Advice Wanted: Starting an EDH League
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on April 6, 2014, 4:54 p.m. by KULiiA
Hi guys,
I have been trying to brainstorm some ways to increase the interest in Commander at my local game shop. One of the ways I thought about was to create a Commander League. I'm also open to other ideas on how to generate interest, and advertising such league or other event, without stepping on the toes of other local shops.
I have been doing some research on rulings and such to start up an EDH League at my local game shop to hopefully increase in the interest in EDH, and found some helpful things but for the most part just overly complicated and strict "league rules".
So I was wondering could help lead me in the right direction. What are some of the rules in your EDH League that you like and don't like? How often do you guys have scheduled events and how long is your "season"? Do you offer prize support and if so what?
My other idea to help create interest in EDH was to have a one-day "learn to play EDH" event with a tournament for players who already play. But I have no experience with EDH tournaments as they are not offered in my area. Thoughtful advice and opinions are much appreciated : ]
I recently joined an EDH league here in Philadelphia at a record store that sells mtg packs and accessories. It meets for a round every other Friday, and the seasons are five rounds long. You reserve your General and commit to playing it for the whole season. No two players can have the same General, and whichever General wins a season can't be claimed the following season.
The league is free, and there is weekly prize support. It's a fat stack of bulk rares, solid uncommons, full art promos and some SCG monthly memberships in an envelope that the winner of each pod gets to choose one card from.
They sent an email out before the season started listing the Generals selected thus far.
Animar, Soul of Elements
Azami, Lady of Scrolls
Borborygmos Enraged
Child of Alara
<- me!
Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
Doran, the Siege Tower
Edric, Spymaster of Trest
Fumiko the Lowblood
Horde of Notions
Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
Marath, Will of the Wild
Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker
Oloro, Ageless Ascetic
Phenax, God of Deception
Sliver Overlord
April 6, 2014 7:36 p.m.
Oh yeah.
If you win a pod, you get 3 points per opponent in the pod. They also award 1 point for the player that deals the most combat damage to a player in a single turn. They tally the 4 best scores from the 5 week season to determine the winner.
April 6, 2014 7:42 p.m.
I had those numbers all wrong.
"Each player who participates in a game receives 1 point. The player who wins a game receives a bonus point, plus 2 points for each player in that game (e.g. in a 5-player game, the winning player receives 11 points). The player who dealt the most combat damage in a single turn receives an award of 3 points for that game."
If you give me your email address, I can send you the rules they sent me.
April 6, 2014 7:47 p.m.
If you could email me the information that would be great. My email is asbtrot at yahoo dot com
Thanks : ]
April 6, 2014 10:45 p.m.
canterlotguardian says... #7
Bestach the last example you gave is kinda irking me. why would you penalize somebody for dropping a T1 Sol Ring ? If it's in their opening hand, then what? Do you just force them to not play it or suffer the consequences? that's one of the more nonsensical EDH tourney rules I've heard.
Bestach says... #2
At my LGS we do a different style tournament each weekend, so we've done Two-headed Giant, Planechase, Archenemy, and in the next few weeks will be doing Star and Pauper EDH. I don't know how well this would work for people without existing decks though.
One cool thing I have seen done was tournaments where you received points for achieving tasks, rather than winning. So things like, having a certain number of creatures, gaining a certain amount of life, saving another player, Drawing X cards etc. This means that players with less powerful decks get a chance to play and try to achieve tasks while players who already have decks are forced to change it up to complete the objectives. This style also gives negative points for things like killing a player before t5, or playing t1 Sol Ring . This could be how you would want to run a league.
April 6, 2014 7:25 p.m.