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Already regarded as Magic: The Gathering's friendliest format, the Elder Dragon Highlander format is getting a festive twist just in time for the end of the year. In a recent show, hosts Josh Lee Kwai and Jimmy Wong showcased a four-player match called "Holiday Countdown."

How the Holiday Variant Function

The basic idea is a straightforward layer added on top of a regular Commander game. One special token travels between players. When it the active player's turn, the action temporarily stops. All gamers privately decides if they will be being Naughty or Nice by using choice cards.

All players flip their card at the same time. They then apply the consequence linked to their decision, beginning with the player who has the token. This marker then gets passed to the next player. The countdown advances a single increment, and regular Commander continues.

These decisions do escalate over time go on, seeming finely tuned.

Escalating Outcomes

At the start provided minor, collective boons for choosing Nice, like life gain or investigation clues. In contrast, Naughty choices often gave more specific upsides, often at the expense of another player. As an example allowed players who picked Naughty get a 4/4 flying Reindeer token. Players that selected Nice made a 1/1 Toy token creature for all participants.

The Grand Showdown

When the final round, Santa Claus personally showed up, changing the experience. Based on how often each player selected Naughty versus Nice, Santa distributed mystery presents. These looked like small containers, but held MTG booster packs worth different amounts.

• The nicest player received a high-value Collector Booster.
• The next kindest player opened a another type of Collector Booster.
• A special guest received a older booster pack.
• The very naughty player essentially received coal: a famously bad set that's essentially a joke.

All cards opened instantly were used for the remainder of the match, played from outside the game using mana considered to be any color. The kinder players, their present wound up being a major advantage. Whereas, those who chose Naughty were given a disadvantage.

Playing the Variant at Home

Although the video included significant production value, it's one that anybody could easily replicate at home. Each player plays with their standard Commander deck, and the only extra items required would be several booster packs of varying value.

One potential drawback is that if players are aware beforehand what being nice gets you, players might try to get the best booster pack. You could change this with alternatives, for example drafting cards from a communal pile or letting players use specific cards from their binders.

Judging by the entertaining match, this holiday variant stands as a fun format to add holiday cheer when playing with friends. It adds a layer to the strategy at the table in a joyous manner, creating a special experience for Magic enthusiasts in their playgroups.