Last updated on May 18, 2026
Knowledge and Power | Illustration by Jung Park
The idea of power levels in Commander is a point of contention for some Magic players. While I can definitely see the merit of being able to measure the relative power of your deck, a 1-10 scale is a somewhat nebulous rating system with a lot of room for subjectivity. One player might consider their weakest deck a 2 or a 3 simply because it loses consistently in their own play group. However, they might have a very competitive play group, and the deck is more than twice as strong as a precon.
The power level system was imperfect and the Commander Format Panel introduced another grading system: The new, 5-Bracket system aims to categorize decks on their power level based on criteria like how many Game Changers they run, the kind of combos they have, and the turn by which a given deck expects to win.
While the Bracket system has become the norm, it’s still worth considering your deck’s power level, if only because you want to know in which Bracket that dusty 6 from 2019 sitting in the back of your closet ranks. I’ve got a guide breaking down everything you need to know about power levels!
Brackets vs. Tiers vs. Power Level
Revelation of Power | Illustration by Eric Deschamps
In general, the Commander Brackets system has usurped the old power level system, but there’s still value in considering power levels as a secondary system to grade your deck. It’s interesting, for one; for another, players who don’t keep up with every new detail of the format might be unfamiliar with the Bracket system, so having a decent grasp of the old system could smooth over some matchmaking and Rule 0 conversations. It’s also just informative to look back over the past of the game and see how it has evolved.
The tier system is similarly defunct, but it’s like a more general way of discussing the Brackets and power levels. Here’s a break down of how power levels and tiers relate to the Brackets.
Bracket 1: Exhibition / Unfocused Tier
Power levels 1 and 2 fall into the Unfocused tier. This is where decks without a very clear wincon tend to end up. These decks can be a result of poor deck construction, but they can also be intentionally bad/funny EDH decks that are simply trying to pull off one very convoluted series of events.
Bracket 2: Core / Focused Tier
Power levels 3 and 4 make up the Focused tier. These decks have a clearer goal for winning the game, but they still aren’t all that strong. These are very casual decks and where a lot of budget decks and Commander precons fall.
Bracket 3: Upgraded / Tuned Tier
Power levels 5 and 6 are in the Tuned tier. This is a tier for decks that are still more casual but have a good amount of synergy and a consistent land base with an appropriate number of lands. You’ll see upgraded precons fall into this category a lot, especially if players just upgrade the land base to be a bit quicker.
Bracket 4: Optimized / Powerful Tier
Power levels 7 and 8 are considered the most powerful decks that are still meant for casual rather than competitive play. These decks run maybe one or two miscellaneous pet cards just for fun, but they’re pretty well-tuned for what they want to do. They’re slightly less efficient than the highest tier decks either because of budgetary restrictions or because their game plan takes a little longer to win.
Bracket 5: Competitive / cEDH
Power levels 9 and 10 are the Competitive tier or what players refer to as cEDH decks. These decks have no room for a card that doesn’t help them win or even a less efficient version of one. These decks tend to be very expensive because they require perfectly tuned mana bases and the most efficient card for any given effect.
How Do I Find the Power Level of My Deck?
The best way to find the power level of your deck is to play it against other decks and note where it falls in relation to them. There are some matchups you don’t need to do—any well-built combo deck will blow past a precon, for example, or a casual deck doesn’t need to fight cEDH Blue Farm—but consistently playing the game is a great way to figure it out. If you play against Bracket 3 decks and generally win, you’re probably actually at Bracket 4. Similarly, if you can’t reasonably compete with Bracket 4 decks, look to 3, maybe even 2. And if you want to use power levels or tiers, the same idea applies: If your deck consistently stomps a 7, it’s not a 7; if it loses to them with no chance to compete, look a little lower.
The most important thing here is repetition. You need lots of reps to get a large sample size. Just because you walloped a precon the game you drew Sol Ring doesn’t mean you’re playing cEDH, nor does losing a game you got mana screwed or just drew funky mean you can’t compete at higher power levels. Don’t let one game dictate your assessment.
Does a Turn Count Help Me Determine My Deck's Power Level?
A turn count is the turn on which you expect your deck to win, and determines how fast your deck is.
The basic idea is that you play your deck enough times to get a reliable sample size and note which turn it consistently wins on. The lower the turn count, the higher the power level of your deck.
For example, if your deck wins between turns 0-4 consistently, it’s likely a competitive tier deck. While this is a nice method in theory, it isn’t without its flaws.
You need to play a deck a good number of times to make an accurate determination based on turn count. Every player has a chance to start a game with a lucky hand that sets them up for an early win, and every player has kept a 3-land hand just to never draw another land for five or more turns. Games like this throw off your turn count, so the more you play the better you can make an accurate power level measurement. It's best to find players you are comfortable with to navigate multiple play sessions until you can figure it out.
Another issue with the turn count strategy is that it doesn’t take win rate into account. You might have a super grindy stax commander deck or control deck that doesn’t win the game until turn 5 or 6, but still has a higher win rate than a deck that wins on turn three but only 10% of the time.
It’s also important to consider which decks you tested it against. Just because you win a lot early on doesn’t mean you have a Competitive tier deck if you happen to go up against Unfocused or low power decks, which rarely win.
I think the most helpful way to determine your deck’s power level is to look at the breakdown below and gauge the capabilities of your deck.
Power Level 1
These are decks that meet the legal requirements to be played in Commander, but not much else. When I first learned about Commander, I threw a deck together by picking a legendary creature I liked and then just crammed a bunch of cards in their color identity from my collection into the deck without any clear goal. Those are the types of decks with the lowest power levels.
