<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mathas, Fiend Seeker" href="#" target="_blank">Mathas, Fiend Seeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CJoe+Slucher%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Slucher</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, Mardu in practice, Dimir in spirit!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>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?"</p>
<p>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. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a> Do us a favor a subscribe to us. We've got some fun stuff in the works and it would mean a lot to Michael, Morgan, and I if you did! Become a Bolcut and get into the Bolcast!</p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza, let's play another.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Coin of Mastery"></div></div>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
<div dir="auto">
<p><em>Hi Mike,</em></p>
<p><em>I love your column. A few times lately I've commented both in agreement and disagreement with you and each time we've had a healthy back and forth. I love that about you and your column, which is why I'm writing to you again with what I hope you'll find an interesting submission:</em></p>
<p><em>I run a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mathas, Fiend Seeker" href="#" target="_blank">Mathas, Fiend Seeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck I titled, "Political Puppets" (Bracket 2), where the game plan is to work together with other players against an archenemy. It's a tricky deck to play, as I'm balancing being a friend to at least two of the players, trying not to be seen as a threat, but also not being so much not a threat that I can't win. </em></p>
<p><em>I make friends with targeted group hug cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunted Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Hunted Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and it's ilk, and "let's work together" cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Excavation Technique" href="#" target="_blank">Excavation Technique</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and of course intentional targeting of Mathas' bounty counters. Even with my board wipes, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mythos of Snapdax" href="#" target="_blank">Mythos of Snapdax</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I often allow players "on my team" to pick which of their cards to keep, which despite having just lost a bunch of their board to me, they feel like I did them a favor by not choosing their worst cards for them.</em></p>
</div>
<p><em><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hunted Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Excavation Technique"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mythos of Snapdax"></div></div></em></p>
<div dir="auto">
<p><em>My "Am I the Bolas?" question is around one specific card I use in a specific way. I play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abyssal Persecutor" href="#" target="_blank">Abyssal Persecutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> along with a few sacrifice outlets in my mana base so I can remove it at will. The way this plays out is in one of two ways:</em></p>
<p><em>1) When the archenemy knocks below zero life, they are still in the game and they keep fighting with the rest of the "team."</em></p>
<p><em>OR</em></p>
<p><em>2) The archenemy gets knocked below zero, but their big threats are still on the board. In either case, I have the option to knock that player out at instant speed by sacking my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abyssal Persecutor" href="#" target="_blank">Abyssal Persecutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, thus making them my lacky. Most don't realize this right away, learning as soon as I warn them not to do something I don't like, or else...</em></p>
<p><em>The first one usually makes people happy, since even if they can't win they get satisfaction from being part of not letting the others win. The second, though, has been a bit divisive. I've had someone have fun with the mini game to try and get his life back up (he had a commander with lifelink that was not part of his main gameplan, I don't recall who) and I also had someone upset saying he'd rather have just been knocked out. For context, the former was a friend, and the latter a stranger at an LGS.</em></p>
<p><em>I get that it's a bit of a Bolas move to keep someone in the game, under threat of instant removal. On the other hand, most people, despite the obvious extortion, have fun with it. I see this as creating a unique play pattern which I find fun, and also a way to keep players playing the game when they might otherwise have to wait for the next game in the pod to start.</em></p>
<p><em><strong>To start, am I the Bolas here? And furthermore, do you have any ideas or insights on how I could not be the Bolas with this interaction or avoid the negative feelings that occasionally come up?</strong></em></p>
<p><em>(As a funny side note, the game where someone else played <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Platinum Angel" href="#" target="_blank">Platinum Angel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at the same time as my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abyssal Persecutor" href="#" target="_blank">Abyssal Persecutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> made for some really funny conversations about what needed to be removed and who needed to get eliminated, and in what order!)</em></p>
<p><em>Thank you,</em></p>
<p><em>Elgorond Halistar</em></p>
</div>
<div dir="auto">
<p><em><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Platinum Angel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abyssal Persecutor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Altar of Dementia"></div></div></em></p>
</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<hr />
<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>I need to see this list.</p>
<p>With that opening comment and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-fetching-a-king" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this article from January</a>, it should come as no surprise that my thoughts on this are that this deck sounds cool as hell; this is such a fun deck to bring to the right table. Encountering this deck among fellow members of Team Story for the first time would be so much fun. What a loaded sentence! It makes this deck extremely niche. I don't know how people see this deck do its thing once and then allow it to happen again. It does feel like one of those "genie out of the bottle" decks and it also feels like one that would benefit from the element of surprise.</p>
<p>This is such a fun submission.</p>
<p>Given the examples provided, there's one thing we can really hang our hats on, and that's that this deck requires some trust. Being able to surprise some pals who know you well with this deck seems wonderful, however, I can understand how one can be pushed to not appreciate the necromantic gun to their head. The vibe needs to be right.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Necromancy"></div></div>
<p>When I play a variant I've known as <em>Game of Thrones </em>(but I'm sure carries many names), sometimes, one of the hidden roles is that of the Necromancer. This role's revealed when the Necromancer kills a player. The newly dead player gains some life, loses some permanents, discards cards, and becomes a new member of Team Necromancer. It's a challenging role and leads to some interesting, memorable moments.</p>
<p>This deck feels like an extrapolation on this idea; I find that exciting.</p>
<p>While I understand that it can be frustrating to be pushed into this position, it shouldn't need to be said, but they can scoop. If for whatever reason they can't scoop - your playgroup has a no scooping agreement - then they have the choice to destroy your Persecutor or hinder your game to get out of the whole ordeal. Mutually assured destruction.</p>
<p>But it cannot be overstated, <em>you can scoop</em>. Going into <em>Game of Thrones</em> with the Necromancer role, it's something you expect to happen. However, if I rock up to a Bracket 2 game table, and this deck hits, it could sour the vibe if the table isn't set right.</p>
<p>Give them the choice to stay in or bow out. Make sure you've set the table by breaking this deck out among those who know about the deck. Prep those to be introduced to it with enough information to know where they stand, but not so much to give the secret away (because I think it's pretty fun).</p>
<p>Thanks again for writing in.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mathas, Fiend Seeker"></div></div></span></p>


