The Five Commanders

Episode 65 – A Special Message!

Wed, 24 Feb 2016 07:33:35 +0000

The guys announce the new show!

Find it at http://highlandersmtg.com!

Subscribe right now by pointing your podcast feed reader at http://highlandersmtg.com/feed

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 65 – A Special Message! appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 64 – Value Green Cards and 2016 News!

Sun, 20 Dec 2015 02:55:52 +0000

The guys talk Value Green cards and share fun news for 2016!

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 64 – Value Green Cards and 2016 News! appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 63 – KC and Dan Play Commander 2015

Thu, 03 Dec 2015 19:00:14 +0000

KC and Dan play a couple of games of Commander 2015, with commentary about the gameplay and analysis between.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 63 – KC and Dan Play Commander 2015 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 62 – Commander 2015 Live Gameplay Review

Tue, 24 Nov 2015 19:40:27 +0000

A 4 player game with Commander 2015 and a review along the way.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 62 – Commander 2015 Live Gameplay Review appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 61 – Commander 2015 Preview

Wed, 18 Nov 2015 05:22:42 +0000

The guys talk about Commander 2015.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 61 – Commander 2015 Preview appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 60 – Developing Good Play Habits

Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:00:53 +0000

The guys talk about the play habits that have helped them along the way.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 60 – Developing Good Play Habits appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 59 – Halloween Themed Decks

Thu, 29 Oct 2015 06:36:51 +0000

The guys talk about their Halloween themed decks and an idea they had for a Co-Op Commander Variant..

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 59 – Halloween Themed Decks appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 58 – Building for Battle for Zendikar

Thu, 22 Oct 2015 02:36:11 +0000

The guys talk about building new decks based on commanders from Battle for Zendikar.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 58 – Building for Battle for Zendikar appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 57 – Keeping It Friendly

Thu, 15 Oct 2015 21:26:19 +0000

The guys talk about keeping the game friendly when you find your decks are far outmatching your opponents.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 57 – Keeping It Friendly appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 56 – The Top 50 Commander Cards, Part 2

Sat, 03 Oct 2015 00:43:41 +0000

The guys go through the MTG Salvation thread "Statistical Breakdown of the Commander Metagame" (http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/204274-statistical-breakdown-of-the-commander-metagame), discussing the top 50 cards used by commander players. Part 2 - The top 25!

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 56 – The Top 50 Commander Cards, Part 2 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 55 – Battle for Zendikar First Impressions

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 23:46:56 +0000

The guys talk about their first impressions of the latest set, Battle For Zendikar. Say what they like, they all preordered some boxes!

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 55 – Battle for Zendikar First Impressions appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 54 – The Top 50 Commander Cards, Part 1

Sat, 19 Sep 2015 04:17:33 +0000

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 54 – The Top 50 Commander Cards, Part 1 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 53 – Auras

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 03:17:44 +0000

In this episode, everyone surprises themselves with how much there genuinely is to talk about everyone's most derided card type - auras!

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 53 – Auras appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 52 – What Are You Playing / Commander 2015 Speculation

Wed, 02 Sep 2015 05:24:30 +0000

The guys talk about what they are playing and a little Commander 2015 speculation.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 52 – What Are You Playing / Commander 2015 Speculation appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 51 – Deck Doctoring: Lazav, Dimir Mastermind, Part 2

Tue, 25 Aug 2015 12:00:32 +0000

K.C., Ben and Dan continue to work on the patient, Lazav, Dimir Mastermind. Ben talks through different solutions, while Dan contemplates leaving the patient on the operating table.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 51 – Deck Doctoring: Lazav, Dimir Mastermind, Part 2 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 50 – Pubisode – Evolving Your Precon

Tue, 18 Aug 2015 12:00:16 +0000

Dan and Ben continue to take a massive hit for the audience by continuing the Commander for Beginners pub series at a Tavern.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 50 – Pubisode – Evolving Your Precon appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 49 – Deck Doctoring: Lazav, Dimir Mastermind, Part 1

Tue, 11 Aug 2015 12:00:15 +0000

The guys dive into Dan's blue and black deck based around Lazav, Dimir Mastermind. In Part 1, they analyze the deck, talk about fun matchups with it and identify the issues it has.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 49 – Deck Doctoring: Lazav, Dimir Mastermind, Part 1 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 48 – Magic Origins

