<h2>Time To Cast Your Vote!</h2>
<p>Since the last EDHREC Combo Vote in 2025, there have been a few new cards printed.</p>
<p>To be exact, that number is 2,394 new cards. Granted, many of them don't find themselves contributing to two-card combos. But a lot of them do.</p>
<p>With that many cards comes a lot of data, and data is what EDHREC does. So to incorporate those new cards, and to better reflect any changes in the community's sentiment toward existing two-card combos, we're running back the Commander Bracket Combo Vote.</p>
<p>Voting begins <em>now</em> and will be open through April 12.</p>
<p><strong>Everyone's invited to <a href="https://edhrec.com/combo-vote" target="_blank" rel="noopener">head here and start participating</a>.</strong></p>
<h2>How Does It Work?</h2>
<p>Utilizing combo data from EDHREC's sister site <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commander Spellbook</a>, voters are presented with a two-card combo and are asked three questions:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong> Can this combo be reasonably executed in the first six or so turns?</strong></li>
<li><strong>Are the prerequisites (ignoring mana) easy enough that you'd still call this a two-card combo?</strong></li>
<li><strong>Is it easy to leverage this combo into a win?</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>If you've ever wondered if a two-card combo in your deck might impact which <a href="https://edhrec.com/guides/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bracket</a> it belongs in, this community-driven vote will help decide.</p>
<p>EDHREC will use the collected data to display Bracket ratings for individual combos on the site as well as sharpen Bracket estimates for <a href="https://archidekt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt</a>'s deck analysis. While Brackets help players determine their deck's power level, a deck incorporating infinite or near-infinite two-card combos might be hard to categorize on its surface.</p>
<p>To that end, each question in the Combo Voting is built around measuring real in-game impact in an average Commander game.</p>
<p>The data generated won't carry official status, but it will help players assess where their combo-powered decks actually land among the Bracket System, and provide data to smooth those Bracket-related pre-game conversations.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Felidar Guardian"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Restoration Angel"></div></div>
<p>On the voting page, each voter will be presented with a two-card combo as identified by Commander Spellbook.</p>
<p>They'll be asked to assess the combo using the above three questions with either a "Yes," indicating that they agree with the question in relation to the combo, or "No," indicating that they do not agree.</p>
<p>Based on the voter's answers, they'll be presented with an opportunity to submit a vote for the lowest-powered Bracket in which the combo is safe to play.</p>
<h2>When Can I Vote?</h2>
<p><strong>Voting will be live from Wednesday, April 8 through Sunday, April 12.</strong></p>
<h2>How Will It Help?</h2>
<p>The Bracket System saw a "beta" period before being rolled out officially in February of 2025. In October 2025, the Commander Format Panel made adjustments to the specific classifications, <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/commander-brackets-beta-update-october-21-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which you can read about here</a>.</p>
<p>In short, every Commander deck will fit into one of five Brackets based on a number of criteria related to that deck's power level, card inclusions and intent.</p>
<div id="attachment_181228" style="width: 1255px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Commander_Brackets_Beta_v3-e1775587769534.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-181228" class="wp-image-181228 size-full" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Commander_Brackets_Beta_v3-e1775587769534.jpeg" alt="" width="1245" height="803" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Commander_Brackets_Beta_v3-e1775587769534.jpeg 1245w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Commander_Brackets_Beta_v3-e1775587769534-300x193.jpeg 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Commander_Brackets_Beta_v3-e1775587769534-1024x660.jpeg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Commander_Brackets_Beta_v3-e1775587769534-768x495.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1245px) 100vw, 1245px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-181228" class="wp-caption-text"><span style="font-size: 8pt;">October 2025's revised Commander Brackets infographic.</span></p></div>
<p>The "Exhibition" Bracket, or Bracket 1, contains decks that "just focus on fun" and are usually based on a theme - in other words, "ultra-casual." Next up is "Core," followed by "Upgraded" and "Optimized."</p>
<p>According to Gavin Verhey and other Commander Format Panel (CFP) members, most decks fall into those two latter categories. Lastly, there's the "cEDH" Bracket, which is exactly what it sounds like.</p>
<p>We see above that the first three Brackets specifically call out two-card combos as prohibitive of placement in that Bracket. But what exactly determines a "two-card combo," its feasibility in being played in early stages of the game, and whether that combo truly "ends" a game? That's where your vote matters.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The World Tree"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Maskwood Nexus"></div></div>
<p>Commander Spellbook is host to more than 80,000 combos - doubled from when this vote was organized last year - and that number includes many dozens of clear two-card combos.</p>
