NEW Commander Deck Building Guide/Template - Make your EDH deck better

[@marshallscot]

The color identity restrictions of EDH is the one thing that makes the decks both interesting and manageable to build. Like the stanzas of a poem, the beauty comes from how you work within the restrictions.

[@pascalquartenoud2168]

This is Very true and that is why i love building in 5 bellow (all cards under 5 dollars)

[@bradyinman6588]

@@pascalquartenoud2168 I LOVE pauper, they have been leaning into to it as well and the commons are getting better.

[@marshallscot]

Thank you so much for your comments on boardwipes! While sometimes it might be necessary to completely wipe the board, it is more often better to play a board wipe which synergizes with your strategy. If you wipe the board but don't have an immediate strategy for winning, you have more than likely merely dragged out the game to be longer than it needed to be.

[@paulszki]

Yeah, one-sided board wipes are increasingly being mentioned by many channels to strive for. I think a board-wipes like Farewell is so popular because it's so incredibly modal/flexible and as such can go into really any white deck. And of course there are board-wipes that simply just say "destroy every X you don't control" and sure, these are powerful effects, but most of the time they're on cards that cost 8+ mana. But the real pleasure in deck-building is to find those boardwipes for your deck that are, on the surface, symmetrical but really, they aren't. E.g. I have a Karametra deck with about 50 creatures in it, but 95% of them don't have power higher than 3. So naturally I can simply run a bunch of boardwipes that say "destroy all creatures with power 3 or greater". Since Karametra is indestructable, I can happily wrath away without losing my commander. I just have to adjust the way I buff up my creatures for combat, because any Anthem Effect would make my army to big. So instead it needs to be temporary masspump. E.g. Mirror Entity makes all my creatures become x base power and toughness until end of turn. And there are so many board wipes that people should actually consider. Like if you're playing dragons, they're kind of all flyers (with a couple of exceptions lately). Well, actually play earthquake-like cards that say "deal x damage to all creatures without flying". You're still going to hit tons of stuff and there is a good chance that your dragons are the most dangerous flyers on the table.

[@ChiefPrime_]

I've been playing magic on and off for years and the past year have found my love for it again. Your videos including this one has helped greatly in my thought process behind deck building and I look forward to more from this channel.

[@Tempest-Official]

Love you, my brother! You're always so supportive. We need more love and passion in the community like this. :)

[@Muhd_Akmal]

You are the adam warlock of EDH thanks for the guide

[@Tempest-Official]

Someone from my home play group calls me that. 😭

[@OpticF3ARNGT]

This is a solid video! Couple points I'd like to add. 1. Think about the play pattern of your decks and the playstyle you like. Some days i want to play a high mental bandwidth deck with tons of instant speed options. Other days are better as using up all my resources only on my turn and effectively off on other's turns. This matters for color and deck building so much. 2. Its okay to have weaknesses in your deck. Staples are great, however the format is moving towards synergy focus. 3. Your deck has to be complimented by your commander, not completed. Even with weaker leaders, its a great mindset to build in functional synergy. Plus it will get removed more if its too much of the decks focus. 4. Please pick underused commanders. Everyone sees the big bads and boogeymen often. A pregame action of taking everyone's evil eye isnt good.

[@Tempest-Official]

Couldn't agree more. I especially like to experiment with less powerful or niche includes in my decks. It makes games more interesting for everyone involved.

[@TheDizeazedKiller]

I'm stumped on the "not completed" part. If I took that advice, as far as I can see, I just wouldnt run my two decks, alela or Magda. Magda deck has to rely on her, otherwise it becomes... not a Magda deck. The same goes for alela - gotta have some level of reliance on the faerie spam or else she's just their for colours

[@SinglExplosiv]

​@@TheDizeazedKillerI think this is a general rule with exceptions. For example, I have a Grolnok frog deck that is meant to mill me out while Grolnok is on the field, letting me use his exile ability as a second hand, but without the big frog out the deck just becomes frog tribal and doesn't have an easy line for wins

[@moon1614]

Youre the first person ive seen to give a concise and comprehensive framework on how to pick cards within each card category. Many thanks!

[@sasorispupet]

I super agree with taking out some single target removal. I see all these lists online “you need tp run this many lands, this many draw cards, this much ramp, this many lands, and you add it all up and you get like 70~ cards and it’s like “you guys really leave only about a third of your deck to your actual synergy?” I know some cards like soul shatter are removal but also synergize with commanders like tergrid, but still.

[@marshallscot]

Evaluating ramp is really important for those higher costed commanders so you can leap frog your turns. If you play two mana ramp on turn 2, then your four mana ramp and six mana commander can actually come down on turns 3 and 4 respectively.

