Deck Building 101

[Shadowcran]

I've seen countless threads online dealing with this, but since we have a game system, complete with manalink 2.0, it's far easier to design decks. It's a lot of fun, especially with old cards(what could be better than beating some flashy new deck with old standbys?)

However, every single thread treats your deck building like you're going to jump right into a tournament with both guns blazing so therefore you should accept the legal limits. Hell, you're a beginner, right? You don't know the advantages/disadvantages of most of the cards yet, but experts are telling you to go ahead and trim down to the bare bones.

Why? How in the hell are you going to learn anything that way except how to compete in a tourney? What I'm trying to do here is teach you how to build that deck so that it's fun, not a tutorial in boredom.

Step 1: Look for a theme. There are many cards that work together, especially those with similar creatures as the core.

Step 2: Pick a color. Again, go for fun. Want to be a bad guy? build a deck around swamps. Want to tap your inner asshole(Trust me, we all have it in there somewhere)? Build a blue deck. Want to feel like a hero? Plains. Want to swarm opponents with spells and low level creatures? Red. Like those big creatures? Go forest.

*For a beginner, I suggest picking ONE color only for your first deck build for simplicity's sake.

Step 3: Build a themed deck around creatures you want with about 100 cards, complete with illegal lands/artifacts like the Moxen, and use Black Lotus' as much as you can. Again, we're not buildinga a tournament champion here, but having fun.

**Don't expect to play this deck against other players. Yes, it'll be illegal. Play this against the computer AI.

Step 4: Try it out on different matches with differently themed decks against that computer AI . Start noticing problems and perhaps typing them down on a notepad document. Also note strengths and which cards suit you better. Notice cards that cost a lot of mana and weigh the use of having "hard to cast" cards in this deck. There are some cards, such as a Pearled unicorn for example, that just "plain" cost too much for a bland creature with no special ability.

NOW you're ready for making your deck legal.

1- Trim all creatures, instants, enchantments etal. down to 4 of each only or less. As your number drops below 100, start getting rid of the illegal moxen cards and considering what other lands to replace them with. Remember, except for basic lands, you can have only 4 of each type.

2- Get rid of those that cost too much mana for too little ...er...oomph.

3- Get rid of those cards that just don't pop with the rest or are just taking up space.

***As you trim it down, play it some more. This will help with the final trim work.

Final work:
1) Get rid of ALL illegal cards. Here's a link to those: http://search.aol.com/aol/search?s_it=c ... +Gathering

2) Get rid of all illegal lands.

3)Now put at least 20 lands in the deck. At least 20. It doesn't matter how, as long as you adhere to the 4 card if not basic rule.

4) Now think about whether you need a few more lands, or a few more spells that produce mana quickly. Larger casting cards will need those spells, while smaller might be set at only 20 or maybe a few more.

5) Pick your final creatures and spells to compliment them. Stay below 70 at all costs, but consider trimming it down to 60 as best you can. A few more than 60 won't hurt all the time, but consider your odds. They're better with a 60.

Now, you're not completely finished. Keep in mind the legal cards you've discarded from this deck that might just work well in this new trimmed down set and consider replacing. Play this 60 card deck against multiple decks operated by the computer AI.

****Notice something while playing this deck? While you were playing it, you learned what other cards you weren't using as well. I'm dead sure you now have ideas swimming in that head, right? Know what that means? You're ready to build a second deck..perhaps as many as you damned well please. Now, and only now are you ready to speak to the long time players and ask advice. Pay heed to it now as they know what they're talking about.