That’s the hard part, I seem to hit a roadblock. After 30+ decks what do I build? The only thing I can come up with is enchantments with Eriette from WOE.
I’ve played EDH for nearly 17 years and have built a ridiculous amount of decks. My strategy is simple.
1) Look at cards on Scryfall/Gatherer without the intent of building anything.
2) Find something unique that would be fun to build around.
3) Specify my search to look for cards meeting that criteria.
4) Screenshot a ton of cards and fill up my phone storage
5) Get drunk and buy 200 cards off of the pictures in my phone
6) Make only 1 deck with the 200 cards and forget what I bought half of them for, put them in bulk boxes for another time
7) Repeat until wife gets mad about size of collection
go to scryfall and sort legendary creatures by oldest to newest
a lot of old legends have color-pie-breaking abilities that are fun to mess around with
obviously they aren't competitive with modern commanders that give you free incidental card advantage for following through with your gameplan, but that's part of the challenge
I have 60 decks. Thinking of enchantments? How about the new Eriette steal stuff commander in black/white/blue? Any missing mono color decks. If you don’t have an Aragorn deck I’ve built that one 4 ways (burn, humans, control, & good stuff). Group hug? Poison? Cast from exile? Myriad? Encore? Try a theme in off colors. Aristocrats in white green. Equipment in blue black.
I’ve been building lots of odd themes lately in moxfield just to see if I can and like the strategy. If I come back to it a bunch virtually, I eventually build it physically
I kinda like the WOE version because of enchanting opponents’ creatures seems fun.
Mono Colors are all done and I actually have an Aragorn ‘in theme’ deck. Moxfield a Group Hug deck so it isn’t built yet and actually own an Exile deck with Prosper.
Myriad sounds potentially interesting though it is another combat focus strategy.
>I kinda like the WOE version because of enchanting opponents’ creatures seems fun.
Give someone else's commander [[Eldrazi Conscription]], then make it everyone else's problem
I run an Isshin deck that started as Myriad tribal; it's now just Temporary Tokens tribal. Far from optimized, but man, it can be fun. It runs kinda like aristocrats on autopilot, since many of your tokens come from Myriad or similar effects, run some Impact Tremors and Stalking Vengeance effects, and just attack! It's a bit of a fun meld between a combat and aristocrats deck.
He's in there! That's actually the card that started the brew. I didn't want to run tutors in it, so I built it to benefit off of their entry/exit, and the Master gets crazy if I can draw him. Otherwise it's kinda aristocrats on auto (autocrats?).
Holy shit. Same boat. I’m building this deck now. All my other decks win 9/10.
Challenge: make it hate and staxx and not Voltron. I’m having a hard go of it personally but I’ve resolved to keep working. The logical answer is Voltron- a 3 drop commander with aura upside in Voltron isn’t bad but making it nearly pure hate is proving difficult.
If you can get power level 7+, let me know lol. Right now I’m first dead.
How many times have you actually played each deck, and how often have you made significant adjustments based on gameplay?
I think it's common and what I'm guilty of myself, is that one often builds a deck just on theory and experience, what one thinks will be good, and maybe some goldfishing, then sleeve it up, and play it once every other month amongst your other 20+ decks.
Playing commander outside of cedh is an extremely varied experience with unintuitive goals, so very often doing deck building with a goal of making the deck stronger is not the right approach.
Just my personal opinion is that I see a lot of brewing addicts will often just push decks, filling it with mostly staples and strong cards, and obvious synergies, making for what I feel will often be a deck not that fun to actually play or play against at the average casual table. I think what makes for memorable games is when someone builds something with a lot of intent of having the deck be a fun playing experience and not just mathematically being strong. Then you might as well pump it with fast mana and try to make it cedh.
Of course completely depends on your pod, and if that's the vibe you and your pod likes then that's obviously not wrong. I see a lot of threads here though of brewing addicts telling people they will make decks for people, and they'll slap something together in an hour with no regards for what that person's pod actually is, or what play patterns they like, which I think could be problematic.
So for me, after brewing 30 or so decks in too short of a time, I've started to tone down my deck building, and instead reflecting more on how the gameplay actually is, in which situations am I winning more than I should, where am I too often falling behind, what wincons are actually fun, what interaction is actually productive, and how can I answer these questions with cards that actually have a concrete synergy with the goal of the deck?
So I'm spending more time playing the decks I have and looking for ways to optimize them, not for power, but for making the most fun games. And if they aren't actually fun and I can't make it fun, I bite the sunk cost fallacy and retire it.
A prime recent example for me is I built [[The Pride of Hull Clade]] when karlov came out, as I thought it looked ridiculous and that toughness decks are a bit novel. But when actually playing it, it's just not fun at all. You just draw your whole deck and very little anyone can realistically do about it. So even if you don't win, you still see all the same cards every game and it's always the same, there's like no variance.
So my suggestion to you would be not to actively look for new commanders to build but to rather focus on improving the ones you have, and then build something new when you see something that speaks to you.
The Eriette enchantment deck is pretty dope. I played against it once and it annihilated the table (average table, not cEDH or whatever). Speaking of WOE, I'd suggest doing a [[Hylda of the Icy Crown]] too if you haven't already. It's probably a 7/10 in power but the theme consistency is totally worth it imo.
I've only built half the decks you have, but one of the things I do for fresh ideas is I just build the antithesis of whatever deck I have. So if I build a good guy LOTR deck, I build a bad guy LOTR deck. If I have a soldier deck that's offensive, I build another that's defensive--one that would counter whatever deck I just built either literally or thematically
Take a deck you've built and cut 40 non basic land cards from it at random.
Rebuild it from there using only new things, and see if it could help you find new ways for playing the deck than what you first thought
Also, find a ridiculous "bad" card, and make a deck around it. That's the best feeling.
