Welcome to our comprehensive beginner’s guide to building your first deck in Magic: The Gathering (MTG). Whether you’re a newcomer to the game or have already dipped your toes into the world of spellcasting and strategy, this guide will provide you with valuable tips and strategies to help you create a solid foundation for your deck.
As a beginner, understanding the basics of deck building is crucial for your success in MTG. From finding your deck’s focus and choosing the right colors to managing your mana curve and selecting impactful creatures and spells, there are several key elements to consider when constructing your first deck.
Throughout this guide, we’ll provide you with insights and recommendations sourced from Magic Academy, a dedicated column designed to assist newer players in mastering the game. By the end, you’ll have a solid grasp of the fundamentals and be ready to embark on your journey as a deck builder in the world of MTG.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding the basics of deck building is crucial for beginners in Magic: The Gathering.
- Find a focus for your deck by choosing a specific strategy or theme to build around.
- Consider the mana curve and deck size to ensure a balanced distribution of mana costs.
- Choose colors that align with your playstyle and the theme of your deck.
- Create a mix of creatures and spells to achieve balance and versatility in your deck.
Find Your Focus
When building your first deck in Magic: The Gathering, one of the most important steps is to find your focus. This involves choosing a specific strategy or theme for your deck, which will guide your card selection and overall deck construction. By narrowing down your options and focusing on a specific theme or strategy, you can create a more cohesive and effective deck.
“Choosing a deck focus is like choosing a path in a game. It determines your play style and sets the foundation for your deck’s success.” – Expert MTG player, Alex Reynolds
For beginners, it is recommended to start with two colors when building early decks. This approach makes it easier to manage your mana base and cover any weaknesses a single color may have. Starting with two colors also allows you to explore different playstyles and card interactions, providing more versatility in your gameplay.
Finding your deck’s focus can be inspired by various sources, such as a favorite creature type, a specific mechanic, or even a storyline from the Magic: The Gathering lore. Let your imagination run wild and explore different themes and strategies that resonate with you.
Choosing a Focus: Examples
Here are a few examples of potential deck focuses to help inspire your decision-making:
| Deck Focus | Description |
|---|---|
| Affinity for Artifacts | Utilize powerful artifact cards to overwhelm your opponents and gain control of the battlefield. |
| Control and Counterspells | Create a deck that focuses on countering your opponent’s spells and maintaining control of the game. |
| Aggressive Aggro | Build a fast-paced deck focused on aggressive creatures and dealing quick damage to your opponents. |
| Token Swarm | Generate a massive army of creature tokens to overwhelm your opponents through sheer numbers. |
Remember, the deck focus you choose will heavily influence the cards you include in your deck and how you strategize during gameplay. So take your time, explore different options, and choose a focus that aligns with your playstyle and preference.
Now that you have found your focus, it’s time to move on to the next step: understanding the importance of the mana curve and deck size. This will help you ensure the right balance of cards and mana resources in your deck, maximizing your chances of success in each game.
Mana Curve and Deck Size
One important aspect of deck building in Magic: The Gathering is understanding the mana curve and deck size. The mana curve refers to the distribution of mana costs in your deck, which directly impacts your ability to play spells and creatures throughout the game. A well-balanced mana curve ensures that you have options to play at every stage of the game, allowing for strategic gameplay and adapting to different situations.
When constructing your deck, it is essential to consider the mana cost of each card and aim for a balanced distribution. This means including a mix of low-cost, mid-cost, and high-cost cards. Low-cost cards allow for early plays and establishing board presence, while high-cost cards provide powerful late-game options.
A balanced mana curve not only allows you to consistently play cards at different points in the game but also mitigates the risk of being unable to play anything due to a lack of mana. It is crucial to find the right balance between high-impact, high-cost cards and low-cost, efficient cards to maintain consistency.
In Constructed formats, such as Standard and Modern, the minimum deck size is 60 cards. While it may be tempting to include as many different cards as possible, sticking to the minimum deck size is generally recommended to ensure consistency and increase the chances of drawing specific cards.
Here is an example of a mana curve distribution for a 60-card deck:
| Mana Cost | Number of Cards |
|---|---|
| 1 | 12 |
| 2 | 16 |
| 3 | 10 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5+ | 6 |
This mana curve provides a good mix of early-game plays, mid-game stability, and late-game power. Adjustments can be made based on personal preference and the specific strategy of your deck.
Understanding the mana curve and deck size is fundamental to successful deck building in Magic: The Gathering. By carefully managing the distribution of mana costs and sticking to the recommended deck size, you can create a well-balanced and consistent deck that maximizes your chances of victory.
