TLDR
MTG The Hobbit proxies are a strong way to test Middle-earth cards before rebuilding Commander decks around Bilbo, Gandalf, Dwarves, Smaug or artifact treasure themes.
Start with legendary creatures, support cards, lands, artifact payoffs and cards that fit existing Lord of the Rings Commander decks.
The best early shells are likely to be Dwarf decks, treasure and artifact decks, food or Shire-style value decks, Dragon decks and story-driven Commander builds.
Keep the first test batch focused. A small proxy package will teach you more than a giant pile of every preview card.
Back To Middle-Earth, This Time With More Breakfast
The first Magic trip to Middle-earth gave Commander players a lot to chew on. The One Ring, Orcish Bowmasters, Nazgûl decks, Food engines, Halflings, legends and a pile of flavorful build-arounds all found homes somewhere. Some were format staples. Some were pet cards. Some were both, which is the best kind of Commander card.
Now Magic is going back with The Hobbit, and the deckbuilding energy is different. This is not just “more Lord of the Rings.” It is Bilbo, Gandalf, the Dwarves, the Lonely Mountain, Riddles in the Dark, Trolls and Smaug. That means MTG The Hobbit proxies should be especially useful for Commander players who care about theme but still want the deck to function.
That balance matters. A Hobbit deck can look incredible on the table and still stumble if the curve is wrong, the payoff cards are too narrow or the deck draws only legendary creatures and no interaction. Proxies let you test the exciting cards in a real Commander shell before deciding what deserves a permanent spot.
And with a set like this, there will be a lot of emotional deckbuilding. That is not a bad thing. It is probably the whole point. But even a very charming Bilbo deck still needs to survive a turn cycle.
Start With Legendary Creatures And Existing Middle-Earth Decks
The cleanest place to start is legendary creatures. The Hobbit is built around iconic characters, and Commander players naturally want commanders that feel like the story.
Bilbo is the obvious first watchlist card. A good Bilbo commander could support Food, treasures, small creatures, party-style gameplay, value engines or some kind of “unlikely hero” mechanic. The details matter, but the deckbuilding question is simple: does Bilbo create a real engine, or is he mostly there for flavor?
Gandalf is another automatic test candidate. Magic already has several Gandalf cards, and new versions could support spells, artifacts, legendary matters or big splashy effects. Gandalf cards tend to attract players who enjoy doing a lot of things in one turn, preferably while explaining all of them. Commander tables are used to this. Mostly.
The Dwarves are likely to be one of the most important deckbuilding groups. Thorin, the Company and Lonely Mountain treasure themes could point toward red-white, red-green, Mardu or other artifact-heavy builds depending on the card designs. Dwarf decks also tend to want a mix of aggressive creatures, equipment, treasures and anthem effects. That makes them perfect proxy candidates because the correct balance is not obvious from the card list alone.
Then there is Smaug. Dragon players will be watching closely. A Smaug card can go in Dragon tribal, treasure decks, sacrifice decks, big mana decks or a dedicated villain-style Commander shell. The important question is not “Is Smaug cool?” That one is free. The question is “Does Smaug help the deck win, or does he sit in hand while everyone else plays Magic?”
That is what testing is for.
The First Deck Shells I Would Test
The best use of MTG The Hobbit proxies is not to copy every preview card into one giant Middle-earth pile. Start with shells that already have support.
The first shell is Dwarves and treasure. The Hobbit story naturally points toward treasure, artifacts and a company of small-to-mid-sized creatures. For Commander, that likely means cards that make treasures, cards that spend treasures well and cards that reward artifacts entering or leaving the battlefield. Testing matters here because treasure decks can accidentally become all setup and no payoff.
The second shell is Food and Shire value. The Shire has already been tied to Food, Halflings and slower value gameplay in Magic. A Hobbit-focused deck may want lifegain, artifact tokens, small creatures and incremental card advantage. These decks are fun when the pieces overlap. They are miserable when the payoff cards each ask for slightly different things. Proxy the package first and see which version actually hums.
The third shell is Dragon and treasure ramp. Smaug is the headline here. Dragon decks already need a lot of mana, so new treasure support could matter. But big Dragon decks have a familiar problem: too many six-drops, not enough early plays. A good Hobbit proxy test should include the boring cards too. Ramp, draw and removal are what let the giant dragon cards matter.
The fourth shell is legends matter. Middle-earth sets are packed with named characters, and Commander has plenty of cards that reward legendary creatures. A legends deck can support Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin, Bard, Elrond-style characters and whatever other names show up in previews. The danger is that legends-matter decks can become a binder page instead of a deck. Test the engine, not just the cast list.
The fifth shell is story cube or battle box. Not every Hobbit card needs to go into Commander. Some of the best use cases may be cubes, themed draft nights or casual battle boxes where players want the Middle-earth feel without chasing every expensive card. Proxies are great for that because you can tune the experience around the table instead of around card availability.