<p>However, many of these combos fall into a bit of a "gray area" due to either the prerequisites required to initiate their effect, or the effect itself possibly not being game-ending on its own. That's covered in the latter two questions with which voters will be prompted.</p>
<p>As for the first question, the Commander Format Panel defines "early game" as "players able to expect to play at least six turns before anyone wins or loses," which is why the question is worded in this way.</p>
<p>If a two-card combo can be reasonably executed in the early game, that has relevance when determining which Bracket a deck might belong to.</p>
<h2>Where Does the Data Go?</h2>
<p>The information generated from this year's Commander Bracket Combo Vote will be used in a variety of ways much like last year's, but first and foremost the updated data will be available for public viewing on EDHREC in the weeks following the end of the initial voting period.</p>
<p>The primary goal behind the Commander Bracket Combo Vote is to provide players with more tools with which to assess their decks through the lens of the Bracket System.</p>
<p>To that end, deckbuilding site <a href="https://archidekt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt</a> will also be provided the data to allow the site to provide a more accurate estimate of a deck's Bracket.</p>
<p>White the Commander Bracket Combo Vote is not conducted in association with Wizards of the Coast, the data generated by the voting, like everything else on EDHREC, is thanks purely to the community at-large.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Biovisionary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rite of Replication"></div></div>
<h2>What's Next?</h2>
<p>Nothing! Other than voting, that is. <a href="https://edhrec.com/combo-vote" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Let's get to it!</a></p>
<p>The Commander Bracket Combo Vote is now live, and the only thing left to do is lend your Commander expertise to it.</p>
<p>As always, thanks for reading, and happy voting!</p>


Commander Bracket Combo Voting Returns!

<p>Learn how to navigate the Commander Brackets system to maximize fun in your Commander games!</p>


<p>The Bracket system is a new(-ish) way for Commander players to ensure that they're sitting down for the kind of game that they want to play. It helps casual players, competitive players, and everyone in between find Commander pods that most closely match their desires.</p>
<p>When <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> took over the Commander format in 2024, they promised players a deck categorization system to allow for easier pre-game conversations. This system helps facilitate those conversations, and lets Commander players find like-minded people to play games with.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/wizards-of-the-coast-commander-brackets-update-for-october-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most recent update to the Commander Bracket system</a> was on October 22, 2025.</p>


<p>There are five different Commander Brackets. From most casual to most competitive, they are: Exhibition (1), Core (2), Upgraded (3), Optimized (4), and cEDH (5).</p>
<p>This can be a little difficult to understand, so let's take a look at a super helpful graphic created by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@commandcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rachel Weeks of The Command Zone</a>.</p>
<div id="attachment_167736" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brackets-10.21.25.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-167736" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-167736 size-large" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brackets-10.21.25-1024x680.png" alt="October 2025 Brackets Update" width="1024" height="680" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brackets-10.21.25-1024x680.png 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brackets-10.21.25-300x199.png 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brackets-10.21.25-768x510.png 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Brackets-10.21.25.png 1367w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-167736" class="wp-caption-text">October 2025 Commander Brackets Update</p></div>
<p>This graphic shows some of the differences between the Brackets. The lower Brackets include less powerful cards, fewer combos, and are often simply not trying as hard to win the game as higher Brackets.</p>
<p>Lower bracket decks are often more closely associated with a theme, too. You're significantly more likely to find a deck based on <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=art%3Aarmored-horse&amp;unique=art&amp;utm_source=tagger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">art containing armored horses</a> in Bracket 1 than you are anywhere else, for example.</p>
<p>And, you're much more likely to find meta-adherent, efficient wins with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brain Freeze" href="#" target="_blank">Brain Freeze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in Bracket 5 than you are anywhere else.</p>
<p>Of course, there's a <em>significant</em> amount of space between art-themed decks and hardcore competitive decks, so let's explore the Bracket system a bit more.</p>