Wed, 05 Aug 2015 05:38:12 +0000

The guys review Magic Origins, and talk about their favorite cards from the new set.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders™ are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 48 – Magic Origins appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 47 – Value Red

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 06:18:15 +0000

The guys dive back from a long hiatus and pick up the Value series with the volatile color Red.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh

The post Episode 47 – Value Red appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 46 – The Tuck Rule Change with Sheldon

Fri, 27 Mar 2015 07:01:40 +0000

The guys welcome Sheldon Menery back to talk about the tuck rule change announced on Monday, March 23rd. Tucking is when a spell or effect sends a card back into your library, effectively removing it for the rest of the game. That rule change standardizes the tuck rule with that of "destroy" and "exile" effects for a commander.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 46 – The Tuck Rule Change with Sheldon appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 45 – Dragons of Tarkir

Tue, 24 Mar 2015 06:47:29 +0000

The guys discuss cards from Dragons of Tarkir. Saying these are their "favorites" is a bit much, though. Great debates await our faithful listeners.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 45 – Dragons of Tarkir appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 44 – Junk Rare Challenge

Tue, 17 Mar 2015 21:54:42 +0000

Three of the commanders take on a special deck building exercise they called the "Junk Rare Challenge" with friend John Zarco along for the ride. In the junk rare challenge, the guys and John bought no more than $40 in rares at a local swap meet from a single vendor's "junk rare" box.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 44 – Junk Rare Challenge appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 43 – Dragons of Tarkir First Impressions

Tue, 10 Mar 2015 06:39:33 +0000

The guys talk about the first week of Dragons of Tarkir #MTGDTK spoilers and get really, really, silly, focusing on the key- and ability words in the block. They also talk a little about the Magic Panel at PAX East.

Watch:

the PAX East 2015 Magic: the Gathering panel here.

the Dragons of Tarkir trailer here.

the Battle for Zendikar teaser here.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 43 – Dragons of Tarkir First Impressions appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 42 – Deck Doctoring: Melek, Izzet Paragon

Wed, 04 Mar 2015 04:36:38 +0000

The guys take a look at K.C.'s Melek deck and suggest ways he can make it more effective. We start with a decent shell and take a surprise twist near the end.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 42 – Deck Doctoring: Melek, Izzet Paragon appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 41 – Aggro

Tue, 24 Feb 2015 07:38:41 +0000

The guys have a conversation about how the aggro strategy works in Commander/EDH. They talk about how the strategy is different from the way it plays in other formats.

Check out Jeff Cunningham's article about deck archetypes on the mothership, "Aggro, Combo, and Control."

Please read Douglas Buel's article on the Geek, "What I Know About Magic: the Gathering."

Please also read Mike Flores' timeless treatise on the beatdown.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 41 – Aggro appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 40 – Value Black

Tue, 17 Feb 2015 06:59:53 +0000

The guys talk about the black cards that provide them the most value in EDH. The list is long... like we play black a lot or something... We also talk about Sheldon Menery's podcast, our upcoming league, and Magic: Origins.

We mention Sheldon's podcast "In Command," which you should listen to if you can download it. Visit Sheldon on Facebook, Twitter, his food & wine blog, and his podcast.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 40 – Value Black appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 39 – Sheldon Menery

Tue, 10 Feb 2015 05:53:46 +0000

The guys welcome Sheldon Menery for a mind-blowing interview. We might have asked him to drink wine.

Visit Sheldon on Facebook, Twitter, his food & wine blog, and his podcast (which drops Thursday 12 FEB).

Visit the website of the Martinelli Winery & Vineyards.

Visit the website of the Cougar's Leap Winery.

Listen to the Sawbones podcast.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 39 – Sheldon Menery appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 38 – Commander Meta Rules

Tue, 03 Feb 2015 04:30:34 +0000

The guys talk about The Five Commanders EDH league we're starting on MARCH 1st with and at Emerald Knights, our special guest coming up (you'll have to listen!), and the meta rules we've adopted to keep our games sane. We also discuss some of the meta rules our listeners sent in, and wish we had a drinking game that covered when certain listeners are mentioned.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 38 – Commander Meta Rules appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 37 – Selesnya

Tue, 27 Jan 2015 04:46:30 +0000

The guys talk about the Selesnya Conclave guild strategies and cards to use in the Commander format. We talk about the commanders we use, would suggest, and which to avoid.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 37 – Selesnya appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 36 – Fate Reforged, Part 2

Wed, 21 Jan 2015 08:45:33 +0000

This episode is a continuation of our Fate Reforged 5x5 set review. Take a quick trip over to part 1 if you haven't heard it yet.

