Maybe your deck just isn’t quite as strong as you think it is. Or maybe there’s a specific card that you need to take out. Maybe your deck is way too strong and your friends don’t like playing against it.

The mana resource system is one of the greatest things about Magic as a whole. Making a land drop every turn is step one, but in Commander, "ramping" is the name of the game. The more mana you have, the more you can do with the rest of your cards.

thoughts on “How to Build Your First Commander Deck”

We also host The Bolt Zone podcast with advice for competitive players. When we cast lots of spells, we might as well try going all out. This will be combos edh one of our major ways to get ahead and possibly win. Given our aim was mid-power there is no flat-out storm combo here, just some storm pieces that could give us some value. These are some of my favorite ways in this style of a deck to get in damage.

Understanding how cards work together helps players make smart moves in games. It lets them use strategies well and react effectively. Ensuring cards work well together makes a Commander deck stronger.

There are great budget options too that can be more balanced than broken if you care more about balance in the playgroup. It all depends on the way you like to play, but either way, tutors are they way to higher power and competitive gaming. Managing the mana curve is a vital aspect of the rule of thumb for Commander deck building. A good deck thinks about how much mana each card needs to cast spells smoothly during the whole game.

When choosing a commander, consider how its abilities interact with the rest of your deck. The not synergizing commander may create a disjointed and ineffective deck. The need for bombs in a Commander deck is debatable and varies widely. Many decks can play perfectly without them, so you can't say bombs are as mandatory as removals or draws. But the fact is that most decks use them as their main winconditions. The most relevant and basic functions of the Commander format are described below.

But what I have is little experience with commander deck design, so I'm looking for are the most generic "rules of thumb" in deck design, and then obviously deviate from there. If you're new to MTG, the best way to get started is by purchasing a pre-made deck or a starter kit. It will come with everything you need to start playing.

Does the first player draw in commander 1v1?

Optimizing a Commander deck requires staying flexible, continuously refining the deck, considering budget constraints, and playtesting regularly to ensure its effectiveness. One of the fundamental steps in building a Commander deck is defining its strategy and theme. Players should consider the strengths of their Commander, synergistic card combinations, and preferred playstyle when defining the deck’s strategy and theme.

Unless you're running a straight-forward battle-cruiser type deck where you want to pound face and get things out of your way. A card’s color identity can come from any part of that card, including its casting cost and any mana symbols in its text. Every card in your Commander deck must only use mana symbols that also appear on your commander. It's also essential to consider the availability of the legendary card itself. Be sure to research the availability and price of potential leading cards. When building a versatile Commander deck, consider a card with a three or more color identities.

Her effect is extremely powerful in the early game and if no one can remove her, she will essentially prevent people from being able to play the game. Heroic Intervention's mana value is two, but casting it on turn two probably doesn't do anything. Now you can see how your deck is really going to play. As much as we'd like to power through our deck right to our wincons and declare victory, our opponents will be trying to do the same. There are lots of great preconstructed Commander decks out there already that are fun and a good way to learn the Commander format, and you can get many of them for under £40.

Consider Mana Cost When Building A Commander Deck

With a 99-card deck and 23,000 cards to choose from, it can be daunting to build a deck. This is why I suggest we don’t focus on individual cards, rather on individual packages. Deciding to play mid-power, also opens up my card pool a little bit. Some cards that would be too slow or greedy at higher power could fit right in with our target power level. For the purpose of this guide, I want to build a deck that is mid-power.

It seems counter-intuitive, but restricting what you can play by establishing rules (to follow or break) actually makes it so the players have an increased opportunity for creativity. To read more about what I have to say on card advantage, read my article about White in Commander. Cards like Cyclonic Rift, Mizzium Mortars and Winds of Abandon often put you in a good position to win. In general, is a safe average that I would recommend in a vacuum without knowing anything else about your deck. However, if your deck needs more or less lands in it, please feel free to break this rule.

Players can stay competitive by watching trends and adjusting their deck strategy. Adapt to the meta by tweaking hate cards and adjusting speed and resilience. Ensure Commander deck effectiveness against evolving playgroup challenges. Depending on who you play with, you may want your deck to be stronger or weaker. There are three things I look for to try and describe power level in a deck. Do you play the best mana, best tutors, and best interaction?