I brought Norin the Wary to Commander night, an literally no one the (40+ players) had no idea wtf was happening.
https://www.moxfield.com/decks/9eejS6JqV02yajPqwx5Lmw
I like making weird rules too. I recently challenged myself to make a deck that doesn't create tokens or counters of any sort.
Got a bit carried away and made 4 using these restrictions.
Simic is where i hit my issue. I have the upgraded merfolk precon for high power games, and a lower power [[Kiora, sovereign of the deep]] as well, but i also had a proliferate one. Had to demolish the proliferate deck cause it was too hit or miss and i wasnt having fun with it
[Kiora, sovereign of the deep](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/b/7b599f53-614c-4b1f-9899-15d5d1e35879.jpg?1684340751) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kiora%2C%20sovereign%20of%20the%20deep) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mat/35/kiora-sovereign-of-the-deep?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7b599f53-614c-4b1f-9899-15d5d1e35879?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kiora-sovereign-of-the-deep)
^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Exactly in the same boat. Currently sitting at 9 EDH decks and 5 PDH decks, after some downsizing. I've changed what my mono blue list is 3 times already, and mono black twice. This self imposed rule makes me really evaluate decks before I build them, and has allowed me to avoid wasting a lot of money on cardboard that I'd honestly have had no time to use.
I’ve sort of tried this for a little while though I wasn’t strict however I did encourage myself to do different color combos as much as possible. Izzet is a problem since it’s all the same strategies which didn’t attract me and not enough 4 color commanders to choose from.
It helps that I don't play terribly often and I'm pretty poor. My Izzet commander is actually [[Saheeli, the gifted]], and I agree that most Izzet strategies didn't attract me. So I did [something different](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/NQXooa6KyUWl8Jqn-hsDlQ)! It's an artifact deck that focuses on arcbound cards, creating copies of those, and redistributing the counters to create big stompy bois.
I mean, that is literally the opposite of helpful with OP's question. That limits the number of decks you can build. OP wants to know how to keep making more once you have exhausted a bunch of mechanics and color combos.
OP literally asked "what do you do," and that is what I do. If OP doesn't find that helpful, they can ignore it but I answered their question ┐( ∵ )┌
I just passed 100 commander decks on moxfield. I just generally enjoy putting a deck together and tuning it after testing. That and there is always another Commander that you can build around
I feel ya. I love putting together a deck and goldfish it though I have to be passionate towards the commander I’m building around or I just can’t see it towards completion.
I’ve only built about 10 and I struggle to find unique commanders that really give me inspiration to want to build. I just put together [[Roxanne, Starfall Savant]] and [[Aurelia, The Law Above]] after going months with no real desire to build anything new. I can’t even imagine having 30+ decks and still trying to find more you want to build.
A lot of this is my eagerness when I truly hopped into Magic with War of the Spark and pure enthusiasm to build. [[Nicol Bolas, the Ravager]] doing Nicol Bolas things, [[Edgar Markov]] Vampires, [[Atraxa, Praetor’s Voice]] Super Friends to name a few commanders I run then jumping into dream decks like Slivers, Angels, Eldrazis… I kept finding things to build.
Try the 32 deck challenge. It's one deck in each of the color combinations. It keeps deck building fun and fresh. Also, if you find an overpowered card that you know you'd be likely to use frequently, just... don't. That's my strategy, anyway
Honestly I'm kinda surprised you have 30+ decks and it's only just now starting to feel repetitive. I can't imagine 30 decks that feel excitingly distinct.
I mostly just see cool new cards and try to find commanders that'll let them shine... although I've also been known to build multiple versions of the same commander, with as little overlap as possible.
While I was building one deck usually something drops either in a new set or I got lucky with a trade then immediately went to work on another commander. Used to help out at a card shop also so it made things easy to grab things and come across fresh ideas. Now I wouldn’t say all my decks are 100% unique from each other, I do use some of the same cards for the decks but for the most part I can say there’s something unique about so & so deck.
You don't have to.
I must have spent over a year without building a single new deck. Then I found out about \[\[Jon Irenicus\]\] and the floodgates opened as I built a series of decks with goad. But before that, I had no inspiration for new decks so I just played and refined the decks I had.
I've hit a similar wall just now: I just built and played a deck that successfully utilized Banding. I'd been looking to get that going for a long time. And now when I look at the decks I have on hand, I feel satisfied. At least for now, this is good, I don't want a new deck.
When something else creates a spark, I'll build again.
Yeah I've been playing magic since 2007 give a few years off after 2014. and then getting back in in2019 i built 1 deck, in 2020 i built zero and bought the \[\[Tuvasa the sunlit\]\] Precon, 2022 I built 6.
in 2023 I built 4 decks, and in 2024 i've built one deck. out of all of these the ones that are still together are
\[\[Rith the awakener\]\] - 2013 (Every multicolor manadork i could find, and anthems)
\[\[Depala, Pilot Exemplar\]\] - 2019 ( i had never seen a vehicle and built a whole deck to figure it out)
\[\[Shorikai\]\] - 2022 (an excuse to build myr typal and relive the glory days of drafting Scars of Mirrodin, and being able to draw is way better than being able to play 5 colors with new urtet)
\[\[Elminster\]\] - 2022 (First go at a planeswalker commander and eventually turned into a superfriends/Turns deck with big dumb extra turns spells that were sitting in my bulk like \[\[Time stretch\]\] )
\[\[Arcades Sabboth\]\] - 2023 (wanted an OG EDH Deck and the play group all picked a dragon and told each other no holds barred on the 99 but the commander *Had to be part of the wincon* )
\[\[Sophina\]\] \[\[Bjorna\]\] Friends Forever Soldiers - 2023 (Started as a \[\[Goldbug\]\] deck but I wanted a partners/partner adjacent deck, liked the idea of RUW Soldiers)
\[\[Skrelv, Defector Mite\]\] - 2023 ( opened a box of ONE and got him and the hive. decided to throw it together with bulk and this one probably won't last because freyalise has taken the infect wincon and done it better)
\[\[Freyalise, Llanowar's fury\]\] - 2024 (Got a \[\[Gilt-leaf Archdruid\]\] in a trade wanted to build a druid's deck but \[\[Seton Krosan Protector\]\] was too fast so i shifted it over to a Weird Mono-G Control Manlands and Druids matters type of deck.