[@jacobmontalvo7792]

Please go over the new Precons!!! I'd love to see an upgrade guide from someone who cares about the game as much as you do! Thanks for the great vid.

[@mtggodzilla7308]

I think each commander should be analyzed individually and built in a way that seeks synergies and not using the same recipe for all decks. That's why when I saw the Command Zone "build template", I almost abandoned the video 😅😅 Really good video man. I found your channel few weeks ago and i like your content. Your videos are very interesting and your analisys are enough deep too keeping the interest with out boring. Great work. P..D Poor Cackling Fiend, you used like bad example. Because of you maybe he will stops laughing. 😢😂.

[@gabrielkopp9248]

Great video, Tempest! Out of all the MTG content creators I’ve found, I think your philosophy on deckbuilding and playing is the closest to my own, and it’s really cool to have a mirrored perspective to help me review my lists and playstyle. Are you going to be at MagicCon Chicago next month?

[@Tempest-Official]

Hi Gabriel. I won't be at this event, but I am planning on making it to future events and will be putting out an announcement when I do go. :) I hope to see you at one!

[@GrinningFeline]

Great breakdown! In my Lord Windgrace deck I run 42 lands and 69 in Soul of Windgrace, and they both are scary decks

[@GrinningFeline]

Soul of Windgrace is based on Scoop in Response’s lands deck. And the living Windgrace is super friend lands

[@marshallscot]

I think when talking about ramp and card draw you can include a lot of effects that don't strictly ramp you in terms of lands/mana rocks and traditional card draw, depending on the flavor and style of the deck. I have a mono red Ragavan deck in which I have specifically replaced all the usual mana rocks with treasures, and all card advantage with either loot effects or cast from exile effects. This stays on theme with pirates and gives me a lot of efficient options in mono red. More often than not, I actually find land ramp spells off the top of the green players library. So while the treasures are temporary, they do allow me to play my pirates ahead of curve, which snowball to let me create even more treasures, and card advantage, while also lowering my opponents life total. There are unorthodox options available in every color if you are willing to dig around for them.

[@bertowiseguy]

This is the most helpful mtg video I’ve ever watched. So straightforward!

[@scottricks1676]

Awesome vid, been playing since og kamagawa :) but it’s good to refresh every now and then. My biggest pit fall is culling down to the 99. Adhd so bad I’m already starting on the next deck before the other is done.

[@oOOoOphidian]

I've been playing and deck building for ages and I still struggle with that sometimes. If you aren't constrained on budget or cardpool there are an absurd number of options for the ~70-60 nonland cards you need to pick.

[@punkypinko2965]

I start a new deck with 40 lands. I HIGHLY recommend starting with 40 lands. It makes a huge difference in getting enough lands in your opening hand and the first few turns on the game. And if you want to cut a few lands later, no problem. My decks have 38 - 40 lands, including MDFC lands so it's really more like 36 - 38 pure lands. I used to have as few as 33 lands ... it worked sometimes but when I was not drawing enough lands, my opening game would be ruined. If being mana flooded later messes with your game, then just include a few lands you can cycle to draw a card.

[@calebbrown1068]

The way I’m thinking about your deck’s synergy and ability to function without your commander is to treat your commander like a Panharmonicon for the cards in your deck. Should that deck still work without it? Sure, a blink deck will still do things without Panharmonicon. But it really kicks into high gear once your commander hits the board, because it amplifies almost every other card in your deck.

[@xxhellspawnedxx]

I have to contest the notion that it gets "more fun" to run less interaction. We have these commanders that the grassroots have dubbed "Monolith" commanders, and you can't let them sit while you dig for an answer, cause by the time you find it in your slimmed down interaction deck, they will have amassed so many resources that you might as well just scoop. A good example of this is a game I had the other week, against a Xyris deck. Xyris player ramps hard out of the gate, gets a few support pieces down on turn 3 and plays Xyris on turn 4, where he eat a removal spell right away. This player, however, had already ramped so hard that he could just recast it the next turn, with blue mana open, and no one had any more interaction. 3 turns later, when someone next managed to find a board wipe, the Xyris player had 25 lands in play, 30 cards in hand (including 3 board protection spells and 4 counterspells, 40 snakes on the board, and both Craterhoof and Beastmaster Ascension in hand. It was fucked, because this snake was allowed to stick around. Now, the reason I told this little story is to illustrate: If you don't want to be table top Hitler who tries to dictate what other people are allowed to play and not in your presence - Obviously not a great person to be or to be around - you have but one realistic recourse, unless you want to condemn yourself to only playing monolith commanders: To play more interaction. Interaction is the great equiliser that lets slightly more niche and less kitchen-sink'y commanders hang at tables where there may be monolith commanders as well.

