MTG - How To Build a 3 Color EDH / Commander Mana Base for Magic: The Gathering

Tolarian Community College now offers videos in builds every type of EDH / Commander mana base for Magic: The Gathering decks!
How To Build a 1 Color Mana Base: • MTG - How To Build Any...
How To Build a 2 Color Mana Base: • MTG - How To Build a 2...
How To Build a 3 Color Mana Base: • MTG - How To Build a 3...
How To Build a 4 Color Mana Base: • MTG - How To Build A 4...
How To Build a 5 Color Mana Base: • MTG - How To Build a 5...
What is EDH / Commander: • MTG - Magic Defined - ...
How To Build Your First Commander Deck: • MTG - Introduction To ...
How To Choose Your Commander: • MTG - How To Choose Th...
Building a Commander deck is a complex construction. Perhaps most difficult of all is the proper proportions of your Commander deck’s mana base. Knowing the ratio of lands to spells is often not enough. Within your deck’s lands, how many should be fetchlands, how many should be filter lands, tap lands, pain lands?
This video will guide you through the process of building a tri-color Commander manabase, with emphasis on land ratios for each land types. It will offer both a budget and optimal build for your deck.
Using a EDH / Commander Points System: • MTG - Achievement Unlo...
Teysa, Orzhov Scion Commander: • MTG - In Debt To Teysa...
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"Vintage Education" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Asian Drums" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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[@businessfox1582]

I'd love to see you come back and revisit some of these now that the cardpool has changed.

[@Dagg3r89]

I 2nd that

[@josepharzatesr.1822]

Pathway lands, battlebond lands, triomes

[@Gooday42]

This video is so well Made that still working, yeah, now we have fabble passage and prismatic vista as fetch options also the battlebond still into doble Lands spot, this video goes general. The panoramas are Tri Lands.

[@jessebbaker3]

@@wombatgirl997 where would you rank the Battle Bond lands? As high as the OG Duals? I’ll probably never get any of this but I do have a couple of battle bonds in esper.

[@FozzyFUCT]

Professor, please do ab updated video!

[@zorkman56]

I would love to see a 2021 version of this. That would be awesome.

[@c4_murloc782]

I really actually like the way these videos feel like robotic 1990's e-lectures. The video's are still very informative so they arent dull to watch or anything, and it's a style that you really don't see anywhere else.

[@TelleoStar]

I really disagree with putting the Man Lands above the Check Lands and Scry Lands. The Man Lands are only preferable if you really need the creatures, but extra creatures is rarely needed in EDH. Since the Man Lands are both slower than Check Lands and less helpful than Scry Lands, I'd definitely prioritize those differently.

[@evileyeball]

I agree with you

[@TheManaSource]

Whoever that cartoon guy was...he looked gooooood. How you doin?

[@TheMCGamer2012]

Haha! Very stylish, indeed.

[@crazykhespar8487]

Suave

[@dshumway0724]

Yep.... Thanks for watching, see you next time.... lol

[@nintendo917]

Totally using that pic as my Facebook profile pic XD

[@a.w.melodies2449]

Hello professor! I am building a Commander deck with Classic Nicol Bolas as my commander and I am kinda stumped on my mana base. I am a returning player and fairly new to the Commander format and would love some help in this matter. 😭

[@k_tess]

And then a green mage comes in and says "ehhh I'm gonna do this my way."

[@coltonschnepf471]

After this video I now expect a picture of Wedge every time you say "mana source."

[@jpgeoj2772]

wow this vid was a blessing simply because ive been running oloro recently and the last few days ive been trying to figure out how to make my mana base better and BOOM here you are out of the blue with a video about esper! Amazing!:D thank you tolarian!

[@Arghore]

Woot, sleeved up my first commander deck yesterday, a 3 color Sultai deck commanded by Sidisi. Just came here to share my enthusiasm, and to express my tnx for this video; while i went entirely budget on my mana base (barring some lucky pulls over the past 1.5y), this video helped me a lot with the construction of it due to giving me the general guidelines for a 3 color mana base. "So thank you!"