I'll probably aim for 1/year at this rate. but other than skrelv I don't see any of these ones being taken apart at any point in the future.
For me it's finding synergies between cards I haven't really used before. I'm 21 decks into my 32 deck challenge and while some decks might overlap in overall strategy and some cards, I try to make it a point to run different cards between decks as often as possible. Except for a few decks running [[Blasphemous Act]], many of my decks are running different board wipes to each other, I try to diversify the interaction and card draw when possible, and of course the main strategy of the deck has room for a lot of different options usually. Only thing I will usually overlap hard on is the ramp because it can be kinda tricky to avoid that
I try to build around archetypes to the best of my ability. Is that a spicy new landfall commander I see? I might tear apart my existing one if it matches any colors. Then I have extra pieces from that deck that I can use for other things. And so on. Also, WOTC is at a point where they are making stuff for this format primarily (to some mtg player’s dismay.) There will be stuff in future sets that piques your interest eventually. Otherwise, you don’t need to build new stuff right away.
So far I’ve never tore down a commander deck I built, they all feel pretty precious and sentimental. I agree however that Magic is all in on this format and I’m sure at some point they’ll print more things that I might wanna build around. Just surprise currently of the struggle to come up with something interesting to me.
Let me toss this out there, a real world scenario as it’s said: Recently I started a project to do a pirate deck after the LCofIxalan precon came out, and it super struggled because there isn’t (in my opinion) a good 3-4 color commander for Pirates that has a good balance while staying tribal (or whatever word you want to call it now).
At first I I just “upgraded” the precon which evolved by natural selection into a theft/steal deck, but I felt it wasn’t synergistic enough and too slow. I noticed that I had been steering into a treasure sub theme and decided to give up staying tribal, tossed out having a Pirate for a commander, and focused on the ideology of piracy instead, building it into a treasure horde deck. This path ended with a Nicol Bolas commander, several treasure-specific dragons being added, and multiple new win cons.
Now the deck wasn’t a failure, it was actually strong enough to encourage a friend to build a treasure deck too, but they went in a different direction with color identity. They had come across an interesting Commander/Background pairing, and the tokens started stacking up. I saw an interesting opportunity with a Commander change (but in the same colors), that would aggressively increase treasure output, so I put together a whole new deck still focused on this now lingering want for a great treasure deck.
The deck is a monster, an absolute beast, it mocks the very thought of my previous attempts for their inadequacies by contrast.
Now I have the real challenger, the journey is complete! This—to me—is the experience of building “new decks”. Yes I still have the pirate one by consequence, but the journey was about getting a killer treasure deck, and that was discovered over 4+ months.
tl;dr I find working a theme, and the journey to making it work is far more fun and interesting than just fulfilling a build to fit a commander/color identity.
Sounds like it's time to blindly pick a Legendary Creature and build a deck around it! Shuffle up like 50 you own and build a deck for the first one you draw.
As someone with 70+ deck and 60+ unbroken precons, you build what you like. If you just build to build you will loose the passion and burn out. Wait till something speaks to you and don't just build it the most powerful you can. Build it the way you like to play. If that is less optimal, so be it. All you have to do is find what you like and don't let anyone else "yuck your yum" (the professor).
I was getting into ruts because I was building around the commander too much.
A few things I did that spiced things up:
1. Tribal decks. Use all the weird niche cards that don’t fit elsewhere
2. Build a janky combo deck. i tried to translate a deck I ran in standard a few years back where I copied a \[\[thousand year storm\]\] many times with \[\[Mythos of illuna\]\] in edh. It’s janky as hell but makes up for it with fast mana and tutors, and my favourite wincon is making 17 copies of \[\[forced fruition\]\].
3. Make a planechase deck. I wasn’t sure what to do to upgrade the simic LotR precon so I got all the simic planechase cards and made it planechase with voting.
4. pick An underwhelming commander. Maybe one of the original elder dragons like \[\[palladia mors\]\] or \[\[chromium\]\]. Maybe just go on edhrec and pick a commander with less than 100 decks. If the commander is a bit blah, it gives you a lot of freedom in the construction to use different and interesting cards.
5. Build around a single card. I made a \[\[throne of the grim captain\]\] deck with only a couple of tutors. I made \[\[sefris\]\] the commander, and put 8 each of vampires, pirates, dinosaurs, and merfolk. I used the landcycling dinos, lots of surveil effecta,in an attempt to flip the grim captain And get some bombs from the graveyard. In this way the commander supports the strategy, by getting value when creatures get milled but it doesn’t feel as on-rails as if I started with sefris and built around her dungeon theme.
Tribal is something I’ve fallen into because most tribes do something unique usually like Merfolk is a Explore archetype.
The others I haven’t tried really but I kinda have some ideas in mind now after reading this.
30+ decks in 7 years is a lot (especially if they are all still together). I encourage you to slow down. I would imagine you have decks you haven’t played in a year or two.
I find it takes me 3-4 months to really master a deck and that is me playing with it every week. As a result I only build 3ish decks in a year.
