Embarking on the journey of creating your own custom deck in Magic: The Gathering (MTG) can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out, this simple deck building guide will walk you through the essential steps to create a well-balanced and fun deck tailored to your playstyle.
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of deck building, let's briefly discuss the two main formats in MTG: Standard and Commander. Standard is a rotating format that focuses on the most recent sets, while Commander is a singleton format where each deck has a legendary creature as its general, and the power level is typically higher. This guide will primarily focus on Standard and Commander, but the principles can be applied to other formats as well.
Understanding the Basics of Deck Building
At its core, a MTG deck consists of 60 cards, with the option to include up to 15 lands. The goal is to create a cohesive strategy that allows you to consistently cast your spells and outmaneuver your opponents. To achieve this, you'll need to balance your deck's curve, mana base, and card selection.
First, let's discuss the importance of understanding your deck's strategy. Are you aiming for an aggressive start with low-cost creatures, or do you prefer a control deck that focuses on outlasting your opponents in the late game? Knowing your deck's identity will help guide your decisions throughout the deck building process.
Deck Strategy: Aggressive vs. Control
Aggressive decks, also known as aggro decks, aim to overwhelm your opponents quickly by playing low-cost creatures and dealing direct damage. These decks typically have a low mana curve, with most of their creatures costing 3 mana or less. Examples of aggressive strategies include Mono-Red Aggro and Mono-Green Stompy.
Control decks, on the other hand, focus on slowing down your opponents' game plan and outlasting them in the late game. These decks often include removal spells, counterspells, and powerful late-game threats. Some popular control strategies include Esper Control and Temur Control.
Deck Curve and Mana Base
Once you've established your deck's strategy, it's essential to create a balanced mana curve. A well-balanced mana curve ensures that you have a consistent flow of spells to cast throughout the game. For Standard decks, aim for a mana curve that peaks around 3 to 4 mana, with a good mix of one-drop, two-drop, and three-drop creatures and spells. In Commander, you'll have more flexibility, but it's still crucial to maintain a balanced curve to avoid getting stuck with high-cost spells early in the game.
To support your mana curve, you'll need to build a reliable mana base. In Standard, this typically involves playing 24 to 26 lands, with a mix of basic lands and dual lands that can tap for two colors of mana. In Commander, you'll have access to more powerful lands, such as fetch lands and shock lands, but it's still essential to include a mix of basic lands to ensure consistent mana production.
Building Your Deck: Step-by-Step
Now that you have a solid understanding of your deck's strategy, mana curve, and mana base, it's time to start building your deck. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you create a well-balanced and fun deck tailored to your playstyle:
1. **Start with a Core Set**: Begin by selecting a core set of cards that represent your deck's strategy. For example, if you're building an aggressive Mono-Red Aggro deck, start with a core set of low-cost creatures and burn spells, such as Lightning Bolt and Shock.
Card Selection: Creatures and Spells
When selecting creatures and spells for your deck, focus on cards that support your deck's strategy and synergize well with one another. For example, if you're building a control deck, look for removal spells that can deal with a wide variety of threats, as well as counterspells that can disrupt your opponents' game plan.
In Commander, you'll also want to consider cards that interact with your deck's general. For instance, if you're playing a deck centered around the legendary creature Atraxa, Praetors' Voice, you'll want to include cards that can take advantage of her ability to create tokens when you cast spells.
Card Selection: Lands
Once you've selected your core set of creatures and spells, it's time to build your mana base. Start by including a mix of basic lands and dual lands that can tap for the colors of mana your deck requires. In Standard, this typically involves playing 24 to 26 lands, with a mix of basic lands and dual lands that can tap for two colors of mana.
In Commander, you'll have more flexibility when it comes to your mana base. While you'll still want to include a mix of basic lands to ensure consistent mana production, you can also include more powerful lands, such as fetch lands and shock lands, to help smooth out your mana curve.
Testing and Refining Your Deck
After you've assembled your initial deck, it's time to test it out and make any necessary adjustments. Play against other decks, either in person or online, and take note of any cards that consistently underperform or cause you to struggle. Don't be afraid to make changes to your deck based on your testing results.
One common mistake new deck builders make is including too many unique, powerful cards in their deck. While it's tempting to include as many powerful cards as possible, this can lead to a lack of consistency and make it difficult to draw the cards you need to execute your strategy. Instead, focus on including a mix of powerful and efficient cards that work well together.
Tuning Your Deck for Competitive Play
If you're looking to take your deck to a competitive event, such as a regional tournament or a Grand Prix, you'll need to make some additional adjustments to ensure it's well-tuned and prepared for the metagame. Here are some tips to help you tune your deck for competitive play:
1. **Understand the Metagame**: Before you start tuning your deck, it's essential to have a good understanding of the metagame. Research the most popular decks in your format and familiarize yourself with their strategies and weaknesses. This will help you make informed decisions when it comes to adjusting your deck.
Sideboarding and Planeswalkers
In competitive play, you'll often need to adjust your deck to account for the specific strategies you're facing. This is typically done through the use of sideboarding, which involves swapping out certain cards in your main deck for cards specifically designed to combat your opponent's strategy.
Planeswalkers can also be an essential tool for tuning your deck for competitive play. Planeswalkers like Teferi, Hero of Dominaria and Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver can provide valuable card advantage and help you gain an edge against specific strategies.
When sideboarding and choosing planeswalkers, consider the strengths and weaknesses of your deck and the metagame. For example, if you're playing an aggressive deck, you might want to include cards in your sideboard that can help you deal with control decks, such as removal spells or cards that can disrupt your opponent's game plan.
Fine-tuning Your Mana Base
As you tune your deck for competitive play, you'll also want to fine-tune your mana base to ensure consistent mana production. This might involve including additional lands, such as fetch lands or shock lands, to help smooth out your mana curve or adding cards like Llanowar Elves or Elvish Mystic to help you ramp into your more powerful spells.
Additionally, you might want to consider including cards like Sol Ring or Arcum's Astrolabe in your mana base to help you generate mana more efficiently. In Commander, you can also include cards like Mana Vault or Mana Crypt, but be aware that these cards can significantly increase the power level of your deck.
Deck building is an ongoing process, and it's essential to remain flexible and adaptable as the metagame changes. By testing your deck, understanding the metagame, and making informed adjustments, you can create a well-tuned and competitive deck tailored to your playstyle.
Embracing the creative and strategic aspects of deck building is one of the most rewarding experiences in Magic: The Gathering. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your competitive edge, this simple deck building guide has provided you with the essential tools to create a well-balanced and fun deck tailored to your playstyle. So grab your cards, and let the creative process begin!