Commander has been Magic: the Gathering’s most popular format for years, shaping the way the game is developed from the creation of ready-to-play decks to accompany each new set to the preponderance of legends players can build their own decks around. Wizards of the Coast has only been increasing its focus on the format, taking control from the volunteer-led Commander Roles Committee last year and working on a dedicated video game.
Now the company is looking to connect its top formats with a new drafting model designed for four people — the number in a Commander group — rather than the six-to-eight-person pods players are grouped in for a typical booster draft. Pick-Two Draft uses 12 booster packs, three for each player, as usual, and follows the rules of a standard draft except that players choose two cards from every pack before passing, a rule that was already present in drafts for the Commander Masters sets. Besides halving the number of players required, it also allows a bit more focused deck crafting and makes it easier to telegraph to your neighbors what colors you’re focusing on.
Players build decks of 40 cards using what they drafted and any basic lands they want. The pod is then divided into two groups to play against each other, with the winners facing off for bragging rights or a prize if it’s part of a tournament. Since this is now an official format, you might be able to find it at local gaming stores soon, beyond just using it to spice up your usual Commander night.
Pick-Two Draft was first tested at MagicCons, where it was called a Lightning Draft. That name is a reference to the format’s other big advantage: during playtests, pods have been able to draft, build their decks, and then play their matches in just 90 minutes.
As with every announcement that introduces new rules or ways to play the game, responses have been mixed. While many players are enthusiastic and eager to play Pick-Two Draft, some purists of the Limited format are more skeptical, and look at this as another example of what some players perceive as Commander encroaching on other formats. Nonetheless, Pick-Two Draft will continue to be part of MagicCons, with the next one taking place in Atlanta in September.
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