Choosing Colors
When building a deck in Magic: The Gathering, one of the key decisions you need to make is choosing the colors to include in your deck. Magic: The Gathering has five mana colors – white, blue, black, red, and green – each with its own unique characteristics and playstyle.
Each color in Magic: The Gathering has its own strengths and weaknesses. For example, white is known for its defensive capabilities and the ability to heal and protect creatures. Blue excels in card draw, counterspells, and manipulation of the game. Black is associated with life drain, creature removal, and sacrificing resources for power. Red is aggressive and known for its direct damage spells and fast creatures. Green represents growth, with access to large creatures and mana acceleration.
The choice of colors for your deck will depend on your preferred playstyle and the theme or strategy you want to pursue. Some players enjoy playing aggressive decks that deal fast damage, while others prefer control decks that focus on denying the opponent’s resources and gradually winning the game. There are also combo decks that aim to execute specific card combinations to achieve victory.
When starting out, it is generally recommended to start with one or two colors in your deck. This simplifies the deck-building process and makes mana management easier, especially for beginner players. As you gain more experience and a deeper understanding of the game, you can explore more complex color combinations and strategies.
Color Combinations in Magic: The Gathering
In addition to mono-color decks, Magic: The Gathering offers various color combinations that can further enhance your deck building options. These color combinations are referred to as “guilds” or “shards” and provide synergies between different colors.
Here are the five two-color combinations (guilds) in Magic: The Gathering:
| Guild | Color Combination | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Azorius | White-Blue | Control, Card Draw, Fliers |
| Dimir | Blue-Black | Mill, Card Advantage, Stealth |
| Rakdos | Black-Red | Aggression, Discard, Sacrifice |
| Gruul | Red-Green | Speed, Large Creatures, Mana Ramp |
| Selesnya | Green-White | Lifegain, Token Generation, Auras |
Example Deck with Two Colors: Azorius Control
As an example, let’s consider an Azorius Control deck. This two-color combination consists of white and blue and focuses on control and card draw.
An Azorius Control deck aims to disrupt the opponent’s strategy by countering spells, removing threats, and accumulating card advantage to outlast the opponent. The combination of white and blue provides access to powerful counter spells, removal spells, and enchantments that can neutralize opposing creatures and maintain board control.
Here’s an example of what an Azorius Control deck might look like:
- Counterspell x4
- Path to Exile x4
- Supreme Verdict x2
- Sphinx’s Revelation x3
- Teferi, Hero of Dominaria x2
- Search for Azcanta x3
- Detention Sphere x3
- Rest in Peace x2
- Celestial Colonnade x4
- Hallowed Fountain x4
- Glacial Fortress x4
- Island x6
- Plains x5
With this sample deck, you can see how the Azorius combination of white and blue offers control options, card advantage, and strategic flexibility. This deck’s goal is to interact with the opponent’s plays, remove their threats, and establish a dominant position on the board.
Remember, the importance of color selection lies in aligning your deck with a specific playstyle or strategy. Whether you choose to build a mono-color, two-color, or even three-color deck, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each color will help you create a well-rounded and synergistic deck.
Creatures and Spells
A well-rounded Magic: The Gathering deck typically includes a mix of creatures and spells. Both creatures and spells play important roles in influencing the outcome of a game. Understanding the dynamics between these two card types and finding the right balance is crucial in creating a versatile and effective deck.
What are Creatures?
Creatures are cards in MTG that represent characters, beasts, or monsters that can attack opponents and block incoming attacks. These cards have power and toughness values that determine their combat abilities. Additionally, creatures often possess unique abilities, such as flying, trample, or lifelink, which can further influence the game.
When building your deck, consider including creatures that align with your overall strategy. Whether you prefer aggressive, defensive, or combo-oriented gameplay, there are creatures available to suit your needs.
Example Creatures:
- Goblin Chainwhirler
- Ghalta, Primal Hunger
- Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants
What are Spells?
In contrast to creatures, spells in Magic: The Gathering are non-creature cards that primarily have various effects. Spells can be categorized into different types, including instants, sorceries, and enchantments. Each type of spell has its own timing restrictions, allowing players to make strategic decisions during different phases of the game.
When building your deck, consider including spells that complement your creature strategy or provide additional utility. Spells can help you remove enemy creatures, draw extra cards, gain life, or even manipulate the battlefield to your advantage.
Example Spells:
- Lightning Bolt
- Counterspell
- Wrath of God
The key to a successful deck is finding the right balance between creatures and spells. While it may vary based on your chosen strategy and playstyle, a general guideline for beginners is to include around 24 creatures, 12 spells, and 24 lands in the early stages of deck building. This distribution provides a good starting point for achieving a well-rounded and functional deck.
