MTG Deck Building Guide: How to Build a Commander Deck

The commander is more than the face card — it defines your color identity, your game plan, and which cards you're even allowed to run. Start there and the rest of the list writes itself.

• Play what excites you. A commander you enjoy piloting beats a "stronger" one you tolerate.
• Read the text carefully. Every ability is a nudge toward a theme — tokens, +1/+1 counters, spellslinger, lifegain, graveyard.
• Skip precon commanders on your first custom build. A less-obvious legend gives you more design space and fewer stock lists to copy.

Want a legend you didn't know you needed? Our hand-built Mystery Commander decks are built around non-precon commanders picked to match your playstyle.

Before adding a single card, finish this sentence: "This deck wins by ______." Every card you consider then has to answer one question: does it help me do that thing, or does it protect the plan?

Pick an archetype early — aggro, control, midrange, combo, group hug — and match your mana curve to it. Aggro wants a low curve and lots of two-drops; control wants counterspells and card draw; combo wants tutors and protection.

The most common mistake new Commander builders make is running too few lands. A 100-card singleton deck usually wants roughly 30–39 lands, plus 8–12 ramp pieces. The exact number depends on your deck's bracket, speed, and curve — cEDH and fast combo decks often run 30–33, while slower, grindier or landfall decks can sit comfortably at 36–39. Aim for a first land drop every game and a fifth land by turn six on average.

• Ramp: Sol Ring, signets, talismans, Arcane Signet, Cultivate, Kodama's Reach, and mana dorks in green.
• Fixing: in 2+ colors, add dual lands, check lands, or fetchable basics before adding niche utility lands.
• Utility: a handful of lands that draw cards, remove a threat, or generate value late game.

Commander is a long-game format and the player who draws the most cards usually wins. Do not skip this slot. Look for repeatable sources (Rhystic Study, Phyrexian Arena, Esper Sentinel) over one-shots, and lean into your colors: blue draws, black card:life-for-cards, green creature-based advantage, red impulse draw, white group-benefits.

You need answers to the board. A healthy interaction package covers three jobs: single-target removal, board wipes, and something for the specific things your colors struggle with (enchantments, artifacts, graveyards, flyers). Never let a table state be "one opponent has the game locked up and I have no answer in 100 cards."

Every deck needs a way to actually close the game. Combat damage is a win condition — but so are commander damage, combo lines, mill, poison, and alt-wins like Approach of the Second Sun. Run two or three redundant paths so a single removal spell doesn't end your night.

Use this as your starting skeleton, then adjust to your commander:

This is only a aseline for the most decks. Depending on your strategy, deck-level, target playgroup bracket and/or commander, these values can change. If assembling 99 cards from scratch feels overwhelming, our Custom Commander Decklist Service delivers a full playable list built to your commander, playstyle and budget — €19.99 flat, with optional card sourcing.

The first draft is always too big and too slow. Play five games, note which cards sat in your hand doing nothing, and cut them. Repeat. A deck you have piloted ten times is stronger than a "perfect" list you have never shuffled.