What Is Commander – What is the Difference Between Standard & Commander

There are some key differences between Standard and Commander that make this format unique. Standard, as well as most constructed Magic formats, require a minimum 60-card deck and player’s begin with 20 life.

Additionally, Standard games are relatively short, lasting about 20 minutes. Commander games, on the other hand, can go anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.

Standard is also a competitive format. It has a clear metagame. The best decks in the format are often played in tournaments. And of course, Standard rotates every year.

Commander is a casual format. It is easy to find a playgroup or join a playpod at your local game store. However, there are Commander tournaments—these are technically competitive EDH (cEDH) games.

Finally, Commander does not rotate. Cards are sometimes banned for a variety of reasons. Otherwise, the card pool only grows.