Am I the Bolas? - Necromantic Gun to Your Head

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Numot, the Devastator" href="#" target="_blank">Numot, the Devastator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CDan+Dos+Santos%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dan Dos Santos</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, why are you mad at me?!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>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?"</p>
<p>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. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a> Do us a favor a subscribe to us. We've got some fun stuff in the works and it would mean a lot to Michael, Morgan, and I if you did! Become a Bolcut and get into the Bolcast!</p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza and something ain't right.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rocksteady, Mutant Marauder"></div></div>
<p><i>You're telling me this guy isn't a Pirate and it's just Halloween or somethin'?</i></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some. A spell was misattributed for the big moment so I found a suitable replacement as described.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
<p><em>Hiya Mike!</em></p>
<p><em>I've been reading your posts for a while, commented here and there, and have done my best to adhere to your wisdom. With that said, I have a situation that I'm not sure I'm the Bolas in the typical sense. Let me explain.</em></p>
<p><em>It's been a year since the incident, but it sits heavy with me. I hadn't played much Commander at the time, when a friend of mine, Howard, asked if I wanted to come over to play with his cousin and a new player (let's call him Napalm) they're trying to get to stick to their playgroup. Howard can be a bit of a spicy meatball. Sometimes he's a bit too zealous when it comes to playing the game. We typically get along, especially when it comes to talking about deck brewing or what our end games are for projects, but sometimes, gaming with him can get uncomfortable if games don't go his way.</em></p>
<p><em>After weighing my desire to sling spells versus the likelihood of eating a spicy meatball, I went to this playgroup that I generally get along with, met Napalm, and got straight to gaming. The first game had me playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ivora, Insatiable Heir" href="#" target="_blank">Ivora, Insatiable Heir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> versus Howard's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might" href="#" target="_blank">Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, his cousin's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bruvac the Grandiloquent" href="#" target="_blank">Bruvac the Grandiloquent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the new player's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abdel Adrian, Gorion&#039;s Ward" href="#" target="_blank">Abdel Adrian, Gorion&#039;s Ward</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Candlekeep Sage" href="#" target="_blank">Candlekeep Sage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. The game took around 30 minutes with a bit of back and forth until the newbie won through an infinite loop of bouncing and milling the table. Though Howard lost, he and Napalm commented on my deck not doing too much and to try it again to see what it could do. Especially since this would be the 'last game' because something came up. His cousin, who had been silent for the most part, suggested that the last game should be a two-headed giant to spice things up a little and to make things fair. That should have been a red flag.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bruvac the Grandiloquent"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phenax, God of Deception"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ivora, Insatiable Heir"></div></div>
<p><em>While I stayed on Ivora, Napalm switched to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bristly Bill, Spine Sower" href="#" target="_blank">Bristly Bill, Spine Sower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and Howard switched to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phenax, God of Deception" href="#" target="_blank">Phenax, God of Deception</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. He then proceeds to immediately partner with his cousin, still on Bruvac, and mills Napalm and I out five minutes later. I was definitely annoyed, but what got under my skin was the first words that came from Howard's mouth after their victory: "Wow, that game went so fast! Almost like our decks were meant to work together. Looks like we have time for an extra game if you guys are down?"</em></p>
<p><em>Napalm and I agreed for one last game, looked at each other, and agreed to play our favorite decks even if they don't mesh well. Gotta have fun right? I brought out my first ever deck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with a legendary theme, and Napalm brings out Red Flag #2, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Numot, the Devastator" href="#" target="_blank">Numot, the Devastator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Numot, the Devastator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Armageddon"></div></div>
<p><em>Howard asks to look at Napalm's commander, reads it, and for a split second I'm thinking 'there is NO WAY he'll let this stick', but he gives it the okay to be played. Now, I want to state that I've played this particular Kaalia deck many times around Howard and his cousin. They knew many of its tricks and how I liked to play. It has a flying sub theme to help get in for damage. No questions were sent my way about my deck. Not one.</em></p>
<p><em>After the first few turns of ramp, playing a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swiftfoot Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Swiftfoot Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and being dealt a bit of mill from our opponents, it's now turn four. I play my commander and give her the Boots. Napalm plays <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boil" href="#" target="_blank">Boil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</em></p>
<p><em>Obviously, this is devastating for Howard and his cousin (Napalm lost a single Island in comparison), but I was left unscathed. The next few turns is me swinging with haymakers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aurelia, the Warleader" href="#" target="_blank">Aurelia, the Warleader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Junji, the Midnight Sky" href="#" target="_blank">Junji, the Midnight Sky</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, growing my board while Napalm is focusing on counter magic. Howard and his cousin effectively were defeated just as swiftly as we were last game. I expected a number of responses. Most of them being directed at Napalm for the mass land destruction.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaalia of the Vast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Junji, the Midnight Sky"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aurelia, the Warleader"></div></div>
<p><em>Instead, I was targeted by Howard for playing a flying deck against him and his cousin's combo mill strategy, saying that I made the game unfun and it wasn't fair for them. This went on back and forth for a bit with me pointing out that those two knew my Kaalia deck, asking why he didn't ask any questions to Napalm, especially about playing a deck that obviously hinted at land destruction. After seeing that Howard wasn't going to give up his angle, I packed up, refused the ride he was trying to offer to take me home, and walked back bag in hand.</em></p>
<p><em>It might be ridiculous, but Am I the Bolas for not pointing out the possibility of mass land destruction during the pre-game chat for game three? I understand trying to appease to Napalm so he'll stick around for future games, but I definitely didn't appreciate all the spice that came my way unjustly.</em></p>
<p><em>Sincerely,</em></p>
<div dir="auto">
<div><em>Legendary Wings</em></div>
</div>
<div dir="auto">
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jokulhaups"></div></div>
</div>
<hr />
<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>I'll be very blunt about this: this kind of behavior is unacceptable. Being so hellbent on winning to the point where you switch up decks so you can engineer a quick win is already a bit of a red flag. If your reason for doing this is because another game didn't break your way, then that flag is bigger and redder. I can appreciate that you're friends with Howard and he's quite pleasant outside of games. However, I don't think it's possible to get to a comfortable point without furthering the discomfort a little more. By explaining that his behavior is not conducive to a good time, you'll be able to have a frank discussion of what makes the playgroup experience welcoming and fun. Maybe you won't scare away prospective newbies to the group if the attitude shifts.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ruination"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Catastrophe"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Myojin of Infinite Rage"></div></div>
<p>Napalm's addition to the group seems like you've got someone who's closer to being on your page. Based on the reaction to the Phenax/Bruvac team-up being to pull out a land destruction deck, I would be surprised if Napalm sticks around if this kind of thing happens again. I get that Howard wanted to blow up at someone for the loss, so coming at you instead of Napalm is definitely anger displacement. That said, Napalm is definitely the cause of his frustration. I have absolutely no doubt.</p>
<p>Put yourself in Napalm's shoes. You get invited to a Commander night and the first game goes your way because you combo-ed out. Maybe you recognize that it might be a little quick for this table, you take the temperature. The host suggests Two-Headed Giant and compliments his partner's mill deck with another mill deck then beats you in five minutes. Message received. If I were closer to these people, maybe I could try a direct discussion, but let's try the ol' "fight fire with fire" technique.</p>
<p>I don't blame Napalm for pulling out his Numot deck, but I don't think this reaction is exactly my favorite. Although I think Napalm's move is closer to standing up to a bully than an outright attack, if I were Napalm, I'd probably excuse myself and maybe not be so keen to return.</p>
<p>I don't like this story. It's full of hostility. I think you refusing the ride and heading home is right for the moment. You respected yourself and established a boundary. I think it's best to have a conversation with your friend and acknowledge his habit of blowing up when he doesn't win. Napalm feels like more your speed and that's halfway to another pod if Howard and his cousin don't work out.</p>
<p>Anyway, not the Bolas. This sounds awful, I hope it doesn't happen again. Thanks again for writing in!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obliterate"></div></div>


Am I the Bolas? - A Spicy Meatball!

