Thread by @ghirapurigears

a lot of folks have asked me how to downtune their decks to make them more 'casual friendly' for whatever that means, and while it is really hard to just tell you what to do (as it is more a mindset than strict card swaps) i do have one tip- swap in arcane denial for counterspell

(or for you grognards like me, the proper versions)

they both do the same thing- hard counter a spell that is either going to wreck you or win the game- but arcane denial softens the blow in a more interesting way, and gives the countered player the feeling that they didn't just get completely stuffed.

look, i hate counters.dek, and frankly most people do. but that doesn't mean you shouldn't run one or two. the key here for counters, or removal, or land destruction in the form of the strip mine family, is how you deploy them

if you're running mono counters, you're frankly just wasting people's time. But running a counter or two to protect your general or game winning combo or whatever? that's important. Running a wasteland or ghost quarter for that cradle/maze of ith? worthwhile.

The important thing here is to be mindful of how you play. Are you just countering a value creature or spell early in the game because you have the counter in your hand and nothing better to do? Maybe reconsider if that advances the enjoyment of the table.

if you counter someone's early random piece of mana acceleration or just board building, and it doesn't bring you closer to winning, or stop you from losing, what did you accomplish? you slowed the game down and made someone grumpy and irritable at the beginning of the game.

and they're gonna carry that mood for the next hour or so, even subconsciously, and it will taint their fun, and make them look at you with frustration and anger.

This is a mentality that is fine in 2 player, and frankly just a good gameplay habit to have in limited or constructed- use your mana every turn effectively, stop them from doing the thing as soon as you can to not waste your turns.

but in multiplayer, relaxed magic? countering someone's turn 2 sakura tribe elder or random other card that will obviously not have any value for the next 8 turns till their end game isn't good strategy or good manners

this is what i harp on- casual magic isn't about the cards you run (usually). it is about when and how you deploy them. play with intention and mindfulness. consider what your goal is, and how that goal relates to the format you are playing.

in a multiplayer match, there isn't just you and your opponent with a clear goal of one victor at any cost. There are many different people at the table, and they are there to experience many different things, primary of which is the social experience.

So if you want to downtune your deck to be less cutthroat, and to be able to relax into a commander game, consider this as you play. Pick worse versions of cards that offer your opponents a salve for the thing you just took away. Pick your spots.

don't just play a card because you have it. Consider what your play actually adds to the experience, and if it actually advances your gamestate or just hoses someone else for no gain.

and before anything else, figure out what you want out of the game, and if commander is the place that will give it to you. Because in a casual relaxed game, the goal is to have folks that would like to play with you again. Aim towards that, and you'll always win.

(please note, cedh and high powered edh are a different mindset, and i do not speak towards those experiences, nor do i pretend that the play i describe here is the only way to play or the best way to play. Find your enjoyment where you find it.)