LGSes will indeed move towards the increased power-level meta by default, so it's better to mentally take that assumption in the decade to come should you walk into a LGS to play, lest you get a "Sheldon walks a into GP and gets surprised" scenario. We can voice our dislike for this shift and lament the loss of the old era, but it is very unlikely to reverse what I already analyzed to be more tangible factors.

I mean, look at my Re:Commander decks, I'm heavy-coating on my own flavor and history in order to keep some semblance of the "old-school' EDH I had once experienced, but if you looked at the actual lists, they might have been easily classified as a "pubstomper" in more metas half-a-decade ago, but as I admitted, my main LGS consisted of more actual cEDH players, so we were more of an anomaly back then but with hindsight now could be technically retcon'ed as a "overly early pioneer of sorts", my decks were on the lower-end power of the games I actually played (granted I haven't actually played in over a year, but I at least did witness enough local games to prove it didn't really change on my end).

[duducrash]

It would be really helpfull if people who hang out with high powered decks (if able) had on them some less powerfull decks so everyone can play. but some folks do get their fun from demolishing a precon with finely tune decks

[StardustFae]

The problem isn't 'cEDH', and never has been. It's 'Solitaire' players that're responsible for the vast majority of pubstomping, and it's the increase in 'Solitaire' Commanders that's caused this issue to become more noticeable. That's ultimately the root cause of the whole 'power creep' thing people talk about. Yuriko being good didn't warp the format, nor did Edgar. they were just good Commanders in their own niche.

[Legend]

I live within walking distance of a LGS and within 20 minutes driving distance of 9 more, not to mention Richmond a couple hours away. On top of that, it's a huge tourist area with an absolutely massive military population. So the gaming population here has always been sizable and varied. I've been playing Magic since '95 and Commander since '04, but despite all that, I've never met a cEDH pubstomper. In fact, every cEDH player I can recall stated plainly that they're deck was competitive and they didn't expect you to play with them for that reason. Other issues like rudeness or whatever are not unique to the cEDH crowd.

I think it's unfair to think of cEDH players as people who can't cut it in 60 card formats. I think they're primarily attracted to Commander because the community is huge compared to other formats, increasing the likelihood of actually playing a game. Plus, many Spikes appreciate the variance of singleton.

Format homogeny is my concern. Having played in the early years of Magic, I've already seen it go from a personalized, localized creative game to a globalized, homogenized copycat game. That's why I abandoned everything but Limited and Commander. And the only thing now that can save Commander from becoming cardboard chess is WISHING. Of course, I'm just kidding. Or am I? You decide. But homogeny is the result of social media, plus gratuitous card designs, plus incentivizing the emulation of cEDH if not cEDH itself by allowing sanctioned (albeit casual) Commander tournaments.

[DirkGently]

I think it's unfair to think of cEDH players as people who can't cut it in 60 card formats. I think they're primarily attracted to Commander because the community is huge compared to other formats, increasing the likelihood of actually playing a game. Plus, many Spikes appreciate the variance of singleton.

I can understand people preferring the deck construction and multiplayer elements of the format but still want to build max power. I still wish they wouldn't, though.

The dumb analogy I thought of is the "quiet room" in some offices. Technically it's sorta for anyone, but practically it's the room for nursing mothers. That's why it's there. The room is EDH, and casual EDH players are the nursing mothers who are in there because it's the only place we can really enjoy a purely casual format. cEDH players are like other employees coming into the room and being all "hey, we also like the quiet and the decor is very nice". And I think a lot of people (myself included) feel like "yeah, we agree it's a nice room, but it's also the only room where we can do this, and you can do whatever-it-is-you-wanna-do pretty much anywhere else, so d'ya mind?"

And the only thing now that can save Commander from becoming cardboard chess is WISHING. Of course, I'm just kidding. Or am I? You decide.

Lol you really had me going for a second there.

[onering]

but the name inherently has a negative connotation by saying competitive. people ive asked say that it makes them think that its the competition grinder's format, when cEDH just isnt it. im not saying that to rename it to "fluffy huggy time" but to something that better represents the philosophy of this subformat.

Nope, its a great descriptor. cEDH games are competitive. That's the point. cEDH is about making the best possible decks, and then playing them well against the best possible decks. People play cEDH because they want a competitive experience, where their skill is tested and games are about in game decisions and smart play because the decks are all of an approximately equal power level, and an equal power level is easiest to ensure when the power level you aim for is as high as possible (because then the desire for an equal power level and desire to tune the deck to make it better work together rather than in opposition).

Its a great name honestly. It lays out the rule 0 conversation in one word. The stigma comes from people confusing pub stompers of cEDH players and blaming cEDH for that behavior. Someone playing a cEDH deck against non cEDH decks isn't a cEDH player, they're just an asshole. cEDH players don't want easy wins against overmatched opponents, they want competition.

[DirkGently]

In a perfect world I'd call it max-power EDH. All EDH can (and imo, should) be played competitively once you're sitting down. It's just the deck construction that's not optimized.

That said, the name ain't going anywhere at this point so it's a moot point.

[TheAmericanSpirit]

Having read through this thread and watched the debate develop, I think Dirk has by far the most cogent stance in the thread. cEDH is an existential threat to EDH because it coopts the same format but wrenches away the original intent of the format, which was indisputably casual play. Just like an invasive species, it threatens to wipe out a unique kind of casual play not just by cross-pollination alone, but also by forcing out more casual decks that can't punch up through no fault of their own. IMHO if the cEDH really cared about the long-term viability of EDH as a format, they'd quit playing cEDH and go play legacy or vintage i.e. a real competitive format or a lower power of EDH. But they won't because they don't. Instead they'll ride cEDH until it runs EDH aground and then jump back to the competitive formats having lost nothing, whereas all the kitchen tablers will have to pick up the pieces.