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gornog, the Red Reaper" href="#" target="_blank">Gornog, the Red Reaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CIshikawa+Kenta%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ishikawa Kenta</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, I'm confused!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>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?"</p>
<p>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. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a> Do us a favor a subscribe to us. We've got some fun stuff in the works and it would mean a lot to Michael, Morgan, and I if you did! Become a Bolcut and get into the Bolcast!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza and I'm eating Ninjas tonight.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ninja Pizza"></div></div>
<p><i>I've been told my ancestors have disowned me. </i></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
<div dir="auto">
<p><em>Hey Mike,</em></p>
<div><em>I've got a Bolas for you that I'd like you to weigh in on. I was playing a game where I am playing a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gornog, the Red Reaper" href="#" target="_blank">Gornog, the Red Reaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. Gornog wants to turn other people's creatures into Cowards so all my Warriors are buffed - it's a pretty aggressive deck. In this game, I got out a big board of threatening Warriors and then my commander got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oko, Thief of Crowns" href="#" target="_blank">Elked</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and shut off, so I was mostly ignored for a while. Meanwhile, the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sovereign Okinec Ahau" href="#" target="_blank">Sovereign Okinec Ahau</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> player and the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm" href="#" target="_blank">Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> player had become a real threat with the Okinec player showing lethal damage to anyone they wanted to kill. The final player, a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dogmeat, Ever Loyal" href="#" target="_blank">Dogmeat, Ever Loyal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> player, was building up her Dogmeat with five Equipments.</em></div>
<div></div>
<div><em>Because I had been ignored, my board was still full of Warriors but my commander wasn't enabling them. I realized that I could use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jaxis, the Troublemaker" href="#" target="_blank">Jaxis, the Troublemaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make a copy of my commander and sacrifice the Elked version to turn my Warriors back on, so I ask the Miirym and Dogmeat players if I can knock out Okinec by them allowing me to swing one Warrior at each of them, unblocked, to increase my damage to Okinec. They both agree and I swing to kill the Okinec player.</em></div>
<div></div>
<div><em>The next turn, Miirym is now a major threat and can kill either myself or the Dogmeat player with flying Dragons, so I ask the Dogmeat player if I can swing at her unblocked if I kill the Miirym player, but I stipulate that, since I will have to spend all my resources on killing Miirym and I only have four life left, I need her to not swing at me for one turn afterwards. She agrees and I swing my commander at her unblocked and the Miirym player has a bunch of tricks up his sleeve. I have to spend my entire hand finishing off Miirym this turn. I now have no cards in hand, four life and no way to get my commander past Dogmeat to win and I pass turn to the Dogmeat player, she honours the agreement and doesn't swing at me.</em></div>
</div>
<div></div>
<div><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sovereign Okinec Ahau"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dogmeat, Ever Loyal"></div></div></div>
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<div></div>
<div><em>I move to my turn and I say "I can't get my commander through Dogmeat and I have no cards in hand so the top deck determines the game for me". Dogmeat has hexproof so I can't make him a Coward and she has one other blocker. My only path to victory is through commander damage, because I had swung Gornog at her twice in the previous two deals. Everyone encourages me to just flip my card over and show it so that they all can see it immediately. I flip the card off the top of my library, it's a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beamtown Beatstick" href="#" target="_blank">Beamtown Beatstick</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I'm ebullient because it's one of only two cards that would let me win the game. Since it gives my commander menace, I can turn her other blocker into a Coward that can't block and Dogmeat can't block my commander alone. I equip my commander and swing for the win and all the other players are like "DUDE, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'D DO THAT". The Dogmeat player says "I didn't attack you, man!". Everyone lets me know that this is a bad move. I say that I wouldn't have killed the Miirym player without this deal because it makes no sense for me to do so otherwise but the group consensus is that I shouldn't kill the Dogmeat player.</em></div>
<div></div>
<div><em>In the end, I conceded the game. It's a very good playgroup and I had a lot of fun and by conceding it means that each player won one game in the pod this night. We had a great time and there were no hard feelings and I don't care if I won or lost, I view Commander as a social experience so the vibes were good. All that said I still think I was in the right, but my chums thought I was the Bolas. So, am I?</em></div>
<div></div>
<div><em>Yours faithfully,</em></div>
<div><em>Dranthony</em></div>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gornog, the Red Reaper"></div></div>
</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<hr />
<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>I'm going to level with you, reader. I've been sitting on this one for a year and some change. I've come back to it a few times, here and there. Every time I read it, my reaction never quite seemed to settle. I told myself I'd commit to writing this submission up a year after I received it and I'm going to dive in here. I say all this because if you can sense that I am annoyed, it's because I am.</p>
<p>Firstly, this is the kind of story that fuels the people who make hating "politics" in Commander their whole personality. The concept of politics in Commander can often be about where to gift the Plant tokens from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dowsing Dagger" href="#" target="_blank">Dowsing Dagger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, like maybe you make a deal with the player who's got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play for the Plants if they agree to take damage from your equipped creature. Politics in Commander is also exactly what happened to both the Okinec and Miirym players. It's players banding together to take down the biggest threat, striking a deal that seems to satisfy all involved parties to be on as equal footing as possible, though, often, it's clear someone is going to come out on top. Politics in Commander can turn a non-game into a real heater. Politics in Commander can be used effectively to improve your time at the table. In this story, we see both sides of politicking showcased, but this is going to focus on the final deal made which I will clear up here:</p>
<p>OP, playing Gornog, offers to kill the Miirym player as long as they get immunity from the remaining player (Dogmeat) for a turn. So Dogmeat gets Miirym killed by Gornog player who depletes their entire hand and remains at four life in exchange for Gornog getting one more turn to see if they can turn it out. That's the subtext of this deal, so I'll repeat it without any ambiguity: <em>Dranthony gets one more turn to see if they can win.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tempting Contract"></div></div></span></p>
<p>This whole thing smacks of a player making a deal because they calculated that the likelihood of Dranthony winning was so low that they figured they'd win no matter what. "Certainly, I can spare a combat. I can rip through the final four life points to kill my opponent on my next turn," they thought. Can you really be surprised that a game with such variance might actually be able to flip your expectations even when there's a one percent chance that Dranthony top decks a way to victory? Everything seemed to line up perfectly and, rather than celebrating that you've witnessed one of the most unlikely outcomes which makes for an exciting story, your three opponents decided that there was somehow an added clause in the deal they witnessed? Is there something missing? Are you recounting the story correctly? If so, this is ridiculous. Dranthony, you offered a deal so you can survive a little longer in an effort to find an out. How this is lost on your opponents is beyond me. The whole point of making a deal at this point is for your own game. Otherwise, it'd be for kingmaking and even then, wouldn't you then concede when it's down to you and the Dogmeat player that you've crowned? Why was the defence of "I didn't attack you" uttered at all? Did Dogmeat forget that she got her end of the deal up front when the Miirym player was killed?</p>
<p>Dogmeat took the deal because she liked her odds against you after the dust settled and she bet on it. Then she lost. Seems like a simple lesson to learn in there about not counting a player out until they've lost, but then it's time to move on to the next one. Maybe take ten minutes to go breathe outside. The odds were in Dogmeat's favor, but luck was on Gornog's side.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gamble"></div></div>
<p>I have to ask if some players forget they're playing a game that requires you to eliminate your opponents. What was everyone expecting once Dogmeat honored her deal by not attacking and it was done? Did they think there was equally going to be a turn of mercy from the Gornog player who's been encouraged to flip their top-deck? What are we doing here? I feel like it's pretty clear that at four life, no cards in hand, and only one win condition left at Dranthony's disposal (commander damage), the purpose of the experience of flipping the next card drawn is like when players reveal their hand and flip the river in a game of Texas Hold 'Em - and just like in such a game of Poker, there are some upsets where the one favored to take the pot loses to an unexpectedly relevant four of clubs that makes an appearance. There's a shared tension that the impossible might happen and, in this case, Gornog taking the W here is the "impossible".</p>
<p>So, why the upset when it happens? The implication is that if Gornog doesn't top-deck something impactful enough to <em>completely win the game</em>, their own game comes to an end the following turn. This is what the whole point of flipping the top-deck ostensibly is. If OP had flipped another <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mountain" href="#" target="_blank">Mountain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and extended the handshake for GG's, wouldn't it be unremarkable? This story is interesting because of this unexpected turn of events.</p>
<p>All the opponents being upset here is tripping some alarms for me. Either there's something missing from the submission or there needs to be a reevaluation of the situation internally so we can all agree that when both elements of the deal have been fulfilled, that deal is done and you move forward with the game. Why is there such an expectation of an allegiance to this deal with it would cost you the game entirely - especially when the game has borne so many moments of dealmaking to keep your survival and your win possible?</p>
<p>If you won with the deal as presented in your submission, I can't call you a Bolas. However, your opponents' reactions give me pause and if they'd like to chime in, I'd love to hear more. I recognize this is from over a year ago now, but heck, why not see what happens?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blind with Anger"></div></div>


Am I the Bolas? - "Don't Attack Me, You'll Win!"

