General (CMM) Commander Masters 2023 Previews

[TrainmasterGT]

They're doing Commander Masters, it's basically Double Masters but with Commander cards instead of good constructed cards.

I'm actually happy they're doing this because the new variants are cool and it should be fun to draft.

But that's not why I'm making the thread.

We're getting 4 new preconstructed decks with new cards!

Eldrazi Unbound (Colorless)
Enduring Enchantments (White-Black-Green)
Planeswalker Party (White-Blue-Red)
Sliver Swarm (White-Blue-Black-Red-Green)

The last two 4 or 5-deck Commander pre-con releases (Commander 2022 (New Capenna Commander) and the Baldur's Gate Commander decks) both contained a wealth of good cards for Cubers. These new decks seem a little more focused on a narrow theme than the aforementioned pre-con decks, but I'm excited nonetheless. I might actually buy the Slivers deck– I'm a huge Sliver fanboy!

The set doesn't come out until August (so we won't be seeing any more previews until July or so), but this is the first time I've been excited about a Commander set at the announcement date in probably 8 years.

 

[ravnic]

So, the set itself will be reprints in boosters, but there are decks alongside with partly new cards?

 

[TrainmasterGT]

So, the set itself will be reprints in boosters, but there are decks alongside with partly new cards?

I don't think they said one way or another whether or not the new cards would be in boosters. My guess (especially how narrow 3/4 of the themes are) is that the new cards will only be in the Precons and the Collector Boosters, not the main draft set.

 

[Brad]

ELDRAZI? Let me pause my designs until I see what they're making...

 

[Velrun]

ELDRAZI? Let me pause my designs until I see what they're making...

‘First look’ of this set is May 16, 2023.
Release date is in August.

I think you should not wait with whatever project you have going on.

 

[Brad]

‘First look’ of this set is May 16, 2023.
Release date is in August.

I think you should not wait with whatever project you have going on.

My projects take longer than that, anyways. At least, I think they do. I've never finished one.

 

[Brad]

I read that it's ten new cards... Is that per precon or total? Google is full of spam bullshit results.

 

[TrainmasterGT]

I read that it's ten new cards... Is that per precon or total? Google is full of spam bullshit results.

My guess is per precon. Otherwise, that would break down to three new cards in half of the decks and two new cards in the others.

 

[Brad]

Splashy as hell. Probably not actually good with Eldrazi because you're already getting an Eldrazi. Could be specifically fun with Myr Enforcer and Sojourner's Companion. Bit disappointing for someone who's looking for draftable Eldrazi.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Splashy as hell. Probably not actually good with Eldrazi because you're already getting an Eldrazi. Could be specifically fun with Myr Enforcer and Sojourner's Companion. Bit disappointing for someone who's looking for draftable Eldrazi.

There's a few others, but not quite sure if you get there

I think Anikthea could be relatively exciting. I tried supporting Abzan enchantments years back, when that was still a supported shard in my cube, and it was just a piece or two short for a lower power environment. Underworld Coinsmith wants a buddy, because Pharika's Mender quite frankly doesn't cut it as Golgari's signpost for the enchantments matter archetype!

 

[Brad]

There's a few others, but not quite sure if you get there

Still not much of an Eldrazi card. Feels very win more, yet fragile. Maybe if the toughness were better to make it a reasonable 6 drop. Or if it gave itself and other 6+ mv colorless creatures some amount of annihilator. That probably would have made more sense.

I think Anikthea could be relatively exciting. I tried supporting Abzan enchantments years back, when that was still a supported shard in my cube, and it was just a piece or two short for a lower power environment. Underworld Coinsmith wants a buddy, because Pharika's Mender quite frankly doesn't cut it as Golgari's signpost for the enchantments matter archetype!

Abzan enchantments was already interesting in my opinion. I'd have been more into it if my two current projects weren't artifact or Eldrazi based.

The whole "make a noncreature thing into a creature" is also fun.

 

[alvoi]

Underworld Coinsmith wants a buddy, because Pharika's Mender quite frankly doesn't cut it as Golgari's signpost for the enchantments matter archetype!

Gloomshrieker?

 

[Mown]

Anikthea seems quite good to me. Plays very well with Elspeth Conquers Death, The Cruelty of Gix and Touch the Spirit Realm.

 

[Velrun]

Anikthea seems quite good to me. Plays very well with Elspeth Conquers Death, The Cruelty of Gix and Touch the Spirit Realm.

This seems really strong.
But also kind of fair because the 3/3s will die to vanishing 2. They can only attack one time.

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Gloomshrieker?

That's certainly a card I would be happy to play in an enchantment matters deck, but I would also run it in any other BG deck. It's not something that draws you into the archetype.

 

[Nanonox]

Underworld Coinsmith wants a buddy, because Pharika's Mender quite frankly doesn't cut it as Golgari's signpost for the enchantments matter archetype!

?

Or is the Blue hybrid too much of a wrong signal? Or maybe even good enough to be mono Black so not a good signal?

 

[Onderzeeboot]

?

Or is the Blue hybrid too much of a wrong signal?

That's quite a bit higher powered than I envisioned. One of my opponents had this at the prerelease, and it absolutely owned me.

 

[blacksmithy]

if tatsunari is too good then gloomshrieker is what you want i think.
or a custom

 

[LadyMapi]

There's also...

 

[Onderzeeboot]

So, I don't currently support Abzan in my cube, so this is a bit of an academic discussion, but in my mind neither Gloomshrieker nor Pharika, God of Affliction are enchantment support. They certainly add to the density required to run an enchantment theme, but a proper support card interacts with whatever it supports in a more proactive manner. Or to put it another way, Underworld Coinsmith makes you want to run more enchantments, Gloomshrieker and Pharika, God of Affliction don't (specifically) encourage you to run more enchantments at all. I feel like this commander deck could offer an actual support card.

 

[blacksmithy]

pharika gives you a constellation trigger every turn, nice

 

[Rusje]

pharika gives you a constellation trigger every turn, nice

Well, how many turns can you exile a creature from your graveyard? Especially in the zombify colours

 

[LadyMapi]

...

Sorry, went a little off-topic there.

Would Grim Flayer satisfy your need for a golgari card that asks you to run more enchantments?

 

[Onderzeeboot]

Would Grim Flayer satisfy your need for a golgari card that asks you to run more enchantments?

Barely? Aphemia is cool though, I ran her for a long while!

 

[TrainmasterGT]

Well, how many turns can you exile a creature from your graveyard? Especially in the zombify colours

I'd say a minimum of 5 is easy if you've built your Cube correctly for this card.