Even in more casual games, a deck at this level isn’t going to win all that often. If you win with a power level 1 deck, it’s likely that your opponents just left you alone long enough for you to squeak out a victory once they’d finished taking each other out.
Power Level 2
A level 2 deck is slightly more cohesive than a level 1 deck but still lacks a strong winning strategy. It’s more likely to depend on a few very specific cards for some janky commander without really having a consistent way of closing out the game. These could also be decks that have too many ideas put into them instead of just one clear, consistent strategy.
Power Level 3
This is where I’d put the cheaper preconstructed Commander decks like the Starter Commander Decks from late 2022, or the supplemental Commander decks released alongside sets like Kaldheim that weren’t up to the same standard as a regular Commander product release. For homebrew decks, these would be decks that have an idea of what they want to do and ways to do it but suffer from having a poor mana base. Within the 99, you usually see budget options of stronger cards, like a Darksteel Colossus instead of a Blightsteel Colossus, or a Tranquil Cove instead of a Hallowed Fountain.
Power Level 4
This is where you see the better precons and strong but limited decks. These decks have some splashy cards, but not a super consistent way to find them. You’re unlikely to see any infinite combos, but there’ll be some decent interactions built in. Mana bases are still subpar at this level.
Power Level 5
Level 5 decks are essentially upgraded precons with improved mana bases. You’ll see some bond lands or shock lands, allowing multicolor decks to play a bit faster. Decks at this level also have a basic understanding of important elements that all decks need like card draw and removal and more specific cards that help support their basic strategy.
Power Level 6
Level 6 is the first place you’ll see some infinite combos or other deliberately constructed win conditions. You see fewer tap lands at this stage, and if you do it’ll be something like scry lands that give you an additional benefit or lifegain dual lands if they tie in with the deck’s strategy.
Power Level 7
At this point, you stop seeing as many cards that don’t strictly adhere to the theme of the deck. Such decks are solely focused on winning the game, and usually through one or two very specific means. You see more format staples like Rhystic Study, Sylvan Library, or Vampiric Tutor, and tap lands are largely gone by this point.
Power Level 8
By the time you reach power level 8, every spell in your deck is carefully chosen to work towards your winning strategy. There are no pet cards or generally good cards that don’t really fit with what you’re trying to do. You also have a very efficient mana base with fetch lands and dual or tri-lands that can be searched for. The biggest distinction between power level 8 and cEDH decks is that they’re still slightly lower budget and lack some of the superefficient and very expensive cards like the original dual lands.
Power Level 9
Level 9 is the first tier that’s typically considered cEDH. These decks prioritize perfectly crafted mana curves that waste no time or cards, and two-card combos to win the game are much more likely here. You’ll usually either have a card to play or a means of responding to your opponents as soon as you take your first turn.
Power Level 10
A power level 10 deck is one that runs like a well-oiled machine. There’s plenty of interaction so you can stop your opponents from pulling off their game-winning combos, and you’ll also have a quick way to win the game yourself. Another important aspect of a perfectly built cEDH deck is that you have the best tutors available in your colors and multiple ways to retrieve your game-winning cards if they’re countered or removed, so there isn’t an easy way to take you out of the game.
These are typically decks where budget is no problem, so you see Reserved List cards like the original dual lands or Timetwister. Fans of PreDH might find these decks a bit soulless as they’re simply concerned with winning the game as quickly as possible.
Are Power Level Calculators Any Good?
Power level calculators can be a useful tool, though they come with downsides. The first one being that Magic is an extremely complicated, contextual game. Take the cards Thassa's Oracle and Demonic Consultation. Put them in a deck, and you’re looking at the start of a cEDH brew; this is one of the most common combos in the format.
But when you separate them, things get different. Demonic Consultation can still be a combo kill with cards like Laboratory Maniac, but that’s a much weaker combo that requires more mana, an additional card, and is easier to disrupt. And what happens when you remove the combo, and we look at Demonic Consultation as a cheap but risky tutor played as a flavor piece?
The same variations can be applied to Thassa’s Oracle, which could be the win condition for a much weaker combo or a card you run in the interest of playing all the cards referencing Thassa or a bunch of merfolk or blue devotion. Thoracle is arguably a very binary card that’s either a crazy efficient win condition or a mediocre, or an unplayable 2-drop.
That’s a lot of different circumstances surrounding two cards and how they impact the power level of your deck based on the context they appear in, and a Commander deck has 100 cards. Some cards are just flat out broken, like The One Ring and Rhystic Study, but most cards vary. Power level calculators can factor in many details, but the game is so complex and contextual that relying solely on them is a mistake. It can be a fun tool and they might give you a starting point for playtesting, but don’t rely on them entirely.
Commanding Conclusion
Apex of Power | Illustration by Svetlin Velinov
Power levels can be a helpful way to compare the relative power of your deck to those of your opponents. When used correctly, this ranking system’s goal is to create games that are more fun for everyone. A good game usually involves each deck having around the same chance of winning with nobody steamrolling the competition. That said, it's still worth it to have a Rule 0 discussion with your playgroup to make sure everyone's on the same page.
One negative side effect of numbered brackets or power levels is that it makes more casual decks seem “worse” than others. This can somewhat defeat the original intention of the format as a fun place to play the cards you like that don’t have a home elsewhere. If you have more fun building decks specifically around themes or cards that you love, what's the correct weight class to build for? Not every one wants to play competitive Commander, and that's good.
What is your opinion on power levels? Do you find turn counts a reliable way to measure a deck’s power level? Have you fully transitioned to evaluating decks with Brackets instead? Let me know in the comments or in Draftsim's Discord, and check out The Daily Upkeep newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest MTG news.
Thank you for reading and see you next time!
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