<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop" href="#" target="_blank">Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.leannacrossanart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leanna Crossan</a></em></p>
<p>I was sitting with <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/dork4short.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dork4Short</a> on stream a few weeks ago. They sparked this interesting conversation in me about third spaces, while we were just yapping like usual. They were talking about how it could help social anxiety, community outreach, and rule zero conversations. I got hooked.</p>
<p>Fascinated by the idea of third spaces and its relationship to <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> as a whole, I decided to interview a few people in the community who are known for their prowess in third spaces: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/janeplaysmagic.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JanePlaysMagic</a> (Jane), <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/Reversalwizrd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ReversalWizrd</a> (Reversal), and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/dork4short.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dork4Short</a> (Dork).</p>
<h2>What Is a Third Space?</h2>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.pps.org/article/roldenburg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Project for Public Spaces</a>, "Ray Oldenburg... is known internationally as [the] author of The Great Good Place, in which he coined the term 'third place' and made a case for the importance of informal public gathering places... In contrast to first places (home) and second places (work), a third place allows an individual to put aside their concerns and simply enjoy the company and conversation around them."</p>
<p>Reversal, a former game store owner, defined a third space as "a place for like minded people to meet up and usually share in some commonality." Jane adds onto this by insisting that it's about play, about breaking the social norms, talking to strangers, and allowing yourself to be "a little weird! You can share you enthusiasm for your interest with your friends."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Banquet Guests"></div></div>
<p>Like Oldenburg seemed to be saying, it's about more than the "essentials" of day to day like home and work. It's a place for fun.</p>
<p>Dork adds that the form of the space didn't really matter. It was about "breaking the mold of what it means to be a... 'traditional friend.'" They push the emphasis on the functionality of a space like a coffee shop or a bar from just drinking or eating to "providing a third path" for interaction.</p>
<p>It's these transcendences of spaces' intentionality that makes them conducive for the fun and play Jane talked about.</p>
<h2>What Do <em>Magic</em> Third Spaces Look Like?</h2>
<p>Jane put it precisely, "They can be anything from a convention like <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/what-is-shoebox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shoebox</a> - proxy friendly and focused on community formats - to the room in the library your friends have a standing reservation [for], to my house where we host commander nights for friends." Dork agreed, saying, "In my experience, I’ve seen great success centered around coffee shops and bars. Something about having a convenient beverage to consume (caffeinated or not) is a great middle ground."</p>
<p>Reversal added, "<span style="font-weight: 400;">For years <em>MTG</em> third spaces were the LGS [local game stores] and the kitchen table but technology coupled with Covid has changed that drastically.</span> Now you can hang out with your fellow Eldrazi and Phyrexian people with a click of a button and a camera."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Guy in the Chair"></div></div>
<p>Being able to have a third space, or a fun communal environment outside of home is the goal of third spaces, but paying for space is a real concern for those who can't afford it. The internet is third space adjacent enough to count in my opinion.</p>
<p><em>Magic</em> third spaces can look like anywhere as long as people are welcomed, safe, and playing the game.</p>
<h2>What Is the Importance of Third Spaces to <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>?</h2>
<p>Jane mentions that a lot of third space are often really expensive to attend. She said, "LGSs are a little oasis where you can sit at the table without buying anything and there is so much magic in that!" This is important for marginalized people in the US who typically struggle financially and, as Jane points out, "have more things societally repressed about their identities."</p>
<p>Being able to share that fun and play in third spaces is important with <em>Magic</em>'s identity.</p>
<p>Reversal talks more about the skills you acquire through the community in these spaces: "People sometimes form new families and lifetime friendships just by slinging spells. On an education level, it helps people read, write, and critically think." This is so important when considering the long term impacts of third spaces for <em>Magic</em> players.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warm Welcome"></div></div>
<p>Friendships and skills are things that players can take away from <em>Magic</em> and utilize in their personal lives. It makes people teach the game to their friends and their families.</p>
<p>Dork emphasizes how third spaces "help break the social stigmas and traditional norms of the hobby. For <em>Magic</em>, a lot of it can feel gatekept at times... In general, besides supporting local businesses, it’s a place where there isn’t stigma or pressure...I notice a healthier rotation of folks. It’s much more laid back. Just trying to engage and meet people ... For <em>Magic</em> these spaces are <em>so</em> important because unfortunately, not all LGS spaces are built the same. Some can be outright bigoted, intolerant, and downright distasteful."</p>
