Magic Commander Column Says Losing Is Part of the Fun, Cites Reality Fracture
Ittetsu of the Commander Format Committee argues that a 25% baseline win rate means losses are normal, and he points to Reality Fracture and Star Trek.
The official Magic: The Gathering Japan site has published a Commander column with a blunt message for newer pods: you will lose, so learn to enjoy it. "Enjoy Losing! How to Live with the Commander Format" is the fourth installment of the series 'Ittetsu's Commander Recommendations', written by Ittetsu (@ittetu_), a member of the Commander Format Committee.
Why Commander Losses Are Normal
The argument rests on arithmetic the column spells out. Commander is a four-player game, so the baseline win rate is 25%. The author adds that the format has almost no luck-based wins and that beginners rarely get wins.
He contrasts it with Standard, where up to 3 games fit in 50 minutes. Fewer games fit into a day of Commander, so a player at an all-day event such as Commander Fest can go without a win.
His conclusion: fixating on winning makes the format harsh, and losing is part of the enjoyment.
TCGKing's take: a column from a committee member telling players to expect losses is a useful reset for anyone who treats a Commander night like a ladder climb. It also reads as an unusually candid thing to publish on an official site.
Brackets, Game Changers and Balance
The column says the Bracket system and the Game Changers list exist to match players with similar expectations, not to equalize win rates between archetypes. The author calls Commander's balance "broken" and says recent card power growth has changed how "casual" games feel.
On Bracket 3, he says everyone is expected to get about 6 turns, but that is not a ceasefire. A 40/40 creature on turn 4 still has to be answered with removal or blockers.
He says he does not track his win rate in Brackets 1 to 3. Instead he records and shares odd games and the ways he lost.
Ittetsu's Losing Stories
Two anecdotes carry the point:
- At his first Commander event, he cast Natural Knowledge (named only by its Japanese title in the column) on turn 2. An opponent's Joira on the play killed him by turn 3, and he felt excitement rather than disappointment.
- In a Bracket 3 game, his Kozilek, the Great Distortion, cast on turn 5, was stolen by Sauron, the Lidless Eye. Another player cloned Sauron and took Kozilek again, and he lost.
Holding Interaction in Commander
His practical advice is to avoid casting interaction such as Counterspell or Swords to Plowshares unless you are sure the opposing action is dangerous. Players learn by experiencing losses, he says. He recommends asking opponents afterward whether a held card would have stopped them.
Reality Fracture and Star Trek in the Column
The column says Reality Fracture is full of cards that are fun for Commander.
It also looks ahead to the next set, named as 'Magic: The Gathering | Star Trek', and urges players to pre-order booster boxes and Commander decks at WPN (Wizards Play Network) stores. The author says he looks forward to copying the flashy artifact Deep Space Nine many times and to playing the Khan card, with Benedict Cumberbatch as the actor playing Khan.
TCGKing has covered the Star Trek side separately, including the closing Landing Party decklist.
Eternal Weekend Asia in Tokyo
The column also points to Eternal Weekend Asia at Sunshine City, Ikebukuro, Tokyo, at the end of the month. It is mainly Legacy and Vintage tournaments, with Commander and Draft side events.
What is still unknown
- Release date and prices for the Star Trek booster boxes and Commander decks are not given in the column.
- Exact dates of Eternal Weekend Asia are not given.
- Details of the Star Trek cards beyond Deep Space Nine and Khan are not given.
TCGKing updates this article as soon as Wizards of the Coast announces these details. Follow all Magic news or get it in our newsletter.
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