5 Essential Steps to Building a Commander Deck

Embark on an extraordinary journey into the captivating world of Commander, a thrilling format where creativity and strategy collide. As you step into this enigmatic realm, you’ll discover the boundless possibilities of deck building, where every card carries the potential to shape the fate of your battles. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a novice seeking adventure, this guide will serve as your indispensable companion, unraveling the intricacies of constructing a Commander deck that will leave your opponents trembling in awe.

At the heart of every Commander deck lies the figurehead, the iconic legendary creature that embodies the very essence of your strategy. Carefully consider your choice, for this formidable ally will guide your every move, influencing the cards you select and the tactics you employ. From the indomitable might of dragons to the enigmatic wisdom of wizards, the options are as vast as the imagination itself. As you delve deeper into the deck-building process, a myriad of creatures, spells, and artifacts await your command, each contributing its unique strengths and abilities to your arsenal.

Like a master architect, you’ll carefully craft the foundation of your deck, ensuring synergy and cohesion among its components. Mana production, card draw, and removal spells form the backbone of any successful Commander deck. Meticulously select cards that complement your commander’s abilities and bolster your overall strategy. Every inclusion should serve a purpose, contributing to the harmonious flow of your deck. Remember, in Commander, it’s not just about amassing powerful cards; it’s about crafting a finely tuned machine that will outmaneuver and outlast your adversaries.

Deciding on a Commander

The first step in building a Commander deck is choosing a commander. This is a legendary creature or planeswalker that will lead your deck and provide its overall theme. While there are many factors to consider when selecting a commander, here are some key points to keep in mind:

Commander Identity

Each commander has a color identity, which is determined by the colors of mana symbols in its mana cost, as well as any color words in its rules text. Your deck must contain only cards that share the same color identity as your commander. For example, if your commander is a red and green creature, all the cards in your deck must be red, green, or both red and green.

Abilities and Effects

The abilities and effects of your commander will significantly impact your deck’s strategy. Consider what kind of playstyle you want to pursue, such as aggro, control, or combo. Some commanders offer strong offensive or defensive capabilities, while others provide utility or synergy with certain card types. Choose a commander that aligns with your desired playstyle.

Popularity and Availability

The popularity of a commander can affect its availability and price. Popular commanders may face frequent reprints and have a wider selection of supporting cards available. However, they can also be more expensive to acquire. Conversely, less popular commanders may be harder to find, but they tend to be more affordable.

Factor	Considerations
Color Identity	Limits the range of cards available in your deck
Abilities and Effects	Determines your deck’s strategy and playstyle
Popularity and Availability	Affects the cost and ease of acquiring your commander

Choosing Your Colors

One of the first and most important decisions you’ll make when building a Commander deck is choosing your color identity. This will determine the cards you can include in your deck, as well as your deck’s overall strategy. There are five colors in Magic: the Gathering: White, Blue, Black, Red, and Green. Each color has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, and it’s important to choose a color identity that will complement your deck’s Commander and strategy.

Mono-Colored Decks

Mono-colored decks are built around a single color. This can be a great option for new players, as it’s easy to keep track of your mana base and card interactions. Mono-colored decks can also be very powerful, as they can take advantage of cards that only work with that color.

Examples of Good Mono-Colored Commanders

Color	Commander
White	Heliod, Sun-Crowned
Blue	Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow
Black	Edgar Markov
Red	Grenzo, Dungeon Warden
Green	Thrasios, Triton Hero

Mana Base Optimization

Optimizing your mana base is crucial in Commander. A well-constructed mana base ensures you have access to the colored mana you need to cast your spells on time and consistently. Here are some key considerations for mana base optimization:

Mana Curve and Color Identity

Analyze your deck’s mana curve. Determine the average cost of your spells and identify any clustering at specific mana values. This will help you determine the ideal distribution of mana sources for different mana costs. Additionally, ensure your mana base reflects your commander’s color identity. Your mana sources should primarily produce colored mana in the colors of your commander.

