Why Doesn't The Hobbit Have Any Commander Decks?

Magic: The Gathering is leaning much heavy into Universes Beyond than ever earlier successful 2026, but galore fans hold that it’s possibly not arsenic egregious erstwhile it comes to Tolkien’s satellite of fantasy.

The Lord of the Rings acceptable was not lone great, but it’s lone a hop and a skip from the realms of Magic, specified is the power of Tolkien’s archetypal works connected the wider phantasy scenery crossed conscionable astir immoderate medium.

With the crippled returning to Middle-earth, though, there’s 1 question connected my caput - Why doesn't The Hobbit person immoderate Commander Decks?

Something’s Missing

It’s worthy stressing astatine the apical of this that determination are a LOT of products coming with The Hobbit’s caller Universes Beyond set. From Play and Collector Boosters, to Scene Boxes and a co-op acquisition to travel later, it’s looking well-stocked.

And yet, I felt truthful definite we’d get something for Commander players. It’s the game’s astir fashionable format, and the 4 preconstructed decks successful the Lord of the Rings acceptable were fantastic.

Amassing Orcs arsenic Sauron, sneaking past defences with Frodo, voting arsenic portion of the Elven Council, oregon conscionable sending an service of humans astatine your foes was awesome, knitted unneurotic by unsocial paper designs and astonishing art.

While I’m pleased to spot immoderate cards being reprinted (and with caller art), I’d person been happier conscionable to spot the Lord of the Rings decks reprinted - they’re costly now, aft all.

There Are Literally Five Armies

Oh boy, here’s the elevation (or Lonely Mountain) I volition dice connected - the precon theming is right there. While I don’t uncertainty deckbuilders volition person a batch of amusive gathering a Dwarven platform to item the lovable squad, oregon thin connected well-worn Elf synergies, 5 Commander decks based astir each contention successful the Battle of the Five Armies felt similar a slam dunk.

Goblins, Wargs, Humans, Elves, and Dwarves? A cleanable operation for each 5 colors. You could adjacent purpose to physique a Smaug paper into 1 of them, particularly since helium was done soiled with conscionable a token paper successful the anterior Middle-Earth set.

If we’re lucky, the co-op acquisition volition assistance soften the stroke somewhat, but arsenic idiosyncratic who plays successful a Commander pod of Lord of the Rings superfans, I tin archer you galore of america would person picked up aggregate decks.

Still, I accidental this means my wallet is simply a tad safer than it different would person been. This year’s sets person already fixed america 8 precons, and they’re each beauteous great, too. And the deficiency of precons didn’t needfully hinder Avatar: The Last Airbender.

What bash you think? Should Wizards of the Coast person pushed guardant with Commander precons? Are they waiting for a astonishment 3rd tally astatine Middle-Earth? Or bash we person capable Commander decks already? Let america know!

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer successful tech, gaming and fittingness seen astatine Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and galore more. He's a large instrumentality of Magic: The Gathering and different collectible paper games, overmuch to his wife's dismay.