<p>These third spaces help break the stigma surrounding the game by humanizing the social interactions in their spaces.</p>
<h2>How Do We Make Healthier Third Spaces?</h2>
<p>Dork stated, "A healthy third space cultivates, not crushes. It’s something that people <em>want</em> to go to, want to go <em>back</em> to. But <em>also</em> a space where the venue <em>wants</em> people back. We’re sharing this space and the utmost courtesy amongst all groups is <em>so</em> important for these spaces to thrive."</p>
<p>Word of mouth is huge. Uplifting healthy spaces and downvoting unsafe spaces is important to the health of LGSs.</p>
<p>Reversal added, "Sounds easy but acceptance wasn't always so easy for a player like me - African-American and gay - but the times have changed and things have gotten better, but I'm just one player. That's not everyone's story. I can remember a time when people would look down on me in the game because of my knowledge and skill and also my access to game pieces aka money."</p>
<p>Acceptance is so important to making <em>everyone</em> feel safe in a space.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ajani&#039;s Welcome"></div></div>
<p>Jane offered, "Send some love to the person who holds your third space - offer to bring a snack, tell them how important it is to you, find a way to show your appreciation back! It's not often done for financial gain, so a little love to your space organizers really helps. It's also the best way to learn how to curate your own third space, attending spaces you think are cool and talking to the organizers about how they do it!"</p>
<p>Cultivating a space by showing appreciation and making the spaces inclusive is how we make them healthier.</p>
<p>Being vocal about how spaces make us feel, promoting inclusive environments, and showing our love when spaces meet or exceed our standards is how we make LGSs healthier.</p>
<h2>The Health of Commander, Thirds Spaces, and Community</h2>
<p>I asked my interviewees what is the importance of LGSs to the health of Commander as a format and the steps needed to protect these spaces. Jane said, "Those third spaces are sanctuaries, where you can be yourself and be truly seen by your peers. Your creativity, differences, excitement, are all welcome and shared - everyone came here to put on the little play that is their Commander deck."</p>
<p>LGSs are sanctuaries. These spaces are where Commander can let people express themselves. That's important. That's what needs to be protected.</p>
<p>Dork talks about the connection of the community and Commander: "The health of Commander is determined by LGS[s] in terms of accessibility. Not everyone can order cards online... Try telling a kiddo who's just getting into <em>Magic</em> to convince their folks to order cards on a random website they've never heard of ... vs a brick and mortar LGS where they actually <em>can</em> know where their kid is going? What they're spending their money on. <em>Way</em> more approachable... Without the foundation of an LGS, Commander simply cannot thrive."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Natural Balance"></div></div>
<p>LGSs are the foundational block to get new players invested safely and young.</p>
<p>Reversal tackles the relationship between LGS as third spaces. "[It's] important for all stores to support the biggest format in the game. This format... allowed all kinds of people into the game from professional Super Bowl winning athletes to the timid nonbinary player who was afraid to step in an LGS. LGS[s] need to be more welcoming of the format and try to come up with events so more players will come support them but its a give and take. Players have to support their LGS as well because these are the place[s] where to you go to create that third space."</p>
<p>Commander uplifts the game. LGSs uplift Commander. People uplift LGSs with Commander. It's a balance.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Work then home. Then back again. Every dollar of our lives surrounds what is necessary, as our wages stretch thinner and thinner as capitalism eats away the average American. Spending becomes tighter and tighter so it becomes economical to spend time at home, spend only for things you can do at home. Save money for the necessary.</p>
<p>Third spaces - affordable or free spaces - are so important. Emotionally. Dork says, "For one, they break the traditional cycle. It’s a healthy changeup which can help prevent burnout!" Reversal says, "<span style="font-weight: 400;">These place[s] truly help you to level out, to not feel alone in the world.</span> Like a warm embrace that keeps you safe from the harshness of life. You can go to your third space and you can rid yourself of all the home stress, work stress..."</p>
<p>Jane says, "To me, a third space is a place where you can allow the rules you have to follow as an adult (dress normal, be quiet, don't be dramatic, etc.) to slip away."</p>
<p>We share this game, and being able to play it together, freely, somewhere other than home is important. Getting on a train, into a car, or going for a walk outside with the goal of spending some time with people we love or people we don't know is important. Having the expressed intention of <em>just</em> having fun is freeing; it's necessary.</p>
<p>It's the bit of necessary that gets lost with the type of necessary that can't be ignored, like rent and groceries.</p>
<p>Playing <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> has given us a game, a task, an activity to let us enjoy "the doing" of a third space, the healing of this kind of space. We needed that. I want to share that with more people.</p>
<p>But that's just my thoughts. What are yours? I'm <a href="https://linktr.ee/strixhavendropout" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@strixhavendropout</a> on everything.</p>