<p>We'll be building a deck centered around the same commander for all five brackets, so the differences between all of the deck lists are readily apparent. Let's focus on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lumra, Bellow of the Woods" href="#" target="_blank">Lumra, Bellow of the Woods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a super powerful six-mana commander from <em><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/blb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomburrow</a>.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lumra, Bellow of the Woods"></div></div>
<p>Lumra's an extremely powerful card, letting us do some land-based shenanigans and pull off some awesome combo wins. But, she's also a Bear, which should let us do some interesting things at the lower brackets.</p>


<p><em>At Bracket 1 (Exhibition), players expect:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>decks to prioritize a goal, theme, or idea over power.</em></li>
<li><em>rules around card or commander legality to be flexible, if all players agree.</em></li>
<li><em>win conditions to be highly thematic or substandard.</em></li>
<li><em>gameplay to be an opportunity to show off their creations.</em></li>
<li><em>to play at least nine turns before anyone wins or loses.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em>Deck restrictions (at Bracket 1, exceptions can be made for highly thematic cards):</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>No <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a></em></li>
<li><em>No mass land denial</em></li>
<li><em>No extra turns</em></li>
<li><em>No two-card combos (game-enders, lockouts, or infinites)</em></li>
</ul>
<p>Our Bracket 1 Lumra deck is all-in on Bears. Every card in the deck either is a Bear, has a bear in its art, or mentions the word "bear" somewhere in its rules text.</p>
<p>There are a few individually strong cards in this deck, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ayula, Queen Among Bears" href="#" target="_blank">Ayula, Queen Among Bears</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Argoth, Sanctum of Nature" href="#" target="_blank">Argoth, Sanctum of Nature</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Surrak and Goreclaw" href="#" target="_blank">Surrak and Goreclaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. But, to be clear, those cards are here because of their Bear status. We've got no way to tutor for those strong game pieces, and very few ways to draw more cards for a higher chance of seeing them.</p>
<p>This Bracket 1 deck puts its theme above all else, and would only sneak away with a victory in a pod full of other Bracket 1 decks.</p>
<p>For our ramp, we've got cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Werebear" href="#" target="_blank">Werebear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kolvori, God of Kinship" href="#" target="_blank">Kolvori, God of Kinship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. For removal, we've got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Predatory Urge" href="#" target="_blank">Predatory Urge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stormkeld Vanguard" href="#" target="_blank">Stormkeld Vanguard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Lastly, for card advantage, we've got... well we haven't really got much at all. This is, almost certainly, suboptimal. But we're focused on Bears, not winning games. This version of Lumra is focused on fun, above all else.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Werebear"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Predatory Urge"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Bracket1" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Lumra, Bellow of the Woods
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Alpine Grizzly
*1 Ashcoat Bear
*1 Ayula, Queen Among Bears
*1 Balduvian Bears
*1 Bear Cub
*1 Caller of the Claw
*1 Casal, Lurkwood Pathfinder // Casal, Pathbreaker Owlbear
*1 Copper Host Crusher
*1 Drover Grizzly
*1 Evercoat Ursine
*1 Flaxen Intruder // Welcome Home
*1 Forest Bear
*1 Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
*1 Grizzly Bears
*1 Halsin, Emerald Archdruid
*1 Kolvori, God of Kinship // The Ringhart Crest
*1 Mother Bear
*1 Owlbear
*1 Owlbear Cub
*1 Professor of Zoomancy
*1 Quirion Beastcaller
*1 Rampaging Yao Guai
*1 Razorclaw Bear
*1 River Bear
*1 Runeclaw Bear
*1 Ruxa, Patient Professor
*1 Somberwald Sage
*1 Spider-Ham, Peter Porker
*1 Spirit of the Aldergard
*1 Stormkeld Vanguard // Bear Down
*1 Surrak and Goreclaw
*1 Surrak, Elusive Hunter
*1 Ursine Monstrosity
*1 Vivien&#039;s Grizzly
*1 Werebear
*1 Wilson, Refined Grizzly
*1 Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blizzard Brawl
*1 Fade from History
*1 Grizzly Fate
*1 Kamahl&#039;s Summons
*1 Outmuscle
*1 Savage Punch
*1 Savage Swipe
*1 Titania&#039;s Command
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Ayula&#039;s Influence
*1 Bearscape
*1 Predatory Urge
*1 Roaring Earth
*1 Words of Wilding
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Giant Growth
*1 Revealing Wind
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Argoth, Sanctum of Nature
*1 Path of Ancestry
*44 Snow-Covered Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p><em>At Bracket 2 (Core), players expect:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>decks to be mechanically focused with some cards chosen to maximize creativity and/or entertainment.</em></li>
<li><em>win conditions to be incremental, telegraphed on the board, or disruptable.</em></li>
<li><em>gameplay to be low pressure, proactive, and considerate, letting each deck showcase its plan.</em></li>
<li><em>to play at least eight turns before anyone wins or loses.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em>Deck restrictions:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>No <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a></em></li>