“In the heat of battle, creatures and spells provide the tools you need to outmaneuver your opponents and secure victory. Remember to choose creatures that align with your strategy and spells that offer versatility and utility. With the right combination and balance, your deck will become a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.”
Land Selection
Lands are a crucial component of any Magic: The Gathering deck. They provide the necessary mana to cast spells and execute your game plan. When selecting lands for your deck, there are several factors to consider, including the colors in your deck and the mana requirements of your cards.
Mana base in MTG refers to the distribution and composition of lands in your deck. Having a well-balanced mana base is essential for consistent and efficient gameplay. It ensures that you have access to the right colors and enough mana to play your spells.
There are different types of lands in Magic: The Gathering, each producing a specific color of mana. When building your deck, you’ll need to decide how many lands of each color you want to include. This decision should be based on the color requirements of your cards and the strategy of your deck.
“Building a successful mana base requires careful consideration of your deck’s mana curve and overall strategy. Understanding the mana requirements of your cards will help you determine the optimal number and distribution of lands.”
In general, it is recommended to include between 20 and 26 lands in a 60-card deck. The specific number of lands will depend on the mana curve and the overall strategy of your deck. A deck with a low mana curve and aggressive strategy may require fewer lands, while a deck with a high mana curve and controlling strategy may need more lands.
When selecting lands, it’s also important to consider the potential synergy between your lands and other cards in your deck. Some lands have special abilities or can produce multiple colors of mana, which can greatly enhance your deck’s performance.
To help you visualize the importance of land selection, here is an example of a mana base for a two-color deck:
| Color | Number of Lands |
|---|---|
| White | 12 |
| Blue | 8 |
This example shows a mana base for a white-blue (Azorius) deck. It includes 12 white-producing lands and 8 blue-producing lands to ensure a balanced distribution of mana.
By carefully selecting and managing your lands, you can maximize the consistency and effectiveness of your deck. Keep experimenting and refining your mana base as you playtest your deck to achieve optimal performance.
Refining Your Deck
Deck refinement is an ongoing process that involves making adjustments and improvements to your Magic: The Gathering deck over time. As you gain more experience and playtest your deck, you may discover cards that are not performing well or cards that could enhance your deck’s strategy. It is important to constantly evaluate and refine your deck to optimize its performance and increase your chances of success in the game.
During the refining process, you have several options to tweak and enhance your deck:
- Add new cards: Introduce fresh cards that align with your deck’s theme or strategy. These cards can strengthen your overall gameplay and provide new tactical options during matches.
- Replace underperforming cards: Identify cards that consistently underperform or do not contribute effectively to your deck’s strategy. By replacing them with more impactful options, you can streamline your deck and improve its synergy.
- Adjust the mana curve: Review your deck’s mana curve—the distribution of mana costs among your cards. Aim for a balanced curve that allows you to play cards at different stages of the game. You may need to adjust the number of low-cost and high-cost cards to achieve optimal performance.
Refining your deck is not a one-time activity. As the metagame evolves and new expansions are released, different strategies and cards may become more prevalent. It is crucial to stay up to date with the current meta and make adjustments accordingly. Regularly testing your deck against a variety of opponents can also provide valuable insights into its strengths and weaknesses, guiding your refinement process.
“Deck refinement is a journey, not a destination. Embrace the process of continually improving your deck to stay ahead of the competition and maximize your chances of victory.”
In the next section, we will explore the importance of understanding the metagame and how it can influence your deck building decisions.
Understanding the Meta
When it comes to deck building in Magic: The Gathering, understanding the meta is crucial. The term “meta” refers to the most popular and successful decks that dominate the current game environment. By analyzing the meta, you can gain valuable insights into the strategies and cards that are currently dominating the game. This knowledge allows you to adjust your own deck accordingly, building a strong and competitive deck that can stand up against other players.
Staying updated on the meta is essential for any serious deck builder. By keeping track of the meta decks in MTG, you can identify trends, predict popular strategies, and make informed decisions in your own deck construction. The meta is constantly evolving, making it important to stay current with the latest developments to ensure your deck remains competitive.
To gain a better understanding of the meta, you can explore resources such as online forums, professional deck analysis, and tournament results. These sources provide valuable information and insights into which decks are performing well and why. By studying successful meta decks, you can identify strong synergies, powerful card combinations, and effective strategies that you can incorporate into your own deck.
It’s important to note that while understanding the meta is valuable, it doesn’t mean you have to copy the most popular decks exactly. Building a meta deck can be a great starting point, but it’s also important to add your own personal touch and playstyle. By understanding the meta and using it as a foundation, you can create a deck that suits your preferences while still having a competitive edge.