Third Spaces and Magic: The Gathering

How to Form Your First Regular Commander Pod

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Monastery Mentor|mom|28" href="#" target="_blank">Monastery Mentor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/tots" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brian Valeza</a></em></p>
<p>Welcome to <em>How To Be New</em>, a series for players who can read the card three times and still need it explained to them.</p>
<p>This week, I'm doing a little twist on the format. This article isn't about things newer players can do to help themselves exist in Commander spaces. Instead, it's about things veteran players can do to ensure that the newer players at your table feel welcome.</p>
<hr />
<p>It may seem obvious, but it feels warranted to say that being a new player at a Commander table is an extremely harrowing experience.</p>
<p>Truly and honestly, I remember my first night going to an open mic to do stand-up comedy, and I can tell you that I was way more nervous sitting down at a table to play my first game of Commander. At least at the open mic, I could watch some people do poorly before I got my chance to go up and tell my jokes.</p>
<p>When you sit down at your first Commander table, you're sitting down with three people who certainly know more than you do, who definitely have decks that are more powerful and/or more cohesive than yours, and who even likely know the general composition of their opponents' decks and how to play around them.</p>
<p>Furthermore, you're locked in for maybe an hour playing this deck that you're trying to hold together, like sand pouring through your fingers, while at least at the open mic I knew that no matter what happened, I'd be off the stage in five minutes.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Monastery Mentor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harsh Mentor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gorion, Wise Mentor"></div></div>
<p>And at the comedy club, they didn't make me immediately do my same jokes again for the same exact people who just heard them. But you, a new Commander player, likely only have this one deck to play in subsequent rounds, and the cards in it won't get any better between games.</p>
<p>Being brand new is really tough. And thankfully, a ton of the Commander players I've met went out of their way to make me feel welcomed when I was just starting out. It's one of the unspoken rules of this hobby: Be nice to the new player. That really does mean the world to the people it benefits.</p>
<p>Someone's first Commander experience is a beautiful, fragile thing, and the way people universally seek to protect it makes me have faith in the general good that exists within the <em>Magic</em> community (and are the memories I cling tightly to when I want to crash out after someone asks me "Cards in hand?" on turn two at a Prerelease).</p>
<p>So today I want to shout out a couple of the exemplary moves that I've seen veteran players make for me and for other new players. Hopefully you can adopt some of these when you find a new player at your table, because they truly are the reason I'm still here writing about this game.</p>
<h2>Move 1: Helping a Lost Player Find Their Home</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sam, Loyal Attendant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Propaganda"></div></div>
<p>After I'd been to a couple of Commander nights, I was feeling pretty good about myself. I figured I was just one of the regular crew, and could really pick anywhere to sit. So I sat down with a group of players who all had gigantic boxes with them (a detail I should've considered more closely at the time) and we shuffled up and drew.</p>
<p>I don't remember a ton about the game we played. I do remember one player was using Frodo as his Commander (I can't remember exactly which iteration of Frodo, as all seem very strong, but I believe it was <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit" href="#" target="_blank">Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> because I seem to remember <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sam, Loyal Attendant" href="#" target="_blank">Sam, Loyal Attendant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> playing an important role), and I thought that was fun, as I hadn't seen Frodo on a table yet.</p>
<p>I was considerably less amused four turns later when his side of the board was flooded with strong creatures and all I had out was <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Propaganda" href="#" target="_blank">Propaganda</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I'd been able to get away with slower starts like this at the more casual tables I'd become used to, but I was seeing stars at how quickly this game ramped out of control for all three of my opponents.</p>
<p>Not having any blockers, I did become a target for one player in particular (which, look, I get it. But c'mon, sometimes you have to factor in someone's wide-eyed look of helplessness when you do your threat assessment). A couple of turns later, I was eliminated from the game entirely on accident, as a byproduct of a card that was clearly played mostly for the card draw it would provide.</p>
<p>And let me tell you, I've never felt so defeated in a game of <em>Magic</em> before or since. It was so clear that I was in a weight class much higher than I'd been training against.</p>
<p>The game ended fairly quickly afterwards, and as soon as it did, the Frodo player looked over to me. I can't summon the wording he used exactly, but he asked very kindly if I'd like to swap with one of his friends. I nodded, and he surveyed the game store for a moment before shouting to a person he knew who was between games and asking if he'd mind swapping pods. They said sure, came over, and I scooped my cards up and shuffled to the other table.</p>
<p>The Frodo player had, probably from his past experience with the players at this store, made the exact right call. This table played at a much lower power-level, and I had an absolute blast for the rest of the night.</p>