<li><em>No mass land denial</em></li>
<li><em>No chaining extra turns</em></li>
<li><em>No two-card combos (game-enders, lockouts, or infinites)</em></li>
</ul>
<p>Our Bracket 2 version of Lumra isn't too different. We cut about 20 cards to make room for more efficient, and stronger, game pieces. We're still sticking with our Bear-typal theme, but we're embellishing it with higher quality creatures, graveyard synergies, and even a few tutors.</p>
<p>Most importantly, we've added a small package of cards that work well with our commander. It's still the same, durdly deck at its core, but it's been streamlined to let it actually get some momentum going once in a while.</p>
<p>The deck is now pulled in two different directions. While a real strategy is forming, efficient green spells paired with a monster of a commander to tie it all together, we're still a thematic deck centered on Bears.</p>
<p>But, only a few of our best Bears remain. Instead of including all available <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grizzly Bears" href="#" target="_blank">Grizzly Bears</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> variants, we're down to just 15 Bears and a few changelings. And, most of the cards that were included simply for having a bear or two in their art have been removed.</p>
<p>In their place, we've got strong ways to dump our library into our graveyard (like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="World Shaper" href="#" target="_blank">World Shaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), a few second-rate tutors (like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivien, Monsters&#039; Advocate" href="#" target="_blank">Vivien, Monsters&#039; Advocate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), and even a new piece of bear-themed removal (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulvenwald Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Ulvenwald Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<p>While this version of Lumra is still trying to get a bunch of Bears onto the battlefield, it's not as committed to that low-power game plan as its Bracket 1 predecessor. We're actually trying to win some games here, we're just aiming to do it with a board full of our favorite creature type.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="World Shaper"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vivien, Monsters&#039; Advocate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulvenwald Tracker"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Bracket2" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Lumra, Bellow of the Woods
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Aftermath Analyst
*1 Ashcoat Bear
*1 Ayula, Queen Among Bears
*1 Bloodline Pretender
*1 Bramble Familiar // Fetch Quest
*1 Casal, Lurkwood Pathfinder // Casal, Pathbreaker Owlbear
*1 Copper Host Crusher
*1 Drover Grizzly
*1 Evercoat Ursine
*1 Flaxen Intruder // Welcome Home
*1 Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
*1 Grizzly Bears
*1 Icetill Explorer
*1 Masked Vandal
*1 Owlbear Cub
*1 Quirion Beastcaller
*1 Rampaging Yao Guai
*1 Realmwalker
*1 Six
*1 Somberwald Sage
*1 Spider-Ham, Peter Porker
*1 Spirit of the Aldergard
*1 Stormkeld Vanguard // Bear Down
*1 Surrak and Goreclaw
*1 Surrak, Elusive Hunter
*1 Tato Farmer
*1 Ulvenwald Tracker
*1 Universal Automaton
*1 Ursine Monstrosity
*1 Werebear
*1 Wilson, Refined Grizzly
*1 World Shaper
*1 Yeva, Nature&#039;s Herald
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blizzard Brawl
*1 Esper Origins // Summon: Esper Maduin
*1 Fade from History
*1 Nature&#039;s Rhythm
*1 Savage Punch
*1 Savage Swipe
*1 Will of the Sultai
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Ayula&#039;s Influence
*1 Bearscape
*1 Roaring Earth
*1 Words of Wilding
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Giant Growth
*1 Nature&#039;s Claim
*1 Ram Through
*1 Revealing Wind
*1 Smuggler&#039;s Surprise
[/Instants]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Vivien, Monsters&#039; Advocate
*1 Wrenn and Seven
[/Planeswalkers]
[Artifacts]
*1 Hedge Shredder
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Argoth, Sanctum of Nature
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Path of Ancestry
*43 Snow-Covered Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p><em>At Bracket 3 (Upgraded), players expect:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>decks to be powered up with strong synergy and high card quality. They can effectively disrupt opponents.</em></li>
<li><em>win conditions that can be played from hand in one turn, usually because of steadily accrued resources.</em></li>
<li><em>gameplay to feature many proactive and reactive plays.</em></li>
<li><em>to play at least six turns before anyone wins or loses.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em>Deck restrictions:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Up to three <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a></em></li>
<li><em>No mass land denial</em></li>
<li><em>No chaining extra turns</em></li>
<li>No two-card combos before turn six</li>
</ul>
<p>Here we'll abandon our focus on Bears pretty much entirely. It's sad, I know, but it needs to be done for the deck to improve. The core of our deck is now self-mill and land recursion, rather than Bears.</p>
<p>We'll double down on Lumra's strengths, and try to make this a relatively well-optimized lands deck. This is probably the most drastic change we'll see between any two adjacent brackets, and that's very much intentional. I view the jump from Bracket 2 to Bracket 3 as quite significant, as it represents a fundamental change in deckbuilding mindset.</p>