The guys talk about Fate Reforged from a Commander's perspective and put many cards under the microscope. Hear surprise opinions about cards you love and learn the Five Commanders' dark secret about playing Magic.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 36 – Fate Reforged, Part 2 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 35 – Fate Reforged, Part 1

Wed, 14 Jan 2015 02:29:27 +0000

The guys talk about Fate Reforged from a Commander's perspective and put several cards under the microscope. This is a whopper of a topic, and we divided the episode into two parts. This, as you might imagine, is the first part.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 35 – Fate Reforged, Part 1 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 34 – Fate Reforged Initial Look

Wed, 07 Jan 2015 01:17:07 +0000

The guys talk about what they've been playing, then dive into a first look at Fate Reforged mechanics and discuss a few cards. This is our first time together in a while, so we take a very conversational approach.

The more you know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3rhQc666Sg

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 34 – Fate Reforged Initial Look appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 33 – Pubisode – Commander For Beginners

Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:38:47 +0000

The guys (Dan and Ben) try something new and bring you this week's episode from a pub! They talk about Commander for beginners, though these two Spike/Johnnies can't help but get into the nitty-gritty of Commander strategy. We recorded this in November, but have been saving it for just the end of the year - for the new players joining us in this wonderful adventure for the first time this holiday season!

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 33 – Pubisode – Commander For Beginners appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 32 – Modified Commander 2014 Decks, White and Green

Tue, 23 Dec 2014 23:59:06 +0000

The guys talk about how they modified two of the Commander 2014 decks - Phil tweaked Green with Titania as the commander, and Brenton overhauled White and kept Nahiri as commander. Download them and try them out, then let us know in the comments or on Facebook/Twitter what you thought of the decks.

Fancy hybrid mana symbol by no-wing: http://smg.photobucket.com/user/no-wing/media/hybrids.png.html

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 32 – Modified Commander 2014 Decks, White and Green appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 31 – Value Blue

Wed, 17 Dec 2014 07:57:01 +0000

The guys talk about the blue cards a budget-conscious EDH/Commander player might consider adding to his or her deck. We left out the really expensive cards, but included quite a few you might not have heard about.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 31 – Value Blue appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 30 – Planeswalkers as Commanders

Tue, 09 Dec 2014 18:09:55 +0000

The guys (Phil and Brenton) talk about using planeswalkers as commanders, as well as some of the reasons Wizards of the Coast and the Commander Rules Committee probably didn't want to do that from the beginning. We also do a card-by-card analysis of a few planeswalkers and talk about how bah-roken some of them would be as your commander.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 30 – Planeswalkers as Commanders appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 29 – Apps and Acccessories, Remastered

Tue, 02 Dec 2014 16:54:04 +0000

This is a special re-release and remaster of Episode 4, Apps and Accessories. The guys talk about a special invitation one of them received, a few spoilers, and have a conversation about applications, web sites, dice, playmats, and other accessories and resources they use while playing. After the music, Phil and Brenton post updates.

Links to Apps discussed:
Magic's Little Helper (website)

MTG Guide (website)

Decked Drafter (website)

Decked Builder (website)

Magic Set Editor (website)
Links to products discussed:
Ultra-Pro Flip Top Box For single sleeved only (Brenton's pick)

Ultra-Pro PRO Dual Flip Box - Perfect for a double sleeved commander deck (haven't tested if it can hold two full single sleeved). NOTE: This deck can hold up to 10 of the oversized commander cards in addition to the deck

Ultra-Pro Satin Deck Tower For 100+ Cards, Double-Sleeved or Not. Also holds dice in the bottom compartment (Dan's Pick)

Dragon Shield - Gaming Box (Amazon Link - K.C.'s pick)

KMC Hyper MAT Sleeves

Dragon Shields (Amazon Link)

KMC Full Sized "Perfect Size" Sleeves (For Double-Sleeving)

Ultra-Pro Pro-Fit Standard Size Deck Protectors (For Double-Sleeving)

Chessex Dice Sets

Maglife USA Polymer Aquarium Beads (Aquarium Beads that can be used as counters. Much cheaper than specific gaming beads!)