EDIT: I say all this from my experience as a former cEDH player. It's a crap excuse for a competitive format, and it shouldn't exist.

[RedCheese]

I think it should be a seperated format with tis own banlists just to make it more distinct. The problem really is how the competetive aspect is encroaching in the casual format.

[pokken]

I think it should be a seperated format with tis own banlists just to make it more distinct. The problem really is how the competetive aspect is encroaching in the casual format.

It's not really intuitive I don't think but that is just flat out impossible to make work. There will always be holdouts who stay and try to play competitive in normal EDH and that will be the new CEDH whatever you do.

I do think it's possible that a line in the sand should be drawn about competitive play never influencing bannings again, but I'm still of two minds about that.

[maeos]

Hi mods, just reading over the responses, its basically the same things being rehashed over and over again. I had been hoping for more constructive discourse, however it has only gone back to the "demonize cEDH". If possible please close the thread.

This will be done. - benjameenbear

[toctheyounger]

Its a great name honestly. It lays out the rule 0 conversation in one word. The stigma comes from people confusing pub stompers of cEDH players and blaming cEDH for that behavior. Someone playing a cEDH deck against non cEDH decks isn't a cEDH player, they're just an asshole. cEDH players don't want easy wins against overmatched opponents, they want competition.

This seems to be the prevalent point being driven at by most here (I know theres a few folk saying the competitive crowd should leave well enough alone and find their own format, which I disagree with, but either way that cat is out of the bag). A few folk have said it and i don't know that its really hitting the mark for whatever reason but it is the crux here. The people %$#% on casuals for a win are not cedh players, they're jerks. Therefore, the issue, at least as far as enjoyment of the average pickup game goes, has nothing to do with cedh.

As far as the past and future goes I strongly believe the current power creep has little to do with cedh. There are some overlaps in removal and control staples, but fewer than you'd think, because cedh decks has a meta thats well studied and well known. Aside from that, formats power creep. It happens, as a natural result of this game constantly building upon itself. I certainly don't feel like that's been accelerated by competitive players, because they have no further sway over R&D than any of us.

To draw it back to my main point i think delineating the two formats is not only misdirected but also a fool's errand and likely to be ineffective. To the first here, Cedh more or less already does keep to itself. If, in your games you've found otherwise, refer back to the quoted text; you've found yourself an asshole, not a cedh player. To the second, mich like nature, creativity loves a vacuum. If somehow the competitive side of the format were extricated there are still going to be people pushing at the ceiling of the format, because you've specifically left space to explore there. Unless you wanna ban list for it and at that point good God am I ever out, because thats a slippery slope with no end in sight.

Theres always going to be a bogeyman, thats part of being human. Sometimes being part of a community comes with an us and them mentality, as %$#% up as I personally find that. Cedh players ain't it though, chief. They're the ones following the rules you've asked them to adhere to, and I've never heard complaints, other than about the way they're seen in the community. Mostly they're on your side, they want the same rules in place.

The people you're looking for are the trolls who break the implicit rules knowing what they're doing just for a laugh or a meme or a W with no consideration towards the enjoyment of the rest of the table. And the tools for dealing with that are already in place - have that rule 0 discussion. If it seems fishy to you its always better to not play a game you know you wouldn't enjoy. If someone repeatedly does it don't play them. Do everything in your power to play against decks that are on a level pegging with your pod. If you find yourself in the middle of one of those games just scoop at a point that won't shaft the other players staying. Just don't feed the trolls. We've all been on the internet long enough to know that rings true, so just vote with your time and walk away from that behavior. Its not hard and its better than being taken advantage of. Communicate well and if that doesn't work just walk away.

[DirkGently]

Hi mods, just reading over the responses, its basically the same things being rehashed over and over again. I had been hoping for more constructive discourse, however it has only gone back to the "demonize cEDH". If possible please close the thread.

Help, people don't agree with me.

The people %$#% on casuals for a win are not cedh players, they're jerks. Therefore, the issue, at least as far as enjoyment of the average pickup game goes, has nothing to do with cedh.

This is a no true scotsman argument imo. There are cEDH players who have their own insulated playgroups and don't bother anyone, there are cEDH players who play at an LGS and try to find other cEDH opponents to play against...and there are cEDH players who play at an LGS and """try""" to find other cEDH opponents. They're all cEDH players. cEDH doesn't get to disown the jerks any more than EDH gets to disown the jerks who play casual commander and flips the table when someone counterspells their expropriate.

The reality on the ground is that, since cEDH is a fairly small format with a high buy-in (outside proxies), I'd imagine it's not easy to find a nice insulated group that can isolate away from EDH at large. So, people go to their LGS with cEDH decks and try to find other cEDH players. I'll give the benefit of the doubt and assume they're not initially intending to pubstomp. But then if they don't find enough people to play cEDH with, I don't imagine they want to just leave. Newer players who aren't familiar with the format and/or want to be nice invite them to play. And a lot of those sorts of players, who often don't understand the distinction very well, are impressed with the cEDH decks, and aspire to do the same. And ofc that's great news for the cEDH player, more people to play against, and they have no reason to prevent it...but it can ruin the environment for the EDH players as there's more and more blurring between the two formats. The cEDH mindset can spread like a virus, even with the best of intentions. I've seen this exact thing happening at KoC downtown. People come in with cEDH, they impress the new players, new players try to emulate them, and you end up with an unpleasant blur of semi-competitive combo decks aspiring to be cEDH but with little understanding of the distinction between the formats and happy to sit down at either table.

I'm not saying people shouldn't be allowed to play cEDH, obviously. I don't know what should be done about it, beyond being critical of pubstompers. But I don't like it. I like my quiet room.