My Highest Powered Deck

Commander (EDH) forum

Posted on Aug. 15, 2022, 2:27 p.m. by rshistorysmuf

MG42 after playing a few games with my 'Ping' deck, the local LGS nerd of MTG thinks my deck is Power Level 8. Mainly because it is a Ping deck.

What do you guys think. I thought it was more of a 7 because it does what it says on the tin, sometimes its Card Draw can be slow.

TypicalTimmy says... #2

Power level is largely subjective because it depends on a multitude of factors, such as:

  • Local meta
  • Experience of all players involved
  • Mana base and balancing
  • Knowledge of rules and interactions
  • Cards being used

Personally, I feel there are three categories:

  • Strictly competitive
  • Not competitive but strong
  • Strictly casual (mostly precons and new players or budget decks)

I'm willing to believe probably 70% of all decks fall within NCBS, which now means your deck that is "powerful", is it that way because of who you play against?

I've had decks I largely thought were unbeatable, because I was a better player than my group. Take it to an LGS and it lost every single game.

August 15, 2022 2:45 p.m.

multimedia says... #3

Hey, you have an interesting/fun deck, but sorry it's casual power level (PL) 5 at most.

Lands in the manabase and ramp sources are a big sign of what PL. A low budget manabase that has Highland Lake and Temple of the False God isn't PL 7-8. Very little ramp with a 4.0 avg. CMC is not PL 7-8. Please get rid of Temple of the False God.

It's difficult to get to PL 8 or higher on a low budget because the best lands and mana rocks are some of the most expensive cards in Commander. At best on a low budget unless playing mono-colored you're looking at PL 6. Your deck doesn't have any instants or sorceries? Izzet has many good low budget instants and sorceries especially for draw.

You have an infinite combo Niv-Mizzet, Parun + Curiosity, that helps to have a higher PL. Although, Niv-Mizzet, Parun is better as a win condition when it's the Commander not inside the 99. You have many potential other win conditions: Purphoros, God of the Forge, Reckless Fireweaver, Impact Tremors, Nettle Drone, etc., but lack enablers to combo with these win conditions.

To increase PL your deck needs to be more tuned to get to the final goal which is to win the game. PL 8 uses just about all cards in the deck to help to assemble a combo win, ramp, tutor, draw, protect the combo or stop an opponent's combo. If a card doesn't help to do one of these then it's not needed in the deck. Don't try to get to PL 8 unless you can spend for expensive price cards instead shoot for PL 6.

Here's some low budget cards to increase the PL of your deck:

August 15, 2022 9:15 p.m.

TypicalTimmy says... #4

I would say the level I build at is Jimmy on Game Knights.

I can build the way Josh does, but I begin to lose fun at that point, for obvious reasons. While explosive turns are amazing, I'd rather dump my hand and swing, then wait to respond

August 15, 2022 9:35 p.m.

Gidgetimer says... #5

I also am not a huge fan of numerical power level, but if I had to assign a number it would be about what a precon is since the deck has 4.05 average MV and 2 ramp sources, so like a 3?

I find rule 0 talks to be much more useful for setting expectations. There can still be miscommunication of expectations, as I had someone recently say that my Chulane deck that I consider to be high power but not cEDH was in fact cEDH. It was the last game of the stream and we had already played 2 cEDH games and a high powered game. So no one cared, but it stuck with me that a deck I consider to be high power someone who knows cEDH called cEDH.

August 15, 2022 10:34 p.m.

TheOfficialCreator says... #6

Oftentimes decks with a unique "gimmick" that subverts the rest of the deck around it are lower power level just by virtue of existing. cEDH and mid-competitive decks focus on tried-and-true strategies 99% of the time.

Your playgroup may have fundamentally misinterpreted the power level scale, or have not played against true cEDH before.

August 16, 2022 9:25 a.m.

Gidgetimer says... #7

Is that at me or the OP?

August 16, 2022 5:41 p.m.

TheOfficialCreator says... #8

Gidgetimer the op :)

August 16, 2022 5:45 p.m.

rshistorysmuf says... #9

I'm still amused that the Deck Editor thinks it is 2/3rds Casual.

As someone commented it is an fun deck. But like any EDH, you fiddle with to get better game play.

Ophidian Eye - infinite loop here.

I still like an idea of balance in a game, being hard but not being OTT.

August 18, 2022 5:10 p.m.

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