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flooded Strand|pnat|2018" href="#" target="_blank">Flooded Strand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CZack+Stella%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zack Stella</a></em></p>
<hr />
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, does a land base bump you up a bracket?</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>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?"</p>
<p>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. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza, and hey, it's a miracle!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lorehold, the Historian"></div></div>
<p><em>Welcome back, Velomachus!</em></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
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<p><em>Hi Mike,</em></p>
<p><em>Long-time listener and a big fan of the articles. I wanted to share an ongoing situation amongst my playgroup to get your take. We are a group of roughly 16 guys who get together in random pods of four to eight a few times a week, playing either on Spelltable or at a variety of local stores. We go way back, everyone has known each other for at least five years, with some friendships spanning over 20 years. I mention this to emphasize that we aren’t strangers; we spend hours together weekly and are very comfortable with one another.</em></p>
<p><em>Over the last two years, however, a divide has formed regarding mana bases. We have developed a near 50/50 split between those who optimize their lands (running fetches, shocks, and even original duals) and those who do not. Since we returned to standard mulligan rules (abandoning our old "mulligan until it’s decent" gentleman's agreement), the "optimizers" prioritize consistency to avoid "non-games." The other half of the group, however, argues that navigating mana issues is an inherent part of the "lower power" experience and insists that optimized mana bases should be reserved exclusively for <a href="https://edhrec.com/guides/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets">Bracket 4.</a></em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Misty Rainforest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Godless Shrine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Badlands"></div></div>
<p><em>To give you a concrete example, I play a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter, Cynical Opportunist" href="#" target="_blank">Winter, Cynical Opportunist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck that I consider Bracket 2. It is essentially a fairly upgraded precon with a "heavy" focus on Duskmourn flavor cards. However, I run seven fetch lands and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prismatic Vista" href="#" target="_blank">Prismatic Vista</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, along with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overgrown Tomb" href="#" target="_blank">Overgrown Tomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underground Mortuary" href="#" target="_blank">Underground Mortuary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I use this setup not just to drive Delirium, but mostly because I simply do not like losing to a non-functional mana base. Despite the lower-power strategy, this deck has been accused of being Bracket 3 solely due to the lands.</em></p>
<p><em>I also want to highlight that this isn’t a financial issue. While most of us do not proxy, we are completely fine with it at any bracket. Furthermore, we share cards so openly that if someone wanted an optimized mana base, the collective would happily lend them the cards indefinitely with no expectation of a return.</em></p>
<p><em>What I want to know is: <strong>Am I the Bolas for optimizing my mana base across all brackets?</strong></em></p>
<p><em>Thanks,</em></p>
<p><em>Bubba Trubba</em></p>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Winter, Cynical Opportunist"></div></div>
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<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Here's where I apologize for the clickbait title. Of course, fetch lands aren't really <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers?utm_source=edhrec">Game Changers</a></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harmless Offering"></div></div>
<h6><em>Sowwy.</em></h6>
<p>I appreciate you writing in, Bubba. I think I'm going to have a pretty easy time with this one. You've taken into consideration most things I'd ask about: are there budgetary considerations and what's the social dynamic like? Money is not an object, cost is of no concern, so the deck constructions are at their purest state of building for this group.</p>
<p>Mana bases get smoothed out so players can hit their colors for the most part and, while they can help, in a two-colour deck, I'd be happy with drawing basics replacing the untapped two-colour lands. It even adds a little tension to your deck if it's pretty pip-intensive.</p>
<p>You don't need shock lands and fetch lands to have your land base work fine in two-colour decks. Optimized mana bases allow for players to get into three-to-five color commanders a little easier and I think I'm way more for that at all levels rather than barring smooth mana bases to higher brackets.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mindwrack Demon"></div></div>
<p>When it comes to the example of your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter, Cynical Opportunist" href="#" target="_blank">Winter, Cynical Opportunist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the <a href="https://edhrec.com/guides/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets#what-does-a-bracket-x-deck-look-like-bracket-2-core">Bracket guide</a> does mention that building toward higher synergy is a Bracket 3 trait, but I think that's easily scale that operates between a high-2 and a Bracket 3 deck. Winter has <em>Delirium</em> and the precon packed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolving Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Evolving Wilds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make sure the commander works alright. It's a very easily line to draw from that to other fetch lands similar to and better than it. Does that immediately take your deck up to Bracket 4? It just sort of makes your deck a little more functional but how else do you build this deck? This isn't really about the mana base for this deck.</p>
<p>I'm really wracking my brain on this one mainly because I have such a strong, immediate reaction to this submission that it feels very difficult to separate from it. My initial reaction to this submission was to say, out loud to myself, "What are we doing here?" If money is no issue, is your mana base really what's going to make the difference? Is the mana base really the stopgap between power levels when you all focus on meeting each other on the same level? I feel like he argument for classifying an optimized mana base as Bracket 4 is really weak. There was a time where <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi, Temporal Archmage" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi, Temporal Archmage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was one of the format's most competitive boogieman and that's <em>basically</em> (a pun!) basics!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Undercity Sewers"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Raucous Theater"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thundering Falls"></div></div>
<p>I guess, I understand when it comes to the <em>Surveil</em> lands. Fetching an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elegant Parlor" href="#" target="_blank">Elegant Parlor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can definitely help push a plan ahead, but dual lands and shock lands don't feel as powerful to me without the context of the deck. Two-color decks don't need 'em! You could replace duals and shocks with basics without noticing much and I recommend it, even. Save 'em for your three-to-five-color decks. I'd hate to watch anybody playing three or more colors not be able to get their plan on board just because their mana base isn't great.</p>
<p>Considering an optimized mana base Bracket 4 feels like a reach. I could see an argument for Bracket 3, but really, you could smooth out the mana of a precon and tune it up a bit, but it wouldn't take a Bracket 2 precon up a full notch. If I'm the tie-breaking vote, I vote "what the heck are ya talkin' about?" Not the Bolas.</p>
<p>It feels a little silly to get in a twist about this, but I guess this is probably one that'll set the comment section on fire. I'm really looking forward to it. It'd be a much different conversation if the claims were of Bracket 3. There is a conversation that must be had with the playgroup about what the shared desired <em>"lower power" experience "</em> means. It seems to me this debate is less about the lands and more about the scope of what "lower power" means to each player. Does "lower power" mean a tuned-down strong commander like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Muldrotha, the Gravetide" href="#" target="_blank">Muldrotha, the Gravetide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a tuned-up "lower power" commander like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pia Nalaar, Chief Mechanic" href="#" target="_blank">Pia Nalaar, Chief Mechanic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? The discussion is clearly ongoing on that front, but maybe this is the crux of the issue that's not been brought up, yet?</p>
<p>I'm glad that you all keep playing and I hope you sort out what works for you. Thanks again!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crop Rotation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Realms Uncharted"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harrow"></div></div>


Am I the Bolas? - "Are Fetches Game Changers?"

