diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestCommander.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestCommander.java
index a04f855d0a7..943ceaac233 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestCommander.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestCommander.java
@@ -4,17 +4,20 @@ import forge.deck.Deck;
 import forge.deck.generation.DeckGenPool;
 import forge.item.InventoryItem;
 import forge.item.PaperCard;
+import forge.model.FModel;
 import forge.planarconquest.ConquestPlane.Region;
+import forge.util.XmlReader;
 import forge.util.XmlWriter;
 import forge.util.XmlWriter.IXmlWritable;
 
 public class ConquestCommander implements InventoryItem, IXmlWritable {
     private final PaperCard card;
-    private final Deck deck;
     private final ConquestRecord record;
     private final ConquestPlane originPlane;
     private final String originRegionName;
 
+    private Deck deck;
+
     public ConquestCommander(PaperCard card0) {
         this(card0, new Deck(card0.getName()));
     }
@@ -22,9 +25,12 @@ public class ConquestCommander implements InventoryItem, IXmlWritable {
         this(card0, ConquestUtil.generateDeck(card0, cardPool0, forAi));
     }
     private ConquestCommander(PaperCard card0, Deck deck0) {
+        this(card0, deck0, new ConquestRecord());
+    }
+    private ConquestCommander(PaperCard card0, Deck deck0, ConquestRecord record0) {
         card = card0;
         deck = deck0;
-        record = new ConquestRecord();
+        record = record0;
 
         //determine origin of commander
         ConquestPlane originPlane0 = null;
@@ -45,6 +51,15 @@ public class ConquestCommander implements InventoryItem, IXmlWritable {
         originRegionName = originRegionName0;
     }
 
+    public ConquestCommander(XmlReader xml) {
+        this(xml.read("card", FModel.getMagicDb().getCommonCards()), null, xml.read("record", ConquestRecord.class));
+    }
+    @Override
+    public void saveToXml(XmlWriter xml) {
+        xml.write("card", card);
+        xml.write("record", record);
+    }
+
     public String getName() {
         return card.getName();
     }
@@ -66,6 +81,12 @@ public class ConquestCommander implements InventoryItem, IXmlWritable {
     }
 
     public Deck getDeck() {
+        if (deck == null) { //if deck not yet initialized, attempt to load deck file
+            deck = FModel.getConquest().getDecks().get(card.getName());
+            if (deck == null) {
+                deck = new Deck(card.getName());
+            }
+        }
         return deck;
     }
 
@@ -95,10 +116,4 @@ public class ConquestCommander implements InventoryItem, IXmlWritable {
     public String toString() {
         return card.getName();
     }
-
-    @Override
-    public void saveToXml(XmlWriter xml) {
-        xml.write("card", card);
-        xml.write("record", record);
-    }
 }
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestData.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestData.java
index b487f290bd0..968f60f381f 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestData.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestData.java
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ public final class ConquestData {
         try {
             XmlReader xml = new XmlReader(xmlFilename);
             CardDb cardDb = FModel.getMagicDb().getCommonCards();
-            planeswalker = xml.read("planeswalker", planeswalker, cardDb);
+            planeswalker = xml.read("planeswalker", cardDb);
             aetherShards = xml.read("aetherShards", aetherShards);
-            currentLocation = xml.read("currentLocation", currentLocation, ConquestLocation.class);
+            currentLocation = xml.read("currentLocation", ConquestLocation.class);
             xml.read("unlockedCards", unlockedCards, cardDb);
             xml.read("newCards", newCards, cardDb);
             xml.read("commanders", commanders, ConquestCommander.class);
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestLocation.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestLocation.java
index ff181c317e2..18d3501cd2f 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestLocation.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestLocation.java
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ public class ConquestLocation implements IXmlWritable {
     }
 
     public ConquestLocation(XmlReader xml) {
-        plane = xml.read("plane", ConquestPlane.class);
+        plane = xml.read("plane", ConquestPlane.Alara);
         regionIndex = xml.read("regionIndex", 0);
         row = xml.read("row", 0);
         col = xml.read("col", 0);
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestPlaneData.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestPlaneData.java
index 2adc7400d97..d1ce811f293 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestPlaneData.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/planarconquest/ConquestPlaneData.java
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ public class ConquestPlaneData implements IXmlWritable {
     }
 