[@8Smoker8]

Eh Idk about cutting single target removal. Might help you short term but when everyone catches up to that philosophy you're harming your pod overall. Because then everyone cuts removal and the strongest deck wins every time. It's a form of freeriding.

[@JPNox]

Yea, I'm just a beginner, but from my experience even though there are many threats on the table usually it's a limited number of cards that are the biggest threats and the drive of the enemy engine

[@Azeria]

I think the key is using more modal spells which _can_ be used as single target removal, but could also be a synergy piece in your game plan instead. That way it’s dead in your hand much, much less often.

[@colebengston3963]

Woooooo i got lucky and got a Mondrak and have tons of token generating white cards and artifact cards! First magic games tomorrow after twenty years, wish me luck!

[@Westblader]

Awesome video, it's a godsend with me trying to brew my own Pantlaza version this week, first time I'm trying to build a deck myself! One question though, I went to your Archidekt and I can't find your Gishath and Atla Palani lists! I'd love to see it, could you maybe post it? Also, extra question, what's your opinion between Gishath and Pantlaza as your commander? Cheers and keep it up!(:

[@Tempest-Official]

I'll put up the Atla Palani list for you right now (I'll drop another comment when it's up). My fiancé made a Gishath deck list, but she used me to make a big chunk of it, haha. I'll check with her and see if she's okay with me putting it up. :) As far as Pant vs Gish, Gishath is more explosive, and will lead to more closed out games in a faster manner. But Pantlaza is still really great, especially if your play group has some grindier games. I don't think you can go wrong with either and luckily the lists will be relatively similar, so you could always just swap the commanders out and see which you enjoy more!

[@Tempest-Official]

Atla Palani: archidekt.com/decks/6538949/atla_palani_eldrazi_tender Enjoy! And thank you for your support!

[@Westblader]

@@Tempest-Official Thank you so much! Your fiancé has great taste, Gishath is awesome! That's what I think about those two as well, except I tend to like more lands in Gishath because he's more expensive, and that makes me think I also need more ramp too. Also, sorry if it's super annoying/extra, but I'd also love to see your Ur-Dragon list, if you don't mind! Again, I understand if it's too much, so no worries! Thank you for all your help and great videos(:

[@Westblader]

@@Tempest-Official Thanks a lot, thank you for the amazing content!

[@elahem6940]

Speaking into the Proper example of impulse drawing being better with your commander out, but people wanting to play straight card draw because it's better with out your commander: PLAY THE SYNERGISTIC STUFF! Opponents using a card to remove your commander which you then have access to for just 2 more mana means that they're naturally putting you up a card!

[@BoyGamer100]

Great video, but I do have a question about one of the things you said. You said that every deck should synergize with your commander in some way. What if you're the type of player that likes creatureless gameplay, and wouldn't use your commander really at all, but are forced into playing commander because no one seems to play anything else? It's rare for me to find anyone who plays anything other than commander. Everyone plays it. I'd much rather play Legacy or even Modern with friends, but almost no one wants to. Also what if there's no commander you like that has abilities you could take advantage of in your deck? What would your advice be for players like that(Like me)? Can't the commander just be there for flavor and the colors of choice and still be a strong deck?

[@Tempest-Official]

Ya of course! Like I also said in the video, there are exceptions to everything (which makes deck building in commander difficult.) If you are looking to have a deck not utilizing your commander much (or at all), I'd say take a look at 5 mana commanders so you have access to all the powerful effects in magic in one place. Also, definitely look into more competitive play groups. Most of the time in a blue/black deck you are winning with Thassa's Oracle/demonic consultation, not your commander. Green/Red decks will win off of Food Chain/Squee for infinite mana, also not requiring your commander. I think there are plenty of ways to play where your commander isn't necessarily involved!

[@BoyGamer100]

@@Tempest-Official Thanks for the response! I definitely want to play with competition in mind, but I have trouble finding anyone willing to. I'm very much a combo player, but I try to brew my own stuff and see what works around the same power level. My current combo's aren't as effecient as Thoracle/demonic consultation, but they accomplish the same goal just one turn slower usually. I have looked into 5 mana commanders, but I'm trying to stay in the Grixis color identity, primarily because the theming and philosophy fits me, so I want my deck to be self expression as much as I can without sacrificing power. 5 color decks don't have much uniqueness, but I have played it and it can be powerful. Just lacks flavor. There's very few commanders in Grixis colors that do what I need too, and none of them are commanders I'd be willing to use to express myself with. It's tricky x.x Thanks for your response, that gives me confidence

[@marshallscot]

​@BoyGamer100 There are a handful of commanders which are planeswalkers, and some that are enchantments or artifacts, or have an artifact or enchantment on their back face. I have a Reality Chip deck which is basically just a mono blue artifacts combo deck. From my experience the decks which are less creature centric tend to be higher power decks which use combos to win rather than combat damage. Edit: in Grixis colors I would recommend Don Andres, the Renegade.