Ultra-Pro Play Mats

Inked Playmats (For Custom Playmats)

Ultra-Pro Gaming Case with Red Trim

Links to websites discussed:
TappedOut.net

Gatherer (Wizards of the Coast)

Deckstats.net

TCGplayer.com

Shapeways.com (3D Printing site)

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 29 – Apps and Acccessories, Remastered appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 28 – Mailbag!

Tue, 25 Nov 2014 14:41:45 +0000

The guys give everyone a sneak peek of their "second impressions" of the C14 pre-constructed decks, then answer the best questions from the best listeners on the Internet - ours!

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 28 – Mailbag! appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 27 – Tournaments

Tue, 18 Nov 2014 13:54:53 +0000

The guys talk about tournaments in general, and walk through some rules for EDH/Commander tournaments. They acknowledge this is controversial and believe the rules support the spirit of EDH and why we all love it so much. Also, K.C. is tiring of playing Narset one on one - it's just too good.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 27 – Tournaments appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 26 – Commander 2014 First Impressions

Tue, 11 Nov 2014 14:07:03 +0000

The guys share their first impressions of the Commander 2014 product. They discuss the metagame impacts of a set designed with cards pushed to be more effective for their favorite format, Commander. You will be surprised by some of their opinions.

For after the episode: a special thanks to openboosters for the fine audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqWKBZNsFM0

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 26 – Commander 2014 First Impressions appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 25 – Politics

Tue, 04 Nov 2014 13:00:56 +0000

This episode is from the vault - the guys talk about a few M15 cards and dive into a roiling discussion about politics. Classically, they disagree about the nature of and what constitutes EDH politics! Find out one of the things Ben always says.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 25 – Politics appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 24 – Izzet

Tue, 28 Oct 2014 13:06:32 +0000

The guys talk about the Izzet guild (blue red color combination) and its strengths and weaknesses in EDH. Among other topics, enjoy the discussion about sorceries being the slower cousins of instants.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 24 – Izzet appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 23 – Value White

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 19:39:17 +0000

The guys discuss budget staple cards in White, sharing their top picks under $10 and their honorable mentions over that. They try to keep their list aimed at a new EDH player operating on a decent-but-not-unlimited card budget, but they get into a few of the rare power cards, too.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 23 – Value White appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 22 – Failed Decks

Tue, 14 Oct 2014 15:42:06 +0000

The guys talk about EDH decks they made that didn't turn out so well and what it was about them that didn't work.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 22 – Failed Decks appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 21 – Deck Doctoring: Athreos, Part 2

Tue, 07 Oct 2014 23:00:01 +0000

The guys do a Deck Doctoring session with Phil's Athreos, God of Passage EDH deck. In part 2, Brenton shares some EDH rule changes then weighs in on what tweaks he would make to Phil's Athreos deck.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 21 – Deck Doctoring: Athreos, Part 2 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 20 – Khans of Tarkir

Tue, 30 Sep 2014 15:00:33 +0000

The guys do a 5x5 review of Kahns of Tarkir reviewing the set mechanics, new commanders and their 5 favorite cards from the set. The show finishes with some speculation on where the story of the block is taking us. Will we see the Eldrazi again?

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 20 – Khans of Tarkir appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 19 – Deck Doctoring: Athreos, God of Passage, Part 1

Tue, 23 Sep 2014 07:01:04 +0000

The guys do a "Deck Doctoring" session with Phil's Athreos, God of Passage deck. In this part 1 of 2 episodes, Phil breaks down his deck for us and shows us what considerations went into his current build while answering questions and taking feedback.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 19 – Deck Doctoring: Athreos, God of Passage, Part 1 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 18 – Ban the Card or Ban the Player

Tue, 16 Sep 2014 07:01:36 +0000

The guys muse about the future of the Khans of Tarkir block from a Commander perspective then get into a discussion about banning cards vs. banning players from your playgroup and how we all feel both about banning and difficult players/situations.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 18 – Ban the Card or Ban the Player appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 17 – Card Evaluation

Tue, 09 Sep 2014 07:01:26 +0000

The guys discuss card evaluation for Commander. After a brief description of how they rate cards during set reviews they delve into contextual evaluation of cards.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 17 – Card Evaluation appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 16 – Are You the Problem Maker or the Problem Solver?