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Persecute" href="#" target="_blank">Persecute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CD.+Alexander+Gregory%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">D. Alexander Gregory</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, a conversation starter!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>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?"</p>
<p>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. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza and I'm having a bit of an identity crisis!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thirst for Identity"></div></div>
<p><i>WHO EVEN AM I ANYMORE?! lol jk. </i></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
<div dir="auto">
<p><em>Hey there! </em></p>
<p><em>So, I'm the host of a playgroup with a clear intention of playing within the guidelines of <a href="https://edhrec.com/guides/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bracket 3</a>, mainly to avoid too much salt, and uneven matches between Bracket 3 decks and Bracket 4 decks. I have five Bracket 3 decks and one Bracket 4 deck. The power level between the Bracket 3 decks and the Bracket 4 deck are abundantly clear via gameplay. </em></p>
<p><em>A player in our group is consistently salty over a few of my Bracket 3 decks. While they are indeed highly optimized Bracket 3 decks, they are still Bracket 3 and wouldn't shake a stick at my Bracket 4 deck, or anyone's Bracket 4 deck for that matter. I don't play my Bracket 4 deck at this group unless everyone wants to play at that level, so that deck is not the problem in question. The problem is that this said salty player is consistently telling me that my strong Bracket 3s are in fact Bracket 4. </em></p>
<p><em>I have explained to him that the Bracket System is a healthy guideline to build intention and power limits, and not exclusively a "Power" ranking system. There is obviously a wide range of "power levels" within Bracket 3 guidelines. He disagrees and says my Bracket 3 decks are in fact Bracket 4 because they are so optimized. None of them have infinite combos, land denial, stax pieces, or more than three <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a>. They all fit perfectly within every guideline of the Bracket 3 description and requirements. They don't eliminate players until about turn seven or nine. </em></p>
<p><em><strong>Am I the Bolas for simply optimizing my Bracket 3 decks to be competitive?</strong></em></p>
<p><em><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eliminate the Competition"></div></div></em></p>
<p><em>Follow up - I suppose I should mention that this is not a new player. I would never enjoy "pubstomping noobs," and by no means do I dominate the win-rate in our pod. This player is every bit as good as I am, and his decks are also highly optimized, usually sitting around $1K each. I've repeatedly tried explaining to him that being a strong/optimized Bracket 3 doesn't make a deck a Bracket 4 and he disagrees.</em></p>
<p><em>Thanks, </em></p>
<p><em>Tehd Danszin</em></p>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Circle of Confinement"></div></div>
</div>
<hr />
<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>I appreciate you writing in about this because this is a topic that comes up a lot, but rarely do I get an example that is so granular that it demonstrates a difficulty I've had with the Bracket System since it's been more widely adopted. I'll explain, but I think it's important that I get something out of the way: there is no real Bolas in this story, but everybody's got something to work on. Pobody's nerfect, and so on.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Monument to Perfection"></div></div>
<p>The Bracket System is pretty great! The team that worked on it and continues to do so did a good job. However, there are some kinks that need straightening out, and that's okay. Expected, even! The collective chase for the perfect system is a bit of a fool's errand. We see it in the comment section of this column time and time again, where people agree and disagree about the submissions that I receive for this series.</p>
<p>The social nature of Commander makes the game so much less predictable and makes it much more difficult to find a system that will work all the time.</p>
<p>The Bracket System is a useful tool to get the conversation <em>started.</em> However, by the time a playgroup is solidified, that conversation's been going on for a while. People have gotten to know each other, dynamics and traits emerge, and patterns are learned. The relationship has grown.</p>
<p>The Bracket System is a good way to set a baseline, but in the end, if you're playing in playgroup pods regularly, the rules can be retooled to fit your group. House rules allow you to tailor the experience that makes everybody as happy as they can be.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reject Imperfection"></div></div>
<p>Brackets can also usually contend against each other when they're one away from each other, like say, playing a good Bracket 2 deck against some Bracket 3 decks. Tehd, you nailed it when you said the Bracket System isn't a "Power" ranking, but you acknowledge the spectrum of power levels that can be contained within the expectations of the Bracket. It's an exaggeration, but this subcategorization is almost like the Bracket's a <em>just slightly</em> different format than Commander.</p>
<p>Before the Bracket System, we had the imperfect one-to-ten power level scale. In my experience, it's always worked best when I've used it for regular playgroups. Having a common reference point to work from on the power scale allows playgroups to better determine where decks land among each other and what they each can handle.</p>
<p>Continue having conversations around how decks in your playgroup stack up against each other and whether there might be sub-Bracket rules that could be helpful to implement for a more even experience. Find ways to meet each other at the same level as much as possible.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cut a Deal"></div></div>
<p>All that said, it seems like there's just a fundamental misunderstanding with this opponent in particular. If you're evenly matched when it comes to gameplay ability and his decks are also optimized, I'd have to learn more about the elements of your decks that upset your opponent. You mentioning that you're not dominating the win rate of the group absolutely perplexes me here.</p>
<p>If I had to pick a Bolas, I'd have a hard time - even if your opponent's complaints based on the information we have seem unfounded, there is a dismissiveness and "hand-waving" attitude of sticking to the guns of "well, they're Bracket 3 because of the rules." Sure, there might only be three Game Changers, but there's a difference between playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> versus <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coalition Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Coalition Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glacial Chasm" href="#" target="_blank">Glacial Chasm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crop Rotation" href="#" target="_blank">Crop Rotation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Even among the Game Changers there is a hierarchy.</p>
<p>Which all leads back to where we began which is that the Bracket Systems serves to <em>begin</em> the conversation. It's up to you to keep it going rather than to shut it down because boxes are checked. I'd be really curious about the rest of the playgroup's reaction to your decks and whether other players get held to the same standard as you do by this pal of yours.</p>
<p>I think there's been a trend surrounding most recent submissions where the solution is having a conversation among the players in the group while also making the effort to accept the fact that <em>Magic</em>, especially Commander, doesn't always break your way. If it keeps happening, it's time for a chat or retooling some cards in your decks. Toss in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doom Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Doom Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> instead of a value piece, make sure you've got your draw spells over something you see in your hand and never cast, and make sure your land count is high enough so you don't get screwed.</p>
<p>Take the necessary steps in your means to ensure that <em>you</em> have a good time while contributing as much as possible to the good time of your opponents, within reason.</p>
<p>I don't know. This one is strange to me. I don't think you're the Bolas, but I think get a little more of a conversation going rather than shutting things down based on the rules of Bracket 3. Find out what it is your friend is really annoyed by and if it's everything, then that's a different conversation. Being frustrated with the game can sometimes be part of the experience.</p>
<p>Dust yourself off, get some air, then get ready for the next game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Last One Standing"></div></div>