Watch For Cards That Fit Older Lord Of The Rings Decks
One of the best reasons to proxy The Hobbit cards is that many players already have Lord of the Rings Commander decks. A new Hobbit card does not need to become a new commander to matter. It might simply upgrade a deck you already own.
Look at existing decks first:
Food decks may want new Shire pieces.
Legendary decks may want new named characters.
Orc, Goblin or Troll decks may get new support.
Artifact decks may want treasure or equipment pieces.
Dragon decks may want Smaug or cards tied to the Lonely Mountain.
Spells decks may want Gandalf-style interaction.
This is where a small proxy batch shines. Instead of building five new decks, test three to five new cards in each existing deck. That gives better information. A card that looks medium in a new pile may be excellent in an established Commander deck with the right support.
The reverse is also true. A card can look amazing in isolation but fail to improve any deck you actually play. That is not a bad card. It just might not be your card.
This is also why lands and mana pieces deserve attention. Special lands, artifact lands, utility lands or color-fixing pieces from The Hobbit may end up mattering more than the flashier preview cards. Commander decks are usually improved by better mana long before they are improved by another seven-mana dragon.
Sad, but true.
How To Build A Hobbit Proxy Test Package
A good first package should be small enough to learn from.
For a Bilbo or Shire deck, start with the commander, 5 to 8 Food or value pieces, 2 to 3 protection cards and a few payoffs.
For a Dwarf deck, test the commander, 8 to 12 Dwarves or treasure pieces and the best anthem or equipment support.
For a Smaug deck, test Smaug, 5 to 8 ramp or treasure support cards, a few Dragon payoffs and enough interaction to avoid goldfishing.
For an existing Lord of the Rings deck, test only the new upgrades. Five cards per deck is plenty at first.
For a cube, test cards by role: build-around, removal, fixing, finisher, synergy piece and story card.
The most useful test question is not “Did I win?” Commander is too chaotic for that. Ask better questions:
Did this card matter when I drew it?
Was the mana cost reasonable?
Did the card work without perfect setup?
Did it help from behind?
Did I want to draw it twice?
Would I cut a real card for it?
That last question is the whole thing. Every new Hobbit card is competing with cards you already know work. Flavor gets the card in the door. Gameplay keeps it in the deck.
Collector Appeal Vs Deck Utility
The Hobbit also has a clear collector angle. Book cover cards, seasonal Hobbit basic lands, scene boxes and Middle-earth art treatments are going to appeal to people who love the setting as much as the game. That is a real part of the set’s charm.
But collectors and deckbuilders make different decisions.
A beautiful version of a card may be perfect for a binder, display shelf or themed deck. A mechanically strong version of a card may be the one that actually changes your Commander list. Sometimes those overlap. Sometimes they do not.
When testing proxies, focus on deck utility first. Does the card make your games better? Does it support the commander? Does it create interesting decisions? Does it make the deck more consistent?
Then decide which cards deserve fancy versions, alternate treatments or long-term homes.
That approach saves money, but it also makes your decks better. You can still build a flavorful Hobbit deck. You just end up with one that plays well instead of one that politely recreates the plot before dying to a precombat Cyclonic Rift.
What To Test First
My first MTG The Hobbit proxies would be:
Bilbo and any related Shire or Food support.
Gandalf cards that support spells, artifacts or value engines.
Thorin, Dwarf and treasure cards.
Smaug and any Lonely Mountain treasure payoffs.
Utility lands, special basics or mana pieces that improve existing decks.
Cards that upgrade older Lord of the Rings Commander decks.
That list gives you the widest useful test range. It covers new commanders, existing decks, flavor decks and mechanical upgrades.
As more previews arrive, update the proxy list around actual deck roles. Do not order cards just because they are famous characters. Order the ones that make your games better.
Except Smaug. Everyone gets one emotional dragon pick.
FAQs
Are MTG The Hobbit Proxies Good For Commander?
Yes. They are especially useful for testing new commanders, Middle-earth upgrades, Dwarf decks, Food decks, treasure shells and Dragon cards before changing a full Commander list.
Which Hobbit Cards Should I Proxy First?
Start with legendary creatures, build-around cards, mana pieces and cards that fit decks you already play. Bilbo, Gandalf, Dwarves and Smaug-related cards are natural first targets.
Should I Build A Full Hobbit Commander Deck?
A full Hobbit deck can be great, but a focused proxy package is usually better at first. Test the commander and key support cards before filling the deck with every flavorful card.
Will The Hobbit Cards Work With Older Lord Of The Rings Cards?
Many of them likely will, especially cards tied to Food, legends, artifacts, treasure, creatures and Middle-earth themes. Existing Lord of the Rings Commander decks are a good place to test upgrades.
Are The Hobbit Lands Worth Testing?
Yes. Lands and mana pieces are easy to underrate. Any useful utility land, themed fixing or special mana support should be tested early because mana improvements affect every game.