Bea DnD Fallout Commander Launch Party Event Review

Commander is one of the most popular formats in Magic: The Gathering. While I have dabbled, I haven’t been down to a store to try the game at an event. With the latest Universes Beyond being Fallout commander decks, this seemed like the best time to give it a try. And where would I go to try this? Bea DnD of course. 

What the hell is Commander?

Commander is a constructed format that was initially created by the player base. It has remained a super popular format because of the way it puts your stacks of paper to use. This is because a commander deck consists of 100 cards, and every one of them needs to be unique (except lands, of course). So, if you have stacks of cards from having a blast at booster drafts, you probably have enough to build your commander deck.

An exceptional feature of this game is that your commander will be one of the cards in your deck. In essence, this is a creature that sits in a different location on your board called the command zone. You can cast the commander as if it was in your hand, and when it dies it goes back to the command zone. Each time you cast it, it does cost 2 more mana though, so it can get expensive fast if not chosen wisely.

There are wildly varying power levels in commander, with people building super strong ones that can finish in only a few rounds, and others which cause weird game loops that can cause health to spike or poison counters handed out like candy. This wild variation is what makes commander both intimidating and fun.

What if all this sounds too intimidating?

Wizards do a pretty good job of finding ways to get players into the game. One of these is pre-con Commander Decks. Many sets that are launched come with pre-built commander decks available for purchase and immediate play. They are consistently excellent value (in comparison to buying the cards individually). These are very cool, but cooler than that are the Universes Beyond ones. Recent releases like Doctor Who and Fallout are built around commander. 

The newest Magic the Gathering release is the Fallout decks. You can buy one of 4 commander decks, or Collector Boosters, which are expensive ways to make your Fallout pre-con fancier. So, in other words, you can pick up a deck that is ready to go, and give this fun format a play!

Should you go to a Commander Party or Commander night at Bea DnD?

Yup!

Oh, I should write more words than just yup. One of the benefits to a Commander Launch Party is that people are there to play the new pre-cons. So, odds are the bulk will be pre-cons, meaning the fights will be consistent and balanced. 

This was the first Commander event I have been to, and the vibe is surprisingly different. I met a lot of people who regularly attend Commander Nights, and the thing they have in common is that they want to have fun. Laughing would erupt from a table, where all 4 people were enjoying the chaos of a great combo, or an unexpected result in a hand. Everyone was there to have fun, and win or lose, they wanted to see weird stuff happen in Magic games. It was kind of awesome!

If you want to play commander, then Bea DnD is a damn great place to check it out. If you aren’t sure about getting smashed, well, a launch party where more people will be using pre-cons will put you in a chance of not being outmatched. Commander is awesome, and Bea DnD is even better.