Lateley, when brewing decks, I always end up with about 25-30 cards I need to trim in order to get to 99 AFTER I cut all the chaff. The same is happening with my Inalla list, which I really want to finish before the deck comes out so I can order what cards I need. I've already spend several hours staring at the excel sheet but I'm just stuck.
Do you guys have any method you use when you go about cutting cards from decks? When you need to "cut in the flesh", how do you decide where to start cutting at that point?
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The secret to enjoyable Commander games is not winning first, but losing last.
If my post has no tags, then i posted from my phone.
My first step is to get 37 lands. any excess lands is not needed.
After i have that 37 lands I have 62 cards left to finish the 99. I first check to see which cards I own and evaluate why i put these cards in. Did they synergize? Were they part of a combo?
After i figured out the role of each card I own i check to see the roles of the cards I have on a list of "need to buy"
Once i have done that I have a better understanding of which cards are needed and which cards are "for fun" Also more expensive cards are easier to work around as I don't want to go spend 80 bucks on a card that will just "be pretty"
I have done this many, MANY times. I have lost count of how many decks I have edited and Trimmed. I am already looking for a card to remove from my Vela deck for Hostage Taker when he comes out.
The best way however if to playtest. Unfortunately you might not be able to play him until next week, but hey, maybe your group will allow you to proxy him for the playtest. I was paying Nin the DAY she was spoiled. I mean she was spoiled in the morning and a few hours later I had a deck with her in it. I have spent two weeks now running Ramos as my superfriends general.
I also start with 37 lands (usually just basics, and then I determine what the actual land spread should be after I check mana costs in my deck) to make sure all of my mana is accounted for before I start adding cards. Sol Ring is a given, and of course, there's the Commander, which leaves 60ish cards to choose from (depending on whether or not you decide you need more lands). After that, I pick out any mana rocks that might benefit my deck plan and adjust them based on whether I need more color-fixing or more mana acceleration.
Usually, when I build a deck, I go into it determining that I want it to do between 1 and 3 specific things. I do an extensive search in Gatherer to determine cards that fit both my color identity and my deck's machinations, and make a list of the cards that fit the bill. Once I make that list, I start whittling down cards that disrupt the tempo of the deck based on my curve and exactly what the plan of the deck is. Cards that might seem fun or cute but also don't do much for the overall plan of the deck get cut during this process.
Once I have sufficiently streamlined the curve and determined the core of the deck, I add in-color removal/answers, and staples for the format as they suit the theme and as necessary.
If I'm iffy about cards, I'll keep a list of possible alternatives for them, and then switch them out if they underperform. The best determiner for whether or not I keep a card in a deck is, "How often do I draw this, and when I draw it, do I want to cast it? If not, why? Is there another card I'd rather have than this one? Is this card too circumstantial?" etc. Basically, the more you use a card, the more playability it has in the deck, whereas niche cards typically get cut in favor of stronger or more universal options.
2011: Best Mafia Performance (Individual) - Best Newcomer
2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
I usually goldfish the deck with extra cards and see what I want to cut.
Another option is to cut all the cards that 100% need to be in the deck and play with the rest. It will help you figure out what you do and do not need.
Cut cards that are only situationally good or that are anti-synergistic with something you are trying to do.
I usually goldfish the deck with extra cards and see what I want to cut.
Another option is to cut all the cards that 100% need to be in the deck and play with the rest. It will help you figure out what you do and do not need.
Cut cards that are only situationally good or that are anti-synergistic with something you are trying to do.
In that light, how do you guys feel about the 8x8 commander theory? I must say since I found out about it, it kind of helps me with building decks to at least get a proper spread of effects.
Regardless, for a Wizard tribal list, how many wizards do you think would be good to run? Inalla requires at least 4 other wizards to be around when you tap her to dome for 7 so I should play enough to reach that, yet I do not desire to play this like a weenie deck where I require to have 4 wizards on the board when I cast Innalla on turn 5 perse.
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The secret to enjoyable Commander games is not winning first, but losing last.
If my post has no tags, then i posted from my phone.
I personally don't think the 8x8 approach works. I want silver bullets in my lists that have tutors. Do I want to dedicate 8 slots to gravehate? Hell no, but I can spare a Spellbomb and a Relic. Do I want 8 mana doublers in my Selvala? Nah, just a few are enough. But I do want over 8 mana dorks...etc etc.