<p>We're willing to use some of the strongest cards available to push towards victory, but we won't necessarily be investing in free spells or busted one-off includes. Instead of holding on to vestiges of a theme that won't net us many victories, we're adhering to a tried-and-true Commander strategy.</p>
<p>First up, let's talk about our new and improved land suite. We've included a huge number of utility lands, including a few that can sacrifice themselves. This will let us loop them back to the battlefield with our commander, and other land recursion effects, for maximum value. Because we're playing a full 46 lands (27 basics) we likely won't need to worry about not having enough <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> pips on hand.</p>
<p>Among these nonbasic lands, my favorites are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasteland" href="#" target="_blank">Wasteland</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shifting Woodland" href="#" target="_blank">Shifting Woodland</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and (the best one of them all) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eden, Seat of the Sanctum" href="#" target="_blank">Eden, Seat of the Sanctum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These lands, in concert with the dozens of others we've got, should lend us a decent amount of board control and value for very little deckbuilding cost.</p>
<p>Decisions like this are what elevate a deck from Bracket 2 to Bracket 3!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wasteland"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shifting Woodland"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eden, Seat of the Sanctum"></div></div>
<p>We've also got a lot of land-based ramp now. From <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entish Restoration" href="#" target="_blank">Entish Restoration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azusa, Lost but Seeking" href="#" target="_blank">Azusa, Lost but Seeking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we're making sure to include some of the best ways to dump lands on the battlefield and into the graveyard.</p>
<p>We've also got better graveyard synergies, with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Greenwarden" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Greenwarden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brawn" href="#" target="_blank">Brawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> here. I think the inclusion of Brawn is notable, and emblematic of what a Bracket 3 deck is trying to do. This Incarnation certainly isn't the best creature we could have included, but it's fun to mill over and can provide us with a moderate advantage as the game drags on.</p>
<p>Bracket 3 decks don't always need to play all of the best cards that are available, but a cohesive game plan should be apparent as large groups of cards are considered together.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Entish Restoration"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Greenwarden"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brawn"></div></div>
<p>Lastly, overall card quality has gone up. We get access to three <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a> in this list, and I've chosen <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldly Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Worldly Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <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>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Tomb" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Tomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. For a mono-color list focused on lands, mana, and powerful creatures, these are solid choices.</p>
<p>Paired with additional tutors like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archdruid&#039;s Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Archdruid&#039;s Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and standalone threats like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mossborn Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Mossborn Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it's clear this deck has a defined path to victory.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Worldly Tutor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crop Rotation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Tomb"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Bracket3" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Lumra, Bellow of the Woods
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Archdruid&#039;s Charm
*1 Beast Within
*1 Collective Resistance
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Entish Restoration
*1 Harrow
*1 Nature&#039;s Claim
*1 Overprotect
*1 Ram Through
*1 Roiling Regrowth
*1 Smuggler&#039;s Surprise
*1 Worldly Tutor
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*1 Aftermath Analyst
*1 Ancient Greenwarden
*1 Ashaya, Soul of the Wild
*1 Augur of Autumn
*1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
*1 Blossoming Tortoise
*1 Brawn
*1 Famished Worldsire
*1 Horizon Explorer
*1 Icetill Explorer
*1 Loot, Exuberant Explorer
*1 Lotus Cobra
*1 Mossborn Hydra
*1 Nissa, Resurgent Animist
*1 Rampaging Baloths
*1 Scute Swarm
*1 Six
*1 Sowing Mycospawn
*1 Surrak, Elusive Hunter
*1 Sylvan Safekeeper
*1 Tato Farmer
*1 Tireless Provisioner
*1 Tireless Tracker
*1 Titania, Voice of Gaea
*1 Ulvenwald Tracker
*1 Vorinclex // The Grand Evolution
*1 World Shaper
[/Creatures]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Wrenn and Seven
[/Planeswalkers]
