Opinions on new proposal at our LGS

[WWolfe]

So a few of us were at the LGS yesterday afternoon playing some games and the owner asked our opinions on something that I'm not sure how to feel about. He's talking about a proposed way of playing EDH at the shop. His idea is that everyone sets up with their commander face down, everyone then flips their commanders face up at the same time, and you then have 10 minutes to sideboard any cards from a sideboard/wishboard of 12-15 cards that will help you not be hosed specifically by someone in the games commander.

I'm torn on the subject. I have seen games where someones commander just hosed someone at the tables deck (Animar vs a Teysa deck for instance) but at the same time, if you see that happening isn't there an option to discuss between the people "hey, maybe one of us should play a different deck if you look at this match-up"?

Thoughts and opinions would be appreciated.

[CleanBelwas]

Generally speaking I'd be good to try anything once. If someone has an idea that they are excited about I'd always be willing to give it a shot, even if it's not to shut down their enthusiasm.

With regards to this idea specifically, I think it sounds kind of fun. I like the idea of blind commanders and the side boarding could at least potentially remove any huge imbalances.

My one reservation would be that openness and discussion before a game to make sure everyone is on the same page is integral to EDH and it somewhat gets lost here, but as long as people are happy to agree that the decks they bring will be within a certain range, I think it's worth a try.

You won't lose anything by trying. If you don't like it, you don't have to do it again. If you do, you've come across a fun new way to play occasionally. Potential big upside for not much downside in my opinion.

If you do go ahead with it, I hope you have a lot of fun with it.

[WizardSpartan]

In tutor heavy decks, it would be the absolute downfall of graveyard decks, which I dislike. Ex Sidisi, Undead Vizier; Yisan, Wanderer Bard. This would disproportionately affect how decks are built and gives lots of decks (like the aforementioned 2) a major advantage. Additionately, it creates even more feels bad moments than when someone's commander randomly hoses another person's commander. Right now, silver bullets have a major downside in that they may be useless, but would you play Rest in Peace knowing if you draw it, it has a fantastic effect on 1+ targets?

I already keep my commander face down in playgroups I don't have experience with in case I play my Alesha, Who Smiles at Death deck and somebody "incidentally" plays their Anafenza, the Foremost deck.

[robort]

Not sure if I would be for it or against it. I never really cared much about sideboards in this game. I figure this is the deck I made and this is the deck I am going to use. I don't like to switch things out just because my deck may have a disadvantage against someone else's deck. I like to try to figure out and see if I can work through such a disadvantage with the deck I have. But it also leads the way to having specific cards to hose against the decks I have a disadvantage against.

But as suggested though I would try it just to see where it leads and go from there

[Morganator 2.0]

It's something I've always thought about doing. It allows you to focus your deck building on strategy, and eliminates most of the need for a meta analysis. One thing you do need to ask is if now cards like Burning Wish work, because with a sideboard you now have an "Outside of game".

[Red_Wyrm]

Go for it. Cant hurt to try it, as CleanBelwas said. Personally I hate picking my Urza deck and my friend saying ugh, and grabbing Baral. Or me playing my Krenko deck, and my opponent grabbing elesh norn, which still has yet to beat my goblin deck, but it's the sentiment I dont particularly like. At the same time though, I did make a post about a silver bullet cEDH deck. I think that if all the decks are on the same power level, then you shouldn't need any silver bullet decks. I think in that case, where the decks are the same power level, this works fine because everyone is putting in their silver bullets for whatever commanders they think are the problem.

Also, while I don't enjoy pithing needle, nevermore and similar cards, I feel like they're necessary sometimes and this would increase their playability, at least in the sideboard. You can sideboard those cards without them taking a slot in the 99, and if there are no commanders that look to require a pithing needle, it can stay out of the 99.

[terminalgeek]

I like the idea of no one knowing the commander before they choose decks to play. However, as someone pointed out this would lead to specific strategies being hated on too easily. Plus, I have a hard enough time deciding what card to cut just to add a new one. I would imagine that would eat into the playtime too much.