As far as Inalla specifically is concerned; how do you plan to play her? Most people just focus on her Eminence ability to combo out or do insane things with various ETB effects. If you actually want to make use of her dome-for-7 ability, you'll want a LOT of wizards. At the minimum 30, I'd say.
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Why not post your current draft? While talking about deck building in general terms is useful in the end every deck is different and you have make building decisions based on that deck.
Cutting cards sucks. On the initial build, it's not too bad - I go through and see which cards I am most excited about, which are most essential to the wincon, and which are just gravy. Once a deck is built and I'm adding new cards, it gets a lot harder. If a deck has been working for a while and I'm adding a new card, I generally try to replace a card that performs a similar function. If the deck hasn't been working, I use my previous games to figure out which cards I feel bad when I draw and cut them. And if there are no cards with a similar function, it just depends. One large measuring tape for me is CMC - if you can drop your CMC while maintaining function, do it. Seriously, I hate cutting cards because there are so many things to consider.
For my case I set my lands at a base 36 and then break the remaining 63 cards into the following base categories
Signature Cards / Key combos (Must haves, usually 2-3 group of cards that define the deck)
Synergistic (expanding on signature)
Ramp
Protection (Counterspells / Anti permanents / Wipes)
Tutors
Card Advantage (Draws)
Recovery (How to recover from wipes)
After listing all my cards within each category I'll start to trim them down, most of the time from 120+ cards trim to 63.
Am too planning to make an Innalla deck, just finished my 1st draft of the deck (minus the 36 lands). Usually for tribals a good ballpark would be around 20ish of tribal cards to make it consistent?
I make sure I have roughly 10 ramp and 10 card draw, using deck synergy with them as much as possible. Any variance from that should be for a deck specific reason. I also try to find the most important cards for the function of the deck. You also need things like removal and graveyard hate, etc. Again looking for versatility and synergy with the deck as much as possible. If I can get cards that provide removal and synergy with the deck those are probably going in.
There are a lot of other factors like CMC and stuff but it's basically card evaluation from there. How does the card fit in the deck? How will it work with other cards in the deck? How powerful is its effect?
I always try to build up a list to have tons of extra cards. My goal is always to ask myself what my goal is for a deck and what they key cards are. I usually start shaving off extra cards that don't quite achieve the goals of the deck and or might perform less optimally than other cards.
Its fairly frequent that I will stare at a list for a good 10+ minutes to shave off a single card when it starts getting closer to being a 100 card deck. Keep in mind what your goals for the deck are and then start looking at your counts of different cards that you consider to be optional.
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I have officially moved to MTGNexus. I just wanted to let people know as my response time to salvation decks being bumped is very hit or miss.
In that light, how do you guys feel about the 8x8 commander theory? I must say since I found out about it, it kind of helps me with building decks to at least get a proper spread of effects.
Regardless, for a Wizard tribal list, how many wizards do you think would be good to run? Inalla requires at least 4 other wizards to be around when you tap her to dome for 7 so I should play enough to reach that, yet I do not desire to play this like a weenie deck where I require to have 4 wizards on the board when I cast Innalla on turn 5 perse.
please tell me you are ot playi g inall for her tap 5 deal 7. It is a poor decision. Wizards strive with tbeir own tap abilities.
The deck i am working on does not even want to cast her. I am also throwing mirror gallery in there just so i can have mutiples of legendaries.
First cut are the situational or good with X in the 99. Unless you can guarantee having X, it isnt worth it. More and more however I find that I have a solid 75 including lands ect but the rest are filler. The toughest ones are finding a cut in a deck that is already finished where the new version replaces the thing nearest to their effect.
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EDH BRGKresh the BloodbraidedBRG, A box of lands and ideas.
Modern: RG Titanshift. A deck made of cards too stupid for EDH.
Retired: Lots. More than I feel you should suffer through or I should type out.
Another helpful trick I'll find is when I walk away from a deck list for like a week and then come back and look at it, it helps me realize, "I know this was a neat idea in theory, but wtf this execution would be terrible" for certain cards.
2011: Best Mafia Performance (Individual) - Best Newcomer
2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
A lot of good suggestions already. To cut cards, I like to organize by function. Depending on the deck, I have various functions, like "Answers" (counter magic, removal), "Card Draw", "Recursion", or "Atogs". After I put all my nonland cards into a category, I typically end up with some type of "Utility" category, filled with cards that do not fit another category but still do useful things. The easiest cuts, then, are typically in that category. Cards like Swiftfoot Boots are cards that are very helpful in certain decks, but I find online that a lot of people just jam the card in the deck without thinking. Sure, it can be great sometimes, but is it furthering your deck's gameplan?
tldr: Cut cards first from a generic utility-type category, then look for cuts elsewhere.
