Commander Precon Escalation League Rules
Overview
Everyone starts with a WotC purchasable precon (secret lair decks are not allowed). Every week players will be matched randomly against each other with their decks in pods of 3-4 players. After each week’s game, players can upgrade their decks for the next week’s game. Players will have 4 weeks to gain points through match wins and additional methods, with top 4 point winners receiving prizes.
Where
Places within the local region to the League Organizer.
When
Friday/Saturday/Sunday
How Long
4 weeks
Entry
Free
Prize Support
A box of a recent standard set will be distributed for prizing.
1st: 12 packs of recent standard set
2nd: 8 packs of recent standard set
3rd: 6 packs of recent standard set
4th: 4 packs of recent standard set
Deck Modifications
Each player starts with an unmodified Wizards produced precon. This is the start of the players “card pool.”
Players can choose any legal legendary creature from the base precon as their commander.
Each week players are allowed to add up to 10 cards to their card pool within that week’s budget (whichever comes first).
Prices will be the lowest possible valued version of the English language version of the card using TCG Market Price (discounting shipping costs).
The budget cap for each week will go as follows:
Week 2: $10
Week 3: $15
Week 4: $25
Starting at Week 3, there will be a 20% penalty on upgrade caps for all players with bounties
Week 3: 8 cards, $12
Week 4: 8 cards, $20
Players may modify their decks with any cards in their card pool, but must keep the deck commander legal.
The weekly allowance starts on Sunday after league games are finished and must be submitted to Discord before Friday, 3 hours prior to games starting.
Tip: The best way to do this is by using the TCGPlayer app, create your list, and take a screenshot to post into the Discord channel.
You can edit your selection after posting, but whatever is in your last edit is locked in at the end of the weekly time.
Allowance does not carry over week to week, it is a use it or lose it system.
Card pools also include unlimited counts of all 5 basic lands (plus wastes)
All two-card infinite combos are “Exclusively Banned.”
This means if you have one of the cards in your deck, you cannot have the other card as well.
See list here
If a card you buy increases in price more than 25% from the week you would like to add it to your card pool, you may use the purchase price as your cost for the card by following these rules:
you must provide evidence you purchased the card at the lower price within 2 weeks of the week you would like to add it to your card pool.
Proxies
Players may use a proxy for up to 2 cards per week instead of using legal WotC printed cards. These cards must use WotC artwork and must not significantly mark the card sleeve that holds it.
Scoring
Players are awarded points in several different ways. The primary source is from placement in the league game. The higher the placement, the more points awarded. There is also an award for knocking out the player with the most points. To encourage people to show up every week, there will also be a point given to everyone who plays their league game. Breakdown of how many and how points are awarded below:
Points awarded for placement
4-player pod
1st: 4 points
2nd: 3 points
3rd: 2 points
4th: 1 point
3-player pod
1st: 4 points
2nd: 3 points
3rd: 1 point
In the case of a tie (aka multiple players are eliminated at the same time), use the tiebreaker rules to determine placement
Number of eliminations > Higher Life Totals (before eliminating event) > Number of times Commander Cast > Number of cards left in library > Turn Order
One point for eliminating the player with the highest points at the start of the match (aka The Bounty)
One point if you are the lowest points earner in a pod and win that game.
**If you are unable to play a league game in a given week, you will be awarded no points, but may still participate as normal, continuing to upgrade your deck using the next week's limits.**
End of League Placement
After the 4 weeks of games are complete, the top point earners will be awarded prizes. In the case of a tie, these are the tiebreaker rules:
Whoever had more 1st place finishes.
Whoever claimed the more bounties.
Whoever had the most eliminations.
Whoever has a higher average placement across all games.
If somehow all of these are the same, the tiebreaker will be decided at random using a fair coin or dice.