[@sankethbhaskar4236]

I really liked this video. Nice Editing, interesting topic, examples, budget sensitivity , and the fact that you are not speaking in vague terms, but in very clear ratios A+

[@starnik]

Thank you so much for this video, Professor! I really do appreciate the guidance in crafting a commander mana-base, as it's something I've never had much direction for and is quite a bit different than making one for a 60-card format.

[@a.w.melodies2449]

Looking back at these episodes, it’s great insight for me since I haven’t played for a while. Thanks for these mana base episodes! I will use this for my Yasova Dragonclaw deck

[@joshuahostetter2911]

This video was SO useful! I know people will probably gripe that this is just an iteration of net-decking but I see videos like this as a chance to start with something smart - start with a tried, tested template. Thanks so much for posting this - it'll help me make some decisions about my mana base. As always - wonderful work, Professor.

[@patrickaldea5550]

As I'm currently working on my Zur deck, I highly appreciated the love for Esper. Thanks for this vid!

[@Broolex]

Professor, don't forget the Mirage fetches as a budget substitution for fetches. You can grab a shockland/battleland with them! They are better than the panoramas, IMO, since they can fix 2 colors at the same time with a Dual/Shock/Battle. In fact, I use 9 original fetches + a Bad River in my Damia!

[@BOBSMITH-YouTubeStoleMyHandle]

I love these videos. Like many as stated, I would love an update video for each in the series. Its been 3 years, and many new cards have come out like the Battlebond lands. Keep up the great work Prof!!

[@MrPzowned]

I'm literally building a Sydri, Galvanic Genius deck right now! This video couldn't have been timed better. Thanks!

[@jemjohnson6748]

I feel like many of the ratios are significantly different if you play green.

[@Jimjamgeology]

Thank you professor! I'm coincidentally building an esper commander deck right now and this video is beyond amazing!

[@Ephemeral_Inspiration]

Fantastic, Prof! This is the kind of analytical video I love from you! Can't wait for the rest of them! :)

[@superbaixo]

Coalition Reliq Chromatic Lantern Darksteel Ingot Commander Sphere ...

[@TheNutCase657]

Also check lands are great in non budget builds too I think, it seems very strange to exclude them. I run them in all of my 2+ colour decks

[@dsweet5273]

+Nicholas de Paola I agree. With the number of shocks, duals, fetches, and basics I run (which was also suggested by the prof) they almost always come into play untapped. In my experience (or opinion) lands that enter tapped are sub optimal. I used to run them until I was burned so many times by drawing a land that enters play tapped.

[@bryanbonar]

THANK YOU for this video Professor! my manabase crafting has always been rather sloppy with my EDH decks. I would love to get a video like this for 2, 5, and mono color as well

[@Ganon1998LP]

It just feels good that whenever a question about Magic comes up you can go to the Professor for help

[@robertuchiha1]

I swear every time I look up something mtg related this channel shows up. Really covers everything and covers it well.

[@FuriousHellcat]

This video is still useful and interesting to me, I would certainly watch it again. Thank you for creating it.

[@GuardDogEvents]

This is actually a pretty fantastic deck building platform for new edh players who have no idea what lands to look for in their decks. btw THANK YOU FOR LISTING BUDGET ALTERNATIVES. When you started off by saying decks needed original duals i was worried, but then you said here are alternatives if you can not afford them.

[@leekblade3304]

If you can't afford OG duals obviously one of the most casual formats of MTG is not for you

[@GuardDogEvents]

Or i don't want to drop 100 bucks on 1 card when i can spend that much on 3-4 others of serious note for the same deck. You also have to understand that not everyone makes 15+ an hour. I have a friend who makes only 7.25 and wins big 8 player games with jank decks because all the money decks beat each others faces in and kill themselves off.

[@ronniegeddes5072]

Thank you! I've been having trouble trying to crack my mana base for a long time for EDH.

[@GoblinTinkerer]

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't a Darksteel Ingot always be strictly superior to the obelisk?

