The Commander Sealed event in Rochester, NY, is quickly becoming a highlight for Magic: The Gathering players in the region. This year's event takes place from September 13th to the 15th at the RIT Inn and Convention Center. The event draws fans of the Commander format who crave a new and unique twist on Sealed. This event challenges participants to construct their Commander decks from a limited pool of Sealed booster packs. This gets players pushing their strategic thinking and creativity to the limit.

The Magic community has even begun to embrace this innovative format. It created an atmosphere of excitement and camaraderie where players face off and open packs. Every card pulled can dramatically shift the direction a deck is built. This event not only showcases the diversity of the Commander format but the social aspect of the format.

The Format

One thing that makes Commander Sealed such a unique event is the format itself. Players are still are using 98-99 cards plus a command zone as it gets filled and follow the color identity restrictions. Where the format diverges from traditional constructed Commander is the card pool. Participants at Commander Sealed are given 14 semi-randomized packs which they open and build there card pool from. Another factor with this pushing the boundary further is the continuous construction of the decks. This unique rule lets players freely exchange cards from their pool with others within their pods to assist with their own decks and their pod mates. Once the deck construction phase is complete cards can still be swapped between mainboard and side board in between rounds as well.

Now, say that you're attending the event and you happen to open a Hullbreacher in a pack. This is normally a round of bad news as it is banned for play in Commander. Thankfully, at Commander Sealed you're able to play all cards that you open in your packs. If you happen to be a fan of Primeval Titan or Braids, Cabal Minion this is the event for you! If you want a more detailed breakdown of the format and have more questions, check out the format primer for more information.

The Weekend

Commander Sealed even offers a huge, fun-packed weekend of Magic for those not playing in the main event. Whether you want to grind side events for value or check out the artist alley, everyone will have something to do. The event kicks off Friday with a welcome party, gaming, and a comedy show featuring Mike Carrozza. Mike is the host of Am I the Bolcast? and a professional comedian so make sure to show up early! Saturday also features a full day of side events to match the main event. Finally, Sunday will wrap up with VIP events and meet and greets for many of your favorite creators. Among these events will also be a live show from the entire Am I the Bolcast crew!

For a full listing of all the side events and weekend activities make sure to check out the official weekend calendar.

The Cause

One of the reasons Commander Sealed has taken off like it has also comes down to its purpose. Commander Sealed started as a fundraiser and continues to raise money for Trans Lifeline and The Trevor Project. All of the proceeds from the event after production costs are then donated to the two charities. This makes the event one of the few where you can have a great time supporting an even better cause.

If you are in the New England and upstate New York area and need to get your fix for a weekend full of Commander, mark your calendars. Every year has slowly grown and added more to experience and this year's event will be no different. Check out the Commander Sealed website for more details on the full weekend including specials guests and artists. I hope to see you there!

Matt Morgan

Matt is a member of the EDHRECast, representing the 60-card formats and the Timmy's alike. He appreciates bad wordplay as much as a good alpha strike. A diverse nerd, you might also see him maining Lux support in League of Legends as well or on the deadlift platform at the gym.