Rule 0 and Commander brackets: how to match power levels
Updated
In Commander, the most important part of the game often happens before anyone shuffles: a short talk about what everyone brought. Players call it Rule 0, and the bracket scale gives it a shared vocabulary.
What Rule 0 means
Rule 0 is the idea that the players at a table can agree on how they want to play before the game begins. In practice it means a quick conversation: how strong is each deck, are there any cards or strategies someone would rather not face, and are there house rules the group plays by.
It isn't a negotiation and it doesn't need to take long. A minute of talking saves an hour of a game nobody enjoys.
The 1 to 5 brackets
Commander brackets describe a deck's power on a scale from 1 to 5. They're a starting point for the conversation, not a verdict on anyone's deck:
- Bracket 1: themed and silly decks, built for fun more than winning
- Bracket 2: around the strength of a preconstructed Commander deck
- Bracket 3: upgraded decks, stronger and more focused than a precon
- Bracket 4: high-power decks, built to win efficiently
- Bracket 5: competitive Commander (cEDH), where every choice is about winning
What the brackets leave out
Lower brackets also rule out some strategies that many tables find unfun, such as destroying everyone's lands or taking several extra turns in a row. Two decks in the same bracket can still feel very different, so the number starts the talk rather than ending it.
How to have the talk
Keep it short and specific. A good pregame talk covers:
- Your deck's bracket, and how it tries to win
- Anything unusual it does, like combos, lots of counterspells or taking control of other players' cards
- Any house rules the table plays by
- Whether anyone would like to swap decks to even things out
When it still feels off
Sometimes a deck plays stronger than its owner expected. It happens, and it isn't a big deal. After the game, say so kindly, and offer to play a different deck next time. If you're new and unsure where your deck sits, say it's casual and ask the others what they brought.
On LookForParty, a store can mark a Commander event with its expected bracket. In game mode, the At the table tools include a Rule 0 step where each player sets their deck's bracket and house rules, and the table can say it agrees.
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