[@Ferilian]

+GoblinTinkerer aswell as chromatic lantern

[@comradecameron3726]

And commanders sphere

[@redstonepro5412]

Bith are bad cards

[@kgriffin1032]

Really excited for the 5-color video. My commander deck needs a lot of work on its mana base

[@corrosivecabal]

I'm looking forward to the tips on a five color land base. My first and favorite Edh deck is a Scion of the Ur-Dragon deck. The land base is a little wonky, but works out for the most part. Edh is such a fun format, it's good to see you showing it some love.

[@jack0slack]

Really looking forward to the Five colour version of this. I run a Karona deck and a Child of Alara deck with very, well, sub-optimal land bases and would dearly love some guidance.

[@nickman2317]

Excellent video and I can't wait for your videos for other amount of colors! I desperately need help with my 5 color Sliver Deck!

[@War-Jac]

Thanks Professor, as someone working on an Esper deck this is a very helpful template!

[@thomasbdugan]

I'm really glad you made this video and even more so citing mostly esper decks since I'm always looking to optimize my Oloro deck :)

[@kosmic2021]

Thanks Prof, I'll take another look at my decks and see what changes can be made.

[@voweless]

Professor, you did the absolutely RIGHT thing choosing Chippy's Shards of Alara Art for Esper's basics. I love love love that you did that. :)))

[@themuffindragon]

Another fantastic video Professor! Incredibly useful and I love all the budget alternatives you give. I was expecting to see Vivid lands as a budget alternative somewhere but maybe I'm overvaluing them a bit.

[@Cangaroombi]

The Lairs in my opinion are overwhelmingly underrated; very few decks run them. Great you mentioned them!

[@KraggGrimm]

This was a help I have had a issue with mana base in a few of my decks.

[@SorinCloud]

Thank you, Professor. This will help my Zurgo Helmsmasher EDH deck alot.

[@erikchupela7074]

You have to look at the specific land identity for some of the lands you have chosen to 'replace' other ones. This may be a factor in certain decks. Also in my personal opinion and experience the love given to your basic lands can positively affect your curve and timing, thus overall flow of your deck. Specifically in multiple tri color commanders I have made, actually. Th filter lands as well as the cycle of budget fetches are a blessing. People need to take the time and simply look into your mama base, there are even more budget options beyond the ones mentioned in this video. Prof does a great job and he was the one, I believe, who reminded me of my krosan verge. What a card to end up finding 3 of in your box of cards. Lastly, can I just say how much I love building a deck with some really solid card draw and a terrain generator. That's true value haha

[@MaturinSleeps]

Thank you! I recently started building a commander deck, and it happens to be es per.

[@crystalgriffith5863]

This helps out a lot, one of the commander decks I'm building from scratch is a Esper deck ☺️

[@halogrizzhand]

For the longest time I've needed this! Thanks prof

[@tike481]

