From the earliest days of Magic: The Gathering's history, one of the game's greatest strengths has been that it has something to offer for every type of player. From drafts that require no constructed deck to enter to the rotating Standard format that has a constantly shifting metagame, there's no shortage of ways to play MtG. Whether it's casual kitchen table play or grinding ranks online, players will different goals heading into the game should always be able to find the format that fits their playstyle best.
When NFL linebacker Cassius Marsh has a chance to take a break from training and sit down for some games of Magic: The Gathering, he has one format that he keeps coming back to over and over again. Marsh enjoys Magic because it offers him the chance to escape, unwind, and have fun with friends, so Commander is his format of choice.
During a recent interview with Game Rant, Pittsburgh Steeler Cassius Marsh explained why it is that he loves Commander so much and goes on to explain that he's spent time constructed dozens of fully foiled out top tier decks for the format...
Game Rant: Do you have a favorite set? Or a favorite format?
Cassius Marsh: Oh, Commander for sure. Yeah, absolutely. I'm about 30 decks deep, fully foiled out, max rarity. I try to only build like tier commanders... That's my thing. You know, I actually had a Legacy deck built for awhile, but I just hadn't played in like two or three years, man. And I just was like, it was just kept sitting there and it's got a bunch of dual lands that I could be putting in EDH decks and like, yeah. You know, I just, it just was time. I actually, not too long ago, took that deck apart. So I'm fully an EDH player.
For those who aren't familiar with Commander (also sometimes called Elder Dragon Highlander), it's a format that allows players to use 100 card decks with no repeat cards (aside from basic lands). Each deck also has a Commander, which is a Legendary creature that sits outside of the deck. All cards in the deck have to match at least one of the colors that are required to cast the Commander. Marsh did go on to say that if pressed to pick a favorite set, it would probably have to be Kamigawa.
Game Rant: Do you think it was partially the casual, social aspect of EDH that drew you to it? Since you were getting so much competition on the field and wanted to unwind with Magic?
Cassius Marsh: I would say so for sure. And I think I really liked the fact that you see a lot more diverse decks, you know, cause it's the one per slot and I like to see a lot of different cards and the interactions are super crazy. There's some wild stacks that happen, man. I really like it.
Commander is a great format because it offers players the chance to play a lot of cards that don't often see play in formats like Standard or Modern. One of its greatest strengths is that it manages to appeal to both the casual kitchen table MtG crowd and there's still a more competitive scene available for those who are interested in that side of the game.
Fans of Marsh and collectible card games who aren't in California can follow along with what his happening at the store by keeping an eye on Marsh's social media accounts or watching the live breaks on the store's instagram account.
Cash Cards Unlimited opened to the public on Friday, February 26, 2021.
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