Retraced ImageRetraced Image | Art by Greg Staples

Hello, and welcome to Am I the Bolas? This week, print, print, print!

This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some Magic and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"

I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day.

I'm Mike Carrozza, big fan of Sakashima!

Legendary copies!!!

(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)

SUBMISSION

VERDICT

Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.

That's right, jerks, we're talking about proxying, again. Come on, it's been a while! Like a long, long while. A lot's changed, and my thoughts on proxying are still positive. There are some wrinkles to this one, but I think we've got some juice to squeeze out of this topic.

The official line on this is that these cards aren't currently legal in the format. I'd assume that any tournament would not allow the use of cards not yet printed into the game. The legality of the deck needs to be discussed with your opponents if you're not in any tourneys. I'd like to wager a tall stack of cash that if you pitch playing your deck of one of the new commanders to your opponents, their curiosity will lead them to saying yes to seeing what that new guy can do in the command zone. If someone in my playgroup surprised us with a Davvol, Evincar of RathDavvol, Evincar of Rath deck (hint, hint) next week, months before release, I guarantee everybody's pretty stoked about it. I think this is cool as heck, and I think that this is low-key probably what Wizards of the Coast wants. On some level, there's a blessing to do so for those of us more lenient with the official rules. Heck, as far as I'm concerned, the mono-colored commanders in the set have "Partner with another mono-colored commander in this set". Go nuts and show off. I don't mind if it's not out yet! The game is about expressing oneself creatively through card choices, and if something coming down the pipeline does that for you, then have at it, I say!

That said, if somebody doesn't want to play against those cards, technically, they're allowed to deny you this experiment until the set's release. Technically. Boo! (...but fine.)

Proxies in general just make sense at a certain point. Single availability isn't plentiful, and despite the hyper fast release schedule, I still want to tinker with cards I won't be able to grab until people are bored enough with the current stuff to restock my LGS. Until then, I have all this time where I know I want to swap my Smothering TitheSmothering Tithe with a Gleaming SplendorGleaming Splendor in one of my decks, but despite my local searching, I can't get a copy. A quick proxy isn't the worst idea to test the card in the slot you'd found for it before committing to its now $55+ price tag (I'm Canadian) when it's available.

Then there's the fact that some cards are now $55. Look, groceries cost too much for this game to eat up as much as it used to for many players. The FOMO factor is real, and there are a ton of brewers who get excited about a commander per set enough to build them. If printing them out means that you're feeling fulfilled and creative putting together decks for this hobby you enjoy, why not. The trouble becomes if there are people in your playgroup who don't vibe with proxying, and if that's the case, you have to get on the same page about what the limits are. What's acceptable could depend on budget restrictions or power level or simply a preference. Get on the same page and move forward however you see fit. You might have trouble at certain local game stores, and if you've got sights set on tournament play, you'd better make sure they're okay with it.

I like to own a copy of the card. Do I hate that Undercity SewersUndercity Sewers at one point ran me up $80? Yes! Was it the only copy available and was it also the full art foil? Yeah, sure, besides the point. The regular non-foil is nearly $30. I don't want to spend $30 on a land every time I feel like putting together a new deck, so I've got a few proxies myself. I have the placeholder cards, from sets with double-faced cards include so you can play them in Limited events with the names of the card, Sharpied to heck with the real deal copy in a deckbox of staples. Eventually, I either suck it up and buy another one or, through the natural ebb and flow of being a Commander player with 20-30 decks, I take a deck apart and snap up the stuff I need for elsewhere to replace the marker cards.

I think the conversation around proxies is a delicate one because everybody's got their own opinion and nobody's technically right or wrong, if they're not being extreme. When it comes to these new Mystery Booster Commander Edition legends, though, I think technically you're on the back foot here. It's like coming to the table with an acorn-symbol commander or a Rule Zero Partner pairing. You'll need to check with the folks you're playing with. That said, as far as I'm concerned, if you're playing with legends that will exist in a matter of months as they were designed, I have no problem with this.

Be mindful of others and recognize that you are the one asking to break a rule. If you have the permission to do so, that rules, have fun. Otherwise, pull out another deck or swap out the commander.

Not the Bolas, but having mildly illegal thoughts.