Best Commanders for Beginners
Ten easy-to-learn, affordable commanders for new players this year, from the $30 Foundations Commander decks to the Marvel Super Heroes precons, with an upgrade tip for each.
-
-
Building a Budget Commander Mana Base: Best Cheap Dual Lands by Color Pair
A smooth Commander mana base does not have to be expensive. Learn every dual land type, which cheap cycles are worth it, and get a shopping list of budget duals for all ten color pairs.
-
How Many Lands Should a Commander Deck Run? (With a Simple Formula)
Most casual Commander decks want 36 to 38 lands. Here is a simple formula based on your curve and ramp, colored source targets for two- and three-color decks, and how to count MDFCs and cycling lands.
-
The Commander Game Changers List: Every Card and Why It’s There
All 53 Commander Game Changers grouped by role, with a one-line reason for each, the latest changes, and budget alternatives that keep your deck in a lower bracket.
-
Commander Brackets Explained: All 5 Brackets in Plain English
A plain-English guide to all five Commander Brackets: what each one allows, how to tell where your deck fits, and how to talk about it before the game starts.
-
How to Play Sai, Master Thopterist: Keen Engineering Deck Guide
A game plan for the blue Foundations Commander precon: mulligans, early turns, the Sai engine and how the deck actually closes games.
-
What Is Commander? A Beginner’s Guide to MTG’s Most Popular Format
New to Commander? Here’s how the format works, from the 100-card singleton rule to commander damage, plus tips for your first game night.
-
How to Build a Commander Deck: The 100-Card Blueprint
A simple, reliable template for building any Commander deck: how many lands, ramp, card draw and removal to run, and how to fill the rest.
