These cards are often sought after in both casual and competitive play due to their ability to swing the momentum of a match in favor of the player who wields them. However, their power comes with a price, as opponents must devise strategies to counteract their effects and mitigate their impact on the game. The synergy between cards within a deck also contributes to their overall power level. Cards that complement each other’s abilities or enable powerful combos enhance the effectiveness of a deck and elevate its power level.

Is there a better method that could be used to determine relative strength? Do you find turncounts a reliable way to measure a deck’s power level? Power levels can be a helpful way to compare the relative power of your deck to those of your opponents. When used correctly, this ranking system’s goal is to create games that are more fun for everyone because each deck involved has around the same chance of winning and nobody steamrolls the competition. That said, not everyone has the exact same thoughts on what each power-level means, so it might still be worth having a rule 0 discussion with your playgroup to make sure everyone is on the same page. These decks prioritize perfectly crafted mana curves so you aren’t wasting any time or cards.

You may not want to hit your wincon so quickly that nobody else had fun in the game. You also don't want to take so long that you've run out of interaction and can't stop someone else from winning. You're looking for that sweet spot where you are all getting to see your decks do what they were built to do. These are decks that meet the legal requirements to be played in Commander, but not much else. In a table with 4 decks, two with PL 5 and two with PL 6, they could compete, although the PL 6 has a small advantage.

Commander (

In a game of cEDH, the main goal is victory as quickly and efficiently as possible. The expectation has already been established before you even sit down at the table. This restriction is in place to ensure a consistent and balanced gameplay experience in the Commander format. Having more than 100 cards in your deck would introduce inconsistency and decrease the likelihood of drawing your key cards and combos. You try to win your fair share of games and you assume that other players will have fun if they're also winning their fair share of games. In most playgroups that means winning roughly one in four of your matches.

What's Up With Power Levels in Commander?

These things matter in terms of managing expectations even though there's no promise that you'll be drawing into those cards. You might not play a single Praetor in your game, but it's wise to make sure your table knows if you've got every single one of those salt-inducing Praetors in your deck before you start the game. You're probably not going to be playing a hundred games with these decks.

Worst Magic Mechanics

Additionally, maintaining a consistent mana curve and ensuring sufficient mana sources are crucial for reliably casting Power Level 7 cards when needed. Meta-game considerations, such as the popularity of specific deck archetypes and the prevalence of certain card interactions, also impact the perceived power level of cards. Players must stay attuned to the shifting dynamics of the meta-game and adapt their deck-building strategies accordingly to maximize the potential of Power Level 7 cards. The historical context of MTG and the prevailing meta-game conditions influence the perception of a card’s power level. Cards that were once dominant in previous formats may experience fluctuations in their power level as new expansions are released and the meta-game evolves. Additionally, the emergence of new strategies and archetypes can reshape the landscape of competitive play, affecting the viability of certain cards.

That said, I also added a lot of fun cards, like the new Starscream, Power Hungry, simply because I like the idea of making other people Monarchs. Because not all the cards added are strictly for power level reasons, it gets a lower grade on the power level scale than a more optimized Urza deck. To avoid this, Commander players engage in a ‘Rule Zero’ conversation where a deck’s ‘power level’ is assessed. Here, we will suggest a guide to determine your deck’s power levels in the context of a Rule Zero conversation. That said, there is no perfect way to do this since it’s highly subjective.

The power level scale in MTG serves as a qualitative measure of a card’s overall strength and impact on gameplay. While power and toughness determine a creature’s combat prowess, the power level scale assesses a card’s broader significance within the game. This calculator takes into account various factors, such as the cards in your deck, their individual power levels, and potential synergies, to provide a numerical rating reflecting your deck’s overall power level. What it means is that you do your best to have a range of power levels in the decks you bring to your play session, and if you win a game you switch to a weaker deck if possible for the next game. Part of the problem is that implied promise you make when you tell your tablemate what power level your deck is. Less experienced players may take it to heart and get annoyed if they feel like you were lying to them.

They’re slightly less efficient than the highest tier decks either because of budgetary restrictions or because their game plan takes a little longer to win. Our last two “real” power levels involve deck ideas that include specific cards in the game plan. With one strict winning plan, the rest of the deck can be tuned to support and enable the named cards. Redundancy can be added by using mirroring combo pieces, such as Zealous Conscripts for Restoration Angel in the above example. Consistency is added by using mass card draw or tutors to pick up the needed cards. Game groups that want to ban tutor effects are often the result of a Level 8 deck entering the ring.

These decks have no room for a card that doesn’t help them win or even a less efficient version of one. These decks tend to be very expensive because they require perfectly tuned mana bases and the most efficient card for any given effect. Central to the gameplay of MTG is the concept of power levels, which determine the strength and effectiveness of cards in a player’s deck. Every card in the game is assigned a power and toughness value, representing its ability to deal damage and withstand attacks, respectively. Additionally, cards possess various abilities and effects that can shape the course of a game. Well, convenient questions asker, let me address those one at a time.

In short a deck's synergistic qualities are how it interacts with itself and not necessarily how it interacts with other people. We have grown comfortable with the in-between because it doesn’t require us to define our decks beyond the extremes. We have shortcutted ourselves, and so transformed the pregame conversation into a hollow and empty ritual. By readjusting our framework of power and altering our language, we can restore meaningful discussion and gain more accurate perceptions of power levels. This was originally a Golos, Tireless Pilgrim deck that had to change with commander deck the times once the Commander got banned. The power level of the deck definitely took a dive as a result, but not a huge one.

At the top end of the “low powered” decks are most precon products. This is where people tend to start playing and it's a good time overall. The decks tend to be mildly synergistic (we will hear more of this word later on). The commanders are decent to excellent, and the mana base is a step above bulk basics and common duals.