Commander Lamentations

[Morganator 2.0]

While Commander tries to be the format for everyone, not everything translates well into multiplayer. So while I still only exclusively play commander, there are still things I miss from 1 v 1 formats. Like combat tricks. In draft I would always aim for a well timed Weapon Surge or Inspired Charge to turn the game around. Unfortunately, small combat tricks aren't really useful in Commander.

Is there anything that you guys sometimes regret isn't in Commander?

[Slyvester12]

This is more a "high power commander lament," but I wish life gain were a bit more powerful. Outside of large combos and things like Aetherflux Reservoir storm builds, gaining 3-5 life a few times a game is basically a useless effect.

I also wish lord effects were better. Cards like Eladamri, Lord of Leaves feel too few and far between, while most lords are the generic "Xs you control get +1/+1."

[WWolfe]

I agree with Slyvester12 about lord effects. While the +1/+1 is effective for some decks, in other decks they don't do enough. I thought zombies were getting some help in this regard with Vizier of the Scorpion and the other cards from War of the Spark, until I read the full card and realized they only buff tokens.

Though slivers have a nice little thing going on... 

[Aetherium Slinky]

This is more a "high power commander lament," but I wish life gain were a bit more powerful. Outside of large combos and things like Aetherflux Reservoir storm builds, gaining 3-5 life a few times a game is basically a useless effect.

I also wish lord effects were better. Cards like Eladamri, Lord of Leaves feel too few and far between, while most lords are the generic "Xs you control get +1/+1."

I play accidental life gain in my Uro deck and I have to say it's surprisingly effective in creature heavy metas. Peiple don't realise how much of a difference 6-18 life makes. It's a nice buffer for counteracting the "penalty" of playing combo. I've even considered swapping Merieke out for Oloro in order to stay alive just a little bit longer.

[ApothecaryGeist]

While Commander tries to be the format for everyone, not everything translates well into multiplayer. So while I still only exclusively play commander, there are still things I miss from 1 v 1 formats. Like combat tricks. In draft I would always aim for a well timed Weapon Surge or Inspired Charge to turn the game around. Unfortunately, small combat tricks aren't really useful in Commander.

Is there anything that you guys sometimes regret isn't in Commander?

I find, at casual tables, that since so few combat tricks are played, a well played combat trick can be quite game changing.  I like Berserk and Boros Charm.  But really any combat trick can be quite surprising.

[Judaspriester]

I sometimes still use them, but at my playgroup, beatdown and commander damage are still viable options, because the group likes to play with creatures.
Something like pumping up uril and then play Seize the Day in order to kill more than one person can be funny.

The problem is that you'll need more and more efficient beaters if the meta becomes more competitive and at some point you run out of options because you're lacking the Iwin button.

[robort]

In commander there is the only having 1 of a card vs the multiple of a card. But people are right you don't see combat tricks often in commander. Most tricks though are used mainly with a voltron commander then anything else. In a 4 player game trying to bash down 120 life with combat tricks isn't going to be easy. Now compare that to 4 player casual beating down 60 life is much more easier with a few tricks.

[ApothecaryGeist]

The only thing I've ever missed in Commander is the moxen.  And that's probably more just nostalgia for turn 1 land, mox, Sol Ring, 3-drop.  Like in the old days.

[CleanBelwas]

Damn, I'm feeling this thread in a major way.

There's a lot about 1v1, 20 life formats that I've been missing recently.

I love commander, but there's so much that just isn't viable and a lot of it is how I like to play magic.

To me, Commander feels like a game of Hungry, Hungry Hippos. There's a lot going on, everyone is going nuts and what you do kind of doesn't matter. Who comes out on top is often as much about luck as anything else.

I'm missing that feel of a battle of wits that comes from 1v1. It feels like chess. Every decision matters. It's just you and your opponent. You're punished harder for playing badly and rewarded more for playing well.

This is, of course, all coming from my own perspective as a far more casual player. I'm very aware that higher power EDH is much more like chess and much less like Hungry, Hungry Hippos, but there isn't much appetite for it where I live or in my playgroup.

I've really got into Canlander recently (and to a lesser extent Gladiator now Arena is available on Mac) and it's made me miss 1v1 formats. I love the 100 card singleton of commander which is why I like Canlander. Your deck has to be a swiss army knife. No sideboard, no pivots. If it's not in your deck, you can't do it.

As many people have already covered, life points matter more, combat tricks are viable, aggro strats are actually good and damn I miss all that shit.

I miss casting Glorybringer and Ahn-Crop Crasher and them actually affecting the game. I want to play Jitte in a deck where it can actually make a difference. I want Lightning Bolt to be good (although to be fair I do still play that in EDH too).

I can't remember the last time I did a draft where I didn't just jam Rakdos aggro. It's how I love to play. I like killing shit and turning creatures sideways, and it's just not as good in EDH.

[WizardSpartan]

Who comes out on top is often as much about luck as anything else.

While my answer isn't exactly addressing OP, I have a major hate for the level of politics my playgroup uses on a regular basis. Oftentimes, it's not the player that's doing the best who wins, or even a player playing well (removing important stuff, progressing their board, etc.). It's the player that makes deals resulting in people dead. I despise deals like that, as it feels like your opponents on a whim can basically decide whether or not you get to play the game for no reason other than their own grudges. The lack of the headache that is politics is one of the few reasons I like 1 v 1 formats.

[dexflux]

The non-viability of aggro and burn due to inflated starting life total. Funnily enough, that is why lifegain feels weak and suicide black strategies involving Necropotence and company are really strong. Lifegain doesn't matter as much when you already have enough and paying life isn't really a limitation when your starting life total doesn't put you at risk for abusing it.