Wizards of the Coast Introduces Commander Format Panel to Guide Commander Format

Wizards of the Coast has announced the creation of the Commander Format Panel (CFP) to oversee the popular Magic: The Gathering Commander format. This follows a recent transition where the Commander Rules Committee handed over management of the format to Wizards. The new panel was introduced by Gavin Verhey in an announcement on October 22.

The CFP is modeled after the Pauper Format Panel, which was introduced in 2022, and includes members from the existing Commander Rules Committee and the Commander Advisory Group (CAG). The goal of the CFP is to ensure that the format remains community-driven, with representation from a diverse group of players from different regions and levels of Commander play.

The panel consists of 17 members for its first year, including content creators and community leaders like Josh Lee Kwai, Olivia Gobert-Hicks, and DeQuan Watson. The CFP will work closely with Wizards of the Coast’s design teams, providing feedback on the format’s development and discussing any potential changes. The group will also offer input on major announcements related to Commander before they are made public.

Verhey emphasized that while Wizards will make the final decisions, the CFP’s insights will play an important role in guiding the direction of the format. The panel members have been encouraged to share their opinions publicly and may express differing viewpoints without being bound to support Wizards’ decisions.

One of the panel’s first tasks will be evaluating a proposed bracket system that aims to help players better align their Commander games based on deck power levels. Verhey noted that this project would move forward slowly, allowing the panel sufficient time to provide feedback before any testing takes place. Additionally, the CFP will eventually turn its attention to reviewing the Commander banned card list, though no changes are expected until 2025 at the earliest.