The Set-Commander Project: BRO edition
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2022 1:27 pm
Another set, another set-commander deck to build. This time, though, things are even more complicated with the legality of cards. I'd divide the potentially-legal cards into the following categories:
1) BRO main-set cards - everything from #1-#287
2) BRO retro artifacts - artifact reprints in the retro frame, #1-#63
3) BRC (commander precons) new cards
4) BRC reprint cards
5) BRC not-available-in-precons cards
6) BRO new jumpstart cards
7) BRO reprint jumpstart cards
8) Transformers abominations against god
1 should obviously be legal. However, allowing only the main set cards only gives me access to a single tri-color commander, which is realistically the minimum colors before you're running absolute jank. I do like Tocasia, Dig Site Mentor, but I don't like being penned in. Anyway, that's the strictest version of the rules.
The most reasonable second category would be the retro artifacts. They're in the draft boosters and part of the limited experience, so it's pretty justified to include them. However, they do spike the power level REAL hard. Since they're almost all colorless, though, they enable the commanders from the main set to play potentially fine, even the mono-colored ones. It also opens up Ramos, Dragon Engine as an option, although I've always thought he was pretty boring. If I do allow them, I think Drafna, Founder of Lat-Nam honestly seems pretty insane. You can even go infinite with the right combination of artifacts, and do some pretty degenerate stuff. Might be too powerful for my group, though. It does run into another issue as well - I've usually let myself add cards from my collection if there are reprints in the set that I own the original of, but I do already own all the cards in the retro artifacts group, which is obviously a hell of a lot of firepower. I could limit myself to just the ones I draft I guess, but that's an extremely slow process.
Another option is to include the BRC new cards - in particular, Tawnos, Solemn Survivor seems like a fun build. I'd probably include them instead of the retro artifacts, since it's almost certainly too strong with both. I also might just allow the commanders, just to free up some options.
BRC reprints are definitely a no. Though I might play the unmodified urza precon I bought a couple times.
BRC not-available-in-precons cards have a few interesting cards, but mostly don't gel with what commanders are available. The archimandrake is sort of an interesting commander, but y'know, tribal.
None of the new jumpstart cards are that exciting so it's kinda whatever, not worth weakening the restrictions. No clue what the reprints are, but those are definitely out.
Transformers abominations are abominations and I will have no part of them. Helps that they're mostly trash and don't synergize with the set. I guess Soundwave, Sonic Spy // Soundwave, Superior Champion is kinda cool design...but no, bad DirkGently! Don't give into their marketeer's tricks!
Anyway, so right now I'm kinda deciding between:
Tocasia main-set-only
Drafna main set + retro artifacts
tawnos solemn survivor main set only (except for him)
1) BRO main-set cards - everything from #1-#287
2) BRO retro artifacts - artifact reprints in the retro frame, #1-#63
3) BRC (commander precons) new cards
4) BRC reprint cards
5) BRC not-available-in-precons cards
6) BRO new jumpstart cards
7) BRO reprint jumpstart cards
8) Transformers abominations against god
1 should obviously be legal. However, allowing only the main set cards only gives me access to a single tri-color commander, which is realistically the minimum colors before you're running absolute jank. I do like Tocasia, Dig Site Mentor, but I don't like being penned in. Anyway, that's the strictest version of the rules.
The most reasonable second category would be the retro artifacts. They're in the draft boosters and part of the limited experience, so it's pretty justified to include them. However, they do spike the power level REAL hard. Since they're almost all colorless, though, they enable the commanders from the main set to play potentially fine, even the mono-colored ones. It also opens up Ramos, Dragon Engine as an option, although I've always thought he was pretty boring. If I do allow them, I think Drafna, Founder of Lat-Nam honestly seems pretty insane. You can even go infinite with the right combination of artifacts, and do some pretty degenerate stuff. Might be too powerful for my group, though. It does run into another issue as well - I've usually let myself add cards from my collection if there are reprints in the set that I own the original of, but I do already own all the cards in the retro artifacts group, which is obviously a hell of a lot of firepower. I could limit myself to just the ones I draft I guess, but that's an extremely slow process.
Another option is to include the BRC new cards - in particular, Tawnos, Solemn Survivor seems like a fun build. I'd probably include them instead of the retro artifacts, since it's almost certainly too strong with both. I also might just allow the commanders, just to free up some options.
BRC reprints are definitely a no. Though I might play the unmodified urza precon I bought a couple times.
BRC not-available-in-precons cards have a few interesting cards, but mostly don't gel with what commanders are available. The archimandrake is sort of an interesting commander, but y'know, tribal.
None of the new jumpstart cards are that exciting so it's kinda whatever, not worth weakening the restrictions. No clue what the reprints are, but those are definitely out.
Transformers abominations are abominations and I will have no part of them. Helps that they're mostly trash and don't synergize with the set. I guess Soundwave, Sonic Spy // Soundwave, Superior Champion is kinda cool design...but no, bad DirkGently! Don't give into their marketeer's tricks!
Anyway, so right now I'm kinda deciding between:
Tocasia main-set-only
Drafna main set + retro artifacts
tawnos solemn survivor main set only (except for him)