How to Build a Magic the Gathering Commander Deck
Let’s Begin
Magic the Gathering is a collectible card game that has been around since 1993. It’s a game that has been enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. However, around 2004 with the release of an article “FEATURE FRIDAY: ELDER DRAGON HIGHLANDER”
the most popular of the formats in Magic the Gathering took its first steps into the light, a format now known as…
Commander
Commander is a multiplayer format where players build a 100-card deck, 99 of those cards being a fairly normal configuration of MTG cards, and one legendary creature set aside in the “Command Zone” as the deck's Commander. In this post, we will give some tips and start a series on how to go on your Commander journey, and how to build your commander deck.
Choosing a Commander
The first step in building a Commander deck is choosing a commander. Most of the time, the commander is the most important card in your deck. It’s the build around card that gives your deck its main theme and personality. When choosing a commander, it’s important to choose a legendary creature that fits your playstyle. There are over 1,000 different legendary creatures in Magic the Gathering, so you have plenty of options. Some players like to choose a commander that has powerful abilities like Atraxa, Praetors' Voice or a tribal leader like The Ur-Dragon for the Dragon Tribe. Others like to choose a commander that fits their favorite color combination. I normally go for Red and Blue commanders like Niv-Mizzet, Parun but sometimes like to splash another color with cards like Vadrok, Apex of Thunder. The choice in the end is yours so have some fun with it.
Building Your Deck
Once you have chosen your commander, it’s time to start building your deck. The most important rule to remember when building a Commander deck is that you can’t have any duplicate cards, except for basic lands. This means that you should choose around 34 lands including basics, and around 65 other spells for your deck. When building your deck, it’s important to have a good mix of creatures, spells, and artifacts. Utility lands like Reliquary Tower, and Rogue’s Passage are great for any deck and fairly easy to find at your local game store (LGS), and in the same vein, artifacts like Softfoot Boots and give your deck a good boost when you might need it.
You’ll find cards that fit the deck you’re building while playing as well. Seeing a card like The Great Henge hit the table in most green decks, and strategies like Guttersnipe and Basilisk Collar, and give you inspiration for your own deck which brings us into the next part.
Playtesting Your Deck
After you have built your deck, it’s important to playtest it. Playtesting allows you to see how your deck performs in different situations. Playtesting can take many forms from getting a close group of friends together to jam some games, to hitting up your LGS and joining the local community to get a diversity of play experience. You can make adjustments to your deck based on how it performs during playtesting. It’s also a good idea to get feedback from other players. They may be able to offer suggestions on how to improve your deck. In my experience, just about every magic player has a wealth of knowledge on why and how they play the game. You can take home a LOT of knowledge by just sitting down and talking to some great folks!
Conclusion
Building a Magic the Gathering Commander deck can be a fun and rewarding experience. When building your deck, it’s important to choose a commander that fits your playstyle and to build a deck that has a good balance of creatures, spells, and artifacts. Playtesting your deck is also important, as it allows you to make adjustments and improve your deck and maybe make some lifelong friends. With these tips, you will be able to build a successful Commander deck.