Land Count and Types

Commander decks typically run a higher land count compared to other formats, usually between 36-40 lands. This is necessary to mitigate the variance of drawing lands in larger decks and maintain consistency. Consider including a mix of basic lands and non-basic lands. Basic lands are the most reliable source of mana, while non-basic lands can provide additional utility, such as mana acceleration, color fixing, or protection against land destruction.

Mana Ramp and Color Fixing

Include cards that accelerate your mana production, such as mana rocks (Solemn Simulacrum, Arcane Signet) or enchantment-based mana ramp (Exploration, Utopia Sprawl). These cards allow you to develop your mana base quickly and cast your spells on earlier turns. Additionally, consider using cards that fix your mana (Chromatic Lantern, Command Tower) to ensure you can cast your spells even if you don’t draw the specific colored lands you need.

Land Type	Pros	Cons
Basic Lands	Most reliable mana source Indestructible	No additional utility
Non-Basic Lands	Can provide mana acceleration, color fixing, or other utility	Can be destroyed May be more expensive to purchase
Dual Lands	Produce two different colors of mana Very powerful	Can be very expensive
Fetch Lands	Sacrifice to search for a basic land Thin your deck Can fix mana	Can disrupt your mana curve Require a good target to fetch
Shock Lands	Enter the battlefield tapped unless you pay 2 life Produce two different colors of mana Can be budget-friendly	Can be painful to pay life

Card Selection: Powerhouses and Synergies

Powerhouses

Powerhouse cards in Magic: the Gathering are spells, creatures, artifacts, and lands that provide a significant advantage to the player who casts or controls them. For Commander, these cards can be divided into two categories: those that are inherently powerful and those that are particularly effective when paired with other cards in the deck.

Inherent powerhouses include cards like Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, and Serra Ascendant. These cards provide a boost to mana production, damage output, or card draw, making them valuable inclusions in almost any deck. Deck-specific powerhouses, on the other hand, are cards that synergize well with the deck’s commander or other key cards.

Synergies

Synergy in Commander refers to the interactions between cards that create powerful combinations or amplify their individual effects. These synergies can take many forms, such as mana ramp, card draw, creature token production, and damage multiplication.

When building a Commander deck, it is important to consider the synergies between your cards. By carefully selecting cards that work well together, you can create a deck that is both consistent and explosive.

Synergy Type	Example
Mana ramp	Sol Ring, Arcane Signet
Card draw	Harmonize, Consecrated Sphinx
Creature token production	Bitterblossom, Doubling Season
Damage multiplication	Purphoros, God of the Forge, Dictate of the Twin Gods

Removal and Interaction

In Commander, it’s crucial to have a robust suite of removal spells to deal with threats on the battlefield. These spells can range from single-target removal like Swords to Plowshares to mass removal such as Wrath of God.

Single-Target Removal

Single-target removal spells are versatile and can eliminate a wide variety of threats. They are especially effective against commanders or key creatures that are disrupting your game plan.

Mass Removal

Mass removal spells can be game-changing in Commander. They can clear away multiple threats at once, resetting the board and giving you a significant advantage.

Board Wipes

Board wipes are a type of mass removal that destroys all creatures on the battlefield. They are particularly powerful in Commander, where creature-based strategies are common.

Countermagic

Countermagic allows you to prevent your opponents from casting spells. This can be especially useful against game-winning spells or threats that would otherwise be difficult to deal with.

Interaction

In addition to removal spells, it’s also important to include cards that interact with your opponents’ strategies. These cards can disrupt their plans, steal their resources, or protect your own permanents.

Interaction Type	Examples
Counterspells	Negate, Counterspell
Discard Spells	Thoughtseize, Duress
Graveyard Hate	Rest in Peace, Scavenging Ooze
Land Destruction	Strip Mine, Ghost Quarter
Stax	Winter Orb, Blood Moon

Balancing Creatures and Non-Creatures

In Commander, finding the right balance between creatures and non-creatures is crucial for deck performance. Here are some considerations:

Creature Count

The optimal creature count varies depending on the deck’s strategy. Aggro decks typically run 30-40 creatures, while control decks may have fewer than 20. Consider your deck’s win conditions and mana curve when determining the number of creatures to include.