[@BoyGamer100]

@@marshallscot I realize that, but none of those planeswalkers are Grixis colored, and none of the Dimir or Izzet colored ones fit what I need either. The rest are creatures with the additional types as far as I'm aware, as reality chip is a creature still. You are right about low to no creatures being more combo oriented with high power though. That's my aim. I don't want to battle for the board, I want to protect myself and go straight for gaining advantage and winning. I currently use Nicol Bolas, The Ravager; both because I love the character, and because his planeswalker side is actually useful for me. It's just not efficient. Thanks for the info though, you actually got me to double check that. I just have a dilemma between preference and power x3

[@marshallscot]

​@@BoyGamer100 Yeah it's really hard to balance flavor and power. Mid power pods might regard a lot of interaction as being overpowered for the pod even if it's 3 v 1, but higher power pods are going to be high tuned instead of fitting a theme or flavor.

[@d2h655]

Thanks for this!

[@Tempest-Official]

My pleasure. :) Glad I can help.

[@CyphersBasement]

63 Nonland cards, 36 Land cards. Mana curve. Multiple tricks and secret win conditions. Account for most ideas. This is my formula and direction.

[@hainzyy]

New sub, happy to have found you on KZbin shuffle.

[@paulszki]

I find card-density to be super important for my own decks. Like, if I want removal in a dragon deck... I'll look for dragons that give me that. E.g. why play Toxic Deluge, when I can play Silumgar, Drifting Death? Toxic Deluve is the more powerful sweeper, but Silumgar is a Dragon that Synergizes with the rest of the deck (e.g. it costs 1 less from Ur-Dragon, it triggers Dragon Tempest and you can actually attack with it.) Often times these cards aren't as efficient as the pure roleplayers. E.g. Swords to Plowshares exiles a dude for just one white mana. But if I'm heavy on creature synnergies, I might play, say, Mangara of Corondor anyway. Again, obviously not as powerful or efficient, but I also don't draw a card of Swords to Plowshares, if I have a Beast Whisperer or Welcoming Vampire out. And I can just play Mangara to the table on any turn and just keep it there as a rattlesnake. Like, maybe I'll get around some day to building some deck with just generically good cards (good stuff TM) but most of the time, I just don't care for playing Rhystic Study, Swords to Plowshares, Cyclonic Rift and other so-called "auto-includes" because I'd much rather focus on my deck's theme, even if it makes statistically worse. I'm not building my decks to always be a 9 or 10. I'm building my decks to have a fun and varied play experience.

[@lonnienadler1448]

That sweater goes hard.

[@Jasongy827]

I want to build a khakis of the vast no ripping just making my own

[@Anonyze]

But how many creatures?

[@alexhaag599]

Your deck will at LEAST 'play' if you can do 2 things.. -Ramp -Draw cards So.. if you're new... I suggest Simic!

[@willzang3000]

yo this was a great video tysm

[@GruntpocalypseGaming]

how to build a deck 1. have lots of money 2. win

[@kirbbar2258]

1.5 sol ring

[@anthonysulpizio2269]

Sam and Frodo don’t have combos on edhrec?

[@alexalusheff710]

I clicked on this video because you use Canva to make your thumbnails.😄

[@TimothyArnold-p8l]

Can i put rhystic study in all my blue decks??

[@Tempest-Official]

Yes

[@poesero]

I always run 33/34 lands

[@gzzuss]

I just can keep it cutting the last 10 cards 😂😂😂

[@skiphoffenflaven8004]

Here is the most pertinent advice regarding MTG/MTGO: 1) Spend lots of money on lots of rares; 2) Play only decks with rares…rare after rare after rare… 3) Suck the life, creativity, and imagination (that used to be the driving force back in the 90s/00s) out of the game by: a) cutting and pasting a netdeck b) copycatting a popular deck (get those rares!) c) talking trash about a low-budget deck in modern d) telling any opponent that uses one-fifth of the rares, I mean golden crutches, that you lean so heavily upon, that “That is what pauper is for.” e) being an arrogant, cocky, meme-filled ahole donut of sameness. Good luck! I am sure it is easy…everyone is doing it!

[@b_olson542]

Most of my decks come from KZbin videos. I suck at building my own decklists.