The Command Zone

2025: the year where Magic finally let you equip Doc Ock with Summon Materia so he could hop in a racecar and fly into outer space to fend off an attack from the Fire Nation. It’s been a crazy year. But now it’s time to look back over the cards, events, controversies, and changes from the last 365 days of MTG that made this one of the biggest (but also most polarizing) years in the game’s history. Jimmy, JLK and Rachel discuss everything that made 2025 one to remember: the goods and bads, the highs and lows, what worked, what didn’t, and what we hope to see in years to come.  -------- SUPPORT OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor. To get 50% off your first box plus free breakfast for one year, use code command50off at: https://www.factormeals.com/command50off SHOPIFY: Power your business with Shopify. Start your one-dollar-per-month trial p

Losing a Commander game is a lot like history—those who don’t learn from it are doomed to repeat it. But what if real-world historical conflicts could help you avoid suffering more losses at game night? This episode, we’re taking a look back at The Great War, dissecting its complexities for lessons you can use on your own MTG Commander battlefields.  -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- AG1: Head to http://www.drinkAG1.com/command  you’ll get the welcome kit, a Morning Person hat, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, a AG1 Flavor Sampler and you’ll get to try their new sleep supplement AGZ for free. SHOPIFY: Power your business with Shopify. Start your one-dollar-per-month trial period today by going to: https://www.shopify.com/tcz ZOCDOC: Stop putting off those doctors appointments! Find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today by going to https://www.zocdoc.co

It’s Commander’s biggest night of the year: The Zoney Awards!  We’re rolling out the red carpet to crown the best cards from 2025, as voted by our esteemed Academy of Command Zone staff and patrons. Which legendary nominees will win a golden trophy, and who will bring home the title of Best Card of 2025? Grab your popcorn, because it’s time to find out! -------- DUELING DRAGONS PLAYMAT (LESS THAN 2 DAYS LEFT!): We’ve got not one but TWO amazing new Game Knights playmats – get yours now before it’s too late! These epic dragon designs come together to form one stunning battlefield, especially in the PREMIUM spot foil version that’s unlike anything we’ve done before. Order yours today at: https://tinyurl.com/DuelingDragonsGK -------- SUPPORT OUR CONTENT: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- RIDGE: Take advantage of Ridge’s Biggest Sale of the Year and GET UP TO 47% Off by going to https://ww

Are your decks putting you to sleep? Tired of playing the same old lines over and over again? There’s GOT to be a better way! Today, we’re showing you how to take your decks and make them less boring. We’ll bring you deckbuilding tips that will breathe new life into your gameplay, with more diverse win conditions, more interesting decision points, and cards that won’t put you in the same position every single game. It’s time to dust off that old deck and make it new again! -------- SUPPORT OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- DUELING DRAGONS PLAYMAT KICKSTARTER: We’ve got not one but TWO amazing new Game Knights playmats – get yours now before it’s too late! These epic dragon designs come together to form one stunning battlefield, especially in the PREMIUM spot foil version that’s unlike anything we’ve done before. Order yours today at: https://tinyurl.com/DuelingDragonsGK

Just because a card is popular doesn’t mean it’s good in every deck. With power creep becoming power leap, a lot of Commander staples have been outclassed. So don’t miss our list of well known cards you could probably cut. They may seem fine on their face, but we’ll break down why they’re overrated, and how you can do better. -------- DUELING DRAGONS PLAYMAT KICKSTARTER: We’ve got not one but TWO amazing new Game Knights playmats – get yours now before it’s too late! These epic dragon designs come together to form one stunning battlefield, especially in the PREMIUM spot foil version that’s unlike anything we’ve done before. Order yours today at: https://tinyurl.com/DuelingDragonsGK -------- SUPPORT OUR CONTENT! Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more: https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- AURA: Get an exclusive $35 off your Carver Mat frame at: https://on.auraframes.com/COMMAND with promo code COMMAND. FABLETICS: Become