[Artifacts]
*1 Exploration Broodship
*1 Hedge Shredder
*1 The Great Henge
*1 Zuran Orb
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Awaken the Woods
*1 Esper Origins // Summon: Esper Maduin
*1 Ezuri&#039;s Predation
*1 Nature&#039;s Rhythm
*1 Season of Gathering
*1 Will of the Sultai
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Kenrith&#039;s Transformation
*1 Spelunking
*1 Virtue of Strength // Garenbrig Growth
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Ancient Tomb
*1 Argoth, Sanctum of Nature
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*1 Cryptic Caves
*1 Crystal Vein
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Eden, Seat of the Sanctum
*1 Emergence Zone
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Hickory Woodlot
*1 Maze of Ith
*1 Mirrorpool
*1 Ominous Cemetery
*1 Sanctum of Eternity
*1 Shifting Woodland
*27 Snow-Covered Forest
*1 Strip Mine
*1 Tranquil Thicket
*1 Wasteland
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p><em>At Bracket 4 (Optimized), players expect:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>decks to be lethal, consistent, and fast, designed to take people down as fast as possible. They do not adhere to the cEDH metagame.</em></li>
<li><em>win conditions to vary from archetype to archetype, but can end a game quickly and suddenly.</em></li>
<li><em>gameplay to be explosive and powerful, featuring huge threats and efficient disruption to match.</em></li>
<li><em>to play at least four turns before anyone wins or loses.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em>No deck restrictions other than the banned list.</em></p>
<p>This is where we get to kick it up a notch. We'll be trimming some of the fat from our Bracket 3 deck, and ensuring that this deck can compete at the highest level casual EDH tables. We're not quite in cEDH territory yet, but we're certainly going to optimize our 99.</p>
<p>We're also going to account for our opponents' game plans here. That means playing around countermagic, including more tutors, and even a few of the game's most efficient cards. Sadly, this means that some of our pet cards (like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brawn" href="#" target="_blank">Brawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) have got to go. There's just no space for us to mess around much in Bracket 4!</p>
<p>This is fundamentally the same deck that we had in Bracket 3, just supercharged. We've got some of Commander's most powerful cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gaea&#039;s Cradle" href="#" target="_blank">Gaea&#039;s Cradle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Endurance" href="#" target="_blank">Endurance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and even more ways to fetch them, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Reclaimer" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Reclaimer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chord of Calling" href="#" target="_blank">Chord of Calling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>We now have more consistent access to more efficient effects. Instead of paying for our removal spells, we can just pitch a card with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Vigor" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Vigor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Instead of hoping to naturally draw into a combo piece, we can tutor it straight to the board with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Natural Order" href="#" target="_blank">Natural Order</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>We're still playing "fair <em>Magic</em>" in this Bracket, we're just pushing this deck as far as it can go within those bounds.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gaea&#039;s Cradle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elvish Reclaimer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Force of Vigor"></div></div>
<p>This deck will, for the most part, win in the same way that our Bracket 3 variant does. We'll swing in for lethal with a huge <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mossborn Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Mossborn Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or make a creature massive with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Will of the Sultai" href="#" target="_blank">Will of the Sultai</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, turning a board full of lands into a win. But, now that we're in Bracket 4, we've got access to a few combos too.</p>
<p>By leveraging <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Springheart Nantuko" href="#" target="_blank">Springheart Nantuko</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lotus Cobra" href="#" target="_blank">Lotus Cobra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and a man-land, we can create infinite <em>landfall</em> triggers and infinite tapped land tokens. There's lots of other combos too, letting us gain infinite life, make infinite mana, and even make infinite creature tokens.</p>
<p>The combos are overlapping and contain very few dead cards. There's a full 21 combos available with this deck list, according to <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commander Spellbook</a>, so we'll often look to assemble a combo win with this list.</p>
<p>While there's a relatively high amount of shared cards between this deck and our previous list, there's certainly been a deckbuilding mentality shift. We've focused narrowly on the best standalone threats that this strategy has to offer, and will aim for victory with a combo frequently.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Bracket4" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Lumra, Bellow of the Woods