Ultimately, understanding the meta is an essential skill for any deck builder in Magic: The Gathering. By analyzing the meta decks in MTG, staying updated on the latest trends, and incorporating your personal touch, you can build a powerful deck that stands out in the competitive landscape.
Sideboard Strategy
In addition to your main deck, having a sideboard is crucial for competitive play in Magic: The Gathering. The sideboard is a separate deck consisting of up to 15 cards that you can swap in and out between games to adjust your deck’s strategy based on specific matchups and encountered strategies. By including a well-rounded sideboard, you can better adapt to different game scenarios and increase your chances of success.
When building your sideboard, it’s important to consider the strategies and cards that you may encounter in matches. Your sideboard cards should serve as specific answers or counters to those strategies, allowing you to pivot your deck’s focus and enhance your chances of victory. It’s all about creating a versatile toolkit to respond effectively to your opponents.
Here’s an example of a sideboard strategy:
Sample Sideboard Strategy
- 2 Negate – To counter opponent’s powerful non-creature spells
- 3 Dispel – To counter opponent’s instant and sorcery spells
- 2 Aegis of the Gods – To protect against decks that target players with discard spells or hand disruption
- 2 Shatter – To destroy opponent’s artifact-heavy decks
- 3 Naturalize – To remove opponent’s troublesome enchantments or artifacts
- 3 Tormod’s Crypt – To exile graveyards and shut down graveyard-based strategies
By using a sideboard effectively, you can tailor your deck to overcome specific challenges and effectively counter opponent strategies, giving you a competitive edge in tournament play.
| Advantages of a Sideboard | Disadvantages of a Sideboard |
|---|---|
|
|
Playtesting and Iteration
Playtesting is an essential part of the deck building process in Magic: The Gathering. By testing your deck against other players, you can gather valuable insights about its strengths and weaknesses. This allows you to make necessary adjustments and improvements to enhance its overall performance. Playtesting helps you understand how your deck functions in real-game scenarios and identify any areas where it may fall short.
During playtesting, pay close attention to how your deck interacts with different strategies and opponents. Observe which cards and combinations consistently prove effective and which ones underperform. Take note of the mana curve, card synergies, and overall strategy of your deck to evaluate its viability and make informed changes.
Iteration is the process of making iterations or refinements based on the results and feedback from playtesting. It involves analyzing the data collected during playtesting and making deliberate adjustments to optimize your deck’s performance. Iteration may include adding or removing cards, adjusting the mana curve, fine-tuning the deck’s focus, or even changing the colors or theme of the deck entirely.
When iterating your deck, it’s important to be open to feedback and willing to make changes. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new strategies, as this is how you can discover hidden synergies and create a unique deck that suits your playstyle.
Remember, playtesting and iteration are ongoing processes. Keep refining your deck, playtesting it against different opponents, and evolving your strategy as you gain more experience. The more you playtest and iterate, the better you’ll become at building effective decks in Magic: The Gathering.
Playtesting and Iteration are vital steps in fine-tuning your deck and ensuring it performs optimally. It allows you to identify and rectify any weaknesses, capitalize on the strengths, and refine your overall strategy.
| Benefits of Playtesting and Iteration |
|---|
| 1. Identifies weaknesses and areas for improvement |
| 2. Helps optimize the mana curve and card composition |
| 3. Improves understanding of the deck’s overall strategy |
| 4. Enables discovery of hidden synergies and combos |
| 5. Enhances the deck’s competitive performance |
Conclusion
Building your first deck in Magic: The Gathering can be an exciting and rewarding experience. By following the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, beginners can create a solid foundation for their deck and improve their skills as they continue to play.
Remember to focus on finding your deck’s theme, managing your mana curve, and refining your deck through playtesting and iteration. These key elements will help you create a well-balanced and effective deck.
With practice and perseverance, you can become a skilled deck builder and compete successfully in the world of Magic: The Gathering. Keep experimenting with different card combinations and strategies to find what works best for your playstyle. Enjoy the process of building and refining your deck, and never be afraid to seek advice or learn from more experienced players.
Now that you have a strong foundation in deck building, it’s time to put your skills to the test. Gather your friends, visit local game stores, or join online communities to engage in thrilling battles with your custom-built deck. May your deck always be filled with powerful cards and may you achieve many victories in the world of Magic: The Gathering!
As the founder of Friends Game Night, Ryan channels his enthusiasm for gaming into a platform that celebrates the magic of gathering friends around the digital or physical tabletop. Through his website, Ryan shares insightful articles, reviews, and recommendations, aiming to inspire others to create their own memorable gaming moments.
