In the past, we promoted a four-tier power-level system to help players find suitably matched games, with good results. Wizards has recently introduced a new beta system. As the official article acknowledges, it is not perfect and there are still issues to address. Progress is welcome, and we expect the system to improve through continued iteration.
Regardless of how we describe deck power, one requirement is clear: all organized tournaments, including cEDH, must follow the official banned and restricted lists and the Magic tournament rules. Proxies are prohibited.
At this year's CommandFest, we will promote both our existing four-tier system and the official beta system. We also plan to work with community creators on explanatory articles to help players understand power-level matching.
The purpose of power-level matching is to give players a good experience with decks of comparable strength. We encourage everyone to discuss their decks before forming a pod and to begin with a shared understanding. The system should not be exploited to create deliberately uneven games.
The four tiers are:
- Party — blue
- Battle — green
- Challenge — red
- cEDH — black
We will provide colored stickers at the venue. Choose the stickers that match your decks (you may choose more than one) and wear them somewhere visible. If you are unsure of your deck's strength, ask the on-site staff.
Before every game, confirm the intended power level with your pod. If you discover afterward that a player used an incorrect sticker or misrepresented their deck's strength, you may call a judge to help correct their sticker.
These measures are intended to help everyone enjoy their games. Deliberately misrepresenting a deck's strength to gain an unfairly matched game is unacceptable.
