The Command Zone Unveils a Holiday-Themed MTG Variant Players Can Play at Home.

Already regarded as Magic: The Gathering's most social way to play, Commander is getting a festive twist just in time for the end of the year. As part of a holiday-themed video, hosts Josh Lee Kwai and Jimmy Wong demonstrated a four-player game titled "Countdown to XT-Mas."

The Mechanics of the Holiday Variant Works

At its core involves a straightforward mechanic added on top of a regular EDH match. A rotating indicator moves to each player. Upon reaching the current player's upkeep, the action halts for a moment. Each participant makes a hidden choice whether they're being Naughty or Nice by using choice cards.

The participants flip their choice at the same time. They then carry out the effect tied to their selection, first with the person who has the marker. It then gets passed clockwise. A special tracker moves forward a single increment, and normal Commander continues.

The Naughty/Nice options become more significant as the rounds continue, seeming carefully crafted.

Escalating Choices

The initial phases offered minor, collective boons for the Nice path, such as life gain or investigation clues. Conversely, Naughty paths often gave personal advantages, often at the expense of someone else. For instance allowed those choosing Naughty receive a powerful airborne Reindeer token. Those who selected Nice created a 1/1 Toy creature token for all participants.

Santa's Big Finale

During the final round, Father Christmas personally arrived, transforming the game. Depending on the tally of a participant selected Naughty versus Nice, Santa distributed mystery presents. They appeared to be small containers, but held MTG booster packs with different rarities.

• The kindest player received a high-value Collector Booster.
• Another friendly player got a slightly less valuable Collector Booster.
• One player ended up with a less powerful set.
• The very naughty player essentially received coal: a famously bad set that's essentially a joke.

Every card from these packs could then be playable for the duration, played from outside the game using mana considered to be colorless. The kinder participants, their boon wound up being a major boost. Meanwhile, mischievous participants basically received a disadvantage.

Recreating the Game at Home

Although the video included significant custom components, the format is something players could easily replicate in their own playgroup. Each player would bring their usual Commander deck, and all you'd need would be several MTG packs with different worth.

The main drawback could be that if players know the rewards in advance what being nice gets you, then everyone try to get the most valuable gift. You could mix it up by using other methods, like doing a mini-draft together or letting players use cards they own from outside the game.

Based on the entertaining match, this holiday variant stands as a fun method to create laughter when playing with friends. It changes the dynamics between players in a uniquely festive manner, making it a special experience among Magic players this season.