Am I the Bolas? - The Bracket 3 Spectrum

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Motherlode, Excavator" href="#" target="_blank">The Motherlode, Excavator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://josusolanoart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josu Solano</a></em></p>
<hr />
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, what do you do when you reach the limit of "No Limits"?!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>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?"</p>
<p>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. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza and I think this guy looks better without his little hat!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Reaper, King No More"></div></div>
<p><em>*Gif of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reaper King" href="#" target="_blank">Reaper King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> taking off his crown and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGnhhw_GrQg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long hair flows out like a beautiful actress in a movie is being introduced</a>*</em></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
<div dir="auto">
<p><em>Hey Mike,</em></p>
<p><em>This is a game I played a while ago back when the <a href="https://edhrec.com/guides/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets">Bracket system</a> was new. It was a Bracket 4 game that was clearly indicated as such before the game started. I was playing a mass land destruction focused <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia and The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia and The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. I don't remember what any of my opponents were playing. Considering that this was a Bracket 4 game, I thought that Mass Land Destruction, while annoying, was an acceptable deck to play.</em></p>
<p><em>Well, it couldn't have been further from the truth. Upon playing my first MLD spell, two of my opponents became livid and insisted that I shouldn't be playing MLD in a noncompetitive game. The third opponent was fine with an MLD deck but said something to the effect of "You should have announced that you were playing an MLD deck before the game started."</em></p>
<p><em>Now, had this been a lower bracket, I certainly would have asked permission to play MLD. But since this was Bracket 4, I didn't feel the need to give any sort of warning about my deck and thought that basically anything was fair game at this level of play (I didn't even win the game in question). But because all three of my opponents were at least somewhat critical of what I did, I have been second guessing how I handled this game and haven't attempted to play MLD in Bracket 4 since.</em></p>
<p><em>Am I the Bolas?</em></p>
<p><em>Storm of Crows</em></p>
</div>
<div dir="auto">
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ruination"></div></div>
</div>
<hr />
<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>I'm a little confused by this one. Let's start with reminding everybody what Bracket 4 is from the latest update article on <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/formats/commander#brackets"><em>Magic</em>'s site</a>.</p>
<p><em>"BRACKET 4: OPTIMIZED</em><br />
<em>Players expect:</em></p>
<p><em>Decks not to adhere to the cEDH metagame reserved for Bracket 5 </em><br />
<em>Decks to be lethal, consistent, and fast, designed to take people down as fast as possible </em><br />
<em>Game Changers that are likely to be fast mana, snowballing resource engines, free disruption, and tutors </em><br />
<em>Win conditions to vary but be efficient and instantaneous </em><br />
<em>Gameplay to be explosive and powerful, featuring huge threats and efficient disruption to match </em><br />
<em>Generally, you should expect to be able to play at least four turns before you win or lose."</em></p>
<p>In the original beta of the Bracket System, Brackets 4 and 5 have no restrictions besides the banned list. Meanwhile, Brackets 1-3 discourage MLD, extra turn looping, and early two-card infinite combos. Having just one of these elements would bring your deck up to Bracket 4 immediately. It really feels like the only Bracket where anything goes - even cEDH is beholden to their own meta. Bracket 4 is where you can play powerful decks with more than three Game Changers. This is where the "no mass land denial" and "no looping extra turns" agreements are no longer.</p>
<p>There's a general understanding that no strategy is really off-limits because this is the Bracket where these strategies end up being accepted because it is the <em>only</em> place for them. So I am shocked to learn that these players would be upset. I understand that Bracket 4 has no restrictions, but now I'm recognizing something I had not considered yet: Are there subcategories to Bracket 4?</p>
<p>Is there a chance that some players simply put four Game Changers in their decks and have to report as playing Bracket 4 when still playing at a lower power level? Do some Bracket 4 players put a lot of emphasis on the C of cEDH as the defining difference between Brackets 4 and 5?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rumbling Crescendo"></div></div>
<p>This submission is stuck in my craw. On the one hand, if you're playing land destruction, it should be discussed in the rule zero conversation. On the other hand, if anything goes and we're agreeing to play in Bracket 4, then telling you about it feels like it should be optional. Let me get this straight - I need to tell you about my mass land destruction so you're aware of it and can prepare for it while you don't give me any information on your deck just because you're not running land destruction, too?</p>
<p>Knowing about MLD will make you play differently: You'll hold onto extra lands in hand so you can recover better, you'll save counter magic to nullify the attempt at destroying all lands, and, if you're not prepared to play through such a playstyle, you'll probably be focusing your player removal efforts on the mass land destruction player before they even get a chance to eliminate lands.</p>
<p>In a pod where the agreement is to engage with the rules of a Bracket that says there are no rules (yeah, yeah, besides the banned list), how far does that extend? Does this mean a rule zero conversation around Bracket 4 games boils down to "Bracket 4? Okay, good!" repeated by every player? I would hope not.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Motherlode, Excavator"></div></div>
<p>Regardless of the Bracket, a rule zero conversation should be had. Even if it's a reminder of the Bracket's rule about having no rules, it might uncover that this game might be more Bracket 4-adjacent. Some folks really don't like to play against mass land destruction and I think that's fair. Discussing it before playing a game is important to get people on the same page. This is what the Bracket System is about, in the end. It's not the end-all solution to your pods, but rather it's a means to get the conversation partly started in a common understanding before discussing particulars if you don't accept them wholly.</p>
<p>However, given that Bracket 4 begins and ends with "just no banned cards," part of me believes it would have been up to your opponents to mention they don't want to play against mass land destruction in the rule zero conversation when sitting down for Bracket 4 Commander. Brackets 1 through 3, if someone had land destruction, even if it technically is not allowed in the Brackets, they would need to announce that this is something their deck does and it can be requested that they find a Bracket 4 game where it is understood to be accepted by default because it is, again, one of the <em>only</em><em> placements for this type of strategy. </em></p>
<p>I'm with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crow Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Storm of Crows</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> here, to be honest. I don't think it should be necessary to announce that your deck does this. However, I do think that a reminder of the Bracket 4 rules is a good idea before starting. A blanket statement of "this is Bracket 4, anything goes - infinites, mass land destruction, extra turns, Game Changers galore - it's all in" and if someone objects, the conversation begins for real.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mine Layer"></div></div>
<p>Here's where I'll get a little more venomous about it though.</p>
<p>If you really, really, really want to play all those Game Changers and that's all that makes your deck a Bracket 4, then you'll have to get acquainted with some of the other stuff that's not available in lower Brackets. Oh, you don't want to face down mass land destruction? Bracket 3 is right there. Trim your Game Changer list down to three and get creative with your other slots.</p>
<p>I promise you that you don't need <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in every deck. Find some cool tech for your deck. Get weird with it. Not only will your deck be more personal to you and more specific in strategy, but it ensures that you're not up against the strategy that gets you crossing your arms and huffing at the LGS employee about how "it's not fair."</p>
<p>Sure, this is a reductive characterization of the opponents in OP's story, but I feel like there's a level of hypocrisy at play, here. If you really want to play in Bracket 4 and build Bracket 4 decks, then you show up for all of Bracket 4 or you have a conversation up front to discuss what you'd like excluded then deal with the consequences of this request. Whether that means moving forward with the game or having to find another table, that's on you.</p>
<p>Also, what the heck is a noncompetitive game? It's <em>Magic: The Gathering, </em>there's going to be a <em>winner</em> at the end of the game. It's inherently competitive. You decide whether you care about the competition or not, but it doesn't just stop existing because you're not interested in that aspect. You define your own wins if you eschew the traditional competitive aspect. If you want noncompetitive games, I would recommend having a lengthier rule zero conversation about what it is you expect from the game and you'll recognize that when you say noncompetitive in the second most competitive bracket, what you're saying will sound like "I want to have a better shot at doing what my deck does."</p>
<p>Isn't that a competitive statement when you're discussing a deck that belongs in the highest non-cEDH bracket?</p>
<p>Get acquainted with your inner wants and needs, then get other people involved.</p>
<p>Turns out, I'm pretty peeved at these opponents! I don't think you're the Bolas, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crow Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Crow Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but I think what you could start doing in Bracket 4 games is beginning the rule zero conversation with a reminder of the rules of the bracket and the expectation. No need to divulge the strategy, but lightly reminding everyone about it being accepted in this bracket should be enough to have the others pipe up if they oppose.</p>
<p>Thanks again for writing in.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Devastation"></div></div>


Am I the Bolas? - I Thought This Was Bracket 4!

