Art by Kekai Kotaki
This is an EDH Battle Box that is primarily meant to introduce newer players to the basics of Commander without them needing their own deck. It's intention is to provide medium-power games, and to guarantee the same power level between players. It should also be fun for more advanced players to play as a change of pace from their constructed decks. It's designed for 3-5 player games.
Everyone starts with 11 cards in the command zone in addition to their commander:
One of each basic land
One of each Battlebond dual
Sol Ring
- Everyone is dealt 3 random commanders before the game starts and chooses one. Commanders are labeled "hybrid" and are separate from the rest of the cards, so any not chosen won't be in the game.
- Grab a random chunk of cards from the battle box to use as your library. Start the game with 5 cards in hand. No mulligans.
- Commander color identity doesn't effect what kind of cards you can cast, or the mana you can produce. Everyone is playing a 5-color deck regardless of who their commander is.
- Commanders can't cost more than 12 mana. If commander tax would make your commander cost more than 12 mana, it costs 12 instead.
- If Sol Ring gets destroyed, exiled, shuffled, etc., it goes back to the command zone. You may cast it again on your next turn. There is no tax to recast Sol Ring.
- Prioritize fun for the new/casual player. The goal is for games to be combat-focused, interesting, and interactive. Players should be able to enjoy themselves even if they aren't the strongest player, and cards should naturally push the game toward a conclusion.
- Simplicity matters. Everything works better when most cards have smaller text boxes, easy color requirements, and more straightforward effects.
- Card draw is a group effort. Utilize group-hug-style card draw in additional to normal draw spells to make sure everyone has plenty of cards to cast. The Monarch mechanic will hopefully make an appearance every game.
- Limit the types of ramp. Rather than searching for extra basics or casting all the usual mana rocks, the preferred type of ramp is creature ramp, treasure tokens, and other alternate ramp cards.
- Options are good. Use lots of modal cards that give players choices, especially for reactive spells and removal.
Themes have to be somewhat generic since your library is random every game.
Attacking can be scary in a multiplayer game, especially for new players. The biggest theme is cards that reward you for turning your creatures sideways.
Everyone likes seeing their creatures get bigger and bigger; +1/+1 counters can make even the smallest creature very deadly.
Tokens usually allow you to go wide on the battlefield, and some accompany some pretty neat effects.
Sometimes you need a little bit of reach to finish off an opponent. Other times, you can take down the entire table in a single turn.
Though not as abundant as the themes listed above, some of this cube's minor themes include life gain, utilizing your graveyard, and rewards for casting noncreature spells.
I enjoy cool basic lands. I think they make the experience more fun even though they don't affect gameplay. There are currently 7 sets of basic lands for players to choose from. I will add more as I get more complete sets of bondlands.
- For tokens I currently use Infinitokens dry erase cards I bought on Etsy.
- I use Ultra Pro Eclipse matte sleeves. The main cube cards are sleeved in royal purple. Commanders are smoke grey.
- Storage is a large grey Pirate Lab card case. The case has plenty of room to hold all 525 cards, the tokens and lands needed for the battle box, plus a couple EDH decks. I've had it for years and love it.
Version 1.0 - Converted my no-longer-in-use multiplayer draft cube into this Battle Box. Removed almost all lands, cards that let you search your library, and anything else that didn't make sense in the new format.
Version 2.0 - Reworked the cube around the idea of simplicity. Less cards with confusing effects, no cards that required 3 mana of the same color, attention to how large the text box is on a card. Added group card draw as a basic cube principle.
Version 3.0 - Reduced the number of cards with X in their casting cost, or heavy ability activation costs. Added Monarch cards to support the group draw theme. Removed all 3-color commanders and most 3-color cards. Bondlands are now everyone's default dual lands.
Version 4.0 - Big increase to the number of modal cards; added having options as a basic cube principle. Reduced the number of reactive cards that require you to wait until conditions are just right. Rule change: starting hand is now 5 cards (up from 4). A few commanders changed out.