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Already considered MTG's friendliest format, Commander just got a seasonal makeover perfect for the end of the year. As part of a special video, creators from a popular channel demonstrated a multiplayer game dubbed "Holiday Countdown."

The Mechanics of the Festive Format Works

Fundamentally is a straightforward mechanic added on top of a regular EDH match. A designated marker moves between players. Once it arrives at the current player's upkeep, the game briefly pauses. Each participant secretly chooses if they will be being Naughty or Nice via choice cards.

All players reveal their choice together. They then resolve the consequence tied to their decision, first with the player who has the marker. This marker then gets passed clockwise. The holiday round counter advances a single increment, and regular Commander resumes.

The choices intensify over time go on, feeling well-balanced.

Escalating Effects

Early rounds provided small, table-wide boons for being Nice, like life gain or Clue tokens. On the other hand, The Naughty options typically offered more specific benefits, often targeting an opponent. For instance allowed those choosing Naughty create a powerful airborne Reindeer token. Anyone who selected Nice generated a 1/1 Toy creature token for all participants.

The Climactic Arrival

When the last phase, Father Christmas personally made an appearance, turning the game. Depending on the tally of each player was Naughty versus Nice, Santa handed out sealed “gifts”. They appeared to be small containers, but contained MTG booster packs of varying value.

• The kindest player received a top-tier special pack.
• The second-nicest player opened a slightly less valuable Collector Booster.
• A special guest received a mid-range booster pack.
• The very naughty player essentially received coal: a famously bad set acting as a joke.

Every card from these packs could then be playable for the rest of the game, played from outside the game with mana considered to be all colors. Players who were nice players, their present proved to be a major advantage. However, those who chose Naughty basically received coal in their stocking.

Trying the Variant with Friends

While the original showcase featured considerable custom components, it's one that any group can easily try with friends. Everybody uses their standard EDH deck, and all you'd need would be a selection of booster packs from different sets.

A possible drawback could be that if everyone know ahead of time the prize for being Nice, they all try to get the best booster pack. Groups can add variety with alternatives, like drafting cards together or enabling gamers to use specific cards not in their deck.

From how the format played out, this holiday variant is definitely a fun format to add holiday cheer during festive gatherings. It adds a layer to the strategy in the game in a fun and way, resulting in a unique way to play among Magic enthusiasts this season.