Magic the Gathering Interview: Jacob 'Bad Dog' Lerner Shares His Controversial Past, Hopes for the Commander Community

gamerant.com:

One of the most remarkable things about Richard Garfield'sMagic The Gathering is the game's versatility. The card game can be played in a variety of officially sanctioned formats, featuring their own rules and evolving lists of banned cards. Currently, the most popular permutation of Magic the Gathering is an unofficial format known as Commander, or Elder Dragon Highlander (EDH). This four-player, 100-card format is a favorite for casual play, but a competitive scene with tournaments and highly technical decks is steadily growing among players like Jacob «Bad Dog» Lerner.

Game Rant spoke with Lerner, a veteran theory crafter and serious tournament competitor, about his experiences in Southern California's EDH/Commander community, his concerns about the format, and his hopes for its future. Interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

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Q: Briefly introduce yourself by telling us which Magic: The Gathering color you resonate with most strongly.

A: Oh boy. My real name is Jacob Lerner, I play by the gamertag Bad Dog, and I think the Magic Color I most identify with is Red: the color for freedom. I should probably warn you right off the bat, I don’t know if you could pick a more controversial player in the entire format to interview.

Q: When did you first get involved with competitive Elder Dragon Highlanderand Commander?

A: I’ve been playing EDH since before competitive EDH existed. I saw the format start, lurked it in its earliest stages, and I unofficially joined the community in about 2014 and officially joined in late-2015 to early-2016.

Q: What organizations and tournaments have you been affiliated with, and what are some of your other credentials in