Non-Creature Spells

Non-creatures like removal, card draw, and countermagic play a vital role in protecting your creatures and disrupting opponents. Aim for a balance of 15-25 non-creatures, with a focus on spells that support your strategy.

Permanent Balance

Type	Count
Creature	25-35
Enchantments	5-10
Artifacts	5-10
Lands	36-38

Permanent types should complement each other. Artifacts and enchantments can provide static abilities, while creatures offer flexibility and combat presence. Lands form the foundation of your deck, providing mana to cast your spells.

Mana Curve

Balancing the mana curve of your creature base is essential. A smooth curve ensures a consistent flow of threats and allows you to play multiple creatures in a single turn. Include a mix of low-cost (1-3 mana) and high-cost (4+ mana) creatures to cover the different stages of the game.

Utility Creatures

Creatures that provide non-combat effects, such as card draw, mana acceleration, or removal, can enhance your deck’s overall versatility. Consider including utility creatures that align with your deck’s strategy, even if their combat power is modest.

Utility Spells

Non-creatures like board wipes, tutors, and graveyard manipulation can provide powerful effects that complement your creature base. These spells can help you control the board, find specific cards, or leverage your graveyard.

Fine-tuning Your Mana Curve

The mana curve is a visual representation of how many mana symbols each card in your deck requires to cast. A well-tuned mana curve ensures that you have enough low-cost cards to get your engine going in the early game, mid-cost cards to transition into the mid-game, and high-cost cards to finish the game. Here are some tips for fine-tuning your mana curve:

7. Considering Card Types

Different card types have different mana curve implications. Lands, for example, don’t count towards your mana curve, but they are essential for casting your spells. Creatures have a mana cost, but they also produce mana if they have the mana dork ability. Sorceries and instants only have a mana cost and don’t affect your mana curve in any other way.

Here’s a table summarizing the mana curve implications of different card types:

Card Type	Mana Curve Impact
Land	Does not count towards mana curve
Creature (with mana dork ability)	Counts towards mana curve, but also produces mana
Creature (without mana dork ability)	Counts towards mana curve
Sorcery/Instant	Counts towards mana curve

Specializing in a Strategy

Once you have a general idea of the type of deck you want to build, it’s time to start specializing in a strategy. This means choosing a specific way to win the game and building your deck around that strategy. There are many different strategies to choose from, so take some time to research and find one that fits your playstyle.

Here are a few examples of common strategies in Commander:

Strategy	Description
Aggro	Focus on dealing damage to your opponents as quickly as possible.
Control	Prevent your opponents from playing their cards or winning the game.
Combo	Assemble a specific combination of cards to win the game in one turn.
Midrange	Play a mix of creatures and spells to gradually build up your advantage.
Recursion	Bring cards back from the graveyard to reuse them.
Token	Generate a large number of small creatures to overwhelm your opponents.
Voltron	Equip your commander with powerful equipment to make them an unstoppable force.

Once you have chosen a strategy, you can start building your deck. Be sure to include cards that support your strategy and avoid cards that don’t. It’s also important to have a good mana base so that you can cast your spells on time.

Adapting to Specific Metas

Understanding the specific meta of a Commander playgroup or tournament is crucial for optimizing your deck’s effectiveness. Consider the following factors when tailoring your deck to different environments:

Deck Power Level

Assess the overall power level of the Commander decks within your meta. Adjust your deck’s card choices and strategies accordingly to match or exceed the prevailing power level.

Deck Archetypes

Identify the dominant deck archetypes within your meta (e.g., aggro, combo, control). Consider including cards that are particularly effective against or resilient to these specific archetypes.