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Exploration Broodship
*1 Mox Diamond
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Great Henge
*1 Zuran Orb
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Aftermath Analyst
*1 Ancient Greenwarden
*1 Ashaya, Soul of the Wild
*1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Blossoming Tortoise
*1 Delighted Halfling
*1 Dryad Arbor
*1 Elvish Reclaimer
*1 Elvish Spirit Guide
*1 Endurance
*1 Famished Worldsire
*1 Heartwood Storyteller
*1 Horizon Explorer
*1 Icetill Explorer
*1 Lotus Cobra
*1 Mossborn Hydra
*1 Nissa, Resurgent Animist
*1 Rootpath Purifier
*1 Scute Swarm
*1 Six
*1 Springheart Nantuko
*1 Surrak, Elusive Hunter
*1 Sylvan Safekeeper
*1 Tiller Engine
*1 Titania, Voice of Gaea
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Archdruid&#039;s Charm
*1 Chord of Calling
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Eldrazi Confluence
*1 Force of Vigor
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Burgeoning
*1 Exploration
*1 Food Chain
*1 Spelunking
*1 Sylvan Library
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Eldritch Evolution
*1 Ezuri&#039;s Predation
*1 Finale of Devastation
*1 Green Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Natural Order
*1 Nature&#039;s Rhythm
*1 Will of the Sultai
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Ancient Tomb
*1 Argoth, Sanctum of Nature
*1 Arid Archway
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*1 Castle Garenbrig
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 City of Traitors
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Conduit Pylons
*1 Crumbling Vestige
*1 Crystal Vein
*1 Deserted Temple
*1 Echoing Deeps
*1 Eden, Seat of the Sanctum
*1 Emergence Zone
*1 Fabled Passage
*3 Forest
*1 Gaea&#039;s Cradle
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Gemstone Caverns
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Havenwood Battleground
*1 Hickory Woodlot
*1 High Market
*1 Horizon of Progress
*1 Lazotep Quarry
*1 Lotus Field
*1 Mirrorpool
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Petrified Field
*1 Pit of Offerings
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Sanctum of Eternity
*1 Shifting Woodland
*3 Snow-Covered Forest
*1 Strip Mine
*1 Sunscorched Desert
*1 Talon Gates of Madara
*1 Urza&#039;s Cave
*1 Urza&#039;s Saga
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Vesuva
*1 Wasteland
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
*1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p><em>At Bracket 5 (cEDH), players expect:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>decks that are meticulously designed to battle in the cEDH metagame, with the ability to win quickly or generate overwhelming resources; often built using existing cEDH knowledge, tools, and/or deck lists.</em></li>
<li><em>win conditions to be optimized for efficiency and consistency.</em></li>
<li><em>gameplay to be intricate and advanced, with razor-thin margins for error; players prioritize victory over all else.</em></li>
<li><em>games to end on any turn.</em></li>
</ul>
<p><em>No deck restrictions other than the banned list.</em></p>
<p>Finally, we come to the apex of Commander gameplay: cEDH. While Lumra is a relative newcomer to the Bracket 5 landscape, she's certainly earned a spot in the meta.</p>
<p>In the interest of full transparency, I'll be borrowing my Bracket 5 deck from divinerage01 and knickknack's spot on the <a href="https://cedh-decklist-database.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cEDH Decklist Database</a>. I give full credit to them, and the rest of the Lumra community, for crafting such a well-tuned list.</p>
<p>For the most part, we're not interacting with our opponents on the stack, which may be puzzling for players who typically play in lower brackets. Instead, we'll aim to either "turbo" (push through quickly) a win on turn two or three with some combos, or "stax out" (slow down using pieces like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vexing Bauble" href="#" target="_blank">Vexing Bauble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) the table until we can secure a well-protected win on turn five or six.</p>
<p>The deck is a far cry from traditional meta staples like Blue Farm (which has <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tymna the Weaver" href="#" target="_blank">Tymna the Weaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus" href="#" target="_blank">Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as its leaders), but it's a fun way to challenge the meta with some cards that most pilots would never dream of playing in cEDH (looking at you, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mouth of Ronom" href="#" target="_blank">Mouth of Ronom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<p>This deck has a full 29 combos available in it, <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once again according to Commander Spellbook</a>, and many of these combos also include overlapping pieces. That means that the 15 tutors available in this list can provide a quick combo victory in several ways.</p>
<p>Many of these combos are also easily able to protect themselves with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sylvan Safekeeper" href="#" target="_blank">Sylvan Safekeeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or hate pieces like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vexing Bauble" href="#" target="_blank">Vexing Bauble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, shutting down opponents' interaction while leaving our combo untouched. There's so many cool tools available to pilots at this level of play, and so much room for skill expression.</p>
