Summary of "Is It Worth It To Buy A Doctor Who Commander Deck? | A Magic: The Gathering Product Review"

Doctor Who Commander Decks (Magic: The Gathering Universes Beyond) Review

Main Features

Four standalone 100-card Commander decks themed around the 60-year-old Doctor Who series.
Each deck includes:
- 50 brand new card designs (nearly 200 new cards across all decks).
- 10 original Plane Chase cards.
- Two premium foil cards.
- A planar die, double-sided tokens, a cardboard life wheel, and a collector booster sample pack.
The complete Doctor Who card set is contained within these four decks; collector boosters only offer alternate art and foil versions.
High number of new legendary creatures with partner mechanics (Doctor and Companion), allowing many commander combinations.
Extensive reprints of valuable and sought-after cards such as Horizon Canopy, Snuff Out, Carpet of Flowers, the Talisman cycle, and Creeping Tar Pit.
The decks function more like a mini Magic set than typical Commander precons.
Flavor and mechanics strongly capture the essence of Doctor Who characters and stories, reflecting passionate design work.

Pros

Exceptional Value: Despite retail prices around $50 (recommended buy price), each deck contains high-value cards and 50 new card designs—more than any previous Commander precon.
Flavorful and Thematic: Deeply faithful to Doctor Who lore, with mechanics reflecting characters and episodes.
Innovative Gameplay Options: Many legendary creatures and partner combinations provide unique deck-building opportunities.
Excellent Reprints: Inclusion of many staple and valuable cards helps reduce overall deck-building costs.
Complete Set: Buying all four decks gives you every Doctor Who card; no need to chase collector boosters unless for art or foil.
Good for Established Players: Offers creative new cards and mechanics that can be integrated into existing decks or inspire new builds.

Cons

Price Markups: Initial retail prices on some platforms (especially Amazon) are inflated up to $65–$75; advised to avoid markups and shop around for $50 or less.
Deck Cohesion: Due to many distinct legendary cards per deck, the out-of-the-box decks may feel less cohesive or streamlined for new players.
Not Ideal for Beginners: Complexity and the number of new mechanics may overwhelm brand-new Commander players.
Collector Booster Packs: Seen as unnecessary unless for art or foil collectors; no exclusive cards beyond the decks.

User Experience & Gameplay

Playing the decks as-is is fun but can feel disjointed due to multiple legendary commanders with distinct mechanics.
Best used as a source of new cards for custom deck building or to enhance existing decks.
The product is more of a “complete mini set” delivered via Commander precons rather than traditional precon decks.
Flavor and design quality are highly praised, especially for fans of Doctor Who.
Gameplay videos (such as the Game Nights series) showcase precon vs. precon matches and custom builds.

Comparisons

Compared to previous Universes Beyond Commander products like Warhammer 40K and Lord of the Rings decks, Doctor Who decks offer more new card designs and higher overall card value.
Similar in concept to March of the Machine decks but with more new cards and Plane Chase cards.
Value and card quantity exceed typical Commander precons historically.

Financial Analysis

Estimated $50 per deck is the fair price; avoid paying $60+ markups.
Total singles value at pre-release prices is high ($244 to $293 per deck), though prices will drop post-release.
Many cards worth $2+ included, indicating strong value beyond bulk filler.
High-value reprints and new cards justify the price for collectors and players alike.

Verdict / Overall Recommendation

The Doctor Who Commander decks are a home run and represent a new kind of Commander product—essentially a mini Magic set packaged as four Commander decks. They excel in flavor, design quality, and value, making them highly recommended for established Commander players and Doctor Who fans.

The decks offer unique new cards and mechanics that expand the format creatively. However, buyers should avoid inflated prices and seek the decks at or near the $50 retail price. Not ideal as a first Commander deck due to complexity and deck cohesion issues, but excellent as a source of new cards and innovative gameplay ideas.

Grade: Solid enthusiastic A

Additional Notes from Different Perspectives

The reviewer emphasizes the importance of price shopping and warns against Amazon markups.
The product is praised for its sustainability in packaging and reprints but criticized for collector booster marketing.
The flavor and design team’s passion for Doctor Who and Magic is highlighted as a major plus.
Gameplay experience varies depending on whether decks are played as-is or customized.
The product is positioned as a must-have for fans and a clever addition for Commander players looking for fresh cards and mechanics.

Summary

If you love Magic Commander and Doctor Who, these decks are worth buying—especially if you can get them at or below $50 each. They provide a wealth of new cards, flavorful mechanics, and valuable reprints that make them stand out among Commander precons. Avoid paying inflated prices and consider the decks as a toolkit for building unique Commander decks rather than purely playing them out of the box.