Removal Spells

Tailor the types and number of removal spells in your deck based on the meta. For metas with a high density of creatures, include more creature removal. Against control-heavy metas, prioritize instant-speed removal to disrupt their counterspells.

Counterspells

Similarly, adjust the number and types of counterspells in your deck based on the meta. In metas with many combo decks, consider running more counterspells to disrupt their game-winning strategies.

Stax and Hate Bears

If your meta includes stax or hate bear decks that lock down certain strategies, consider including cards that can mitigate their effects or provide alternative win conditions.

Fast Mana

Determine whether fast mana is a viable strategy in your meta. If the meta is slow and grindy, fast mana may not be necessary. However, in fast-paced metas, consider including cards like Sol Ring or Mana Crypt to accelerate your mana production.

Recursion

Consider including cards with recursion abilities to recover valuable cards from your graveyard. This can be particularly important in metas with a lot of graveyard hate or attrition-based decks.

Sideboard

If your meta allows for sideboarding, prepare a sideboard of cards that can specifically target the weaknesses of the decks you expect to face.

Mentality

Finally, adapt your mindset and playstyle to the meta. If your meta is competitive, be prepared to protect your commander and focus on efficiency. In casual metas, you may prioritize fun and experimentation.

Refining and Iterating

Once you have a basic deck, it’s time to refine and iterate it. This is an ongoing process that will help you make your deck more consistent, powerful, and fun to play. Here are some tips for refining your deck:

Test your deck

The best way to refine your deck is to test it out. Play against other players and see how it performs. Pay attention to what cards are working well and which ones aren’t. After each game, take some time to think about what you could have done better and what changes you could make to your deck.

Make small changes

When you’re refining your deck, it’s important to make small changes. Don’t overhaul your entire deck all at once. Start by making a few small changes, such as removing one card and adding another. Once you’ve tested those changes, you can make more changes if needed.

Avoid goldfishing

Goldfishing is the practice of playing your deck against yourself. While this can be helpful for learning how your deck works, it’s not a good way to test it. When you’re goldfishing, you’re not getting any feedback from an opponent. As a result, you may not be able to identify weaknesses in your deck that would be obvious in a real game.

Play with different opponents

One of the best ways to improve your deck is to play against different opponents. This will help you see how your deck performs against different strategies. It will also help you identify cards that are good in some matchups but not so good in others.

Keep a record of your games

It’s helpful to keep a record of your games. This will help you track your progress and identify areas where your deck needs improvement. You can use a spreadsheet or a notebook to record your games. Be sure to include the following information:

The date and time of the game

Your opponent’s deck

The result of the game

Any notes on what went well and what could have been improved

Use online resources

There are many online resources that can help you refine your deck. These resources include deckbuilding websites, forums, and articles. You can use these resources to find new cards for your deck, get advice from other players, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends in deckbuilding.

Be patient

Refining your deck takes time and effort. Don’t expect to build a perfect deck overnight. Just keep testing and iterating, and you’ll eventually build a deck that you’re happy with.

How to Build a Commander Deck

Building a Commander deck can be a daunting task, but it’s also one of the most rewarding experiences in Magic: the Gathering. With so many different cards to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. Here are a few tips on how to build a Commander deck that will dominate the battlefield.

The first step is to choose your commander. This is the card that will lead your deck and define its playstyle. There are a lot of different commanders to choose from, so take some time to browse through them and find one that you like. Once you’ve chosen your commander, you can start building your deck around it.

When building your deck, it’s important to keep in mind the commander’s color identity. This is the combination of colors that your commander can produce. You can only include cards in your deck that share the same color identity as your commander. This will help to ensure that your deck is consistent and that you can always cast your spells.

Once you’ve chosen your commander and built your deck around it, it’s time to start playtesting. This is the best way to learn how your deck plays and to identify any weaknesses. Play against different opponents and see how your deck performs. If you find that you’re losing a lot, try making some changes to your deck. The more you play, the better you’ll become at building and playing Commander decks.