I usually decide on a deck outline of how many cards for each role I want. if I decide I only want 10 targeted removal spells, then I cut that group down to 10 cards. Sometimes I'll adjust the outline if, say, the last card in X category kinda sucks and the first cut card in category Y is really good, but generally I try to stick to the outline. Then you're always comparing like to like, and also you're thinking about your overall deck composition instead of just individual cards.
I use a template. This allows me to group all of the cards in the decklist based on their role in the deck, and cut the least efficient cards within each group.
My current template is:
35x Lands
3x Mana Special Cards (more lands, or ramp cards, or filters, or colour fixers)
5x Draw (raw draw, preferably repeatable like Phyrexian Arena)
8x Card Advantage (draw, recursion, often one-off card advantage)
8x Mana Special / Card Advantage / Token Generation (mixed bag slots, depending on the deck style)
10x Removal (including at least 1x Mass removal, 1x Creature removal, 1x artifact/enchantment removal, 1x anti-indestructible, 1x anti-hexproof)
4x Protection (for yourself, e.g. Leyline of Sanctity, your stuff, e.g. Asceticism, or your commander, e.g. Swiftfoot Boots)
2x Wincon (usually alternative wincons, or game-ending cards e.g. Exsanguinate, Overwhelming Stampede, Insurrection, but can just be the commander itself)
25x Deck Synergy (these are the anything slots, for combo-pieces or tribal themed cards or whatever. A lot of my decks have additional protection cards, or additional card advantage, or additional removal amongst these)
You'll notice this template adds to 100, I include the commander as filling a specific role within the deck. Often it's a Wincon, but sometimes it adds card advantage or removal, etc.
In addition to this template, I'm always also mindful of the mana curve, and the ratio of creatures:other permanents:instants/sorceries. If I can get the same effect from a lower mana cost card, I'll usually favour that, like choosing Reclamation Sage over Acidic Slime for an artifact/enchantment removal slot.
I tend to sort the cards by groups (mana rocks, tutors, removal, tribal theme, etc) and then ask "Do I really need X cards for this? Should I just cut the most expensive one?". More often, though, it's "Do I have too many pet cards in the deck?"
I follow the Command Zone's base template (10 draw, 10 ramp, 5 single target removal, 5 wraths) as a start.
I then look at how the deck wins and make sure I can make that happen. And remove any cards that would be too slow to win in that deck (Purphoros in my Inalla)
Then I look at the utility I have and whether I can make it work well enough. Do I have enough 1/1s to warrant Skullclamp?
Then I assess whether I want the deck to be a one trick pony or playing differently every time. Remove unique stuff or redundancy as necessary.
Then I consider how much I need to spend to get the deck workable and cut the price down as much as possible.
And last but not least, reduce the curve as much as possible.
1. 37 cards slots are filled, no matter what. These are 36 lands and my commander. That leaves me with 63 other slots to fill.
2. As I being to assemble my deck, I begin to put things into piles based on their card type. Creature, Instant/Sorcery, Enchantment, etc. I do this so that once I'm done with I can easily count how many of each card type I've got and see how close I am to or over my 63 card limit.
3. I am usually over my limit so I begin to look through my cards via type and start to go through each card type and evaluate them:
3.A.- Synergy: How much does the card fit into my deck and its overarching strategy? Is it niche? Is it redundant? Is it something that sounds good but doesn't seem to link up with the rest of the deck?
3.B.- Efficiency: What does it take for the card to be useful? What does it take to bring it online? What's the CMC I have to pay? Does it take more mana to activate it's effects afterword? How does it compare to the rest of the deck?
4. Next, I begin to play the deck, testing out it's foundation and getting a better feel for it. Does it work how I thought it would? Were there unexpected weaknesses? Did certain cards do better than I even thought? Where some cards underwhelming?
5. I then go back to drawing board and start reevaluating again based on my experiences with the deck and the cards.
I never actually cut cards, I switch them out. I always build 100 cards decks using a very loose 8x8 system (didn't even know that existed before seeing someone mention it here). I start with a general. Pick about 6 bomb creature/spells that have synergy. Pick next tier of synergistic, efficient spells. Then scoop em up and run mana columns to see how the curve looks. Bring down the curve with utility/support cards and do minor tweaking. Then its just play test and remove what sucks and replace with something better. Some themes need a little extra help.
