In every EDH deck I've made, I always plan to run "about" 40 land. Then I reserve around 10 slots for non-land ramp or land-fetch. In green, this includes Cultivate, Kodama's Reach, and Krosan Tusker. Most decks have signets, bouncelands, and Sol Rings. Mana rocks like Thran Dynamo are often included. I generally budget about 10 slots for cards like these.
Usually my plan falls apart when it becomes time to start cutting cards. I have 75 spells I want to run, so I drop down to 39 lands (after all, signets are "basically" lands). I cut a few mana rocks. I count a non-mana-producing land among the land count. In the end, I really want to run another fatty and its so much cooler than a forest, so the land count drops again.
When it gets around to playing time, I find myself relying on that free or partial mulligan. Some games I draw enough land, and in a fair number I feel "behind" on mana. Only when I start recurring a land source do I actually get ahead.
The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem.
Hi. My name is Aranthar, and I'm a land miser.
How many mana sources do you run in your main EDH deck? Do you think you're running too few, or relying on exceptional draws to get by?
I had the same problem as you, and it took a lot of painful cuts, and I managed to get Thrax to the full 40 land. That includes 3 Bouncelands and Temple of the False God. Other than that, I run Sol Ring, Darksteel Ingot, and Solemn Simulacrum, Coalition Relic, Expedition Map. The key with this is to choose spell lands and such. The Worldwake manlands are amazing at this. Creeping Tar Pit and Lavaclaw Reaches are some of the best turn one plays I can have, since it sets me up for a lot later and fixes my mana now. Other than that I run the Blue and Black Urza's manlands for even more equiping and chump blocking awesomeness.
Throw on top of that all the colorless utility lands and regular duals, and you got a decent manabase.
The worst part of running full 40 is that sometimes you flood out. The key to fighting this is to have mana sinks. Batterskull is perfect example of a card who uses about as much mana as you want it to. 8 mana gets you a free dude, every time. X spells are also important. In green, you already run GSZ and Chord of Calling surely, but there are other good ones. Blue can run Mind Spring so that it is passable even at 4 mana total, yet gamebreaking when cast for 10. Planar Portal also helps with the flooding problem, being expensive but getting you the best gas in your deck is wonderful.
This sounds all fine and dandy, but it is tough to cut an awesome spell. EDHers and humanity in general delude themselves with the best case scenario thinking. I suffered from this big time, when my Thrax deck was so bloated with large and in charge creatures. But really, is not one Titan/big dude enough to win against a table that has been depleted of gas? Think about whether you want to see the card in your opener. Very rarely do you love to see a 6+ drop. If you still want it in every opener, then it is worth including-Primeval Titan, Consecrated Sphinx, the usual suspects.
What really helped me in this regard was playing Pauper EDH. Since you are forced to win by value instead of sheer power, you realize that you do not need much raw power to win games after all. Even just a basic recursion engine like regrowing a counterspell every other turn puts you well on your way to victory. My pauper deck also runs 40 lands, but with all the expected green ramp and Krosan Tusker and Ingot.
Finally, cycling lands are good if you want more mana but want to draw more gas in the late game.
The problem with defining [EDH] by what is "fun" is that everyone seems to define fun as what they don't lose to. If you keep losing to easily answered cards, that means you should improve your deck. If you don't want to improve your deck, then you should come to peace with the idea that you are going to lose because you chose to not interact with better strategies.
The poll options could be better-termed "mana sources", instead of lands. Also, do you think 2-cost mana ramps like Rampant Growth or Signets can "count" as lands in your deck building? What about 3-cost things like Coalition Relic?
EDH:
Currently Piloting:
Dama, Sage of Stone | Karador, Ghost Chieftan | Sigarda, Host of Herons | Elbrus, the Binding Blade / Withengar Unbound | Grand Arbiter Augustin IV | Genju of the Realm | Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
My Karn deck runs 38 Lands and 18 mana sources, but the point of Karn is to make a stupid amount of mana. Lands.edh was probably something like 70 total mana sources, but again, the deck had 55 lands. Usually I go with 35-37 lands for U or G decks, 40-42 for B, R, and W. Non ramp-specific decks will usually hover around 10 additional mana sources, keeping me hovering around 50 total mana sources.
Losing is no fun; it's even less fun when it's your fault for missing land drops. I'd rather have less threats than not be able to play them.