Sometimes a Commander comes along that looks like the coolest legend ever printed—until you actually try to build it. This episode, the Command Zone crew tells tales of brews that never quite came together. From clunky plans to unfun play patterns, come find out which cards were too tricky to crack even for us, and we’re professionals! -------- DUELING DRAGONS PLAYMAT KICKSTARTER: We’ve got not one but TWO amazing new Game Knights playmats – get yours now before it’s too late! These epic dragon designs come together to form one stunning battlefield, especially in the PREMIUM spot foil version that’s unlike anything we’ve done before. Order yours today at: https://tinyurl.com/DuelingDragonsGK -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- RAYCON: Thanks Raycon for sponsoring! This holiday season, get 20% off SITEWIDE on Raycon audio products like the new Essential Op

Another year, another batch of Commander precons. But how did 2025’s crop turn out? With four Final Fantasy decks and a whole slew from within the worlds of Magic, there’s a lot to evaluate, so this episode we’re going one by one through every precon this year. We’ll be grading them each for playability, value, and just plain old fun! Come find out which decks pass, and which you should pass on. -------- DUELING DRAGONS PLAYMAT KICKSTARTER: We’ve got not one but TWO amazing new Game Knights playmats – get yours now before it’s too late! These epic dragon designs come together to form one stunning battlefield, especially in the PREMIUM spot foil version that’s unlike anything we’ve done before. Order yours today at: https://tinyurl.com/DuelingDragonsGK -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor. To get 50% off your first box plu

Want to upgrade a deck that’s multiple colors without spending multiple dollars? Look no further! This episode, we’re bringing you 10 powerful cards—one for each color pair—that cost under $10 TOTAL! This tech gives you a ton of bang for your buck, so don’t miss out on these underrated gems. -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- HELLOFRESH: The best way to cook just got better. Get 10 free meals plus a free Item for life when you go to: https://www.HelloFresh.com/command10fm AG1: Head to drinkag1.com/COMMAND to get a FREE Welcome Kit with an AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3 plus K2, when you first subscribe! RAYCON: Get 30% off SITEWIDE on Raycon audio products like the new Essential Open Earbuds during their Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale at: https://www.buyraycon.com/commandopen -------- CARD KINGDOM: The Command Zone is sponsore

Does the lack of Avatar precons have you airbent out of shape? Don’t worry, we’ve brewed four awesome new decks for you with powerful Last Airbender legends! These lists are ready right out of the iceberg, so if you want to bring the beatdown in some cool new ways, do NOT miss this episode. -------- DUELING DRAGONS PLAYMAT KICKSTARTER: We’ve got not one but TWO amazing new Game Knights playmats – get yours now before it’s too late! These epic dragon designs come together to form one stunning battlefield, especially in the PREMIUM spot foil version that’s unlike anything we’ve done before. Order yours today at: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/DuelingDragonsGK⁠ -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/commandzone⁠ -------- HELLOFRESH: The best way to cook just got better. Get 10 free meals plus a free Item for life when you go to: ⁠https://www.HelloFresh.com/command10fm⁠ AG1: Head to ⁠dr

Looking for some powerful benders and badgermoles to upgrade your favorite Commander deck? Then this episode’ll quench ya, because we’re breaking down the best cards in the 99 from Magic’s latest set, Avatar: the Last Airbender. This set is packed with cool designs and potential new staples that’ll bring the four nations (and your three opponents) to their knees. So don’t miss out on our top picks! -------- DUELING DRAGONS PLAYMAT KICKSTARTER: We’ve got not one but TWO amazing new Game Knights playmats – get yours now before it’s too late! These epic dragon designs come together to form one stunning battlefield, especially in the PREMIUM spot foil version that’s unlike anything we’ve done before. Order yours today at: https://tinyurl.com/DuelingDragonsGK -------- RIDGE: Take advantage of Ridge’s Biggest Sale of the Year and GET UP TO 47% Off by going to https://www.Ridge.com/COMMAND #Ridgepod SHOPIFY: Power your business with Shopify. Start your one-dollar-per-month trial period today by goi