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bazaar Trader" href="#" target="_blank">Bazaar Trader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CMatt+Cavotta%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Cavotta</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, you assign the value!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>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?"</p>
<p>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. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza and it's a new year!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Decaying Time Loop"></div></div>
<p><i>PLEASE JUST MAKE THIS ONE BETTER!</i></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
<div dir="auto">
<p><em>Hey Mike,</em></p>
<div><em>This might be a little weird but will I be the bolas? I read your threads a lot so I thought I would ask about something that's been weighing on me.</em></div>
<div></div>
<div><em>For context this happened a while ago before I left for a holiday. I was playing a game of </em>Magic <em>at a friend's house and after we played a few rounds I decided to open up for trades because I did some digging through my bulk and found a bunch of planeswalkers I wasn't using. I traded a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn, the Great Creator" href="#" target="_blank">Karn, the Great Creator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra, Torch of Defiance" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra, Torch of Defiance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baylen, the Haymaker" href="#" target="_blank">Baylen, the Haymaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gev, Scaled Scorch" href="#" target="_blank">Gev, Scaled Scorch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. </em></div>
<div><em>After I finished the trade and made it home I thought to search up the price of the cards I traded for and found out that they were worth $1.97. The cards I traded were worth about $7. </em></div>
<div><em><strong>Would I be the bolas for asking him for an extra card or two to make up the difference? And am I the bolas for caring about the price of the cards?</strong></em></div>
<div></div>
<div><em>Thanks, </em></div>
<div><em>Spadee</em></div>
</div>
<div dir="auto">
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trade Caravan"></div></div>
</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<hr />
<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trade Routes"></div></div>
<p>The long and short of it for me is yes, if the trade is finalized and the price difference is relatively small, I'd call that Bolas territory. We have many tools to appraise the cards of this massive trading card game at our disposal. If there was no way to check the prices at the time of the trade, then maybe it becomes a little less Bolasy to go back to ask for more, but it still feels icky to me.</p>
<p>Is this a friend with whom there's trust and there's an expectation that the trade isn't completed until everybody goes home and checks on how they made out? Then wouldn't you also expect a message from them about the price discrepancy?</p>
<p>Either way, to me, this is just bad form. If you traded cards for cards and they've switched hands without mention of the price or after-the-fact adjustments being welcome, unless the amount is ridiculous, then it's over and you have to swallow the $5.03 loss on the trade.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trade Secrets"></div></div>
<p>I guess the question is "What changed?" You looked up the prices and found a price difference. It doesn't feel like you were swindled - like if they'd convinced you to trade a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Black Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for two Standard rares that are readily available on the secondary market for very cheap, then yeah, that's a difference that'd require a discussion.</p>
<p>The thing is, you completed this trade happily. You got two cards you wanted and got rid of two cards you no longer did. That's the fun of trading with pals: Everybody walks away with something they want. There's inherent value in this. Now you don't need to pay the $1.97 <em>plus shipping and taxes</em> to buy the cards online. The thing is, between friends, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to bring it up and have a discussion about how they feel.</p>
<p>The trouble I'm having with this is that there's an acceptable amount to lose out on and you have to determine what you're okay with. Did you think they were all about the same value and that's what was important to you? No, in my reading of your submission, your goal was to flip cards you don't use for ones you will. You've assigned the value to those cards versus the ones you were trading.</p>
<p>I don't know, maybe Bolas is a little harsh for this. It's just a <em>faux pas</em>, really. If the trade is done and the cards have found homes, opening things back up feels wrong with few exceptions. You know how sometimes you'll order something online for less than you expect and you figure "well, okay, this is the agreement," but then they cancel your order and refund you but relist the same item at a higher price point? That's the vibe this is giving off to me. It feels like a pricing mistake you've got to suck up rather than a pricing mistake that should have never been available.</p>
<p>For example, if someone put a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Black Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (whatever, it's hyperbole and it's the funniest card to compare to) on <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cardsphere</a> for $10, I'd try buying it, but I'd expect and accept the outcome of a cancellation and relisting. But if that same seller posted a $5 card for $3 and they then cancelled to relist it at $5, I'd find that a little scummy and would file a complaint.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Savvy Trader"></div></div>
<p>This is less a verdict or advice on the matter and more of me giving you some things to consider. By all means, if you feel close enough to the other player to discuss reopening that trade, that's fine, I guess, but I personally wouldn't do it. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it could leave a sour taste in one's mouth.</p>
<p>Conversely, though, it could be well received and appreciated even. I'm only able to give you my perspective and I'm thinking you should let it be.</p>
<p>Thanks again for writing in!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tricks of the Trade"></div></div>


