I ran my cEDH Ral deck at a "Bracket 3" table and I'm not sorry.

I sit down at a table with some dudes. Ask the brackets they all say 3. So I bring out my Bracket 2 \[\[Niko, Light of Hope\]\].

Seat 1 is \[\[Cloud, Ex-Soldier\]\]

Seat 2 is \[\[Scarlet Witch, Chaotic Avenger\]\]

Seat 3 is \[\[Korvold, Fae-Cursed King\]\]

Me: Niko.

Seats 1 and 3 are fine, even though 3 is playing Korvald, it's not very well constructed and I believe it's a true 3. Same with Cloud.

Wanda on the other hand...

Pregame action: \[\[Gemstone Cavern\]\].

His turn 1: \[\[Lotus Petal\]\] into \[\[Mystic Remora\]\]. \[\[Ancient Tomb\]\] as land for turn. Drops \[\[Rhystic Study\]\].

Turn 1... Bracket 3? Sure buddy. Nice deck stacking.

Next turn he plays his commander and by turn 3 he's chaining together extra combats and extra turns. We decide to scoop and play another game.

I could have pointed out the power level difference between his deck and all of our decks. That probably would have been the right thing to do. But I'm a petty king.

So as they are shuffling up, I bring out my cEDH deck, quietly. \[\[Ral, Monsoon Mage\]\]

He actually got off to a slower start. No turn 1 or 2 insanity.

I went first that game. Turn 3. I won't go into the details of the turn because that would take more characters than is likely allowed for a post on this sub, (If you know how Ral works, you know why I'm not explaining.).

But after a few minutes of Ral things, I flip him, ult him, and Cast him again, flip him, ult him again, and have the pieces to find a win con.

Seats 1 and 3 are loving it. Seat 2 is angry. Talking about how I shouldn't have brought a Bracket 5 deck out for a Bracket 3 Pod, how it's disrespectful and unfair.

I just said "Oh, this is my Bracket 3 deck. You should see my Bracket 5!"

Packed up my things and left.

Seeing Seat 1 and 3 excited that their buddy got a taste of his own medicine removed all doubt for me. I was going to feel a little bad for them, but that was likely the most fun they've ever had playing with Seat 2.

So yeah, I ran a cEDH deck in a "Bracket 3" pod and I'm not sorry.