Magic’s Avatar: The Last Airbender is finally emerging from the iceberg, ready to bring balance to Commander. But what if you don’t want balance? What if you want… POWER? Say no more! This episode, we’re laying out the most powerful legends from Avatar for your viewing pleasure. From humble cabbage merchants to mighty firelords, we’ll show you the strategies and synergies you need to brew a deck that can bend the elements (and your opponents) to your will! -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- RAYCON: Get 30% off SITEWIDE on Raycon audio products like the new Essential Open Earbuds during their Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale at: https://www.buyraycon.com/command FABLETICS: Become a Fabletics VIP to get 80% off EVERYTHING plus monthly credits toward items, bundles, and outfits. Sign up at: http://www.fabletics.com/command SHOPIFY: Power your business w

From the format’s inception, color identity has been a core part of Commander, creating deck diversity by forcing players to work within restrictions. But should those limits be loosened for hybrid mana? In most formats, hybrid mana makes cards more versatile, but in Commander it actually holds them back. Lately, the Commander Format Panel has floated changing how hybrid mana works with color identity. Would this help the game, or hurt it? Don’t miss our in-depth breakdown. -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- RAYCON: Get 30% off SITEWIDE on Raycon audio products like the new Essential Open Earbuds during their Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale at: https://www.buyraycon.com/command FABLETICS: Become a Fabletics VIP to get 80% off EVERYTHING plus monthly credits toward items, bundles, and outfits. Sign up at: http://www.fabletics.com/command SHOPIFY: Pow

Yip yip! Previews for “Avatar: The Last Airbender” are taking off, and we’ve got two exclusive never-before-seen cards to reveal. So bend an ear as we reveal these exciting new airbenders, “Appa, Loyal Sky Bison” and “The Legend of Yangchen.” So if you’re thirsty for Avatar previews, don’t miss this video. It’ll quench ya! -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- CARD KINGDOM: The Command Zone is sponsored by Card Kingdom! If you want to receive your cards in one safe package and experience the best customer service, make sure to order your Magic cards, sealed product, accessories, and more at Card Kingdom: http://www.cardkingdom.com/command ARCHIDEKT: Discover, build, catalog, and playtest on Archidekt, the deck-building website that makes it easy to brew brand new lists or manage your old favorites. Go to http://www.archidekt.com/commandzone to get started

1v1 Magic is full of lessons and strategies you can use to up your EDH game. This episode, we’ve enlisted help from the best of the best including: pro players, competitive streamers, and hall of famers.  Get ready for a ton of level-up moments as we solicit sage advice from some of the top minds in all of Magic. ------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone ------- FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor. To get 50% off your first box plus free breakfast for one year, use code command50off at: https://www.factormeals.com/command50off BROOKLYN BEDDING: Ready to upgrade your sleep? Brooklyn Bedding has you covered! Get 30% off sitewide when you go to https://Brooklynbedding.com and use promo code COMMAND! AG1: Head to DRINKAG1.com/COMMAND to get a FREE Welcome Kit, including a bottle of Vitamin D and free AG1 Travel Packs, when you first subscribe! ------- CARD KINGDOM: The Com

That’s right, the Commander Bracket system has been updated! But do the new changes actually make the brackets more clear? How will the Game Changer cuts impact the health of the format? Is every deck still a 3? Don’t miss our hot takes as Commander Format Panel members Rachel and JLK break down what’s happened and what still needs to be done to make Rule 0 work. -------- Commander Brackets Update Article: https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/commander-brackets-beta-update-october-21-2025 -------- BE A GUEST ON GAME KNIGHTS! Think you have what it takes to become a Game Knight? Then don’t miss your chance to appear as a guest on the show! If selected, we’ll fly you out to sunny Los Angeles to meet the Command Zone crew, get knighted, and show off your Commander chops on the next fan episode of the show! For details on how to audition, plus rules and restrictions, follow the link: https://commandzone.com/audition/ -------- HELLOFRESH: The best way to cook just got better. G

