Clan Wars is Spreading

Team Oh No (right) defends their title.

It's gratifying to hear people say that they enjoy playing 3vs3 Team Commander, a format that I developed using ideas from members of our Magic community in SM North.  We've had three tournaments so far and attendance has been growing steadily.  But more than the numbers, it's what players say that has me jumping for joy.  

"We'll come back next week to avenge our loss."

"Even when we were losing, we were having fun and laughing with our teammates."

"We can play almost anything because the format isn't broken."

And so on and so forth.

These statements reaffirm what I believe are the advantages of a team format over multiplayer and duel versions of Commander.  First, bookkeeping is kept to a minimum unlike in multiplayer/league games which usually employ a point system.  In 3vs3 or Clan Wars, teams just have to overcome their opponents and that is reflected in their win-loss records which is quite easy to track.  Second, deck construction is a breeze because we use the banned list for multiplayer, which most Commander pilots adhere to, so there isn't a lot of adjusting necessary to get a game started right away.  In duel, people have to take out their Sol Rings (which they hate doing) and memorize a different list of banned cards.  Third, defeats don't hurt as much because it's the group who lost and not just an individual.  Conversely, victories feel twice as good because teamwork adds a sense of belonging, of togetherness.  For these reasons alone, it is worth giving 3vs3 a try.

While it's great that Clan Wars is winning converts by the day, I know that I have to work harder to ensure that there is a level playing field and a fantastic play atmosphere.  My hope is that there will be a rules committee soon to help me craft and provide the most enjoyable Commander experiences ever.  If all goes well, then one day there will be a huge tournament with teams from around the globe competing and relishing this latest Magic variant.