Bracket 5 is the highest the brand new Bracket system goes. Bracket 5, also known as cEDH, is the most powerful way to play Commander. The Bracket System is a brand-new way to categorize the power level of a deck for Commander and was introduced by the Commander Format Panel. This article is going to dive into what makes a deck a Bracket 5 deck. If you would like to check out any of the other Bracket levels and how to build into those environments, you should check out the other articles here on CoolStuffInc by Mark and myself. So, what is Bracket 5 as defined by the format panel?

What is Bracket 5?

From the most recent Commander Bracket System update:

• Decks that are meticulously designed to battle in the cEDH metagame, with the ability to win quickly or generate overwhelming resources; often built using existing cEDH knowledge, tools, and/or decklists
• Win conditions to be optimized for efficiency and consistency
• Gameplay to be intricate and advanced, with razor-thin margins for error; players prioritize victory over all else

These games could end on any turn.

Bracket 5 and cEDH are one and the same. If you want to play the highest level of Commander there is, this is for you. Let's breakdown each one of these points so you know if you are playing a Bracket 5 deck OR if your opponent is.

A message from a real cEDH player...

I play a lot of cEDH and it is a lot of fun. cEDH tends to get a bad rep for "pub stomping" newer players that are still learning the fundamentals of the game or just want to flash their powerful win conditions in other players' faces. cEDH is reserved for Bracket 5 play. Do NOT play a cEDH deck against players operating at a different power level from you, UNLESS they specifically want to test their current "fringe" deck against yours. I love playing cEDH and I don't want people to lose interest in the brew space based on one player being a jerk. Anyway... back to looking at what makes up a Bracket 5 deck!

What is a cEDH Commander?

cEDH or Bracket 5 decks consist of cards that make up the "cEDH metagame." Most players can spot cEDH Commanders from across the LGS. Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy, Tymna the Weaver, and Sisay, Weatherlight Captain are well recognized options for cEDH Commanders. These legends offer extreme consistency and explosiveness during a game. They are lethal and quick at how they win. Just about every cEDH Commander checks one-three boxes:

1. They generate card advantage
2. They generate mana advantage
3. They offer a piece of a game ending combo OR can quickly find a piece of a game winning combo

Now, that doesn't mean Freya Crescent is viable in cEDH because it generates a Red mana for equipment spells. This checklist is to help easily identify legends that could have potential in the cEDH metagame. They aren't all going to be winners.

On a similar note that doesn't mean every single deck where Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator is a partner in the Command Zone is immediately a Bracket 5 deck. I built an extreme budget pirate themed deck with Malcolm and Breeches and it is far removed from cEDH, even though Malcolm does see a lot of cEDH play. Remember, the Bracket System is all about the intent of the brewer.

Value Engines

cEDH is heavily built around low to the ground advantage engines that generate lots of value in a very quick fashion. Mystic Remora, Rhystic Study, Smothering Tithe, and The One Ring are all cards that create a constant trickle of cards or mana. Remember the checklist above? Value engines in cEDH tend to check off the same list. Drawing more cards and generating more mana than your opponents will win you the game and cEDH plays the best and most efficient ways to do so.

If a player's value engines are fed too often and aren't answered quickly, that player will quickly gain the victory.

Win Conditions

Arguably the worst part of cEDH is that most games end in the same combos. Thassa's Oracle and Underworld Breach are the strongest and most efficient ways to win a game of Commander. These win conditions are reserved for cEDH play and should never be seen within a casual player's line of sight.

Win conditions in Bracket 5 are supposed to be as efficient as possible so it makes sense that players gravitate toward the two strongest win conditions this format has to offer. I don't see this as a downside of the format. Counterspell exists for a reason and can still stop any of these win conditions in its tracks.

Bracket 5 Gameplay

Making a single mistake in a game of casual Commander is almost expected. Board states become complicated when the games go long and it's easy to miss a trigger. cEDH is a different beast entirely. Missing just a single piece on the board or miscounting your mana can be detrimental to the entire game. Mistakes carry a heavy weight and make the game much more serious (even if you are just playing with your friends for fun).

cEDH players expect the players at the table to play to win by any means necessary, but that doesn't mean they will throw away their chance at winning by stopping someone else. Casting Pact of Negation on a spell that wins the game when you have no way of paying for it isn't "playing to win." You are essentially extending the game and potentially handing the game off to someone else while you sit there scrolling through your phone.

Gameplay is fast-paced. Turns 1-2 are explosive casting lots of fast mana and rituals to power out Commanders and value engines down early. This is the place to play the most efficient powerful artifacts that this format has to offer. Mox Diamond, Chrome Mox, and Mana Vault are pillars of this format that go into every single deck and everyone playing at the table knows that they will see them be cast.

Expect games to end at any time and be ready to win yourself when you can. Also be prepared to stop your opponents from winning if you can!

That pretty much wraps up this look at what Bracket 5 or cEDH entails. Hopefully this will help you easily identify the difference between a cEDH deck and a Bracket 4 deck. I hope that this article inspires you to at least give cEDH a chance and try it out. If the price of the format is an issue, most players and even tournaments are proxy friendly. All that is required to play this great format is readable playable pieces of cardboard!

See you on the battlefield!

-Nigel