This is more what to cut when they print a new card you want to put in or you just found the thing you were looking for in someones folder, so I guess it will also be helpful.
I try to cut the "goodstuff" that isn't part of my major game plan, most of the time my commander informs that game plan but not always. I have to be very careful that I don't cut too many answer cards or ramp. Working that out typically does take some amount of playgroup testing. Is my deck too slow off the ground am I getting beaten by cards I don't have answers to.
After than I look for efficiency, mana to power ratio makes things obvious. If the efficiency is similar then things have more value if they have deck synergy, are they easier to tutor and recur in the deck than other card types.
I have the opposite issue. I end up weighing each card as I put them into the list. I usually have an internal list of whether the card was added (Comfort, Staple, Intent, Pet, etc.). If I end up with to many cards and want to add another one, I end up trying to cut a card. From here, I try and ask myself questions like 'do I already run a less good version of this card?'. After that, I ask 'Do I need this effect?'. Lastly I ask 'What have I been choking on, or having issues with in recent games.'
Do you guys have any method you use when you go about cutting cards from decks? When you need to "cut in the flesh", how do you decide where to start cutting at that point?
If my post has no tags, then i posted from my phone.
After i have that 37 lands I have 62 cards left to finish the 99. I first check to see which cards I own and evaluate why i put these cards in. Did they synergize? Were they part of a combo?
After i figured out the role of each card I own i check to see the roles of the cards I have on a list of "need to buy"
Once i have done that I have a better understanding of which cards are needed and which cards are "for fun" Also more expensive cards are easier to work around as I don't want to go spend 80 bucks on a card that will just "be pretty"
I have done this many, MANY times. I have lost count of how many decks I have edited and Trimmed. I am already looking for a card to remove from my Vela deck for Hostage Taker when he comes out.
The best way however if to playtest. Unfortunately you might not be able to play him until next week, but hey, maybe your group will allow you to proxy him for the playtest. I was paying Nin the DAY she was spoiled. I mean she was spoiled in the morning and a few hours later I had a deck with her in it. I have spent two weeks now running Ramos as my superfriends general.
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
Usually, when I build a deck, I go into it determining that I want it to do between 1 and 3 specific things. I do an extensive search in Gatherer to determine cards that fit both my color identity and my deck's machinations, and make a list of the cards that fit the bill. Once I make that list, I start whittling down cards that disrupt the tempo of the deck based on my curve and exactly what the plan of the deck is. Cards that might seem fun or cute but also don't do much for the overall plan of the deck get cut during this process.
Once I have sufficiently streamlined the curve and determined the core of the deck, I add in-color removal/answers, and staples for the format as they suit the theme and as necessary.
If I'm iffy about cards, I'll keep a list of possible alternatives for them, and then switch them out if they underperform. The best determiner for whether or not I keep a card in a deck is, "How often do I draw this, and when I draw it, do I want to cast it? If not, why? Is there another card I'd rather have than this one? Is this card too circumstantial?" etc. Basically, the more you use a card, the more playability it has in the deck, whereas niche cards typically get cut in favor of stronger or more universal options.
Hope this helps!
{мы, тьма}
2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
Another option is to cut all the cards that 100% need to be in the deck and play with the rest. It will help you figure out what you do and do not need.
Cut cards that are only situationally good or that are anti-synergistic with something you are trying to do.
I posted a similar thread recently: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/780119-ideas-on-how-to-test-specific-cards-in-your-decks
One takeaway is cutting expensive cards when you are choosing between two options.
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
Regardless, for a Wizard tribal list, how many wizards do you think would be good to run? Inalla requires at least 4 other wizards to be around when you tap her to dome for 7 so I should play enough to reach that, yet I do not desire to play this like a weenie deck where I require to have 4 wizards on the board when I cast Innalla on turn 5 perse.
If my post has no tags, then i posted from my phone.
As far as Inalla specifically is concerned; how do you plan to play her? Most people just focus on her Eminence ability to combo out or do insane things with various ETB effects. If you actually want to make use of her dome-for-7 ability, you'll want a LOT of wizards. At the minimum 30, I'd say.
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
2023 Average Peasant Cube|and Discussion
Because I have more decks than fit in a signature
Useful Resources:
MTGSalvation tags
EDHREC
ManabaseCrafter
After listing all my cards within each category I'll start to trim them down, most of the time from 120+ cards trim to 63.