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 07:01:20 +0000

In this episode, K.C., Dan, Brenton and Ben discussed how and when to become a "problem" in your game of Commander. The guys defined when you are the Problem Maker - i.e. running a really strong deck that will draw and deal with hate from other players immediately, and when you are the Problem Solver, i.e. prepared to deal with everything going on in the early game so you can implement your strategy.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 16 – Are You the Problem Maker or the Problem Solver? appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 15 – State of Design 2014

Tue, 26 Aug 2014 07:01:59 +0000

In this episode, the guys cover Mark Rosewater's annual State of Design 2014 article from Daily MTG (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/mm/state-design-2014), where Rosewater covers the last year of design and Magic's goals for 2015. K.C., Brenton, Phil and Dan all dive deep into the block that was Theros, including really heavy critiques of Theros and Born of the Gods. Finally, they speculated about Khans of Tarkir and the 2015 block, and talked about the week's Khans of Tarkir spoilers.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 15 – State of Design 2014 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 14 – Value Artifacts

Tue, 19 Aug 2014 07:01:56 +0000

Ben gives an overview of high value Artifacts that anyone getting into Commander should take a look at. We go over some of the most popular ones and why or why not they might be an auto-include in a deck you're building today.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 14 – Value Artifacts appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 13 – Degenerate

Tue, 12 Aug 2014 07:01:02 +0000

After a mailbag segment the guys tackle the topic of degenerate decks and combos. They discuss both how they feel about things like infinite combos both inside and outside of the playgroup.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 13 – Degenerate appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 12 – Deck Doctoring: Grenzo, Dungeon Warden, Part 2

Tue, 05 Aug 2014 07:01:09 +0000

Dan and Brenton continue to give K.C.'s Grenzo, Dungeon Warden deck a tune up and talk about their deck building suggestions that will help shape Grenzo into an EDH (Commander) monster. This is part two of two.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 12 – Deck Doctoring: Grenzo, Dungeon Warden, Part 2 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 11 – Comic-Con 2014

Tue, 29 Jul 2014 07:01:15 +0000

In today's show, the guys go over all the huge Magic news from San Diego Comic-Con 2014, including Phil's in-the-room recounting of the Magic presentation, where Wizards talked all about Khans of Tarkir, From the Vault: Annihilation and Commander 2014.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 11 – Comic-Con 2014 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 10 – Deck Doctoring: Grenzo, Dungeon Warden, Part 1

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 07:01:04 +0000

Dan and Brenton interview K.C. about his Grenzo, Dungeon Warden deck and get him to talk about what his building process was and why he made certain choices. This is part one of two. We tackled our different takes on how to sort out the decks. In part one here, we covered K.C.'s breakdown. Part two covers Brenton's and Dan's.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 10 – Deck Doctoring: Grenzo, Dungeon Warden, Part 1 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 9 – Magic: 2015

Tue, 15 Jul 2014 07:01:01 +0000

The Five Commanders dived deep into Magic: 2015, covering returning mechanics (Convoke and Slivers), new commanders and then the 5x5 review format, where each host picked 5 cards from Magic: 2015 that they think will make an impact in Commander. Finally, the guys round out the show with a brief discussion about the previous week's games.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 9 – Magic: 2015 appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 8 – Testing and Tuning Decks

Tue, 01 Jul 2014 07:01:57 +0000

In this episode, the guys tackle how they evolve their decks, from the initial "alpha" or "Mark I" builds to the final, tuned decks they'll be playing for years... Or until they get ripped apart for something new. Additionally, they cover Magic: 2015 spoilers, including the new Ob Nixilis, Perilous Vault and Nissa, Worldwaker.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 8 – Testing and Tuning Decks appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 7 – Fleshing Out Your Deck

Tue, 24 Jun 2014 07:01:02 +0000

In this episode, the guys sit down to a discussion about Magic: 2015 spoilers in the news segment. K.C. revels in the recent success of his Kaarthus, Tyrant of Jund deck, Dan has a new Marchesa deck and Brenton talks about his devastating Ghave deck. The guys settle into a discussion about how to flesh out a Commander deck, as a follow up to the discussion on "How to Choose a Commander". Finally, Ben joins from exile as the show closes.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 7 – Fleshing Out Your Deck appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 6 – Mono- vs. Multi-Colored Decks

