Lab Report 004 – Ten Years in a Four-Person Meta

Filed by MaD SaXXon, Tibalt’s Apprentice

Ten years in one pod taught me to do everything wrong! Okay—not everything—but a decade in a closed loop of four familiar faces definitely shaped my Commander play in ways that weren’t always constructive.

It wasn’t always an arms race… but it often turned into one. Petty grudges, predictable play patterns, and counter-picking specific commanders became the norm. If someone was bringing The Ur-Dragon, I was showing up with Whiptongue Hydra. That’s just how it went.

We even made up house rules to "save time," like setting three lands beneath your commander at the start of the game—one per turn, drawn instead of card draw. Sounds innocent enough, right? Until someone (cough, me) waited for the table to burn their free lands, cast Armageddon, and then played mine after. We created an ecosystem that rewarded spite and punished experimentation.

Eventually, I realized I didn’t like what the mirror was reflecting. So I took stock—of my habits, my deckbuilding, and how I approached the game. I made the conscious choice to get uncomfortable: new players, new pods, new stores. It wasn’t easy, but it made me better. Not just at the game, but at enjoying it for the right reasons.

So here’s the lesson: self-reflection is the real tutor. Take inventory of your games. If your fun feels off, adjust your habits, not just your decklists.

—MaD SaXXon, Tibalt’s Apprentice

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