10 Ramp/Mana: Golden Guardian, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Wood Elves, Yavimaya Druid, Cultivate, Farseek, Grow from the Ashes, Rampant Growth, Search for Tomorrow, Sol Ring
11 Draw/Tutor: Garruk’s Packleader, Ohran Frostfang, Voice of Many, Harmonize, Shamanic Revelation, Momentous Fall, Garruk, Eidolon of Oblivion, Colossal Majesty, Elemental Bond, Eladamri’s Call
11 STR/BWipe: Angel Of Sanctions, Selesnya Eulogist [graveyard], Ghired’s Belligerence, Beast Within, Naya Charm, Sundering Growth, Swords to Plow., Generous Gift, Hour of Reckoning, Phyrexian Rebirth, Austere Command
Added:
Armada Wurm
Golden Guardian
Samut
Wood Elves
Yavimaya Dryad
Grow From The Ashes
Rampant Growth
Search for Tomorrow
Advent of the Wurm
Hammer of Purphoros
Fires of Yavimaya
Flameshadow Conjuring
Seance
Grove of the Guardian
Add with Proxy:
Anointed Procession
Parallel Lives
Sacred Foundry
Temple Garden
Stomping Ground
Clifftop Retreat
Sunpetal Grove
Rootbound Crag
Rugged Prairie
Wooded Bastion
Fire-lit Thicket
Temple of Triumph
Temple of Plenty
Temple of Abandon
Swords to Plowshares
Overwhelming Stampede
Eladamris Call
Swiftfoot Boots
Austere Command
Generous Gift
Lands to Add:
3 Shocklands - Sacred Foundry, Temple Garden, Stomping Ground
3 Checklands - Clifftop Retreat, Sunpetal Grove, Rootbound Crag
3 Filterlands - Rugged Prairie, Wooded Bastion, Fire-lit Thicket
3 Scrylands - Temple of Triumph, Temple of Plenty, Temple of Abandon
12 Lands to Take Out:
4 life taplands
Terramorphic Expanse
Evolving Wilds
Naya Panorama
Krosan Verge
Cinder Glade
3 basics
Hi, everyone. I took notes and wrote a text guide after watching the recent episode on power levels from 1 to 10 from The Command Zone ( https://youtu.be/mgGm_74Lc9M ). I borrowed extensively from the comments and points made by Josh and Jimmy in the episode. I thought it would be handy to have something written to quickly refer to in the future when discussing power level or deckbuilding. I have categorized each power level with somewhat organized notes that describe each power level, as well as notes about some of the points made during the episode. I hope this is of some use to you all.
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Power Level 1 - 2, Jank:
Very little to no synergy among cards. Cards are not picked primarily to work mechanically together at all.
No attention paid to EDH-defining tactics like ramp, card draw, and interaction.
No EDH format staples.
Bad overall mana base and/or mana curve.
E.g. Hat Tribal, Ladies Looking Left, Vorthos decks.
Notes: These are typically underpowered on purpose. Winning is not the primary purpose, it might be to tell a story or to have a non-game mechanic theme. These are only “bad decks” in terms of power, not in whatever other purpose it is trying to achieve. Some commanders by their default sheer power will not be able to fit into this category.
Power Level 3 - 4, Casual:
Some synergy among cards, but still lacking strong synergies among them. Some (but not most) cards purposedly picked to work together with other cards, but no overall deck focus or focused wincons.
Some but still little attention paid to EDH-defining tactics like ramp, card draw, and interaction. No tutors.
Little to no EDH format staples.
Shaky, but workable mana base. E.g. All or mostly all basics on 3+ color decks. Mana curve still mostly neglected.
E.g. Most 2011-2014 Commander precons. Low supported tribal decks, like Goat tribal. Typically a new player’s first deck hastily thrown together.
Power Level 5 - 6, Focused:
Synergy exists with most cards enough to have a focused gameplan to win. However, the deck might not necessarily win in the exact same way each time.
Attention has been paid to a decent degree to EDH-defining tactics like ramp, card draw, and interaction. A very small amount of tutors (1-2), but little to none of the best kinds of tutors.
Some EDH format staples for the colors played. A few janky or "for fun" cards that betray focus can still be in the deck.
Decently selected but still not optimal mana base. Mana curve taken into some consideration and only a few 6+ CMC cards.
Can consistently threaten to win, but only around turn 13+.
E.g. Most 2015-2019 Commander precons. Note: it is difficult (but not impossible) for some strategies by their nature to rise above this power level, like Voltron, Mill, and Group Hug strategies.
Power Level 7 - 8, Optimized:
Powerful and varied synergies exist among the cards in the deck. Very efficient and consistent ways to develop a winning board state.
Attention has been paid to a great degree to EDH-defining tactics like ramp, card draw, and interaction. A decent number (3-5) of good tutors.
A decent amount of EDH format staples for the colors played. Little to no janky or "for fun" cards.
Optimal or close to optimal mana base and mana curve. Little to no 6+ CMC cards.
Possibly some fast and efficient ways to develop lots of mana (and/or card advantage) within the deck.
Some form of the EDH "social contract" still nonetheless exists at this level. e.g. No mass land destruction, no consistent combo wins, no oppressive stax strategies, etc.
You can consistently threaten to win by (Level 7) turn 10-12; (Level 8) turn 7-9.
Note: Most possible Commanders and strategies will cap out at this level, no matter how well further improved, and won't reach the next levels.
Power Level 9 - 10, Competitive:
The most powerful decks and strategies, cEDH decks. Quick and explosive synergies among cards that can consistently execute a wincon typically but not always within the first few turns of the game. These decks usually win the same exact planned way every time they do win.
Usually a lower amount of lands and a higher amount of 0-1 mana rocks. A high amount (6+) of the best tutors.
Spared no expense on EDH format staples or the "best" cards that could be acquired for the deck. No jank cards at all.
The traditional "social contract" does not exist. Anything goes mechanically in order to win.
You can consistently threaten to win by (Level 9) turn 4-6; (Level 10) turn 1-3.
E.g. Stax, consistent combos, storm. Only a select few commanders and strategies can reach the competitive levels.
Notes about this Power Level Rating System:
These deck criteria are not meant to be exact or complete. A deck doesn't have to meet each specific criteria to be in a particular power level. These criteria are supposed to be general enough to fit most types of decks. Other factors not easily outlined here can matter in order to determine power level, such as a deck's resilience i.e. how well it can withstand or manage given setbacks from other players; or a deck's vulnerabilities.
These clasifications should attempt to be considered independent of who is piloting the deck, as a pilot can bring the power level up or down through his skill or lack thereof. Also, keep in mind no particular card alone can significantly move an entire deck's power level up e.g. Mana Crypt on a jank deck is probably still a jank deck. Contrapositively, no lack of a particular card alone can significantly move a deck's power level down e.g. a level 10 competitive deck can exist without a Mana Crypt.
Even if you're trying to be honest, it's natural to try to underrate your deck's power level, so if you think you're on the fence, try to err on possibly overshooting your deck's power level rather than possibly undershooting. E.g. if you're unsure whether your deck is a 7 or 6, rate it a 7. The overall goal of classifying and knowing your deck's power level is for clarity and courtesy to your fellow players, not to prevent decks from playing against other decks of different power levels or to always achieve parity between power levels among decks.