     public ConquestPlaneData(XmlReader xml) {
-        plane = xml.read("plane", ConquestPlane.class);
+        plane = xml.read("plane", ConquestPlane.Alara);
         eventResults = new ConquestRecord[plane.getEventCount()];
         xml.read("eventResults", eventResults, ConquestRecord.class);
     }
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/util/XmlReader.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/util/XmlReader.java
index b0ba4585508..55050b99077 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/util/XmlReader.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/util/XmlReader.java
@@ -37,12 +37,6 @@ public class XmlReader {
         }
         return defaultValue;
     }
-    public <E extends Enum<E>> E read(String key, Class<E> enumType) {
-        if (currentElement.hasAttribute(key)) {
-            return Enum.valueOf(enumType, currentElement.getAttribute(key));
-        }
-        return null;
-    }
     public int read(String key, int defaultValue) {
         if (currentElement.hasAttribute(key)) {
             return Integer.parseInt(currentElement.getAttribute(key));
@@ -61,26 +55,26 @@ public class XmlReader {
         }
         return defaultValue;
     }
-    public PaperCard read(String key, PaperCard defaultValue, CardDb cardDb) {
+    public PaperCard read(String key, CardDb cardDb) {
         paperCardBuilder.setup(this, cardDb);
-        return read(key, defaultValue, paperCardBuilder);
+        return parseChildElements(key, paperCardBuilder);
     }
     public <T extends Collection<PaperCard>> void read(String key, T collectionToLoad, CardDb cardDb) {
         paperCardBuilder.setup(this, cardDb);
-        read(key, collectionToLoad, null, paperCardBuilder);
+        parseChildElements(key, collectionToLoad, null, paperCardBuilder);
     }
     public <T extends Collection<PaperCard>> T read(String key, Class<T> collectionType, CardDb cardDb) {
         paperCardBuilder.setup(this, cardDb);
-        return read(key, null, collectionType, paperCardBuilder);
+        return parseChildElements(key, null, collectionType, paperCardBuilder);
     }
-    public <T extends IXmlWritable> T read(String key, T defaultValue, Class<T> type) {
-        return read(key, defaultValue, new GenericBuilder<T>(type));
+    public <T extends IXmlWritable> T read(String key, Class<T> type) {
+        return parseChildElements(key, new GenericBuilder<T>(type));
     }
     public <V extends IXmlWritable, T extends Collection<V>> void read(String key, T collectionToLoad, Class<V> elementType) {
-        read(key, collectionToLoad, null, new GenericBuilder<V>(elementType));
+        parseChildElements(key, collectionToLoad, null, new GenericBuilder<V>(elementType));
     }
     public <V extends IXmlWritable, T extends Collection<V>> T read(String key, Class<T> collectionType, Class<V> elementType) {
-        return read(key, null, collectionType, new GenericBuilder<V>(elementType));
+        return parseChildElements(key, null, collectionType, new GenericBuilder<V>(elementType));
     }
     public <V extends IXmlWritable> void read(final String key, final V[] array, final Class<V> elementType) {
         parseChildElements(key, new Evaluator<Void>() {
@@ -135,16 +129,28 @@ public class XmlReader {
 
     /* Private helper methods */
 
-    private <T> T read(String key, T defaultValue, final Evaluator<T> builder) {
-        T result = parseChildElements(key, builder);
-        if (result == null) {
-            result = defaultValue;
+    private <T> T parseChildElements(String findKey, Evaluator<T> handler) {
+        Element parentElement = currentElement;
+        NodeList childNodes = currentElement.getChildNodes();
+        for (int i = 0; i < childNodes.getLength(); i++) {
+            Node node = childNodes.item(i);
+            if (node instanceof Element) {
+                Element element = (Element)node;
+                if (findKey == null || element.getTagName().equals(findKey)) {
+                    currentElement = (Element)node;
+                    T result = handler.evaluate();
+                    currentElement = parentElement;
+                    if (findKey != null) {
+                        return result;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
         }
-        return result;
+        return null;
     }
 
-    private <V, T extends Collection<V>> T read(String key, final T collectionToLoad, final Class<T> collectionType, final Evaluator<V> builder) {
-        return read(key, collectionToLoad, new Evaluator<T>() {
+    private <V, T extends Collection<V>> T parseChildElements(String key, final T collectionToLoad, final Class<T> collectionType, final Evaluator<V> builder) {
+        T result = parseChildElements(key, new Evaluator<T>() {
             @Override
             public T evaluate() {
                 final T result;
@@ -173,26 +179,10 @@ public class XmlReader {
                 return result;
             }
         });
-    }
-
-    private <T> T parseChildElements(String findKey, Evaluator<T> handler) {
-        Element parentElement = currentElement;
-        NodeList childNodes = currentElement.getChildNodes();
-        for (int i = 0; i < childNodes.getLength(); i++) {
-            Node node = childNodes.item(i);
-            if (node instanceof Element) {
-                Element element = (Element)node;
-                if (findKey == null || element.getTagName().equals(findKey)) {
-                    currentElement = (Element)node;
-                    T result = handler.evaluate();
-                    currentElement = parentElement;
-                    if (findKey != null) {
-                        return result;
-                    }
-                }
-            }
+        if (result == null) {
+            result = collectionToLoad;
         }
-        return null;
+        return result;
     }
 
     private static final PaperCardBuilder paperCardBuilder = new PaperCardBuilder();