I tend to run 40 lands, signets for each color combination, Darksteel Ingot, Sol Ring and Armillary Sphere at a minimum. If cards are taken out, I'll start by removing up to 2 lands (I never go below 38), then it depends from there.
If you don't like flooding out and you don't like cutting mana sources for threats, I'd take a look at cheap cantrips (Preordain and family) and cycling lands (Lonely Sandbar, Slippery Karst, and friends). These add a huge deal of flexibility to your deck, allowing you to hit land drops when you need to and filter past your mana sources once your engine is rolling. All of these cost a little bit of tempo, but really, in all but the most competitive circles, losing a bit of tempo isn't the end of the world if it means you will always be able to cast everything you want.
I guess my virtual land count is usually somewhere between the low 30's and the high 40's, depending on what I actually want to draw at the time.
Between the EDH decks I have together at the moment there's quite a bit of variance. Depending on what the mana target for the deck is, I'll play from 34-39 mana-producing lands and 8-24 mana accelerants. Regardless, mana advantage wins games. Once I figure out how demanding a deck is, those spots are hard locked in.
I tend to run what is needed. I my deck has a low cmc curve, I tend to run fewer lands. If I run bigger spells, I'll add in my lands and ramp so that I can get those spells to go off.
It really all depends on what you hope to get out of your build.
All my decks have 35 lands + 7-11 mana rocks due to my low curve and the mighty Dark Confidant. I only have 1 spell with the converted mana cost of 8 and it's Sundering Titan, so that doesn't even count.
I guess that formula previously stated above is what us competitive use.
I usually run around 39-40 lands with 5 or so mana producers (rocks like sol ring, mana vault, etc). Then I also run lots of card draw. I believe this is key! Digging through my deck accomplishes a lot.
something ive learned in multiplayer edh PRETTY FAST, is that not playing active cards in the first few turns is a better strategy. playing your land drops / ramp / card draw is probably your best bet. i run around 38-45 lands and the same ramp spells in all of my decks, and trust me, i have alot of different decks.
winning comes down to who can do several things a single turn and card quality. worn powerstone / coalition relic are both cards that do not drag too much attention while being completely insane if you untap with them. so yeah... while i agree that it does sound arrogant, i dont think there should a different approach when you play a format that takes 50 turns to end a game.
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Sol Ring
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Coalition Relic
1 Sensei's Divining Top
Usually my plan falls apart when it becomes time to start cutting cards. I have 75 spells I want to run, so I drop down to 39 lands (after all, signets are "basically" lands). I cut a few mana rocks. I count a non-mana-producing land among the land count. In the end, I really want to run another fatty and its so much cooler than a forest, so the land count drops again.
When it gets around to playing time, I find myself relying on that free or partial mulligan. Some games I draw enough land, and in a fair number I feel "behind" on mana. Only when I start recurring a land source do I actually get ahead.
The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem.
Hi. My name is Aranthar, and I'm a land miser.
How many mana sources do you run in your main EDH deck? Do you think you're running too few, or relying on exceptional draws to get by?
Check out Odds//Ends - My articles on Quirky Cards and Oddball Builds
Long-time PucaTrade member and sometime author. Send me cards!
Currently playing Knight of the Reliquary - Retreat to Coralhelm Combo
Throw on top of that all the colorless utility lands and regular duals, and you got a decent manabase.
The worst part of running full 40 is that sometimes you flood out. The key to fighting this is to have mana sinks. Batterskull is perfect example of a card who uses about as much mana as you want it to. 8 mana gets you a free dude, every time. X spells are also important. In green, you already run GSZ and Chord of Calling surely, but there are other good ones. Blue can run Mind Spring so that it is passable even at 4 mana total, yet gamebreaking when cast for 10. Planar Portal also helps with the flooding problem, being expensive but getting you the best gas in your deck is wonderful.
This sounds all fine and dandy, but it is tough to cut an awesome spell. EDHers and humanity in general delude themselves with the best case scenario thinking. I suffered from this big time, when my Thrax deck was so bloated with large and in charge creatures. But really, is not one Titan/big dude enough to win against a table that has been depleted of gas? Think about whether you want to see the card in your opener. Very rarely do you love to see a 6+ drop. If you still want it in every opener, then it is worth including-Primeval Titan, Consecrated Sphinx, the usual suspects.
