Few years back I "gave" up on Magic due to real life things happening and I needed the funds to build a house.
Sold my decks and leftover trades which in the end did provide enough funds for a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom, tho since then I've always missed the smell of cardboard coming out of a deckbox.
When I started playing Magic, the people in my LGS introduced me to EDH, now Commander (because the baby needs a name, no?) and I fell in love instantly.
Now that every little piece of the puzzle has fallen into place I am looking to get back into the format I loved so much (besides Legacy, but damn .. ***** has gotten expensive). At a local flea market I found this "Adaptive Enchantment" commander deck which was still packed. This got me excited yet to me the deck is a bit of a let down.
Now I was wondering how you guys would advise a returning player should go about acquiring the cards needed for a decent commander deck.
I used to play a solid Rafiq deck and a decent Hannah deck, but looking at individual pricetags for cards has frightened me to get back into the game.
Thoughts, tips and advice are very much appreciated.
If you are already over the commander sets then EDHRec is a good site for newer players to EDH. It provides a lot of options for each commander including deck lists and pricing options so that you don't have to play into the idea that expensive is best. After you start playing you will notice power cards and similarities and such, and its probably a good idea to pick up those cards.
Example: Eternal Witness, Board wipes, swords to plowshares, draw and card selection spells, 2 mana ramp rocks, etc.
There are lots of videos and podcasts that can offer perspective about EDH but tbh youll have to decide how competitive you want your decks to be. Just play make a deck and play around is the only real advice I can stand behind, its how the format evolved to where it is now.
It shouldn't be too expensive to build a budget Rafiq deck if you want to try it out. Most of the exalted card are not really played too much and the most expensive thing that you dont need but would be cool to have is the Sword of X and X. I've played decks without "power" cards like Rhystic Study, Oracle of Mul Daya and Seedborn Muse for years and I still win. It really depends on your play environment.
Edit:
Umm... If I could continue a bit with recommendations. There are two recently new commanders that are both incredibly powerful and can be built cheap while retaining said power. They are:
They both have a cheap mana base, can rely on cheap Commons and uncommons for their main theme (sacrifice or ramp), and have built in advantage engines. Issues are they themselves cost a chunk and others may dislike you for playing something so powerful but you can design these decks with a lot of flexibility after you have your main engine built.
Now I was wondering how you guys would advise a returning player should go about acquiring the cards needed for a decent commander deck.
That's a loaded question...
The absolute basics - definitely buy singles, not booster packs; that way you know exactly what you are getting and aren't throwing money away on cards you won't use. And use EDHREC, as Pappy suggested, to figure out exactly which cards you want; it even has a filter to look at budget cards for each commander.
As for something more specific, you said "cards needed for a decent commander deck." This is largely going to depend on your playgroup. Do you play with a set of friends and family or at a local game store? You need to know what you're playing against before you can define decent. A decent deck for a "typical" group won't even do anything in a hyper competitive group that combos out by turn 3 or 4. And a casual but slightly focused build will trounce all over a group playing just precons. So, what is decent?
Also, are you looking to rebuild Rafiq or Hanna, or are you looking to build something new? Are you trying to focus on just one deck, or will you be building more than one? Most players I know can't stop at one because piloting the same deck gets repetitive.
You could try budget decks like from the YouTube channel The Commander's Quarters.
Personally, I have found Tatyova, Benthic Druid to be an excellent budget commander - she's in two of the strongest colors and offers card advantage in the command zone. Feather, the Redeemed can also be quite strong on a low budget and offers a quite different form of card advantage and play style.
This always come back to "budget vs competitive". you can get back in without having to spend a ton, but it will not be very competitive.
The staples ofthe format are simply having ramp, draw, a core concept to play with and some cards to interact with the table. Competitive decks will go for fast mana, fast tutors, low cost utility cards and most will have combo win conditions that they go for. Budget games look to just get value each turn and play until it comes to a natural (dropping to zero life, 10 poison or something like that). Combo just gets there in one resolution, typically hitting every opponent at once.
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"Whatever style you wish to play, be it fast and frenzied or slow and tactical, the surest way to defeat your opponent consistently is by dominating him or her in the war of card advantage." - Brian Wiseman, April 1996
A creature base strategy, long as you keep some in your hand at all time, is a good way to pressure your way to victory, relatively simple and pack a great satisfaction when you finish your opponent with blows.
Voltron is the strategy I'd go for, and as Pappy suggested Rafiq's ability and colors are a great match both offense and defense.
Sadly the better ones are in the several hundreds these days. But there were 4 new ones released today. It could be a place to start and slowly upgrade as time goes on.
Or just pick a commander you like and buy singles and as you come into finds, upgrade. My buddy has been playing linvala for years. He had Okoro and thus at one time but they are deceased, meanwhile linvala is still in play. Another one of my friends played arbiter GAAIV for years and has also had a roon deck for years.
I use to rim about 20 decks. I now run 2, my dragon deck worth over $4500. And I just bought the jeskai deck and I am buying singles for volrath.