Tue, 17 Jun 2014 07:01:21 +0000

The guys discuss the benefits and advantages of playing mono vs. multi-colored decks in Commander. Specifically, they dig deep into the risk vs. reward of playing mono-colored decks, strategies, and auto-includes for your mono-colored decks by color. Then, the discussion closes with a discussion about favorite color combinations and the challenges of multi-colored decks.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 6 – Mono- vs. Multi-Colored Decks appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 5 – Conspiracy

Tue, 10 Jun 2014 07:01:30 +0000

In this episode, the guys tackle the newly released "supplemental set" Conspiracy. Phil DeLuca talks about drafting the set at the pre-release overnight, then the guys settle in to a discussion about the set's new mechanics: Dethrone, Parley and Will of the Council. The guys then do their 5x5 set review, where they choose 5 (new) cards from Conspiracy that they think will have a big impact in EDH. Finally, they get into the best new Commanders from the set.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 5 – Conspiracy appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 4 – Apps and Accessories

Tue, 03 Jun 2014 07:01:36 +0000

The guys talk about a special invitation one of them received, a few spoilers, and have a conversation about applications, web sites, dice, playmats, and other accessories and resources they use while playing.

Links to Apps discussed:
Magic's Little Helper (website)

MTG Guide (website)

Decked Drafter (website)

Decked Builder (website)

Magic Set Editor (website)
Links to products discussed:
Ultra-Pro Flip Top Box For single sleeved only (Brenton's pick)

Ultra-Pro Satin Deck Tower For 100+ Cards, Double-Sleeved or Not. Also holds dice in the bottom compartment (Dan's Pick)

Dragon Shield - Gaming Box (Amazon Link - K.C.'s pick)

KMC Hyper MAT Sleeves

Dragon Shields (Amazon Link)

KMC Full Sized "Perfect Size" Sleeves (For Double-Sleeving)

Ultra-Pro Pro-Fit Standard Size Deck Protectors (For Double-Sleeving)

Chessex Dice Sets

Maglife USA Polymer Aquarium Beads (Aquarium Beads that can be used as counters. Much cheaper than specific gaming beads!)

Ultra-Pro Play Mats

Inked Playmats (For Custom Playmats)

Ultra-Pro Gaming Case with Red Trim

Links to websites discussed:
TappedOut.net

Gatherer (Wizards of the Coast)

Deckstats.net

TCGplayer.com

Shapeways.com (3D Printing site)

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 4 – Apps and Accessories appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 3 – Meta-Meta Game

Tue, 27 May 2014 07:01:49 +0000

The Five Commanders covered what they're playing, new Conspiracy spoilers, the Khans of Tarkir announcement, then got into a discussion about the "Meta-Meta Game" which tackled how to build a fun play experience through the game of Commander that will stand the test of time.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 3 – Meta-Meta Game appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 2 – How to Choose a Commander

Tue, 20 May 2014 07:01:06 +0000

The guys discussed news from the week, including the new judge promos, Conspiracy spoilers and the 2014 Modern Event Deck. They discussed the decks they're playing now, and then settled in for a discussion about choosing a commander.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 2 – How to Choose a Commander appeared first on The Five Commanders™.

Episode 1 – Journey Into Nyx

Tue, 06 May 2014 07:01:07 +0000

In the inaugural episode of The Five Commanders podcast, Phil DeLuca introduces Dan McCollum, Brenton Anderson, Ben Doeckel and K.C. Marsh. The guys talk a bit about their Commander/EDH philosophy and why they love to play the game, then introduce decks that they're currently playing. They follow that up with their 5x5 review of Journey Into Nyx, where each host chooses and rates 5 cards from the set that excite them for the Commander format. They round out the discussion with an overview of the new set mechanics and potential commanders and their impact on the format.

www.thefivecommanders.com

The Five Commanders are: Ben Doeckel, Brenton Anderson, Dan McCollum, K.C. Marsh, Phil DeLuca

The post Episode 1 – Journey Into Nyx appeared first on The Five Commanders™.