(Warning still fairly new to magic) I absolutely loved this! As I have fallen out of standard and modern (due to time constraints with my work place) , so my friends and I have turned to commander for our magic needs. Some of the decks are blood thirsty while others are quite casual; or don't have the funds to be blood thirsty. I found that I had trouble figuring out what I should do for land base that went beyond two color;, as anything two color or single color decks seemed to have a straight forward mana base (to me). While diving into my first three color deck, I was at a complete loss..I tried complete budget with basics, life lands from zendikar and khans, guild gates and though it worked somewhat I felt like I was really slow really didn't know how to tune the land base. But after watching this it felt nice to actually fix my; 'Rith, the Awakener' , and 'Tasigur, the Golden Fang' decks. I know I had to bite the bullet with some lands (mainly the filters and the fetches), but I was good to go. I could notice a visible change right away with actually being able to play almost anything the turn I could play them (as long as I didn't miss a land drop.) As for some of the arguments I'm seeing below. I felt the video was pretty straight forward with the message the professor wanted to convey, and that it is something that was up to the player and viewers decision as to what their wallet could allow. I didn't feel looked down upon in the video if I can't afford a land that costs a paycheck and a half to buy, I didn't feel locked into a view that says "use this cookie cutter build or it won't work..", This is just a guide line to help someone new (like myself) to get a better idea of what MAYBE a land base should look like for a three color deck. To be honest too, I really like that he takes his time to go through each selection methodically to then give some sort of budget build. I really prefer to see videos like this as its not that I'm planning to ever become pro or something like that, but I like to maximize the amount of fun I'm having playing the games I'm in! Warning some sappy stuff ahead! I really appreciate everything channels like#TheManaSource gave me unique ideas or help me learn some match ups in standard and more in modern (I still get to play online at least) and gave me wonderful videos on the actual magic lore which is so rich and wonderful (still waiting on the next lore video btw), #TheCommandZone helps explain a great deal of changes that may happen in the format in an easy digestible way while showing me neat things I have not seen before while being able to make me laugh most of the time. Lastly #TolarianCommunityCollege has given me a good look into more casual formats that me and my friends partake in! All of his videos partaining on how to get a better idea how to make commander decks, what a cube and how to build one is, and so much more! TCC was what actually introduced me to the other mentioned channels! I sincerely hope to see much more content from all these wonderful channels and that don't stop anytime soon! Keep up the good work Professor!

[@drunkenwhaler6890]

I always go here when building my edh decks. thank you so much Prof

[@WJPrestridge]

Can't wait to see the 5-color episode!

[@phant0mxw0lf]

Will crunch this advice and will update after I test/play next commander deck.

[@01Seraph]

thx for the work, i had some problems with mana in my marchesa deck. this video (and the commander introduce video ;P) helps me alot!

[@Crinson_typhoon]

ty so much! finally, I've been needing this

[@kaschafe22]

this is by far the most helpful (saying a lot.) (really saying alot.) video you have ever made. thank you professor.

[@Asmodeus555]

I've got never run more than 36 lands. Then again I'd usually run more like 10 accelerators/rocks. And I guess if you had lands that don't tap for mana like maze of ith you would need to run more.

[@Benton-Voice-Over]

Wow, this is amazing. Thanks, Prof!

[@1AbsoluteZERO]

Hello Professor! I can't wait until you make a mono-x mana base vid for EDH. I am always looking for different perspectives since I am relatively new to EDH. Keep up the great videos!

[@zodiark93]

Thank you very much for this video! I'm starting to build a bant deck for EDH/Commander and this is exactly what I need to know °w°

[@jonathantorres616]

Thank you it's been vary helpful well since I'm building an esper deck

[@toxikblood]

Can't wait for the 5 colors video!

[@Damiancontursi]

Excelent video I was looking for something like this!!

[@Subie001]

An update to would be awesome, thanks professor

[@RustySeatbelt]

Take this video for what it is. The guide shown will get you the colors you need, when you need them. He's simply providing the vital framework for three colors. For budget concerns, there are many alternatives in addition to the ones suggested in this video, it simply requires some sifting through Gatherer and the like. To be perfectly honest, newer players should be starting out with two-color generals. This not only simplifies the deck-building process but also keeps more of the chosen general's flavor intact when the focus can be put on the "ying and yang" of how each color complements the other. Green-White Selesnya, for example, has its namesake Selesnya Sanctuary bounce land, Blue-Red Izzet has Izzet Boilerworks, etc. The original legendary Ravnica guild leaders are great starting points to build around interactions within the color pairs (i.e. Teysa, Orzhov Scion). When having to worry about a third color, the direction for the deck can become derailed, leading to inconsistency and less memorable, bombshell games.

[@mrvideogamevideos]

Just in time for my Zedruu deck. Thanks, Professor!

[@narx4014]

Great video! I'm looking foreward for the five color version! (:

[@versuhtile4498]

Holy crap this was extremely helpful, thank you!

[@nateivorys7318]

Dope dude!! Thanks again Fam', keep 'um coming!!!!

[@gonzalomb5026]

Your vids are amazingly well done. Good job Mr. Professor.