What really helped me in this regard was playing Pauper EDH. Since you are forced to win by value instead of sheer power, you realize that you do not need much raw power to win games after all. Even just a basic recursion engine like regrowing a counterspell every other turn puts you well on your way to victory. My pauper deck also runs 40 lands, but with all the expected green ramp and Krosan Tusker and Ingot.
Finally, cycling lands are good if you want more mana but want to draw more gas in the late game.
Turn 2 Two Goblin Guide
Check out Odds//Ends - My articles on Quirky Cards and Oddball Builds
Long-time PucaTrade member and sometime author. Send me cards!
Currently playing Knight of the Reliquary - Retreat to Coralhelm Combo
EDH:
Currently Piloting:
Dama, Sage of Stone | Karador, Ghost Chieftan | Sigarda, Host of Herons | Elbrus, the Binding Blade / Withengar Unbound | Grand Arbiter Augustin IV | Genju of the Realm | Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
Losing is no fun; it's even less fun when it's your fault for missing land drops. I'd rather have less threats than not be able to play them.
BRRakdos, Lord of RiotsBR
Extraplanar Lens, Gauntlet of Power and Caged Sun in all mono-colored decks.
Expedition Map if there are 4-5 key lands to grab, and Everflowing Chalice if the deck has a spot open after everything else is in place.
I honestly cannot remember a single game where I've been either mana screwed or flooded.
WUBR Breya, Thopter Sculptor
WBR Kaalia, Harbinger of the Apocalypse
WBR Edgar Markov, Bloodline Progenitor
BGW Karador, Reanimator King
GWU Jenara, Asuran Enchantress
URG Riku, Omniscient Wizard
UBG Tasigur, Mind Grinder
UB Grimgrin, Combo-Stitched
GW Rhys, Gilt-Leaf Warrior
B Drana, Defiant Bloodchief
U Baral, Lord of Counterspells
G Azusa, Seeking the Horizon
W Kemba, Kha of the White Sun
C Ulamog, the Mana Glutton
I guess my virtual land count is usually somewhere between the low 30's and the high 40's, depending on what I actually want to draw at the time.
Draft my Mono-Blue Cube!
lichess.org | chess.com
EDH:
RNorin the WaryR <-Link! (Primer - Mono Red Control)
GUEdric, Spymaster of TrestUG <- Link! (Mini-Primer - Dredge)
Duel Commander:
WUGeist of Saint TraftUW <- Link! (Aggro-Control)
BGSkullbriar, the Walking GraveGB <- Link! (Aggro)
BUGDamia, Sage of StoneGUB <- Link! (Extinction Control)
Church of the Wary
It really all depends on what you hope to get out of your build.
| B Erebos, God of VampiresB | GYeva SmashG | RBosh ArtifactsR | GURAnimar +1 BeatsGUR | RBVial's Secret Hot SauceRB | UBRNekusar, Draw if you DareUBR | RGBDarigaaz'z DragonsRGB | GBSlimeFEETGB | UBOn-Hit LazavUB | URBrudiclad's Artificer InventionsUR | GUBMuldrotha's ElementalsGUB | WUGKestia's EnchantmentsWUG | GUTatyova - Draw, Land, Go!GU | WGArahbo's EquipmentWG | BUWVarina's ZOMBIE HORDESBUW | WLyra's Angelic SalvationW | WBChurch of TeysaWB | UAzami...WizardsU
I guess that formula previously stated above is what us competitive use.
EDH
BWG Doran Suicide Tempo BWG
BUW Sharuum Midrange Control BUW
Wanted Card List: (PM me)
1 Avacyn, Angel of Hope
1 Ravages of War
1 Swords to Plowshares (Judge)
1 Land Tax (Judge)
U
1 Mana Vortex
B
1 Desolation Angel (Foil)
1 Guardian Beast
1 Contamination
R
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
G
1 Food Chain
WUBRG
1 Rohgahh of Kher Keep
X
1 Charcoal Diamond (Foil)
1 Fellwar Stone (Foil)
T
1 Temple Garden (Foil)
3 Mutavault
1 Kor Haven
winning comes down to who can do several things a single turn and card quality. worn powerstone / coalition relic are both cards that do not drag too much attention while being completely insane if you untap with them. so yeah... while i agree that it does sound arrogant, i dont think there should a different approach when you play a format that takes 50 turns to end a game.
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Sol Ring
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Coalition Relic
1 Sensei's Divining Top
this should go in every single deck no exception