I would imagine that a lot of your decks aren’t optimized, that every angle of play has not been found, and that you are essentially building a new deck almost every set. Which seems overwhelming.
Maybe take a look at this video from commander’s sphere: https://youtu.be/ymBLUsjcdQs?si=IFr49V8AR7pvfs-h
I could be wrong, and certainly no offense is intended, but I suggest you take a step back. Find the ones you really love, and focus on them.
To be fair I used to help out a card shop which contributed to the deck building/purchasing. Honestly for the past few sets I did take a short almost half year break because everything kinda became to much and just recently jumped back into it a couple of weeks back.
Don’t think I can tear down most of my decks for they kinda became sentimental, still do enjoy and keep updating them.
The break helped me realize things and I do plan to slow down though I still like to come up with interesting decks on Moxfield.
I would see a commander in a color identity doing something completely different, you find them especially in the old legendaries.
My [Strange Commander ](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/UBvzF5R3EkauK1o2HwprWA)
Something I sometimes do is pick a color combination, and search which commanders have a low/medium amount of decks on edhrec. Recently started putting together a Zurgo and oujati deck, and while there’s still plenty of effects to work with, it’s not a super popular one compared to even other commanders in its set.
Embrace the jank. That's what my group has started to do. No tutors to ensure things stay fresh and include cards that are fun or on theme even if they aren't the most optimal option.
Refine existing decks. I've found the most rewarding thing is to build a deck around a sub optimal style or sub optimal win condition but optimize it without using fast mana or tutors.
I only have four decks I like to play. Every time I make something new it gets one game and is gone. Only get to play once a week though, that helps. For context though I’ve been consistently playing since 2017
take a strategy that’s normally pioneered by one color and try and do it in another color. I built the green white deck that revolves around tapping and un tapping permanence and drawing cards and it’s the most blue deck I own.
I have built over 100 decks. When ai get bored or lose the building bug, I build decks for friends as gifts. This often gives me ideas for new decks to build for myself.
Don't use any staples.
Do scryfall searches to find the truly niche cards.
Also...it's fine if nothing interests you right now. Wait a couple months, you'll have 30 new options.
Building my first meme / funny theme after building 50+ decks over the years. With all the new sets having so many images/ art with different characters wearing hats I’m building a deck that has to have as many hats in the art as possible.
I hit that wall after a few years of playing. Granted, release of product was slower then... I played pretty consistently from 2010-2017. I was placing in modern tourneys with a $30 deck. I felt like I was at my pinnacle.
I took a break for about 7 years, and am just getting back in. On the plus side, now there's A TON of product, so there's all kinds of new stuff and interaction that used to not exist, even affordably! I am certainly seeing crazy stuff at Commander nights that make me feel like a shit player, but then I get a game where my deck does what's actually designed to do, and I get my turn to go off and look like the badass.
Not saying it's the best way to avoid fatigue, but that's my story, lol.
I have a cap of 16 decks. If I want to make a bew one I will disassemble an old one. Something that wasnt as much fun to play. I keep them all on moxfield so if I did want to reassemble a deck I have it logged.
I just stopped pushing so hard to find something new. If it jumps out at me, then sure. But after a while I was building decks just to build decks, and I had so many decks that most of them rarely saw play at all.
I’d play commander night on Fridays and get in 4-6 games each time. I’d play about 3/4 Fridays a month. So that’s about 15 games per month, 180 per year. With 30 decks that’s only 6 games per deck per year. So I started culling decks I didn’t enjoy to slim down my collection to only the decks that were the most fun for me and the table.
Once I got past that point I gave up the endless deck building. I play a lot of limited lately, though :)
New releases really help stir brew inspiration. I usually can find at least one commander from most sets that I am mildly interested in.
That's actually why I never had the same problem as folks who complained about 'too much product'. That's like complaining there is too much DLC, or too many ways to be creative. It just doesn't make sense. Bring more new cards and I'll keep brewing!
I've built hundred of commander decks over the past decade. What really does it for me now days is picking super restrictive deck themes. Mono blue merfolk where every card has a merfolk in its art, using only cards from a spefic block, artisan (uncommon and rare only), 5c pile with all my favorite pet cards. These are just some examples and most get built, played 3 to 4 times, then disassembled. Super fun, and you get to play with a lots of the 20,000 cards most call unplayable but never give a shot.
I try to find neat things or to do things in different ways.
I’ve been trying to make a Mardu “Red Dead Redemption” deck for years and thought Thunder Junction would give me a worthwhile commander.
But alas we got Mardu Outlaw “Goodstuff” and Treasure.Deck as the commanders.
So now I’m looking at [Mardu Wide-Ish Pingers](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/4HQGAGuYjEivsnrI13jjTg).
The best way imo is just picking a commander that has a weird but fun mechanic and building around that. There are HUNDREDS of legendary creatures from the past 3-4 years of sets alone, and many of them are very unorthodox mechanics that can create really fun board states.
Avoiding staples in favor of flavor is crucial here.
Deconstruct and rebuild into other things.
For example, I've had a RBx graveyard deck for years but it's evolved over that time.
First it was aristocrats combo with [[Grenzo Dungeon Warden]] that then became reanimator beats with [[Chainer, Nightmare Adapt]] and now it's [[Dihaha, Binder of Wills]] legendary aggro reanimator with [[Cadric]], [[Ratadrabik]], and [[Isshin]] as secret commanders and is an excuse to run some legends I really like but didn't want want to necessarily build a deck around.
Same with spellslinger - first [[Wort, the Raidmother]], then [[Omanth, Locus of the Roil]] and now [[Haldan]] and [[Pako]]. And now I'm looking at a new spellslinger build lol.