<p>How can you not love cEDH, where decks that can win with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirrorpool" href="#" target="_blank">Mirrorpool</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can outrace <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa&#039;s Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa&#039;s Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> decks on a regular basis?</p>
<p>All that said, here's our final deck list for today.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Bracket5" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Lumra, Bellow of the Woods
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Aftermath Analyst
*1 Ashaya, Soul of the Wild
*1 Blossoming Tortoise
*1 Collector Ouphe
*1 Delighted Halfling
*1 Elvish Reclaimer
*1 Elvish Spirit Guide
*1 Endurance
*1 Famished Worldsire
*1 Horizon Explorer
*1 Icetill Explorer
*1 Krosan Restorer
*1 Lotus Cobra
*1 Magus of the Candelabra
*1 Nissa, Resurgent Animist
*1 Rootpath Purifier
*1 Six
*1 Sowing Mycospawn
*1 Springheart Nantuko
*1 Sylvan Safekeeper
*1 Tiller Engine
*1 Timeless Witness
*1 Tireless Provisioner
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Amulet of Vigor
*1 Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond
*1 Lotus Petal
*1 Mana Vault
*1 Mox Diamond
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Trinisphere
*1 Vexing Bauble
*1 Zuran Orb
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Archdruid&#039;s Charm
*1 Chord of Calling
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Eldrazi Confluence
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Burgeoning
*1 Earthcraft
*1 Exploration
*1 Food Chain
*1 Root Maze
*1 Song of the Dryads
*1 Spelunking
*1 Sylvan Library
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Eldritch Evolution
*1 Finale of Devastation
*1 Green Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Natural Order
*1 Nature&#039;s Rhythm
*1 Scapeshift
[/Sorceries]
[Battles]
*1 Invasion of Ikoria // Zilortha, Apex of Ikoria
[/Battles]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Tezzeret, Cruel Captain
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Ancient Tomb
*1 Arid Archway
*1 Blast Zone
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 City of Traitors
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Crumbling Vestige
*1 Crystal Vein
*1 Deserted Temple
*1 Echoing Deeps
*1 Eden, Seat of the Sanctum
*1 Emergence Zone
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Field of the Dead
*2 Forest
*1 Gaea&#039;s Cradle
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Gemstone Caverns
*1 Ghost Quarter
*1 Havenwood Battleground
*1 Hickory Woodlot
*1 Horizon of Progress
*1 Lazotep Quarry
*1 Lotus Field
*1 Mirrorpool
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Mouth of Ronom
*1 Pit of Offerings
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Shifting Woodland
*4 Snow-Covered Forest
*1 Strip Mine
*1 Sunscorched Desert
*1 Talon Gates of Madara
*1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
*1 Urza&#039;s Cave
*1 Urza&#039;s Saga
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Vesuva
*1 Wasteland
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p>After reading this article, you might be wondering what Commander Bracket you want to play in. While that's a question only you can answer, I'd point most players towards Bracket 2 or Bracket 3 to start. There's a lot of room for creative expression in deckbuilding and social fun here, without the pressure to always make the most optimal play.</p>
<p>Plus, it's easy to get started with just a store-bought precon, or some cards from your personal collection, and jump right into a pod at this level.</p>
<p>For those of you looking for a solid Bracket 2 deck with an upgrade path to Bracket 3, I'd recommend checking out the <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/peace-offering" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Peace Offering</em> precon from <em>Bloomburrow</em></a>. That deck has the potential to be quite formidable, and we've got <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/peace-offering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an upgrade guide available for those of you interested in making it just a bit stronger</a>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ms. Bumbleflower"></div></div>


<p>This is a common problem. The answer doesn't lie in any Commander infographic you'll find online, though. It lies in your heart. The difference between Brackets comes down to deckbuilding intent.</p>
<p>If you've built a Bracket 1 deck that's themed around <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=art%3Ahand&amp;unique=art&amp;utm_source=tagger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">art with hands in it</a> and included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystical Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Mystical Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (a Game Changer) in your 99, it's probably still ok for most Bracket 1 pods! Just make sure to discuss it with the other players first.</p>
<p>The Bracket System is meant to guide pre-game discussions, not act as the gospel. It's ok to deviate from the system, just make sure you're having honest discussions with your friends before you accidentally foul up a nice game of Commander!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Foul Play"></div></div>


commander bracket system

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