MTG > Tools > Commander deck Power level calculator

What is power level in Commander?

Power level (PL) is a grade given to decks to understand how optimize they are with the goal to win. The grade range from 1 to 10, being 1 the least optmized and 10 the most optimized. As commander can be a casual to a competitive format, it was needed to divide the current format in tiers so players can find the perfect table for them to have fun.

In theory, tables should have decks with similar power level. In a table with 4 decks, two with PL 5 and two with PL 6, they could compete, although the PL 6 has a small advantage.

How do you determine the power level of a Commander deck?

The most-powerful decks in the format are rated 9-10. Every card is hyper-efficient, and consistency is almost on a card-for-card basis. After that you have the grades 7-8, those are decks with a specific, consistent gameplan, with nearly-perfect land bases. Then you have the 5-6 power level, usually an upgraded version of a precon or a deck with a plan. In the bottom of this chain, there are the power level 3-4 decks, normally precons with basic strategy. Lastly, grades 1-2 are random pile of cards, generally limited power, or decks that can only function when the Commander is in play.

What does EDH stand for?

EDH stands for Elder Dragon Highlander. When Commander was first conceived, it had those words for its name. The ideia was the same of the movie Highlander, where you can only have one, that's why you can only have 1 card of each in your deck. The first gameplay could only have Elder Dragons as Commander, later on the rule changed to permit any legendary creature.

What is cEDH?

CEDH or cEDH is an abbreviation meaning “Competitive Elder Dragon Highlander.” In essence, it's just Commander where everyone plays with the best decks out there and tries as hard as possible to win. With the increasing power level of newer commanders, more and more people are getting into the format.

What power level is cEDH?

cEDH is the top of competitive play and that's why all the decks are well optimized. In another word, cEDH generally means that your deck has a power level of 9 to 10.