[@SemkOld]

This video is insane. I just wanted tips on how to build up a fun 3 color commander deck, not get a list of lands I can’t afford. Goldfish time!

[@apanapane]

Great video, as always. However, I would like to point out that the mana base is strangely enough not the most important part of an EDH deck. For players on a budget, I'd recommend not spending much money on the mana base. It's a multiplayer format where we start at 40 lives, so a land coming into play tapped is not as bad as it is in other formats. So the difference between a Guildgate and a dual is not as large as one might think. (Yes, I know that duals can be found by fetches and so on. I am not arguing that guildgates are as good, just that for most players they are good enough.)

[@sorcen9580]

Can't wait for the 2 color video to come out so I can use it for my Meren deck! I'm sure I'll use this one in the future though :)

[@yeserlink4315]

Amazing how much has changed in EDH mana bases since this video was posted! Still a neat jumping off point for beginners though.

[@jamesarclight544]

This video is immensely helpful!

[@Athsrueas]

Here you have done a great job bringing up a lot of lands which make a multicolored deck more mana consistent! I really liked how you made it applicable to multiple color combinations, keeping it general, but also included some specific esper examples. I would like to comment on one mana acceleration difference in green. I find than mana ramp which puts lands into play can be superior to mana rocks in green for a myriad of reasons, not least of which that most board wipes don't touch lands meaning your mana acceleration hasn't gone to waste (it is a serious mana investment). And wayfarers bauble is almost as fast as rampant growth, a green staple in colorless! Also, sure commander is a casual format but lands that come into play tapped, no matter the fixing they provide can be the difference between winning and losing, simply because you are going to be slower than that mono black combo deck. Multicolored decks can be fast, and you don't need to to be breaking the bank for all these lands that don't have drawbacks but still fix. One think I look for is cards which work well with the mana choices you have made. For example the delve mechanic loves for you to have a fetch land or ramp spells in the yard. In blue black and green there are several cards which I could see running in many strategies that have a significantly more powerful effect per mana spent assuming you delve away a fetch land, a wayfarer's bauble expedition map rampant growth etc.

[@JimJimTheMonkey]

Awesome vid. i hope you do a video on building a 5 color mana base or go a step further and make a General Tazri ally deck tech.

[@MrGivla]

I run Chromatic Lantern in ALL of my three color commander decks. Coalition relic is also perfect in tri. I usually run less basics than this video recommends, and if your not playing in a blood moon/ruination/dwarven miner/back to basics meta it is usually totally fine. With the new mulligan rule (if you adhere to it) 38-40 lands is sadly where it needs to be. This video is DEFINITELY FOR MULTIPLAYER!! In French Dual the rules for this change drastically, as you definitely need 0-1 comeintoplaytapped lands to ensure your low curve. Nice Video!

[@Starshorts1234]

I'd love to see you come back and revisit some of these now that the cardpool has changed

[@erichorton3901]

7 years later and this is still my starting point for 3 color decks. I think the only tweak I've made is Pain Lands and Alara Tri-Lands for Battlebond Duals and Triomes.

[@jindo4849]

Great video, got some good ideas for my dimir edh!

[@infamous0ne789]

Heya Prof. I think an important land for three color commander decks is Ash Barrens from Commander 2016. This card has been excellent in my Kaalia deck which is very demanding of needing quick mana and specific mana for a fast Kaalia. The ability to basic landcycle it early game or simply play it (untapped) as a colorless land when you draw it late game gives it excellent versatility, and it also provides a shuffle effect if needed for top, scroll rack, etc. TLDR, Ash barrens has been a great card for my 3 color decks and is a common, so very affordable. Recommended!

[@leonardohernandez9017]

Just this afternoon i was asking myself this question, thanks! :D

[@zkull777]

Thank you for this video it was brilliant and informative keep up the good work.

[@gordonhewitt7766]

Yay, more commander/EDH!

[@detrexer]

These are great videos, professor. More of that!

