Commander, also known as Elder Dragon Highlander (EDH), is a fun and social format in Magic: the Gathering (MTG). Here's a step-by-step guide to building your own Commander deck, with tips and resources to help you along the way:
Step 1: Find Your Inspiration
- Pick a Commander: This is the 100th card in your deck, a legendary creature (or rarely, a planeswalker) that embodies your deck's strategy. Browse through MTG cards or ask friends for ideas. Websites like EDHREC (https://edhrec.com/) can help you find commanders based on your playstyle.
- Theme or Strategy: Do you love big creatures? Sneaky mill decks? There are many archetypes! Consider what you find fun and build around it.
Step 2: Craft Your Core
- Synergy is Key: Choose cards that work well with your commander's abilities or your chosen theme. For example, a dragon-focused deck might have lots of dragon-boosting cards.
- Mana Base: Aim for 34-40 lands. Include a mix of basic lands for color fixing and utility lands that tap for multiple colors. Check out budget mana base guides online for affordable options.
Step 3: Flesh Out Your Deck
- Ramp it Up (approximately 15 cards): Include mana acceleration like mana rocks (Sol Ring) or creatures that generate mana, to ensure you can cast your bigger spells.
- Removal Essentials (approximately 15 cards): Have ways to deal with threats. Include some targeted removal spells and board wipes to handle problematic creatures or swarms.
- Card Draw (approximately 13 cards): Keep the game flowing by including cards that let you draw more cards. This helps you find the answers and threats you need.
- Utility/Support (approximately 10 cards): Add cards that provide general utility like card filtering or graveyard recursion.
- Win Conditions! (approximately 12 cards): These are your high impact cards! Things that will turn the tide or win you the game. Things like direct damage, overwhelming your opponents with creatures, large evasive creatures, or combo effects.
Step 4: Balance and Polish
- Mana Curve: Aim for a smooth mana curve. You want a mix of low-cost spells for early plays and higher-cost spells for later turns. Deck building websites can show you your deck's mana curve and suggest adjustments.
- Card Count: Commander decks are 100 cards (not including your commander). Make sure you have exactly 99 cards in the main deck.
Tips & Resources:
- Don't Be Afraid to Playtest: Test cards (printing them at home) or online deck builders like https://www.mtggoldfish.com/decks/new allow you to test your deck virtually before committing to physical cards.
- Budget Building: Commander can be expensive, but there are plenty of budget-friendly options. Look for cheaper alternatives to staples and focus on a less color-intensive commander.
- Upgrade Gradually: Improve your deck over time by adding powerful cards when your budget allows.
Keep Exploring:
- EDHREC (https://edhrec.com/): Find commanders, see what other people play in similar decks, and get deckbuilding inspiration.
- Scryfall (http://scryfall.com): Great place to do an advanced search for card types or keywords that will add synergy to your deck.
- MTG subreddits like r/EDH: A great community to discuss deck ideas, get feedback, and learn from others.
Building a Commander deck is an ongoing process. Have fun, experiment, and enjoy the journey of creating your own unique deck!
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