Mechanic Commanders

[Shredwick]

So I'm sure I'm not the only one noticing a trend lately, that Wizards is making more and more legendaries based around a specific mechanic.  Last year we got Madness, Flashback, Morph, and Populate commanders, this year we got a Cycling one.  And that's just off the top of my head.  I'm sure i missed some.

Anyway, how do you guys feel about this trend?  Do you think it will continue?  Are these Commanders good, in your opinion, or do you feel that they're too pigeonholed, or a one trick pony? 

ALSO

Who thinks that Wizards should focus on coming up with commander specific mechanics, like Eminence, Experience, or Lieutenant? 

Thirdly, since we're on the subject, who wants to see more mechanics that aren't quite viable in commander right now (Energy, Shadow, Persist/Undying *cough cough*) get a proper commander and some newly printed support to make a deck built around the mechanic viable?

And D - Who's tried to build around mechanics that weren't really supported before?  I've build Riku Energy, multiple variants of shadow (Alesha, Oloro, right now i'm settled on Tymna/Kydele), Ghave persist/undying, before Anje i've brewed many different versions of a madness deck, tried to build a deck with all of the experience commanders except the boros and izzet one (Atraxa), a deck built around manlands, flash tribal (Rashmi), etc.  Lets discuss your obscure builds/brews and how well the worked.... or didn't....

Cheers mates.

[Varatius]

Honestly I like wizards making commanders with specific mechanics. 
1 it makes it easier for new players and people new to the format pick an easy deck to build.  This is because they tend to have a linear build.
2 it allows casual players to build a deck that they can modify easily to fit the power level they want. 


I'd like to see more commander specific mechanics,  but I'd like them to trend towards a lower power for the same reason of new players.  Obviously there's always going to be a card with said mechanic that will be more powerful than the rest and that is good.

When it comes to old mechanics that don't have many cards or don't seem viable.  I'd like to see more but as they fall in line with the sets.  I'd never want to see energy in an innistrad set just for commander to get more energy cards is just an example.  Besides you never know when a commander may come out that just happens to work well with one of these mechanics which then brings a natural encouragement to then use those mechanic.

I have not yet built a deck that is focused on a specific mechanic with the exception of anje and other commanders that encourage the use of a mechanic and don't foresee that ever being the case at least not intentionally.

[Slyvester12]

You realize that Mike and Trike is basically nothing but persist cards and things that can spend +1 counters or aristocrats, right? That's a really powerful combo deck.

[Shredwick]

Mike and Trike?

[WizardSpartan]

Mike and Trike?

Mikaeus, the Unhallowed paired with Triskelion, I think. Mikaeus, the Unhollowed is definitely a powerful commander that goes infinite with any sac outlet & Persist creatures/Triskelion and similar creatures. It's more of a combo deck rather than a deck built around a certain mechanic, though.

[Shredwick]

yeah just sounds like mono black wins that happens to use a persist creature.

i built ghave with the idea of having a bunch of persist/undying creatures out, wiping, then using ghave to manipulate counters so if they died again they'd keep coming back.  this new abzan chick might be a good alternative for ghave, i haven't playtested her.

[Slyvester12]

My point was that not every mechanic needs a dedicated commander. Effects like persist are good in combo decks that abuse recursion (Mike and Trike), shadow is good when decks need unblockable creatures like Nether Traitor or Looter il-Kor (Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow ninjas), and even crazy effects like banding are actually useful in certain situations.

EDH as a format lets people look at old, not great cards and find interesting uses for them. I don't think we need WotC to print a commander for every mechanic. (Werewolf tribal really needs some love, though.)

I'd rather they go back to printing legends without commander in mind to an extent, given how linear some of the newer commanders are or, in the other direction, how many are just good at generic EDH goodstuff like Kenrith or Chulane.

[Morganator 2.0]

I don't actually mind commanders built around a specific mechanic. We didn't have a commander ofr coin flipping strategies until Okaun, Eye of Chaos and Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom came around.

[Judaspriester]

With Ikonia we got a new experience commander: Kelsien, the Plague

all in all I like commanders around mechanics.

[Shredwick]

With Ikonia we got a new experience commander: Kelsien, the Plague

all in all I like commanders around mechanics.

I agree, i'm glad experience is coming back, even if it's just one card.  i would like more cards, not necessary legendaries, that focus on experience.  like a cantrip but instead of drawing a card, you get an experience counter.  or creatures that etb with +1/+1 counters based on how many experience counters you have.  So far there's only six cards that reference experience, and i'd like to be able to stuff a deck full of them one day.  My attempt at an experience deck was Atraxa with BW Daxos, Meren, UG Ezuri, focusing on reanimating small powered enchantment creatures.  It was hit or miss cause i rarely got more than one of the three out, much less all three, during playtesting.  and even when i did have all three, it just didn't seem to do anything.

maybe i should make a custom set, based on counters on players... Energy, Experience, Poison... am i missing any?

[robort]

I do like seeing such mechanical commanders come out but lately there have been to many. It has become a lot of durdling and people taking long turns because of it. Simmer down the dirdling just a little bit

[Morganator 2.0]

It has become a lot of durdling and people taking long turns because of it. Simmer down the dirdling just a little bit

Which commanders are you referring to? This sounds like more of an issue with the decks you're playing against than with the commanders.

[robort]

They are ones that are their own engines. The little engine that could such as Muldrotha, Locust God, Korvold, (the new planeswalker commanders such as Lord Wingrace). Those type that have to do a thing to do a thing to get to bigger things and so on. So everyone at the table is durdling along and making longer turns for the entire table.

[Morganator 2.0]

Those are just value commanders, not commanders built around a named mechanic. We're talking about commanders like Otrimi, the Ever-Playful, Gavi, Nest Warden, Ghired, Conclave Exile, and Anje Falkenrath. All of these were made with a specific narrow mechanic that you have to build around, not just value engines.