Want some high-impact, low-cost cards that you can run in ANY deck? You’ve come to the right place!  It’s time for another 10 for $10, where we bring you 10 cards you can pick up for a grand total of $10. This time, all those cards are colorless! But just because they don’t have any color doesn’t mean they won’t have a huge impact on the board. So come on in and bring a crisp 10 dollar bill! -------- BE A GUEST ON GAME KNIGHTS! Think you have what it takes to become a Game Knight? Then don’t miss your chance to appear as a guest on the show! If selected, we’ll fly you out to sunny Los Angeles to meet the Command Zone crew, get knighted, and show off your Commander chops on the next fan episode of the show! For details on how to audition, plus rules and restrictions, follow the link: https://commandzone.com/audition/ -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- WHATNOT: Win a

The Command Zone fantasy draft is back, but this time we’re bumping up the bracket by drafting GAME CHANGERS!  Jimmy, JLK, and Rachel are going to be making their picks for the top cards on the Commander Game Changers list. How brutal will they go? Will they tussle for the tutors? Battle for the bombs? Fight for the fast mana? Tune in and find out! -------- Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- RIDGE: Upgrade your wallet today! Get 10% Off @Ridge with code COMMAND at: https://www.Ridge.com/COMMAND #Ridgepod SHOPIFY: Power your business with Shopify. Start your one-dollar-per-month trial period today by going to: https://www.shopify.com/tcz  FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor. To get 50% off your first box plus free breakfast for one year, use code command50off at: https://www.factormeals.com/command50off  -------- CARD KINGDOM: The Command Zone is sponsored by Card Kingdom! If

Universes Beyond: What started as a single Secret Lair of The Walking Dead cards has now ballooned to encompass over half of all cards being released next year. Love it or hate it, UB has been a polarizing topic in the MTG community. Do Furby and Dwight from The Office belong in the same game as Urza and Mishra? Is there still room for Magic in Magic: The Gathering? Is it all just too much? Tune in for our takes and let us know what YOU think! -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- RAYCON: Raycon’s fan-favorite Everyday Earbuds Classic now feature Active Noise Cancellation! To save 20% sitewide go to: https://www.buyraycon.com/command FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor. To get 50% off your first box plus free breakfast for one year, use code command50off at: https://www.factormeals.com/command50off RIDGE: One thing to pack, five ways to power! Get 10% Off @

What do you get when you fill an entire office with Commander addicts? A whole lot of decks, that’s what! This episode, we’re calling in the whole Command Zone staff to show off our favorite brews from the past year. So jump in and meet the people who work behind the scenes. We’ve got decks from every bracket, color, and era and we can’t wait to tell you about them! -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- FACTOR: Eat smart with Factor. To get 50% off your first box plus free breakfast for one year, use code command50off at  https://www.factormeals.com/command50off  SQUARE: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://www.square.com/go/COMMAND    #squarepod RAYCON: Raycon’s fan-favorite Everyday Earbuds Classic now feature Active Noise Cancellation! To save 20% sitewide go to: https://www.buyraycon.com/command -------- CARD KINGDOM

Looking to mess up your opponent's whole plan with a single card? Then it better be a piece of MASS DISRUPTION. That's our term for everything from board wipes to fogs to stax pieces. We’re breaking down how much mass disruption you need, the best cards for each role, and much more. Understanding this tech is a huge part of building better decks, so don’t miss it!  -------- JOIN OUR PATREON: Support the show and become a Patron! Be a part of our community, receive awesome rewards, and more! https://www.patreon.com/commandzone -------- HELLOFRESH: The best way to cook just got better. Get 10 free meals plus a free Item for life when you go to: https://www.HelloFresh.com/command10fm SQUARE: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://www.square.com/go/COMMAND   #squarepod RIDGE: One thing to pack, five ways to power! Get 10% Off @ Ridge with code COMMAND at https://ridge.com/COMMAND -------- CARD KINGDOM: The Command Zone is sponsored by Card Kingdom! If you want t