Am too planning to make an Innalla deck, just finished my 1st draft of the deck (minus the 36 lands). Usually for tribals a good ballpark would be around 20ish of tribal cards to make it consistent?
1x Panharmonicon
//EoT (1)
1x Sundial of the Infinite
//Key combo1 - Sac Goodness (3)
1x Phyrexian Altar
1x Ashnod's Altar
1x Bloodline Necromancer
//Key combo2 - Bounce Mana???? (3)
1x Gilded Lotus
1x Archeomancer
1x Ghostly Flicker
//Cheats Ins (2)
1x Cryptic Gateway
1x Sneak Attack
//Value Wizards (18)
1x Wanderwine Prophet
1x Coffin Queen
1x Corpse Connoisseur
1x Sidisi's Faithful
1x Profaner of the Dead
1x Sigil Tracer
1x Halimar Excavator
1x Silumgar Sorcerer
1x Galecaster Colossus
1x Havengul Lich
1x Puppeteer Clique
1x Sea Gate Oracle
1x Sower of Temptation
1x Sage of Fables
1x Trophy Mage
1x Champion of Wits
1x Glen Elendra Archmage
1x Disciple of Bolas
1x Venser, Shaper Savant
1x Vela the Night-Clad
1x Azami, Lady of Scrolls
//Reanimators (6)
1x Animate Dead
1x Necromancy
1x Reanimate
1x Victimize
1x Living Death
1x Patriarch's Bidding
//Clones (3)
1x Sakashima's Student
1x Clever Impersonator
1x Phyrexian Metamorph
//Tutors (3)
1x Vedalken Aethermage
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Vampiric Tutor
//Card Draws (4)
1x Rhystic Study
1x Daretti, Scrap Savant
1x Dack Fayden
1x Fact or Fiction
//Planeswalker (1)
1x Tezzeret the Seeker
//Protection (7)
1x Cryptic Command
1x Forbid
1x Capsize
1x Grixis Charm
1x Crosis's Charm
1x Cauldron Dance
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Sol Ring
1x Chromatic Lantern
1x Dimir Signet
1x Izzet Signet
1x Cultivator's Caravan
1x Basalt Monolith
1x Coalition Relic
1x Commander's Sphere
//Lands (36)
36 x Lands
WUBRG Reaper King - Elf Tribal WUBRG | Tribal Fun
WRG Gishath, Sun's Avatar - Dinosaur Tribal WRG | Rawr!!!
WUG Derevi, Empyrial Tactician - Enchantress Tactics WUG | Enchantments Focused
GBG The Gitrog Monster - Land Shenanigans GBG | Lands/Mill Focused
WBW Kambal, Consul of Life Allocation Matters WBW | Life Gain/Loss focused
UBR Kess, Dissident Mage of the Lotus UBR | Spellslinger
BGB Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons - Counters & Tokens BGB | -1/-1 counters focused
There are a lot of other factors like CMC and stuff but it's basically card evaluation from there. How does the card fit in the deck? How will it work with other cards in the deck? How powerful is its effect?
Its fairly frequent that I will stare at a list for a good 10+ minutes to shave off a single card when it starts getting closer to being a 100 card deck. Keep in mind what your goals for the deck are and then start looking at your counts of different cards that you consider to be optional.
Signature by Inkfox Aesthetics by Xen
[Modern] Allies
The deck i am working on does not even want to cast her. I am also throwing mirror gallery in there just so i can have mutiples of legendaries.
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
BRGKresh the BloodbraidedBRG, A box of lands and ideas.
Modern:
RG Titanshift. A deck made of cards too stupid for EDH.
Retired: Lots. More than I feel you should suffer through or I should type out.
{мы, тьма}
2012: Best (False?) Role Claim - Worst Town Performance (Group) - Best Mafia Performance (Group) - Best SK Performance - Best Overall Player
2013: Best Non-SK Neutral Performance
2014: Best Town Performance (Individual) - Best Town Performance (Group) - Most Interesting Role - Best Game - Best Overall Player
2015: Worst Mafia Performance (Group) - Best Read
2016: Best Town Performance (Group) - Best Town Player - Best Overall Player
tldr: Cut cards first from a generic utility-type category, then look for cuts elsewhere.
Currently Playing:
Multiplayer EDH Lists (click italics for a link to the thread!)