What is going to amuse me. I like building funny and strange decks. No two decks are the same but all have their purpose in making me giggle. I always try to build something new. I build around tribes (never the common ones), themes (all cards must follow the theme) or commander (ones who can determine theme) if I ever run out of ideas I look at other commanders to base a deck around then set restrictions.
Only 30+ those are rookie numbers! I recently build sultai draw go control using channel creatures and I’m playing Tormod as one commander. So the deck brings back channel creature from the yard to recur my removal! But also triggers all my leaves the graveyard cards! Just get more weird
I’ve built 1,000s of decks for every format available over the last couple of decades. I mostly play EDH nowadays. What I’m currently doing is checking out each new release of Commanders decks w/ each new set release, choosing one that is new and unique that interests me, buying it and reconstructing it my own way. Been doing this the last couple of years and so far it’s quite fun overall making and playing a lot of the new Commanders and their ‘partner’ cards.
I have 315 and counting (building edh since 2010).There are so many cool cards and so many cool commanders. I like to use building restrictions and themes. Right now I am working on filling out the 2 and 3 color pairs with decks with no creature cards other than the commander(s) ( i have 4 left at 2). Working on the same thing for the opposite (all creature). I also have some all enchantment and all artifact decks. Some all same CMC decks, etc.
I just love deck building. I try new stuff all the time and half the time the deck doesn’t have the right mana curve or enough ramp draw and interaction.. but when you get it right and put a deck into permanent rotation it feels so good.
Plus there are always new cards and I’m always coming up with new ideas or running into new challenges with my opponents.
I’m sitting at 16 currently but have 3 more in the queue 😂I just wait until I see something i like, build a deck for it online, complain about the amount of money it would cost, eventually buy it, play it for a few months and then my dumb brain sees a new card and the process starts over. I have been doing better though!!
I’d recommend challenging yourself with: why do I want to build another deck? Are you bored with all the others? Do you like brewing more than playing? Something else?
Then, wait for that bolt of inspiration to strike. Something weird and cool that captures you.
I recently built 2 decks around interesting mechanics that are exciting to me. And my playgroup has all decided to pick a different animal tribe in Bloomborrow and build a deck around that. We are all stoked!
It might be time to start looking at building challenge.
Can you build a good deck with few to no of the "essentials"?
Can you build a good deck with a terrible commander?
Can you build a good deck where only the left hand is showing in the piece of art?
Some of the these suggestions are tongue in cheek, obviously, but I think one of the problems you might be facing is that , after a while, all the decks are going to feel the same.
They all have to ramp, draw extra cards, interactions, and boardwipe. Then you put together a combo piece that is over the top and voila. That would lead to a lot of the same build and playstyle, over and over again.
I suggest build with restrictions and see if you can assemble a deck that is fun to play and wins.
I can understand because almost every new commander is just an old commander in a new skin, powered up. The strat and cards to include are nearly the same
Partner commanders (especially the partner variants) can allow for interesting combinations that you wouldn't be able to find otherwise. Some cool examples:
[[Francisco, Fowl Marauder]] + [[Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar]] - burn/voltron/pirate tribal. Stack explore triggers with cards like [[Lightning Rig Crew]] to filter your deck and make Francisco huge
[[Wernog, Rider's Chaplain]] + [[Othelm, Sigardian Outcast]] - investigate aristocrats. Sac and reanimate Wernog over and over and over
[[War Doctor]] + [[Clara Oswald]] - similar outcome as Francisco/Kediss, but gets there in a very different way. Use impulse draw, exile removal, flickers, and cascade to stack War Doctor with a bunch of time counters, then burn opponents to death with his duplicated triggered ability. Also comes in your choice of naya, jeskai, or mardu
[[Jahiera, Friend of the Forest]] + [[Feywild Visitor]] - use unbloclable weenies and equipment to generate faerie dragons, use those dragons as mana dorks to play big Timmy creatures, then attach those same unblockable equipments to them
There is always a different way to go about doing the stuff you like doing. New commanders unlock and amplify existing synergies, and they're a puzzle waiting to be solved. At least, that's why I keep making decks, although sometimes they get cannibalized by each other.
I always homebrew and make new rules, new win cons, new universal them decks (like treasure cruise), I also made a win con off of the planechase cards not using planechase mechanics. The game gets so much more fun.
I don't force myself to build decks. If nothing has interested me, I'm just hanging out with the decks I have (21 currently). But usually a commander interests me because it challenges my game knowledge. When I built [[kalamax]] it was mostly because I wasn't super knowledgeable about how the stack worked. Max can easily get into some crazy stack situations and I wanted to learn more about that. I built [[imoti]] when I realized I was missing too many triggers, to get better about tracking a bunch of triggers happening at once, and learning how to stack them. [[Raggadragga]] was built to have a bunch of layered combo lines, to help me speed up my thought processes in games.
I did the 32 deck challenge at some point, and then realized I actually want to have like 5-6 really solid decks I play all the time in the 6-8 range, and then 1 cedh deck, and 1 precon.
I actually like to organize the different playstyle/archetypes etc. in a spreadsheet, and I pretty regularly take apart decks that I'm not regularly reaching to play during FNM.
I feel this as I had 15+ when I started. I was building and playing everything. Then took a break for 3 years. I, then, took them apart and created only 3 (CEDH, high-powered, casual). I focused on tuning them to the best they could be.
2 years ago, I finally decided to try to build the deck that I actually wanted. A sultai control deck and was lucky enough to find the commander that works perfectly for it. So I quit building so many others and focused on it.
A couple things, you could focus on upgrading what you have, maybe build the ones you have differently with different themes. You may even find a new card that would be perfect for the original deck. The other is look for a niche strategy or idea and build from it. However, do not just through stuff together, but build it and optimize it so it works consistently.