<p>I was extremely thankful for that player. At least at my game store, once people are in a pod, they're in that pod for the whole night. So if I had left this table, where it was extremely clear that I did not own a deck which could put a scratch into any of these other decks, I would've had nowhere to go.</p>
<p>He recognized my ordeal and solved it for me through familiarity with the scene, a confidence earned from a long time playing Commander, and relationships to the other players at the store - all things that, as a new player, I simply did not have and could not have used to get myself out of my situation.</p>
<p>I'll forever be grateful for that player, and when I see him, I remember how important he was for my continued presence in this hobby.</p>
<h2>Move 2: Playing a Commander With a Clear Play Pattern</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Lord of Pain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ms. Bumbleflower"></div></div>
<p>One of my first times out with my signature <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Jolly Balloon Man" href="#" target="_blank">The Jolly Balloon Man</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, I found myself in a three-person pod. I was still getting that deck up on its feet at that point, but it was starting to come together.</p>
<p>However, in this game, another player was running a mono-white Angels deck. That deck ran like a dream, and even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx" href="#" target="_blank">the lands</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> sometimes took me a couple of readthroughs to understand.</p>
<p>While I wasn't as clearly outmatched in this game as in the one I described earlier, it was clear to that player that I, Roman, was having trouble following along with some of the other mechanics and interactions at the table. So for our next round, he pulled out a new deck led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Lord of Pain" href="#" target="_blank">The Lord of Pain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>I can already hear your responses through my computer screen, and yes, The Lord of Pain is a mean commander and often leads a nasty deck. But do you know what else The Lord of Pain is? An extremely easy to understand card.</p>
<p>As soon as I read that text, I immediately understood not only what I could expect to see from this deck, but also the things I would need to do in order to play around its effects. It presented a fun challenge for me as a player at the table. It didn't combo off, it didn't activate some synergy to produce endless Treasure tokens, it just did exactly what it said it would do.</p>
<p>And I had a blast playing against it!</p>
<p>I felt so involved and engaged as a player in this game. At this point I'd seen combo decks and graveyard recursion decks and all sorts of things where I basically just had to wait out a player's turn and ask if I was dead yet at the end of it. It was so refreshing to have a clear effect to play around, and due to its triggering on each player's turn, even made me pay closer attention during the other player's turn.</p>
<p>I've done some board game design in my life, and one guiding principle in that space is that each player's turn should be interesting to all of the other players at the table. If you've designed a game where players will take out their phone and check out between their turns, then you've designed a bad game.</p>
<p>Durdly decks in Commander (decks that involve a lot of comboing triggers and effects during a player's turn that only affect their own board) are, in this way, bad game design. Of course, as a veteran player, they're more trivial to track and you'll see the hidden points of potential interaction within them. But for newer players, they fall very firmly into the realm of bad game design.</p>
<p>For this reason, I implore you to survey your own collection. Most players I know keep a precon in their bag to run with newer players. But please take a moment to consider your new player precon.</p>
<p>For example, I do have a copy of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/temur-roar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Temur Roar</em> precon from <em>Tarkir: Dragonstorm</em></a> in my bag. That deck, in addition to being stronger than many of my constructed decks, is extremely durdly. I would never pull it out to play against a new player.</p>
<p>However, my slightly upgraded <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser" href="#" target="_blank">Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> precon works great for newer players (especially once I removed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trouble in Pairs" href="#" target="_blank">Trouble in Pairs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>). It's pretty clear early on that I'm looking to attack on my turn and make other players have to attack each other on theirs, while offering free card draw as they do. It's usually fairly obvious what's going to happen on my turn, and it gives the other players in the pod things to look out for on their opponents' turns (after all, there's only two options for those goaded creatures to attack, and one of the two is them).</p>
<p>See what precon or precon-level deck you have that could do the same. Though she often gets built in ways that turn her into an intercontinental ballistic missile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great precon commander for providing a clear play pattern for newer players. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brion Stoutarm" href="#" target="_blank">Brion Stoutarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s MO is almost made clear just in reading his name.</p>
<p>These are exactly the sort of Commanders that help a new player become comfortable with the ebbs and flows of a Commander game.</p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
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lgs

Third Spaces and Magic: The Gathering

How to Form Your First Regular Commander Pod

How To Be a Veteran Commander Player Around Newbies

Spreading the Love - EDH Scavenger Hunt!