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I have a lot of EDH Decks. I started playing edh in 2010 after a long hiatus from the game (I started in Revised, took a break after Mirage, restarted with Prophecy, and took a break after Scourge).
I started building decks and by 2013 I had close to 100. I've continued to build decks since then, and I rarely take them apart.
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See Also ths poorly maintained play-through blog that I kept going for several years :
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https://edh100.wordpress.com
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Some personal deckbuilding rules and philosophy
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PROXIES:In almost all cases I only proxy for what I own (Placeholder Proxy). Primarily big $ lands (cradle, stronghold, duals, etc), Planeswalkers (I keep them in a 'blind eternities' binder) and certain deck-specific cards (Doubling Season) and I really try to keep the proxies to a minimum. Except for some 5-color decks that have a full set of sharpie-duals, most decks ahve 0-3 placeholders. When possible I replace the cards with official ones if I can. Exceptions include some theme-y decks where I want alternate art designs for style reasons, (My Transformers deck, Lara Croft, Nextwave 'superfriends') or other silly decks with $5 commons (looking at you "Slime Against Humanity)
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OPTIMIZING: I'm not an optimizer (I actually kinda hate the word), I'm not a cEDHr, I will play 3-cost Mana Rocks and ETBT lands. I don't believe in Staples, and usually "Good Stuff" only goes in if there are empty slots after theme is filled. I'm also not opposed to good cards being in a deck.
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My ideal game length is beween 9-12 turns. I'd rather lose on turn 14 than win on turn 5. EDH, for me, is about the path, not the destination.
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I am a Casual Player: This has a specific definition for me which is "I will not play for stakes beyond the outcome of the game" -- no tournaments, no points, no ladders, no prizes*, no money, no packs, etc. For that reason, I am pretty chill about mulligans, take backs, etc. Because ultimately, if I lose, the only thing I've lost is the game and the time. For that reason also, HOW the game unfolds and the experience/fun of all players is more important to me than "Optimal Piloting of Lines" or whatever.
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I'm mostly against/ or at least rarely enjoy games involving: Stax (locking people out means people aren't playing), Infect, Early game intentional surprise combo, Discard, and winning or losign the game in the exact same way multiple times in a row.
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I'm fine with: fast mana, your Rhystic Study, pillow forts, convoluted or interesting combos, Dockside/JLo/Crypt.
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Cards I really just don't like (rationally or irrationally): WUG Praetors (except flip norn), Aura Shards, Mesmeric Orb,
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I have never owned or controlled a Sensei's Divining Top.
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I don't believe in Tiers or "Power Levels", or that a particular card's inclusion sets either power or intent.
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I don't think there's a Single Metric solution to rule-0 discussions.
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---- That said, I do like this chart, and any "Power Ranking" on my decks will be based on where I feel my deck might fit on this axis https://www.edhmultiverse.com/
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https://www.edhmultiverse.com/
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A card is only a "Game Changer" if it forces me to "Change" how I can play the "Game". ( Vorinclex is a game changer, Rhystic Study (bc I don't have to pay the one) is not.)
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I believe in the Social Contract and the previous version of the Official "Philosophy of Commander"
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THE PHILOSOPHY OF COMMANDER
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Commander is for fun. It’s a socially interactive, multiplayer Magic: the Gathering format full of wild interactions and epic plays, specifically designed as an alternative to tournament Magic. As is fitting for a format in which you choose an avatar to lead your forces into battle, Commander focuses on a resonant experience. Each game is a journey the players share, relying on a social contract in which each player is considerate of the experiences of everyone involved–this promotes player interaction, inter-game variance, a variety of play styles, and a positive communal atmosphere. At the end of an ideal Commander game, someone will have won, but all participants will have had the opportunity to express themselves through their deck building and game play.
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The rules of Commander are designed to maximize these experiences within a game of Magic. The addition of a commander, larger life total, and deck building restrictions emphasize the format’s flavor; they increase deck variance and add more opportunities for participation and expression.
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The goal of the ban list is similar; it does not seek to regulate competitive play or power level, which are decisions best left to individual play groups. The ban list seeks to demonstrate which cards threaten the positive player experience at the core of the format or prevent players from reasonable self-expression. The primary focus of the list is on cards which are problematic because of their extreme consistency, ubiquity, and/or ability to restrict others’ opportunities.
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No single rule can establish criteria for a ban; there are many mitigating or exacerbating factors. Some cards will represent an extreme on a single axis; others are a confluence of multiple smaller issues. The following list isn’t exhaustive, nor is it a checklist, but it represents ways in which cards challenge the positive experiences players look for in commander games. It includes cards which easily or excessively
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• Cause severe resource imbalances
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• Allow players to win out of nowhere
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• Prevent players from contributing to the game in a meaningful way.
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• Cause other players to feel they must play certain cards, even though they are also problematic.
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• Are very difficult for other players to interact with, especially if doing so requires dedicated, narrow responses when deck-building.
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• Interact poorly with the multiplayer nature of the format or the specific rules of Commander.
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• Lead to repetitive game play.
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Cards which are banned likely meet a few of these criteria in a significant way; not all cards which meet some of the criteria need to banned.
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We prefer to be conservative with what goes on or comes off the ban list. Commander players often become emotionally attached to their decks through play and personalization, and we value that experience highly. We only want to disrupt that bond when necessary.
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Commander is designed to be a malleable format. We encourage groups to use the rules and the ban list as a baseline to optimize their own experience. This is not license for an individual to force their vision onto a play group, but encouragement for players to discuss their goals and how the rules might be adjusted to suit those goals.
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The format can be broken; we believe games are more fun if you don’t.
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