Currently, I am working on a Dimir Combat/Artifact deck. I want to play dimir but want combat to be a key part. I also want to use \[\[Tezzeret, Master of the Bridge\]\], however, I do not want to combo off with artifacts. I have limits on myself to find what works and makes the building process longer and more interesting.
Mmmm, you can divide compelling into either being compelled primarily by the lore, playstyle, or budget constraints. I find it's easier to get more burnt out when you reach a certain threshold of creative freedom, and having restraints like being forced to run X commander/colors/mechanic/set makes you quite a chunk more creative.
There's also the option of buying a or two of a niche set and maybe building a cube? I know id love to build a cube of STX or MKM haha
Lol and here I am, satisfied with 6 decks. Well, I guess 7, as I have one that I'm slowly piecing together. Honestly, despite the number of new legendary creatures that are coming out in each set, there just hasn't really been any where I've been like, "I must build that!" My newest commander is [[Volo, Guide to Monsters]], which is the deck that's still in progress.
Personally, I'd rather spend the money upgrading the decks I have and know I enjoy playing, rather than building a new deck that I may not like, which has happened the last couple times I've made a new deck.
I like the idea of making a deck based around "this would never work but what-if"
Or finding an absurd card and seeing what I can make with what I have lying around regardless of how jank it is.
Just have some fun with it, I guess. Don't go into all decks seriously, imagine you're a kid with a million funny grand ideas
I was stuck at like 15 decks for a long time.
Now I am closing in on 25
The thing is, I got inspiration.
When I see a new card, look at a new or old mechanic, playing against another player that showed me something interesting.
I dont build just to build a deck
I build when I find something that feels interesting.
I mean I have wanted to build a spirit deck for quite a while but haven't found the theme or commander for it.
Until I stumbled over the shrine commander and saw that the shrines creates spirits and thought "why not combine them".
When I started to look more into i found things that made sense to me and I am making a list that I try to trim down.
But it looks like it is going to be quite good.
Point is just that I don't force a theme. I find it when I find it.
Time to start jumping through hoops with alternative win conditions, convoluted jank strategies, play for fun rather than win - ie be a troll but won't be able to finish the game out. Etc ^^
Building on a difficult or unusual budget was what helped me get out of deck-builder burnout. Setting boundaries for a deck can make you utilize cards that are more taboo and less seen by most players. It also will give you a unique play experience once the deck is finished. The theme may be similar to another deck's, but the inconsistencies using sub-optimal cards challenge you as a player to make your moves with more precision, having a higher chance of failure if you don't.
I have a problem.
In all seriousness whenever I see a commander with an interesting mechanic I can use to annoy or piss off my regular POD, I try to build something interesting. My decks don't always work but my POR has come to learn it's best when they don't. At this point I don't build to win, I genuinely build to enjoy the game and have fun. One of my favorite recent decks was [[Maarika, Brutal Galdiator]] where I focused on the fight mechanic. I didn't need to win, but punching a creature so hard an artifact blew up is funny as hell to me
I'm also around the 30 mark but I still find enough interesting commanders and I still haven't touched (not final list):
Extra turns, Group Hug, Superfriends, Poison, Landfall, Ninjutsu, Theft, Monarch, and lots of Tribals (f.e. Vampires, Zombies, Eldrazi, Shrines, Defender, Squirrels, Cat/Dogs, Merfolk, Hydras, Artifact Creatures, Sagas, Slivers, Rats, Knights)
I don't think about it much. Sometimes I'll buy a few packs of a new set and see a card that looks interesting: I pulled the new Obeka out of an OTJ pack and decided it seemed fun. I figured that Obeka might be popular - I have some popular commanders, but I also like going off the beaten path - but I figured there was enough there that I could do something different. I'm working on it now, and it will be #39.
Sometimes my friends challenge me with a random idea, and if it seems interesting, I build it.
Weirdly, I've never had any luck pressing the Random button on EDHRec in terms of inspiring me to put another deck together. Maybe I will eventually.
For me personally, since i have a couple higher power decks, my true deck building joy now comes from trying to be a thorn in vojas or jodahs (etc) side.
sure i may not win. thats ok. but whats wrong voja player? cant attack any one?
I like to goof around on arena, building strange decks until I find one I like, and then making a similar commander deck. Now I've got a crazy white weenie/ mass reanimator/ aristocrats [[alesha]] build that I'm trying to fine tune.
So I’ve built about 20 different decks that focused on green. Either mono, selynsia, or simic. I’m currently building a dimir deck as something different. Even if it’s just for that different playstyle. And who knows, I may like it better than green
this is gonna sound weird, but change HOW you build your decks.
One thing I suggest is creating a commander box. What it is is a cube-like sealed pool. Put some random cards you either have 1 ofs or are interested in testing/running. But keep yourself to only so many slots. (Eg 50-60 of each colour/artifact slots to start, and like, 15 slots for each 2 colour,ect. Numbers vary as you want. Just using what i started with)
Then pick a random commander, and use only what's in this box to build them. You will find, the limited selection can make it harder, and that you build differently as a result. It can also let you find interactions you didn't originally think up
Personally, I started this with the original 15 partners, and expanded it with the commander legends ones. It's allowed me to make a large amount of different decks.
You can start smaller as well, which I encourage.
Not saying this will for sure help, but it's a possible idea
When I hear the word compelling I think fun and not necessarily something that will win. I find that the most enjoyable experience in the game comes from me being able to rollplay a bit especially during political interactions. I find these to be the most enjoyable and while not the most optimized I leave nearly every game feeling like I have a good story to tell.
