EDH to CEDH: Gradual or Sharp Turn?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Feb. 13, 2020, 3:42 p.m. by AkrosTheClear
So I have been trying to take an objective look at the power level of my EDH decks. I've played with some other groups and noticed that my play group has grown into a very high power level. After watching CEDH game play on youtube I feel that if this power creep continues we're going to get into CEDH territory soon.
For people that have gotten into CEDH did you find that your experience was similar? or did you make the conscious decision to build competitive decks?
(Slightly off topic, but I think that if the former is true for most people having a separate set of rules for CEDH is out of the question)
LordBlackblade says... #3
Kind of spring-boarding of off DrukenReaps' comment, I feel it is a moment of conscious decision. You can slide up the scale all you want, but the moment you say to yourself, "I'm pulling out all the stops" is the moment to me when you cross into cEDH territory.
February 13, 2020 4:15 p.m.
Dredge4life says... #4
CEDH is a different format entirely. You’d know if you were playing CEDH, I think. It’s pretty dramatically different than just tuned casual decks.
Now, if someone goes Flash Protean Hulk with FoW backup on turn two or three, then you may have jumped the gun.
February 13, 2020 4:38 p.m.
GhostChieftain says... #5
cEDH is just EDH played competitively, they are the same format. I repeat, they are the same format.
February 14, 2020 12:21 a.m.
GhostChieftain says... #6
For me it was very gradual til I was a tuned deck with a decently competitive wincon. I then started playing against cEDH level decks and it was a small jump to be more optimized vs these stronger decks.
February 14, 2020 12:27 a.m.
dingusdingo says... #7
For me, I understand EDH like this
Battlecruiser Decks
Vast majority of casual decks. Emphasis on goofy interactions and having fun. Few tutors, lots of cards are played without thought for efficiency or mana cost. Wacky plays and big flashy spells. Lots of fun!
High Powered
Decks built with intention to perform well or have strong card inclusions. Much more emphasis on playability of cards i.e. mana cost against effect. You are likely to see tutors here, and you are likely to see infinite combos usually after turn 6 or so as a possibility. Lots of Voltron strategies rest here. Medium amount of fancy lands, efficient removal, and expect a budget in the $200-$800 range. The deck has definitive cards for winning in mind when being built. You should expect to see many of these kinds of decks at EDH night at your LGS. Think of tuner decks that your weird buddy who has been playing for 6 years is very proud of.
Competitive
Implied gatekeeping due to nature of focusing on efficient wins. The most notable gatekeeping is commanders, there are simply some commanders that are more suited to competitive EDH than others by virtue of their abilities. Primarily, focused almost exclusively on assembling an infinite combo as fast as you can while slowing or stopping other players from assembling an infinite combo. Players aim to accomplish significant board presence by turn 3, and expect other players to threaten game winning combos or board positions on turn 3. Budget is very high or limitless, and decks outside mono color are easily $1000+. Four or five color decks are easily $4000+. The card pool is most similar to Vintage of any format, and card quality must be very high to be considered competitive playable.
How does my deck stack up?
Most likely high powered. Almost all commanders that get tuned up and given some sweet synergy love will hit this spot. You gotta drop some serious dosh or have been playing for quite a while to have the card base for competitive, and the meta is established enough for there to be a knowledge base as well. Do some research, try some proxies, and get your playgroup to proxy up a deck if you can. All 3 power levels are fun and I recommend them all wholeheartedly.
February 14, 2020 2:57 a.m.
I've primarily played Commander with college friends or at a group that meets at a bar on weekends. In both groups we've managed to keep a pretty good handle on the power level of our decks and create fun games. Though frankly, when I was just beginning to play Commander (right after the first precons were released), the need to pull out more stops and make more and more efficient combos ended up ruining the experience for me and a friend, and we basically stopped playing Commander at all for about two years. So I really don't have any interest in ramping up the power level and finding the most streamlined combos.
DrukenReaps says... #2
I found myself sliding up the scale like your group is but most of my group is not. Some are very much still learning the game, others like silly decks. Nothing wrong with that. It just means I have had to purposely weaken my decks to keep playing with them and not feel bad when I win.
It has been a conscious decision on my part to avoid certain kinds of card interactions in order to not play outside of the 'power level' of my meta.
February 13, 2020 4:09 p.m.