Magic: The Gathering's return to Middle-earth with The Hobbit set is shaping up to be a major release, packed with Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Scene Boxes, and a cooperative experience on the horizon. Yet one notable absence is already drawing criticism from the Commander community: there are no preconstructed Commander decks.
This omission stings, particularly given how well the previous Lord of the Rings set handled the format. Those four precons were universally praised, offering thematic gameplay around Sauron's Orc army, Frodo's sneaking strategy, Elven Council voting mechanics, and a straightforward human beatdown approach. The cards were inventive, the art was stellar, and the decks provided a solid entry point for players eager to build around Middle-earth characters and concepts.
Reprinting those original decks with fresh artwork would have been a reasonable alternative, given that prices on the originals have climbed since their release. The Commander format remains Magic's most popular casual play style by a significant margin, making the absence particularly puzzling to longtime players.
The Five Armies Problem
The thematic foundation for Commander decks practically writes itself. The Battle of the Five Armies presents an obvious framework for five distinct precons, each representing one of the combatant races. Goblins, Wargs, Humans, Elves, and Dwarves align naturally with Magic's five colors, creating a cohesive product line that appeals to both casual players and set collectors.
Building Smaug into one of these decks would have been a welcome improvement over his treatment in the earlier Middle-earth release, where he appeared only as a token card. A full precon dedicated to the dragon would have felt thematic and opened genuine deckbuilding possibilities for players interested in the character.
For Commander enthusiasts who are also Tolkien superfans, multiple precons felt like an inevitable purchase. Without them, the calculus changes entirely.
The co-op experience mentioned for later release may help address some of this gap, though it's unlikely to satisfy players specifically looking for Commander decks. The format thrives on preconstructed products as a gateway and on reprints that refresh existing archetypes with new art and mechanics.
Setting aside what could have been, The Hobbit set is still landing with substantial product diversity. 2026 has already delivered eight precons across various Magic releases, all reportedly solid in quality. The Avatar: The Last Airbender set also launched successfully without Commander decks, suggesting the format can survive without them, even if fans prefer them.
Whether Wizards of the Coast is banking on a third Middle-earth release or simply pivoting strategy around Commander products remains unclear. For now, players eyeing The Hobbit will do so with a lighter wallet than they might have anticipated.
Author Emily Chen: "Five armies, five colors, and somehow five total zero Commander decks is a missed opportunity that's hard to defend, even with an otherwise packed product slate."
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