Am I the Bolas? - Restrospective Trading

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="New Way Forward" href="#" target="_blank">New Way Forward</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CEli+Minaya%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eli Minaya</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, let's think about the past!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>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?"</p>
<p>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. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza, and I want to wish you a happy new year.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cycle of Renewal"></div></div>
<p><i>Thanks for kicking around the AItB column this year!</i></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>A Thank You to the Disciples of Bolas</h2>
<div dir="auto">
<p>On this final Wednesday of one of the most frustrating years of our lives, I wanted to look back on my first year of <em>Am I the Bolas?</em> with EDHREC and talk about my takeaways from the weekly submissions I've been lucky enough to cover.</p>
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<p>I want to, as always, recognize and thank everyone who has ever read this column and submitted their stories to amithebolas@gmail.com. There are many of you probably wondering when your story is coming. Unfortunately, I can't guarantee I'll be able to use all of them, but I do endeavor to find a way to do so in the new year.</p>
<p>There are some that are just either too short or are absolutely gargantuan. There are some that get submitted around the same time as another that is very similar - for example, I have a great mass land destruction submission simmering in the inbox right now, but I don't want to use it since we just had an MLD sub two weeks ago.</p>
<p>There are some that I flat-out cannot bring myself to comment on publicly because some people need a private talking to rather than being put on blast. I digress.</p>
<p>I appreciate you all. Thank you for writing in.</p>
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<p>Here's what I've come around to in the last year thanks to the submissions and the thoughts they inspired.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God"></div></div>
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<h2>Speaking up Isn’t Easy, but It’s Necessary</h2>
<p>Over the entire run of <em>Am I the Bolas?, </em>whether on EDHREC or on Commander's Herald, there is a thread that persists. People are often put in situations that they quietly didn't want to be part of or even expressed they did not want to be part of. That sucks. Boo! Last week's entry is a great example of this. I'd link it here, but I'm writing both articles in advance. Click my name at the top of this and go look for it. It's a good submission and it's infuriating.</p>
<p>One thing I've been a proponent of is the idea that confrontation has this stigma to it that's undeserved. Sure, people expect confrontation and conflict to lead to the worst because folks often catastrophize the outcome, but is that outcome much worse than the situation you're in right now?</p>
<p>If I'm sitting at a table at my LGS, I've recruited two players to join, and a fourth walks over that I and the other two have discussed not enjoying games with, what do I do? Do we suffer through another game we don't enjoy? Is that better than being honest and direct with someone? It feels bad to exclude someone, sure, but do they want an undercurrent of resentment to permeate their gaming experience?</p>
<p>I'd rather be honest with that person. "Hey, pal. You are a nice enough person, but the decks you bring to the table are often too powerful for the silliness we're engaging with and we'd rather not do that again. Are you able to play one of our decks or do you have a deck that meets us where we're at? If not, we'd rather keep this seat open for someone who can match the play experience we're here for."</p>
<p>If they can produce a deck that meets the vibe, then great! If they can match the expectation of the pod, then awesome, we've had the rule zero conversation. If they don't want to play different decks or change, then they're free to explore the other options at the LGS that match what <em>they</em> are looking for.</p>
<p>Confrontation can be positive. It will lead to either exactly what you want, a compromise that meets many needs, or a simple moment where you can feel bad for a bit, but ultimately, you did right by you, and that's good, too!</p>
<p>Be open and honest. Don't be cruel or mean, but be honest. Assume positive intent, use kindness and open language to get your point across, and leave room for growth. I promise you many, many more positive game experiences if you take this to heart.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Veteran&#039;s Voice"></div></div>
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<h2>Water Off a Duck's Back</h2>
<p>I've noticed over time that I can get a little salty when threat assessment is tossed by the wayside. In every single submission about kingmaking, I have a moment of "that sucks" followed by a moment of "that's Commander, baby!"</p>
<p>It's a bummer to have your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Prison" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Prison</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> destroyed all because Dylan was mad that you found a way through his token army with your now-unblockable commander to take him out of the game. That sucks. But it's also entirely within the possibilities when playing <em>Magic</em>.</p>
<p>Something that's helped me <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTGdAGPDBpo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Woosah</a> my way through it all is taking a beat to think "I have a new obstacle to get through now." That's the part of <em>Magic</em> I love. I enjoy making engines out of my deck and navigating through the obstacles. When someone does something to kingmake someone else, it might seem impossible, and in some cases, it is, but I get to try to dig for an answer and make it work.</p>
<p>I am grateful I get to play more games after this, I am grateful I saw decks "do the thing," and I am grateful for this game that makes me feel smart and creative all at once.</p>
<p>Letting things wash over me like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EPCPAx7h6k" target="_blank" rel="noopener">water off a duck's back</a> is what has allowed me to keep my peace and still be able to find moments to be present and happy playing <em>Magic.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Turtle-Duck"></div></div>
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<h2>I'm Okay with a Little (Mass) Land Destruction</h2>
<p>Okay.</p>
<p>This isn't an invitation and I definitely hope you do this with a plan, still...but stax and mass land destruction are both things I'm coming around to in <em>Magic</em>. Maybe it's because I'm enfranchised and I'm looking for the more complex and taboo - much like music lovers will find their way to a noise-jazz album at some point or another - but I think I'm ready to give stax another go and to not be immediately upset at the possibility of land destruction.</p>
<p>Also, playing 1v1 <em>Magic</em> helps you get over this a little bit. Play some Limited. Enjoy the diversity and the new dynamics of play.</p>
<p>I'm not dwelling on this and don't want every deck I play against now to be stax or land destruction, I'm just saying, maybe sometimes, we can solve a puzzle that doesn't get out of the box often.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Armageddon"></div></div>
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<h2>Follow Your Impulse for Kindness</h2>
<p>This is going to feel like a bit of a brag, but whatever, who cares. I like who I am and I try to be a good person. Part of why I think that is because my impulses tend to be toward community and care.</p>
<p>For example, at the last prerelease I attended, a new player (first prerelease!) had a pack of penny sleeves that were falling apart. Without thinking, after watching him struggle for a minute, I handed him the pack of extra sleeves I've been lugging around at prereleases for years in case I open two wildly different decks from my kit (it only happened once). He was appreciative and thanked me.</p>
<p>"Whatever Mikey, that's nice, but don't you think you're tooting your own horn a little here? What, you need another pat on the back there, pal?"</p>
<p>Now, hold on! Later in the prerelease, I saw that same new player offer to give the tokens he had no use for to players in the pairing next to him who were searching for theirs. "Keep 'em! Spread the love!" he said. Look, I'm not taking credit for that. But I am saying that when more people are as open and giving, it invites more behaviors like that.</p>
<p>Years ago, I had a proxy for a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vandalblast" href="#" target="_blank">Vandalblast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a deck because, at the time, they were hard to come by. Three bucks, but sold out at every store I knew of. I explained this to the pod I joined at my new LGS in Toronto and one of my opponents reached into his backpack, grabbed his binder, pulled out a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vandalblast" href="#" target="_blank">Vandalblast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> put it on the table. I offered him money, but he wasn't having it.</p>
<p>Since then, whenever I could and it wasn't breaking the bank, I've given players cards they mentioned needing. I've even gotten up to buy a copy from the LGS we're playing at if it wasn't going to hurt my pockets. Some the folks who've been on the receiving end of this have told me of times they've paid it forward and honestly, that's what I hope to see more of. A moment of sharing and joy that'll remind you that it might all be cardboard, but it's also the people.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="New Way Forward"></div></div>
<p>As always, thank you for submitting. Please continue to do 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.</p>
<p>Happy New Year!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gift of Growth"></div></div>


Am I the Bolas? - A Year of Lessons

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brash Taunter" href="#" target="_blank">Brash Taunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CSvetlin+Velinov%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Svetlin Velinov</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, trash talked, now trash <em>walk</em>!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>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?"</p>
<p>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. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza, and it's Christmas Eve? Did I time this right?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sands of Time"></div></div></span></p>
<p><i>I am the master of knowing when my articles are being published!!! Happy holidays!!!</i></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
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<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
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<p><em>Hi Mike,</em></p>
<p><em>Long time reader, first time caller! Big fan of the column, so I decided to write in with one of my most infamous games of EDH.</em></p>
<p><em>My girlfriend (Elle) and I were looking for a pod at her LGS. We found one of her friends for player three, but he was busy shopping for the time being, so we loitered a bit. While we did, player four (let's call him Alex) asked if he could join and we informed him of the situation. He agreed, but after a certain amount of time he decided to bring a completely random other guy (Greg) to replace our player three and completely ignored all pushback or arguments from Elle or myself.</em></p>
<p><em><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher"></div></div></em></p>
<p><em>Onto the game, we were all running slightly wonky decks. Can't remember specifics of others, but Elle was a mono-red Humans , Greg was running "group hug" that went off at an alarming rate, Alex was running a heavily souped up Gondor precon, and I was playing my stupid bag of tricks Vampire Aristocrats deck led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher" href="#" target="_blank">Carmen, Cruel Skymarcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. </em></p>
<p><em>Greg popped off too fast and was first to go, followed immediately by Elle. Alex had a truly terrifying board state and made several obnoxious comments about how he was the best player and everyone was beneath him, essentially. Despite being repeatedly asked to stop, he continued to act like a huge jerk. Alex's trash talk included aspersions towards player quality, personal life, gloating over killing Elle specifically, as well as some vaguely homophobic comments directed at Elle and myself. I can provide more details on the functioning of my deck as well if needed.</em></p>
<p><em>So I decided to start playing extremely technically, and with my ridiculous tricks (including using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter" href="#" target="_blank">Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> + <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tarrian&#039;s Soulcleaver" href="#" target="_blank">Tarrian&#039;s Soulcleaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to clear the board of 1/1s at instant-speed, for example) and managed to squeeze out an extremely hard fought victory that required several judge calls. My question is, <strong>Am I the Bolas for unleashing patently ridiculous play on Alex for being extremely rude both in and out of game?</strong> Was there something better I could have done in this situation?</em></p>
<div dir="auto"><em>Thanks,</em></div>
<div dir="auto"><em>Marching Too Close To The Sun</em></div>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tarrian&#039;s Soulcleaver"></div></div>
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<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>This is going to be a quick one for the holiday season. Shout out to those of us who need to excuse ourselves to the bathroom to take a break from familial chaos. Here's a quick article for you.</p>
<p>F@#k that guy.</p>
<p>A bigot putting you and your partner down? Yeah, pull out all the stops you want, in-game. Hell, if you wanted to get up and leave, power to you. You did not need to stay in this game, but I accept that it might have been a matter of principle to be able to smack this guy with game mechanics and know-how.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rules Lawyer"></div></div>
<p>Even having to play a game with him and his friend, despite pushback and protests - red flag! I like to imagine I'd be able to assert myself enough to say, at the very least, that once my friend returns, the game would end immediately and we'd have to kick Greg. If Greg agreed to this, then fine enough, it isn't the end of the world, I guess? But it's still uncomfortable and frustrating. Not ideal!</p>
<p>I understand that it's not easy to stand up for yourself and be assertive when you've got someone who is pushing back so hard. Especially when the fail case is that you just have to play a game while waiting around. I encourage you to own your space as much as possible. You deserve it.</p>
<p>Either way, no, never, not at all! Not the Bolas.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oust"></div></div>


aita