Embarking on the journey of crafting a Commander deck? You're in for a treat! Commander, also known as EDH (Elder Dragon Highlander), is a popular Magic: The Gathering format that emphasizes strategy, versatility, and fun. At the heart of every Commander deck lies its creature base. Today, we're delving into the art of Commander deck building, focusing on the creatures that make up the backbone of your deck.
Commander decks typically consist of 100 cards, with a single legendary creature serving as your Commander. This powerful being represents your deck's strategy and sets the tone for your creature choices. Whether you're piloting a voltron Commander, aiming to deal massive Commander damage, or prefer a group hug strategy, focusing on your Commander's abilities will guide your creature selection.
Understanding Your Commander's Identity
Before diving into creature choices, it's crucial to grasp your Commander's identity. Is your Commander aggressive, defensive, or synergistic? Does it have relevant keywords or abilities that your creatures should support or enhance? For instance, a Commander with flying might inspire you to include more flying creatures or enablers.
Consider your Commander's colors and the mana base you're working with. Your creature choices should complement your Commander's colors, ensuring you can consistently cast your Commander and other key spells. Additionally, think about the average converted mana cost (CMC) of your Commander and other cards. This will help you determine the appropriate curve for your creature suite.
Synergistic Creatures
In Commander, synergy is king. Your creatures should work together to advance your game plan and support your Commander. This could mean providing additional keywords, abilities, or even just bodies to block with. For example, if your Commander has deathtouch, including creatures with deathtouch can make your blocks devastating for your opponents.
Consider creatures that can protect your Commander or buy you time to execute your strategy. Cards like Eternal Witness, Wood Elves, and Sylvan Safekeeper can help you find your Commander or protect it from removal. Meanwhile, creatures with enters-the-battlefield (ETB) effects can provide immediate value or disrupt your opponents' plans.
Threatening Creatures
Your Commander deck should pose a constant threat to your opponents. This means including creatures that can pressure your opponents and force them to make difficult decisions. Aggressive creatures can push damage through, while defensive creatures can absorb attacks and protect your life total.
Consider including creatures with evasion, such as flying, trample, or unblockable. These creatures can deal damage to your opponents without fear of being blocked. Additionally, creatures with powerful enters-the-battlefield effects or abilities that can be activated at instant speed can catch your opponents off guard and keep them on their toes.
Crafting a Balanced Creature Base
Balancing your creature base is essential for a functional Commander deck. You'll want a mix of creatures that can be cast early in the game, as well as powerful threats that can close out the game in the late stages. This balance ensures you have a consistent game plan throughout the game.
As a general rule of thumb, your creature base should follow a curve that peaks around turns 3-5. This ensures you have enough early game presence to interact with your opponents and enough late-game power to close out the game. Here's a rough breakdown of how your creature base might look:
- 1-2 mana: 8-12 creatures
- 3-4 mana: 16-20 creatures
- 5-6 mana: 12-16 creatures
- 7+ mana: 4-8 creatures
Early Game Presence
Your one- and two-drop creatures should provide immediate value and help you establish a board presence. These creatures often have abilities that can disrupt your opponents' plans or provide card advantage. Examples include creatures with flash, unblockable, or enters-the-battlefield effects that can tutor for other cards or draw you cards.
Consider including creatures that can protect your life total or slow down your opponents' early game. Wall of Roots, for instance, can block attacks while providing you with mana. Meanwhile, creatures like Tireless Tracker and Soul of the Harvest can draw you cards and provide you with additional resources.
Midrange and Late-Game Threats
Your three- to six-drop creatures should provide significant value and threaten to close out the game. These creatures often have powerful enters-the-battlefield effects, relevant keywords, or abilities that can be activated at instant speed. Examples include creatures like Avenger of Zendikar, which can provide a significant board presence, or creatures like Sphinx of the Steel Wind, which can draw you cards and provide you with additional resources.
Your seven-plus drop creatures should be powerful threats that can close out the game. These creatures often have high toughness, relevant keywords, or abilities that can protect them from removal. Examples include creatures like Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, which can devastate your opponents' board and provide you with additional resources, or creatures like Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, which can deal massive damage to your opponents' life total.
In the world of Commander, the possibilities for creature choices are endless. By understanding your Commander's identity, focusing on synergy and balance, and including a mix of early game presence and late-game threats, you'll be well on your way to crafting a formidable Commander deck. So, grab your favorite legendary creature and start building! The battlefield awaits.