From 2013 on, a Commander product was released every year, each containing four or five 100-card decks.[1] This product is generally targeted at non-tournament play. While the audience is obviously Commander players, they are also interesting for other formats like free-for-allmultiplayer or Cube Draft.[2]Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths and Zendikar Rising introduced Commander decks that are released as a regular part of a set's product line.[3][4]
New cards[ | ]
On average, Commander sets feature 50-60 all-new cards. The new commons are available in all decks, uncommons are available in all decks of the card's color, rares are available in one deck only, and mythic rares are the new commanders themselves.
Packaging[ | ]
Minimal packaging for online sales
For a long time, Commander series products were packaged in plastic with an oversizedcommander to mark the main commander of each deck (the "face card"). Starting with Commander 2021, plastic was reduced in the packaging and a foil-etcheddisplay commander replaced the oversized card.[5] At the same time an additional "minimal packaging version" of the deck was introduced for sales online. While it doesn't feature the design of the typical retail packaging, instead it uses a corrugated cardboard box to contain the product, it delivers almost everything the same way using even less material and space. The only difference between the minimal packaging and retail versions is that the insert tray holding the deck box does not offer punch-out counters and a divider—you'll still receive everything else (the deck and deck box, plus life wheel, display commander, and double-sided tokens).
Starting with Commander 2020, the Commander releases are all thematically connected to other sets. This allowed R&D to supplement themes from the main set with new cards to help it work better in Commander decks. It also ties into the excitement for the set, including drafting off of all the marketing for it, it provides the opportunity to flesh out creative elements of the current plane, and it differentiates the decks from one another. Always being a blend of everything previously made them feel too similar.[7] After 2021, the Commander [year] template was abandoned, because all sets featured Commander decks.[8]
The following decks were all connected to Standard legal sets.
A special Sol Ring Commander promo (foil and non-foil) with new art by Mark Tedin was made available at Grand Prix Las Vegas, just before the release of Commander 2019.[9][10] It was throughout the year available through Commander events at MagicFests, and at select conventions.
