If you’ve ever sat down for Commander with strangers (or friends you love, but not that much), you’ve felt it: the awkward little pause before the game where someone says, “So… what power level are we playing?” And suddenly everyone forgets how language works.
That’s the whole point of the Rule 0 conversation. It’s not a debate club. It’s a quick pregame check so four people don’t accidentally sign up for four different games. You’re trying to match speed, expectations, and tolerance for nonsense like infinite combos, stax, extra turns, and proxies.
Here’s how to do the Rule 0 conversation without it getting weird, defensive, or passive-aggressive.
Why the Rule 0 conversation matters in Commander
Commander is a social format. The “rules” get you to a baseline, but the experience depends on what the table considers fun.
Most bad games aren’t caused by “mean cards.” They’re caused by mismatched expectations:
- One player wants a chill battlecruiser game where everyone casts big creatures.
- One player brought a tuned combo list that wins on turn 5 if nobody stops it.
- Someone else is here to roleplay their chair tribal deck and vibe.
- And one person is running hard stax “because it’s legal.”
A good Rule 0 conversation prevents the classic ending: someone gets steamrolled, someone gets salty, and everyone pretends they had fun while packing up at the speed of light.
Stop rating decks 1 to 10. Talk about what your deck actually does
Power numbers are messy because everyone’s scale is fake. The same deck is a “7” in one pod and a “mean 9” in another.
Instead of “this is a 7,” try describing your deck with concrete traits:
Deck speed
- What turn does your deck usually become scary?
- If nobody interacts with you, what turn can you reasonably win?
Consistency
- Do you run a lot of tutors?
- Do you see the same lines every game?
Interaction
- Are you packed with removal and counterspells, or mostly goldfishing?
- Are you running prison pieces (Rule of Law effects, Winter Orb style cards, etc.)?
Win conditions
- Combat damage?
- Combo finish?
- “Oops all extra turns” (yes, that’s a real personality type)?
This kind of description makes the pregame talk feel normal, not like a confession.
The questions that actually work (and don’t start fights)
If you only ask one question, make it this:
“How do you usually win, and how fast if nobody stops you?”
Then sprinkle in a few “permission slip” questions that cover the usual salt mines:
Fast mana and explosive starts
- “Are we talking mana rocks like Sol Ring only, or are we doing the full fast mana thing?”
Tutors
- “How tutor-heavy are we? A couple, or a lot?”
Infinite combos
- “Do you have infinite combos? And if yes, are they easy to assemble?”
Stax and lock pieces
- “Any stax or hard lock plans I should know about?”
Mass land destruction and extra turns
- “Are we cool with mass land destruction?”
- “How many extra turn spells are we expecting to sit through?”
You don’t need to interrogate people. Pick the categories that usually cause feel-bads in your local scene and keep it moving.
How to talk about proxies without making it a whole thing
Proxies are part of the modern Commander reality. They also land differently depending on the table.
Here’s a simple, non-weird way to say it:
- “I’m running some proxies. They’re clearly marked and readable. Is everyone okay with that?”
That’s it. No speech about the economy. No rant about Reserved List trauma. Just clarity.
If your pod wants “no proxies,” cool. Swap decks if you can, borrow cards, or find a different table. The goal is a fun game, not winning the ethics argument.
If you want a deeper read on proxy norms and where people draw lines, this PrintMTG post lays it out clearly: Are Proxies Legal in MTG? Understanding Proxy Cards
And if you’re the kind of person who likes brewing fast and iterating (same), this one is useful too: Creating Your Own Proxy Cards For Magic
Phrases that keep the conversation from getting weird
A lot of Rule 0 awkwardness comes from tone. People get defensive because they hear: “Are you about to ruin my night?”
Try these instead.
Use “I” statements
- “I’m in the mood for a slower game.”
- “I’d rather avoid hard stax tonight.”
- “I’m testing a new list and it might pop off early.”
Offer options, not judgments
- “I have a higher-power deck and a chill deck. What are we aiming for?”
- “If we’re doing combos, I’ll grab something that can interact.”
Normalize swapping decks
- “No worries, I’ll switch decks so we’re closer.”
The goal is matching expectations, not proving your deck is “fair.”
When someone says “it’s a 7” and you don’t believe them
This happens. Sometimes people genuinely don’t know. Sometimes they “don’t know” in a more strategic way.
Don’t call them a liar. Just ask for details:
- “Cool. Any fast mana beyond Sol Ring?”
- “Any two-card combos?”
- “How often do you win before turn 7?”
If they won’t answer anything concrete, treat that as information. Choose a deck with interaction, or choose a different table.
A 60-second Rule 0 conversation script you can steal
If you want something that feels natural and fast, try this:
- “What kind of game are we looking for? Chill combat, high power, combo, somewhere in the middle?”
- “How fast do your decks usually win if nobody messes with you?”
- “Any fast mana, heavy tutors, or easy infinite combos?”
- “Any stax, mass land destruction, or extra turns?”
- “Also, I have a few proxies. They’re clear. Everyone cool with that?”
That’s a complete Rule 0 conversation in about a minute. Then shuffle up.
After the game: the sneaky way to make future games better
The best time to improve your next Rule 0 conversation is right after a game ends, when everyone has evidence.
Keep it short:
- “That was faster than I expected, good to know.”
- “Next time I’ll grab something stronger.”
- “I’m good with combos, but can we skip hard locks next game?”
This keeps your next pregame talk from being vague, because now you’re reacting to real gameplay, not imaginary power numbers.
Final thoughts
A good Rule 0 conversation isn’t about restricting people. It’s about making sure everyone sits down to play the same kind of Commander game.
Talk in specifics. Keep the tone casual. Ask about the stuff that actually changes the game: speed, tutors, combos, stax, extra turns, proxies. And remember: swapping decks is normal. It’s not an admission of guilt. Learn more.
If you do it right, the conversation stops being “weird,” and starts being what it should be: a quick handshake before the chaos.