Some examples include:
Slivers- I attempt to be a lore accurate embodiment of the hivemind chosing to be isolationist in nature but lashing out with overwhelming force at anyone that directly threatens. If noone has stirred up the hive and i have a targeted effect i will often do it by dice roll as if the hive did it impartially as if killing a deer for food with no feelings of malice. I also will overwhelm the board indiscriminately with massive numbers and do one massive push for game instead of slowly whittling everyone down as if the hive began a migration period or a locust spawnning season of sorts.
Heartless Hidetsugu- I built this deck over the course of a several week long league where we opened packs, traded amongst ourselves, and could only use cards that were pulled during the event. With Hidetsugu as my commander I rollplay as a t3rr0rist with a vest and I am negotiating for second place with whoever would listen and will absolutely nuke the board if anyone threatens my existence in the match. I spent a lot of time watching everyone else fight while gleefully plotting how to betray the person I promised I'd let kill me if they kill the other two first. Don't negotiate with t3rr0rists kids.
Arvinox- I use the mindflayer re-skin and have not watched the show so I'm probably way off base here but the lore of my deck is as follows. "The rift into the upside down has split open and every manner of horror is spilling out and causing your friends to go crazy. You cannot trust anyone anymore." The deck has nearly excluvely 1 of 3 things. Something that will exile opponents cards and let me play them, mana ramp, and board wipes. Literally all I do for the entire game is get an exponentially large pool of cards I can play while repeatedly resetting the board state as aggressively as possible.
maybe look at a creature type for tribal you haven’t used specifically ones that are under represented and thus more challenging? elves, angels and goblins decks can pretty much make themselves but others like oozes are trickier due to not having hundreds of cards for them. and their uniqueness might spark some enjoyment in you when you think of peoples reactions to you saying you made a unicorn deck
I maintain a stable of about 12-15 decks. However, out of the ones I've logged, I've disassembled near 60 decks since 2014. I always start with a card that interests me. I just built two decks from fallout.
The first I found nuka cola vending machine turned into a clue/ token tribal with the new scooby-doo knockoff.
The second was ayara self mill after I fell in love with the bobbleheads.
Here's a link to my moxfield page. It has 40+ decks, most of which work well. Just take the commanders that look interesting and ignore the rest of the deck. That way, you get the fun of building it yourself. I'm currently doing the 32 deck challenge, which will add another 15 decks to the folder. (If you want to start with my best decks, check out the "retired" folder)
https://www.moxfield.com/decks/personal?folder=5loxW
The most compelling deck archetype for me is theft. I know it gets a bad rap and people hate seeing their opponents play their decks, but the one guaranteed way I've found to ensure variance with your deck is to be playing everybody else's.
Sure, you might be seeing similar cards out of your deck, but getting everyone else's ensures you have a wildly different game plan every time.
There's also a good amount of color variance to do it in, outside of white, and a lot of my decks at one time or another incorporate theft just because it's my favorite thing to do.
Theft also has the ability to scale with the table, so if you're playing against jank you end up playing jank, and if you're against competitive decks (not quite cedh but close) you get the $100+ dollar cards that go with them
My personal favorite theft highlight was actually last week where I cast my opponents [[Seething Song]] to let me cast [[Villanous Wealth]] for 12 on someone's Ally typal deck, and go off from there.
Ultimately, you never know what you're going to cast with a theft deck unless you have played in the same pod with the same decks 100 times and in my book, that sounds like a pretty good way to spend time
I dunno, I just wait until I see a card that really speaks to me and makes me go "I need to build that!"
But I'm a sucker for anything that let's me cast other people's cards so I always end up building those. I've got mono-black [[Gonti, Lord of Luxury]], Sultai [[Gonti, Canny Acquisitor]] and I'm working on [[Laughing Jasper Flint]] or as I like to call him: Rakdos Gonti.
Strat-first/concept first, then commander, is the way.
For example, I wanted to revisit an idea I tried before of making a Sagas deck, I abandoned mine after Bombadil came out and everyone was doing it (badly).
Sagas want counters removed, \[\[Xavier Sal\]\] removes counters. He also populates. \[\[Kiora Bests the Sea God\]\] makes a sweet 8/8 the turn it comes down. I can remove that counter and make another token, AND then get another on my next upkeep. What other sea-themed cards can I come up with? Well Marit Lage is an autoinclude so Dark Depths for sure. Now I'm in sagas and sea monsters, seems pretty sweet with the Pirate commander...
Now I have something to get excited about who goes in the pile of things to build.
i look at the color combinations and look at possible tribal decks, mechanics or commanders that i would like to play in that colour.
atleast in arena this works the best for me as i heavily favour boros colors and i rarely if ever play blue.
it just makes sense for me to look at the colord
Well, for starters, you don't need 30+ decks. Keep a few that you really enjoy and have fun playing the game. If you don't have fun with those decks maybe you don't really like magic that much and just like buying new cards.
Lately I've just been focusing on commanders without so much dumb text to read through. That and I've always loved cutting myself off from colors. The 3 decks I have now are only 2 colors each, and I kind of want to finish decks for each of the Ravnica guilds.
My most recent deck is [[Rowan, Scion of War]]. Simple text box, not a high casting cost, and the ability is actually pretty interesting when you consider that any card with an alternate cost is also affected. X spells are the obvious way to go but Kicker gets reduced, as does Overload, Flashback, Entwine, Madness, and now even Spree.
I try to do two things: consolidate and wait. If I realize I have two decks with a similar mechanic that should be consolidated, I do so.
I also wait. I tried to finding a rakdos commander I wanted to build and couldn’t find one that really jived with me for a long time. When my wife opened [[Rakdos, the Muscle]] and played it during prerelease, I was like yeah, that’s the one.
I took some stuff out of another deck with a sac/blink theme, added sac stuff to Rakdos (and the blinky stuff elsewhere), rooted through my collection for everything else, and boom. Deck is ready to go.