You have hundreds of options. As I said I usually suggest a pre-con but that is up to you. Some people don't like precons. Generally I do t, bit it this year's is basically them saying sorry for last year.
Many established players will have extra decks with them, and some might even have some decks available to loan out. If you join a group and mention that you're looking to get in a game, but don't have a deck, some people will be happy to loan you one to get started.
That might be a good way to get a feel for the playgroup's level and strategies, and also see the strategies you like to have a better grasp for what you should look for your own creations.
My recommendation for new players and for budget players alike is to focus on the colours blue and green. They're very strong and the 'colour identity' of simic scales extremely well - get lands, play big things, win. Blue in particular seems to have the best 'second rate' - ie budget versions of - cards that still have high playability. For example, Stroke of Genius draws a ton of cards for like two bucks. But if thats too much for you, Ugin's Insight scrys and draws with an effect that scales in simic for 11 cents.
Black has a decent selection of second rate stuff. Red struggles at the best of times (and I'm a red fanboy saying that) and white in particular has the least number of good cards, and therefore the demand on those cards raises their price.
I really appreciate the feedback. I used to play in a very competitive group and the club I'm planning to play at has both casual and competitive games. I don't mind what setting it is, I just play for fun.
The original idea was to rebuild both my Hannah deck and Rafiq. Yet I do have that Tuvasa deck laying around so I might just start from there. Bosh always has poked my interest.
I really appreciate the feedback. I used to play in a very competitive group and the club I'm planning to play at has both casual and competitive games. I don't mind what setting it is, I just play for fun.
The original idea was to rebuild both my Hannah deck and Rafiq. Yet I do have that Tuvasa deck laying around so I might just start from there. Bosh always has poked my interest.
sounds like a good plan, but i now what it is like to play in a group that has far more powerful deck than you do. It becoem sunfun. i am playing a Chndra tribal deck, i love it, it is trash but i love playing it. Still it gets dull when I cannot even attempt to win. I have to boost it but every time i try to, i realize I am removing the Chandra tribal aspect and instead just running Chandra PWs in a red deck. (Which if I still do not win will not be fun anymore)
meanwhiel I have a Dragon deck too, which often wreaks face. it is literally a urn sideways deck that is fast has a LOT of synergy. That deck i have fun with as it is on par with other decks. It may win more often than lose, I'm okay with that as I go against combo and control, both of which should beat a simple Turn sideways deck, but they don't. I have played games where i did over 100 damage to EACH PLAYER in a single shot.
if my decks always lost, i wuld not have fun playing EDH. (And it is even less fun to lose to the same person all the time)
I have several very fun, and very strong, decks that have started with his $25 budget decks that were upgraded slowly. They start as very workable decks, and all of them have room to grow with your collection. I would put them hands down well above the WoTC precons, and typically cheaper. Get you some. For $200 you could get probably 6 decks with likely a few upgrades, and then you could play with them to see what you like.
Few years back I "gave" up on Magic due to real life things happening and I needed the funds to build a house.
Sold my decks and leftover trades which in the end did provide enough funds for a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom, tho since then I've always missed the smell of cardboard coming out of a deckbox.
When I started playing Magic, the people in my LGS introduced me to EDH, now Commander (because the baby needs a name, no?) and I fell in love instantly.
Now that every little piece of the puzzle has fallen into place I am looking to get back into the format I loved so much (besides Legacy, but damn .. ***** has gotten expensive). At a local flea market I found this "Adaptive Enchantment" commander deck which was still packed. This got me excited yet to me the deck is a bit of a let down.
Now I was wondering how you guys would advise a returning player should go about acquiring the cards needed for a decent commander deck.
I used to play a solid Rafiq deck and a decent Hannah deck, but looking at individual pricetags for cards has frightened me to get back into the game.
Thoughts, tips and advice are very much appreciated.
Example: Eternal Witness, Board wipes, swords to plowshares, draw and card selection spells, 2 mana ramp rocks, etc.
There are lots of videos and podcasts that can offer perspective about EDH but tbh youll have to decide how competitive you want your decks to be. Just play make a deck and play around is the only real advice I can stand behind, its how the format evolved to where it is now.
Rafiq EDHREC
It shouldn't be too expensive to build a budget Rafiq deck if you want to try it out. Most of the exalted card are not really played too much and the most expensive thing that you dont need but would be cool to have is the Sword of X and X. I've played decks without "power" cards like Rhystic Study, Oracle of Mul Daya and Seedborn Muse for years and I still win. It really depends on your play environment.
Edit:
Umm... If I could continue a bit with recommendations. There are two recently new commanders that are both incredibly powerful and can be built cheap while retaining said power. They are:
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician
Urza, Lord High Artificer
They both have a cheap mana base, can rely on cheap Commons and uncommons for their main theme (sacrifice or ramp), and have built in advantage engines. Issues are they themselves cost a chunk and others may dislike you for playing something so powerful but you can design these decks with a lot of flexibility after you have your main engine built.
