Gruul Decks, Final Fantasy, and Sharing Your Work - The Weekly Draw

Welcome back!

You can always spot a Commander player with too many ideas: a dozen open tabs, a cart full of "must-have" cards, and the creeping suspicion that yes, it's time to build a fifth Gruul deck.

This week brought a wave of Final Fantasy spoilers, throwbacks to fallen staples, and some truly inventive deck ideas worth your attention.

Grab a coffee and lets get started!

Commander Corner

Wort, the Raidmother: Conspire Your Way to Victory

The Trinket Mage shows how Wort turns every spell into a double threat. With token makers and X-spells, her conspire ability becomes a storm-like engine. Skip goblin tribal — she shines when you cast big and copy bigger. LINK

Budget Gems That Punch Above Their Weight

The Commander's Quarters spotlights sub-$1 cards that play like all-stars. Highlights include Lord of Extinction and Perilous Forays — strong pickups for budget brewers. LINK

Rosheen Meanderer: X Marks the Spot

Rosheen channels four colorless mana into massive X-cost spells — hydras, burn, or ramp. The Trinket Mage highlights her explosive late-game turns without being a table archenemy. Great for splashy spellslingers in Gruul. LINK

Vivi Ornitier: The Counter-Burn Commander

This new Izzet legend from Final Fantasy generates mana equal to power — perfect for reactive, spell-heavy decks. Reddit is buzzing about combos with Ghyrson Starn and pinger strategies. A flavorful engine for counter-burn brews. LINK

Commanders Worth Reconsidering

The Command Zone revisits old-school “villain” commanders like Prossh and Grand Arbiter. With today’s faster meta and deeper card pool, many feel more balanced than broken. A great reminder to give former nightmares a second look. LINK

Community Highlights

"Iron Commander" - A Brewing Challenge Worth Trying

This LGS event gives players $25, three random legends, and access to bulk cards to brew a full deck in under three hours. It’s chaotic, creative, and a great way to escape brewing burnout. LINK

The Art of the Yap - Deal-Making in Commander

Based Deck Department explores the power of table talk, showing how empathy and timing can turn a threat into an alliance. Great insights for anyone looking to improve their multiplayer game. LINK

Proxies and the Financial Reality of Commander

A Reddit post dives into why more players are embracing proxies, especially for testing or when owning multiple decks. It’s a thoughtful take on where cost meets community. LINK

Tabletop Simulator: The Underrated Testing Ground

TTS isn’t just a backup for paper play — it’s a powerful tool for brewing and testing before you buy. This Reddit thread highlights its flexibility and realism for remote groups. LINK

The Emotional Connection to Our Decks

This thread explores the decks we hold onto for sentimental reasons — from memorial builds to decks passed down by friends and family. A great reminder that Commander is more than cardboard. LINK

This Week in Magic

Fallen Staples: The Evolution of Commander

3/3 Elk explores how classic staples like Deadeye Navigator and Phyrexian Arena have faded as the format speeds up. Value engines are out, immediacy is in — and the card pool keeps evolving. LINK

Final Fantasy Crossover Unleashes New Mechanics

MTG Goldfish highlights standout spoilers from the Final Fantasy set, including adventure lands and Kefka’s card-draw effect. LINK

Creature Power Creep Discussion

A Reddit thread reflects on how far creatures have come, from Serra Angel to game-ending ETB engines. It’s reshaping how we brew, especially in creature-heavy metas. LINK

Potential for Legendary Dual Lands

This speculative post makes the case for legendary duals as a Reserved List workaround. It’s a dream scenario for Commander players looking to upgrade mana bases without breaking the format. LINK

Wrapping Up

That wraps up this week's edition of The Weekly Draw! I hope you've found some inspiration for your next game night.

If you enjoyed this newsletter, consider forwarding it to a friend who might appreciate some fresh Commander perspectives. And I'd love to hear what you're currently brewing or which cards from the Final Fantasy crossover have caught your eye—hit reply and let me know!

Lastly, if you want me to share a deck tech, primer, or a personal blog, send it my way!

— Mark
EDHMatch & The Weekly Draw