1. 01 — Purpose & Philosophy
2. 02 — The Power Scale
3. 03 — Scoring Rubric
4. 04 — Game Night
5. 05 — Scoring Integrity
6. 06 — Community Conduct
7. 07 — Spirit of the Format
8. 08 — Counter-Decks & Targeted Strategies
9. 09 — Content Moderation

When decks are wildly mismatched in power, games feel lopsided and frustrating for everyone involved. A player with a Tier 1 casual deck has no meaningful agency against a cEDH build. This framework ensures every player at the table is operating in the same ballpark.

• Decks are rated 0-100 across ten weighted categories.
• When hosting a session, you can set a tier cap so everyone plays in the same ballpark.
• Players can declare their intended deck in the session planner ahead of time — this lets others make informed choices about what to bring.
• Honest self-assessment makes the whole system work better for everyone.

Using Commander Index is entirely optional. You can use it just to log wins and losses without ever scoring a deck. Features like the session planner, deck scoring, and tier enforcement are there for pods that want them — it's up to each pod and its members to decide what they use and how strictly they follow it. The site is a tool, not a rulebook.

Scores are calculated by rating your deck 1-10 in each of the ten categories below, then applying the category weights. Maximum possible score is 100.

Score Calculation: (Category Score x Weight) x 10, summed across all ten categories.

Rate your deck 1-10 in each of the ten categories below. Choose the closest match — if you are genuinely between two scores, round up. When in doubt, ask someone in your pod who has played against the deck.

• When creating a session, the host sets a tier cap for the night.
• Let your pod know ahead of time — communication goes a long way.
• Players may only bring decks at or below the chosen tier cap.

• Add your deck in the Deck Registry via the Deck Builder. Fill in a score, and optionally include a link to an external decklist. A description of your strategy and archetype tags are encouraged.
• Tag your deck with archetypes (e.g. Combo, Stax, Voltron, Tokens) so your pod knows what to expect at a glance.
• Enable public sharing to generate a shareable link — this lets others in your pod see exactly what the deck is running.

• Players who have played against a deck may challenge its score if they believe it is too high or too low.
• A challenge requires a proposed score and a written explanation.
• Other players can weigh in with their own proposed score and reasoning.
• The deck owner can respond to defend their score or update it.
• Only one challenge per deck can be open at a time.

• Be honest. Rate your deck as it actually plays, not as you wish it played.
• If your deck consistently dominates at a given tier, re-evaluate it upward.
• When in doubt, score higher rather than lower.

Comments, challenges, and feature suggestions are all shared spaces. The same sportsmanship that applies at the table applies online.

• Keep all content respectful. No personal attacks, harassment, or discriminatory language.
• An automated content filter blocks prohibited language. If your content is blocked, rephrase it.
• Use the Report button on any content to flag it for admin review.
• Users who accumulate reports may be temporarily muted — unable to post, comment, or create challenges until the restriction expires.
• Admins may dismiss false positives or escalate genuine violations.

• Commander is a social format first. Win gracefully. Lose gracefully.
• Communicate before playing something that might frustrate the table — heavy stax, land destruction, etc.
• Salt and negativity ruin the experience for everyone. Keep it respectful.
• Try different decks at different tiers. Variety keeps the game fresh.
• Have fun. That is the entire point.

A counter-deck is any deck specifically built to shut down, disrupt, or dismantle another player's strategy — examples include heavy stax builds, prison decks, or a list tuned to exploit a specific commander's weaknesses.

• If you are bringing a deck primarily designed to counter another player's strategy or a specific archetype, you must disclose this before the game begins.
• Disclosure means stating your deck's general gameplan and any particularly disruptive elements such as heavy land denial, extra turn packages, or prominent stax pieces.
• You do not need to reveal your full decklist — just enough for other players to make an informed decision about the table dynamic.
• Failure to disclose a counter-deck when asked directly is a breach of pod etiquette.

• Counter-decks are scored using the same rubric as all other decks. Score honestly.
• If your deck is specifically tuned to dismantle one player's commander, consider increasing your Interaction score by 1 to reflect that targeted efficiency.

Commander Index uses both automated filters and community reporting to maintain a healthy environment.

• All user-generated content (comments, challenges, feature suggestions) is checked against an automated content filter before submission.
• Any user can report content they believe violates these policies using the Report button.
• Admins review reports and may dismiss false positives, remove content, or mute repeat offenders.
• Muted users cannot post, comment, or create challenges until the restriction is lifted.
• These policies apply to all areas of the site including challenge reasons, feature suggestions, and profile fields.