My Least Favorite Advice For Commander Deck Building

“You shouldn’t need your commander for your deck to run” is one of the most common pieces of Commander advice and also one of the most misleading. In this video, I break down why that phrase often does more harm than good, especially for experienced deck builders. Using Sram vs Danitha as a case study, I dive into what this advice actually means from a deckbuilding philosophy standpoint, why blindly following it leads to hollow decks, and how different commanders require completely different backup plans. Rather than building decks that ignore their commander or stuffing in expensive staples as replacements, I argue for a more intentional approach: Identify your real gameplan Understand what your commander provides (engine vs payoff) Build synergistic backup plans that create value both with and without your commander If you’ve ever felt like common Commander advice wasn’t helping you improve, or your decks felt fine but unsatisfying, this video is for you. 💬 Join our Discord:   / discord