[Primer] Lord of Tresserhorn - Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do[Primer] Roon of the Hidden Realm - Rhino Blink
5 Color Tribal Guide (Slivers, Atogs, Allies, Spirits)
Also Playing (most decklists can be found on my profile)
MarathGeistKamahlGrenzoBolasThassaGitrog
PiratesZurVial Smasher&ThrasiosYennettJhoira(cEDH)Strix(Pauper)
Legacy: Maverick
Modern:
Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebears/tasteless joke.
I usually decide on a deck outline of how many cards for each role I want. if I decide I only want 10 targeted removal spells, then I cut that group down to 10 cards. Sometimes I'll adjust the outline if, say, the last card in X category kinda sucks and the first cut card in category Y is really good, but generally I try to stick to the outline. Then you're always comparing like to like, and also you're thinking about your overall deck composition instead of just individual cards.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
My current template is:
35x Lands
3x Mana Special Cards (more lands, or ramp cards, or filters, or colour fixers)
5x Draw (raw draw, preferably repeatable like Phyrexian Arena)
8x Card Advantage (draw, recursion, often one-off card advantage)
8x Mana Special / Card Advantage / Token Generation (mixed bag slots, depending on the deck style)
10x Removal (including at least 1x Mass removal, 1x Creature removal, 1x artifact/enchantment removal, 1x anti-indestructible, 1x anti-hexproof)
4x Protection (for yourself, e.g. Leyline of Sanctity, your stuff, e.g. Asceticism, or your commander, e.g. Swiftfoot Boots)
2x Wincon (usually alternative wincons, or game-ending cards e.g. Exsanguinate, Overwhelming Stampede,
Insurrection, but can just be the commander itself)
25x Deck Synergy (these are the anything slots, for combo-pieces or tribal themed cards or whatever. A lot of my decks have additional protection cards, or additional card advantage, or additional removal amongst these)
You'll notice this template adds to 100, I include the commander as filling a specific role within the deck. Often it's a Wincon, but sometimes it adds card advantage or removal, etc.
In addition to this template, I'm always also mindful of the mana curve, and the ratio of creatures:other permanents:instants/sorceries. If I can get the same effect from a lower mana cost card, I'll usually favour that, like choosing Reclamation Sage over Acidic Slime for an artifact/enchantment removal slot.
I then look at how the deck wins and make sure I can make that happen. And remove any cards that would be too slow to win in that deck (Purphoros in my Inalla)
Then I look at the utility I have and whether I can make it work well enough. Do I have enough 1/1s to warrant Skullclamp?
Then I assess whether I want the deck to be a one trick pony or playing differently every time. Remove unique stuff or redundancy as necessary.
Then I consider how much I need to spend to get the deck workable and cut the price down as much as possible.
And last but not least, reduce the curve as much as possible.
1. 37 cards slots are filled, no matter what. These are 36 lands and my commander. That leaves me with 63 other slots to fill.
2. As I being to assemble my deck, I begin to put things into piles based on their card type. Creature, Instant/Sorcery, Enchantment, etc. I do this so that once I'm done with I can easily count how many of each card type I've got and see how close I am to or over my 63 card limit.
3. I am usually over my limit so I begin to look through my cards via type and start to go through each card type and evaluate them:
3.A.- Synergy: How much does the card fit into my deck and its overarching strategy? Is it niche? Is it redundant? Is it something that sounds good but doesn't seem to link up with the rest of the deck?
3.B.- Efficiency: What does it take for the card to be useful? What does it take to bring it online? What's the CMC I have to pay? Does it take more mana to activate it's effects afterword? How does it compare to the rest of the deck?
4. Next, I begin to play the deck, testing out it's foundation and getting a better feel for it. Does it work how I thought it would? Were there unexpected weaknesses? Did certain cards do better than I even thought? Where some cards underwhelming?
5. I then go back to drawing board and start reevaluating again based on my experiences with the deck and the cards.
BK'rrik Goodstuff
GWSythis Enchantress
URYusri Coin Flip
BRGKorvold Tokens
BGUYarok Lands Matter
WUBRaffine Looter
I try to cut the "goodstuff" that isn't part of my major game plan, most of the time my commander informs that game plan but not always. I have to be very careful that I don't cut too many answer cards or ramp. Working that out typically does take some amount of playgroup testing. Is my deck too slow off the ground am I getting beaten by cards I don't have answers to.
After than I look for efficiency, mana to power ratio makes things obvious. If the efficiency is similar then things have more value if they have deck synergy, are they easier to tutor and recur in the deck than other card types.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
Current EDH
Akroma W | Tymna and Bruse RBW