[@MrInfernoblade10]

I like your template here and I think it'll help greatly in the future

[@realcatalinawinemixer]

This video is SOOOOOO helpful. Thank you

[@quentinchristensen3793]

Great video, I'll try it out this weekend ! :)

[@andrewburton2580]

Great video! Could you also show us how put together a good mana base for standard, modern, and/or legacy for multicolored decks?

[@ancientswordrage]

I do feel like as you add more and more colours, it makes more and more of a difference whether you have certain colours. I'd love a more in-depth look at how many ramp spells or enchantments you might run as a part-green deck. Or which keyrunes fit which wedge or shard specifically...?

[@skyfire001]

I have recently rebuilt my Karrthus Tyrant of Jund commander into a Scion of the Ur-Dragon deck. And I have all but 1 of the shocks lands, all the scry lands, a couple filters, 4 of the Kahns fetches. And i only use Farseek as a ramp spell and a lot of mana rocks. Some people where worried about my 39 land mana base with only 1 ramp spell being rough and inconsistent. But I have found that I am almost never without the colors I need between my rocks, some mana creatures, and lands. The deck runs very fast at times despite being a dragon based deck that used to be slower! Some how adding 2 colors and removing 3 ramp spells made my deck faster

[@arkxlonginus1521]

Very much appreciated this video and I am going to revise my Commander Decks with everything mentioned in mind. Although it's a very recent publication you did not explicitly mentioned the BFZ-Duals. Where would you put these in terms of alternatives?

[@90spepe]

OMG! Thank you so much for this vid!

[@nickyoung7508]

I agree with other commenters. Could love to get your opinion updated for 2021. I am sure most of this still applies, but there are tons of options now, plus the castles, snow duals, and MDFCs to muck things around.

[@manwichcannon]

An Omnath decktech would be quite wonderful. There are a few Omnath decktechs floating around but they all seem to go in the wrong direction and I think you can do better. A strong ramp engine and a bunch of 5/5s to swing with is nice but I think noncombat damage is the way to go. Thanks for all the great videos professor!

[@incogneat0901]

it'd be a good time to revisit this

[@jticonchuk]

I'm saving this video for sure

[@Rascus75]

This is pretty good; I'm new to Commander but not new to Magic, and the thing I'd most like to see is guides on building a mana base optimized for specific colors. For example, for a 2-color or 3-color deck where one of the colors is green, there are a lot more options for mana fixing; the highly regarded Birds of Paradise, and the vastly underrated Utopia Sprawl. For a creature-heavy and/or token-centric deck, Cryptolith Rite is a great pick (Life and Limb is neat if you're working with Saprolings specifically, but with how common board wipes are in Commander or so I hear, it's a big gamble since a board wipe would then also wipe your basic lands, and if you're only using it to use your Saprolings as a mana source then Cryptolith Rite is universally better). And as others have mentioned, Chromatic Lantern is good in any deck. I really don't see the appeal of the Ravnica bounce lands. I first played MtG when Ravnica was the current block, and let me tell you, those things feel like they hurt more than they help. Their tempo is just abysmal. They come into play tapped, remove one of your other lands, and of course count as your land for the turn. If any one of those three things wasn't the case they'd be golden, but as they are, they're just too slow. The only use I can see for them is what someone else mentioned: the niche utility synergy between them and the scry lands. I'm looking to eventually build an Animar, Soul of Elements deck (somewhere above budget level but also not up to high-end competitive level), and would love to see what kind of options there are that are specific to red and blue to work alongside the ones I already know for green.

[@huntergottlieb3943]

Wonderful video! Please do 2 color mana fixing next!

[@charlier409]

Hi Professor! Love your videos and always come back to some of the old ones when in need. Quick question, would you change any of the advice you give in this video or do you still stand by all what you said? I just finished building my second commander deck and now I'm trying to optimize the mana base.

[@MrLowgaz]

I run 16 ramp in my Kresh the bloodbraided beatdown deck. He can be pretty expensive so i feel like having under 10 is to little. :) great video :)

[@roercula8425]

Thank you very much Professor.

[@JanusSanoRicardi]

I would love to see an update about this, with the Modal DFCs included.