MTG Commander Pod Generator

A web tool for creating balanced Magic: The Gathering Commander pods based on player power levels and preferences.

Features

• Power Level Matching: Group players by deck power levels (1-10 scale)
• Pod Size Optimization: Choose between balanced pods or optimized pods that avoid groups of 5 players
• Flexible Grouping: Allow friends to stay together
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Quick power level selection with keyboard input
• Range Support: Select power level ranges (e.g., "7-9")
• Drag & Drop: Reorganize pods after generation
• Display Mode: Clean presentation view for showing results
• Real-time Validation: Duplicate name detection and error highlighting

Live Demo

Visit the live version at: https://mrtyton.github.io/Commander-Pods

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/MrTyton/Commander-Pods

Development

Prerequisites

• Node.js (for development and testing)
• npm

Setup

npm install

Building for Production

npm run deploy

This will bundle all TypeScript files into a single script.js file for GitHub Pages.

Testing

npm test                # Run all tests
npm run test:headed     # Run tests with browser visible
npm run test:ui         # Run tests with Playwright UI

Deployment to GitHub Pages

1. Enable GitHub Pages in your repository settings
2. Set source to "Deploy from a branch"
3. Select branch "main" and folder "/ (root)"
4. Run the build command before pushing:

   npm run deploy

5. Commit and push the generated script.js file

The site will be available at https://[your-username].github.io/[repository-name]

Project Structure

├── index.html          # Main HTML file
├── style.css          # Styling
├── script.js          # Bundled JavaScript (generated)
├── src/               # TypeScript source files
│   ├── main.ts        # Entry point
│   ├── ui-manager.ts  # UI interactions
│   ├── pod-generator.ts # Pod generation logic
│   └── ...
└── tests/             # Playwright tests

How to Use

1. Add Players: Enter player names and select their deck power levels
2. Set Groups: Use dropdowns to group players who want to stay together
3. Choose Leniency: Adjust power level matching tolerance
4. Select Pod Optimization: Choose between "Balanced" (default) or "Avoid Pods of 5"
5. Generate Pods: Create balanced groups of 3-4 players
6. Manage Results: Drag and drop to adjust, or use Display Mode for presentation

Pod Size Optimization

The tool offers two pod generation strategies:

Balanced Pods (Default)

• Creates the most balanced distribution possible
• May create pods of 5 players when mathematically optimal
• Works well for all player counts

Avoid Pods of 5

• Prioritizes pods of 3 players over pods of 5
• Only activates when you have 9+ players (mathematical requirement)
• Examples:
  • 10 players: Creates [4,3,3] instead of [5,5]
  • 11 players: Creates [4,4,3] instead of [5,3,3]
  • 13 players: Creates [4,3,3,3] instead of [5,4,4]

Note: For fewer than 9 players, the tool automatically uses balanced optimization since avoiding pods of 5 isn't mathematically possible.

Feedback & Bug Reports

Found a bug or have a feature request? We'd love to hear from you!

• Report Issues: Submit a bug report on GitHub
• Feature Requests: Request a new feature on GitHub
• General Feedback: Use GitHub Issues for any suggestions or improvements

When reporting bugs, please include:

• Steps to reproduce the issue
• Browser and operating system
• Any error messages you see

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Make your changes in the TypeScript files under src/
3. Test your changes with npm test
4. Build for production with npm run deploy
5. Submit a pull request

Support

If you find this tool useful and it helps improve your Commander pod pairings, consider supporting the development:

☕ Support me on Ko-fi

Your support helps keep this project maintained and allows for new features to be added!

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.