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Widely known as MTG's friendliest way to play, Commander just got a seasonal update perfect for the festive season. During a recent episode, hosts from a popular channel played a four-player game titled "Countdown to XT-Mas."

The Mechanics of the Festive Variant Works

At its core is a simple mechanic added on top of a regular Commander match. A designated token moves around the table. When it the current player's upkeep, the game temporarily stops. Each participant privately decides if they will be being Naughty or Nice with the help of choice cards.

All players turn over their choice simultaneously. They then resolve the bonus associated with their own choice, first with the player who has the marker. The token is then passed to the next player. A special tracker advances one notch, and regular Commander resumes.

These decisions become more significant with each passing round progress, seeming finely tuned.

Growing Outcomes

At the start granted modest, shared advantages for choosing Nice, like gaining life or investigation clues. In contrast, The Naughty paths usually provided more specific benefits, often to the detriment of an opponent. As an example let players choosing Naughty receive a powerful airborne Reindeer token. Those who selected Nice created a 1/1 Toy creature token for each player.

The Climactic Arrival

On the final round, Santa Claus personally showed up, turning the game. According to the tally of each player selected Naughty versus Nice, Santa distributed sealed “gifts”. These looked like deck boxes, but held MTG booster packs worth different amounts.

• The nicest player got a top-tier Collector Booster.
• The second-nicest player received a slightly less valuable Collector Booster.
• One player ended up with a less powerful set.
• The least nice player essentially received coal: a historically poor booster pack acting as a gag.

Every card from these packs immediately became used for the duration, cast from exile with mana considered to be any color. For the nicer participants, their gift became a major advantage. Meanwhile, those who chose Naughty basically received a punitive gift.

Recreating the Format with Friends

Although the video included significant polish and preparation, it's one that any group can adapt at home. Each player uses their standard Commander deck, and the only extra items required are a selection of MTG packs of varying value.

One potential issue could be that if players are aware beforehand what being nice gets you, they all strategize for the most valuable gift. One might mix it up with alternatives, like selecting cards from a shared pool or allowing participants to include specific cards from outside the game.

From how the format played out, Countdown to XT-Mas stands as a festive format to add holiday cheer this holiday season. It complicates the dynamics in the game in a joyous way, creating a unique experience for MTG players in their playgroups.