Hey friend! As a fellow Magic: The Gathering enthusiast, I know you‘re probably curious about why this beloved format is called EDH. As a long-time player myself, I‘ve done some digging into the history and origins of the name. Let me walk you through what I‘ve uncovered!
Tracing the History Back to the Beginning
As you likely know, EDH stands for Elder Dragon Highlander. But where did this name come from originally? To understand that, we have to go all the way back to 1993 when Richard Garfield first introduced the Highlander format for Magic.
The core Highlander format involved 100 card decks with no duplicates other than basic lands. Garfield chose the name Highlander as a reference to the catchphrase "There can be only one" from the popular Highlander film and TV series.
So in the original Highlander format, the name stemmed from the idea that like in the films where only one immortal Highlander could prevail, only one copy of each non-basic land card was permitted in the deck.
The Birth of Elder Dragon Highlander
Flash forward to 1996, when a playgroup led by Adam Staley in Virginia built upon the original Highlander format to create Elder Dragon Highlander.
Staley specifically designed a Highlander deck led by the iconic elder dragon Nicol Bolas. And thus, by using elder dragons as commanders, the Elder Dragon Highlander format was born!
Interestingly, prior to this in 1995, some players in Alaska including Brian Weissman had experimented with elder dragon legends from Legends as commanders in their Highlander decks.
But Staley seems to have taken it a step further by actively originating and promoting the format that would come to be known as EDH.
Gaining Popularity and a New Name
Over the next decade and a half, Elder Dragon Highlander quietly grew through grassroots player adoption. Then in 2011, Wizards of the Coast officially codified rules for the format and rebranded it as Commander.
However, despite the new Commander name, many players continued referring to the format as EDH, sticking to the original player-created moniker.
Nowadays, EDH and Commander are used interchangeably within the Magic community. Commander is considered the official name for the format used by Wizards of the Coast. But EDH still pays homage to the player-driven origins of the format.
So Why Use Elder Dragons Specifically?
You may be wondering why elder dragons specifically were chosen as the original commander options for the format.
There are a few key reasons driving this choice:
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Nostalgia – Elder dragons have a cherished place in early Magic history as the most iconic and powerful legends from the beginning. Choosing them as commanders called back to the roots of the game.
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Flavor – Elder dragons represent ancient, mighty creatures leading their magical clans. This fits the theme of them commanding a customized 100 card Highlander army.
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Color Identity – Every elder dragon has a mono or dual color identity, allowing them to helm both single and multicolor commander decks.
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Sparse Availability – Since elder dragons were released primarily in the Legends set, not every deck could simply run the most optimal commander. This promoted creative deckbuilding.
So in summary, elder dragons made ideal figurehead commanders in the format that would become EDH due to their nostalgic significance, resonant flavor, color identities, and limited availability.
Key Milestones in the History of EDH
Let‘s recap some of the major milestones in the origins and evolution of EDH:
- 1993 – Richard Garfield introduces the original Highlander format
- 1995 – Alaska playgroup experiments with elder dragons as commanders
- 1996 – Adam Staley pioneers the Elder Dragon Highlander format
- Early 2000s – EDH slowly spreads through casual player adoption
- 2011 – Wizards commissions official rules and rebrands as Commander
- Present – EDH and Commander are used interchangeably
Comparing EDH and Commander Deck Construction
Since EDH and Commander are in essence the same format, their deck construction rules are identical:
- Exactly 100 cards including commander
- Singleton – only 1 copy of each card besides basic lands
- Commander‘s color identity determines color restrictions
The only difference is that Commander now allows any legendary creature to be your commander, rather than just elder dragons.
Let‘s compare deck-building in a table:
| Rule | EDH | Commander |
|---|---|---|
| Deck Size | 100 cards | 100 cards |
| Commander | Elder dragon legend | Any legendary creature |
| Singleton | Yes | Yes |
| Color Identity | Matches commander | Matches commander |
As you can see, Commander simply expanded the possible commander options while retaining the core Highlander EDH formula.
The Enduring Legacy of EDH
Despite rules changes and a new official name from Wizards, EDH continues to be closely tied to its origins within the Commander format.
The player community keeps the original EDH spirit alive by:
- Referring to it endearingly as EDH in articles, forums, and gameplay
- Allowing elder dragons as commanders in Commander games
- Designing elder dragon-themed Commander products
- Promoting social, casual play in line with EDH roots
For many, EDH represents the organic grassroots origins of Commander. Even as Wizards has put its own stamp on the format, EDH persists as a term of tradition and respect for those player innovators who shaped the genesis of Commander.
So in summary my friend, I hope this journey through the history and meaning of EDH has helped shed some light on this beloved format‘s origins! Let me know if you have any other questions – like true Magic enthusiasts, we could talk Commander all day long!