The absolute basics - definitely buy singles, not booster packs; that way you know exactly what you are getting and aren't throwing money away on cards you won't use. And use EDHREC, as Pappy suggested, to figure out exactly which cards you want; it even has a filter to look at budget cards for each commander.
As for something more specific, you said "cards needed for a decent commander deck." This is largely going to depend on your playgroup. Do you play with a set of friends and family or at a local game store? You need to know what you're playing against before you can define decent. A decent deck for a "typical" group won't even do anything in a hyper competitive group that combos out by turn 3 or 4. And a casual but slightly focused build will trounce all over a group playing just precons. So, what is decent?
Also, are you looking to rebuild Rafiq or Hanna, or are you looking to build something new? Are you trying to focus on just one deck, or will you be building more than one? Most players I know can't stop at one because piloting the same deck gets repetitive.
You could try budget decks like from the YouTube channel The Commander's Quarters.
Personally, I have found Tatyova, Benthic Druid to be an excellent budget commander - she's in two of the strongest colors and offers card advantage in the command zone. Feather, the Redeemed can also be quite strong on a low budget and offers a quite different form of card advantage and play style.
2023 Average Peasant Cube|and Discussion
Because I have more decks than fit in a signature
Useful Resources:
MTGSalvation tags
EDHREC
ManabaseCrafter
The staples ofthe format are simply having ramp, draw, a core concept to play with and some cards to interact with the table. Competitive decks will go for fast mana, fast tutors, low cost utility cards and most will have combo win conditions that they go for. Budget games look to just get value each turn and play until it comes to a natural (dropping to zero life, 10 poison or something like that). Combo just gets there in one resolution, typically hitting every opponent at once.
Voltron is the strategy I'd go for, and as Pappy suggested Rafiq's ability and colors are a great match both offense and defense.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Sadly the better ones are in the several hundreds these days. But there were 4 new ones released today. It could be a place to start and slowly upgrade as time goes on.
Or just pick a commander you like and buy singles and as you come into finds, upgrade. My buddy has been playing linvala for years. He had Okoro and thus at one time but they are deceased, meanwhile linvala is still in play. Another one of my friends played arbiter GAAIV for years and has also had a roon deck for years.
I use to rim about 20 decks. I now run 2, my dragon deck worth over $4500. And I just bought the jeskai deck and I am buying singles for volrath.
You have hundreds of options. As I said I usually suggest a pre-con but that is up to you. Some people don't like precons. Generally I do t, bit it this year's is basically them saying sorry for last year.
That might be a good way to get a feel for the playgroup's level and strategies, and also see the strategies you like to have a better grasp for what you should look for your own creations.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
Black has a decent selection of second rate stuff. Red struggles at the best of times (and I'm a red fanboy saying that) and white in particular has the least number of good cards, and therefore the demand on those cards raises their price.
Going Blue+Green commanders by price on Scryfall brings up Roon of the Hidden Realm, Tuvasa the Sunlit, Vorel of the Hull CLade, Intet the Dreamer, Edric, Spymaster of Trest, Rashmi, Eternities Crafter, as immediate budget options that I've seen working well both in general focused and general "blue/green good stuff" builds.
I really appreciate the feedback. I used to play in a very competitive group and the club I'm planning to play at has both casual and competitive games. I don't mind what setting it is, I just play for fun.
The original idea was to rebuild both my Hannah deck and Rafiq. Yet I do have that Tuvasa deck laying around so I might just start from there. Bosh always has poked my interest.
Retired EDH - Tibor and Lumia | [PR]Nemata |Ramirez dePietro | [C]Edric | Riku | Jenara | Lazav | Heliod | Daxos | Roon | Kozilek
sounds like a good plan, but i now what it is like to play in a group that has far more powerful deck than you do. It becoem sunfun. i am playing a Chndra tribal deck, i love it, it is trash but i love playing it. Still it gets dull when I cannot even attempt to win. I have to boost it but every time i try to, i realize I am removing the Chandra tribal aspect and instead just running Chandra PWs in a red deck. (Which if I still do not win will not be fun anymore)
meanwhiel I have a Dragon deck too, which often wreaks face. it is literally a urn sideways deck that is fast has a LOT of synergy. That deck i have fun with as it is on par with other decks. It may win more often than lose, I'm okay with that as I go against combo and control, both of which should beat a simple Turn sideways deck, but they don't. I have played games where i did over 100 damage to EACH PLAYER in a single shot.
if my decks always lost, i wuld not have fun playing EDH. (And it is even less fun to lose to the same person all the time)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-w5MNByr4SNy3z2232sj0g/videos
I have several very fun, and very strong, decks that have started with his $25 budget decks that were upgraded slowly. They start as very workable decks, and all of them have room to grow with your collection. I would put them hands down well above the WoTC precons, and typically cheaper. Get you some. For $200 you could get probably 6 decks with likely a few upgrades, and then you could play with them to see what you like.
WUBSente: The Politics and Metaphor of Stones
My Vampire Hunter Kit Innistrad Themed Cube!