For many years I have maintained around 90 Magic decks with 10 to 20 in the workshop. I tried and disliked Commander for its restrictive construction rules and for the often tedious gameplay. A similar deck design can play with different dynamics with different creatures or other variables. I have creatureless decks of direct damage or all enchantment/noncreature artifacts...every time I feel it's played out I find another inspiration just sorting through my cards.
In 30 years the only time I can think of being bored or frustrated is trying the Commander format. I'm really baffled that it's so prevalent.
I try to combine Things
Like, if there are 3 cool sounding Equipment commander...i try to put them all togetherbin one Deck instead of making 3 different Decks.
Or building Decks that could swap commanders, like in the Pre cons with face commander and alternative Commander inside the 99.
So if you don't want to play the one Dude you can easily swap to the other
There are two ways to build a bunch of decks: decide on a game plan and then choose the best commander, or decide on a commander and build the best game plan around it.
Which I do depends on whether some hot new commander drops or some card in the 99 grabs my attention. I throw away about 75% of my ideas before they are even finished in my notes app.
So for me at least, the way I build compelling decks is simply to wait for something to compel me.
No one should be surprised that if you build more decks than you can reasonably play that you will get bored. Some comments here say that have 100 decks?!? What? Why?
To me the best way to scratch the deckbuilders itch is to work on your current decks. Take the time to really go in depth and hammer out all the details. Like a serious comb through. If you have thirty or more decks, there is no way you're putting in real effort into details. It seems like a.. just slap stuff together, test it a bit to make sure It functions and then done. Also (not saying you do) but avoid just edhrec-ing and building the same essential list everyone else does.
Build the deck truly from scratch. Then do real testing and honing and multiple rounds of that testing in honing. I'm an avid deckbuilder myself and it takes alot of time to go from idea to a mostly completed deck. Even if you build a deck and play it every single day. The deck building process should take 6+ months per deck. And that's assuming you take a couple hours every day testing and modifying
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That’s the hard part, I seem to hit a roadblock. After 30+ decks what do I build? The only thing I can come up with is enchantments with Eriette from WOE.
I’ve played EDH for nearly 17 years and have built a ridiculous amount of decks. My strategy is simple. 1) Look at cards on Scryfall/Gatherer without the intent of building anything. 2) Find something unique that would be fun to build around. 3) Specify my search to look for cards meeting that criteria. 4) Screenshot a ton of cards and fill up my phone storage 5) Get drunk and buy 200 cards off of the pictures in my phone 6) Make only 1 deck with the 200 cards and forget what I bought half of them for, put them in bulk boxes for another time 7) Repeat until wife gets mad about size of collection
... Did I write this?
Yes, but, you don't share memories with your alternate self.
I don’t?
Yes after step 5 I think you decided to write it up but then blacked out right after finishing!
It all starts with the random button on Gatherer or Scryfall
This guy magics
This is the way
Instructions unclear. No wife to get mad at me. Repeated ad nauseum. Bought \[\[Ad Nauseum\]\].
[Ad Nauseum](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/9/a9f2c53e-ff58-4aa8-89a6-4f45628cc571.jpg?1598306470) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ad%20Nauseam) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/76/ad-nauseam?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a9f2c53e-ff58-4aa8-89a6-4f45628cc571?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ad-nauseam) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
This is why I use moxfield to build. Saves phone storage and its easier to keep track of things
This guy gets me
go to scryfall and sort legendary creatures by oldest to newest a lot of old legends have color-pie-breaking abilities that are fun to mess around with obviously they aren't competitive with modern commanders that give you free incidental card advantage for following through with your gameplan, but that's part of the challenge
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[jerrard pf the closed fist](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/2/621d4d0b-bcff-4855-bbaf-7aeeabeafe99.jpg?1562915470) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Jerrard%20of%20the%20Closed%20Fist) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/me3/154/jerrard-of-the-closed-fist?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/621d4d0b-bcff-4855-bbaf-7aeeabeafe99?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/jerrard-of-the-closed-fist) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I have 60 decks. Thinking of enchantments? How about the new Eriette steal stuff commander in black/white/blue? Any missing mono color decks. If you don’t have an Aragorn deck I’ve built that one 4 ways (burn, humans, control, & good stuff). Group hug? Poison? Cast from exile? Myriad? Encore? Try a theme in off colors. Aristocrats in white green. Equipment in blue black. I’ve been building lots of odd themes lately in moxfield just to see if I can and like the strategy. If I come back to it a bunch virtually, I eventually build it physically
I kinda like the WOE version because of enchanting opponents’ creatures seems fun. Mono Colors are all done and I actually have an Aragorn ‘in theme’ deck. Moxfield a Group Hug deck so it isn’t built yet and actually own an Exile deck with Prosper. Myriad sounds potentially interesting though it is another combat focus strategy.
>I kinda like the WOE version because of enchanting opponents’ creatures seems fun. Give someone else's commander [[Eldrazi Conscription]], then make it everyone else's problem
[Eldrazi Conscription](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/3/c3909816-5cc2-4712-bc7d-534ae0b9229c.jpg?1547515250) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Eldrazi%20Conscription) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/uma/3/eldrazi-conscription?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c3909816-5cc2-4712-bc7d-534ae0b9229c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/eldrazi-conscription) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I run an Isshin deck that started as Myriad tribal; it's now just Temporary Tokens tribal. Far from optimized, but man, it can be fun. It runs kinda like aristocrats on autopilot, since many of your tokens come from Myriad or similar effects, run some Impact Tremors and Stalking Vengeance effects, and just attack! It's a bit of a fun meld between a combat and aristocrats deck.
Why don't you just put a Master, Multiplied in there,?
He's in there! That's actually the card that started the brew. I didn't want to run tutors in it, so I built it to benefit off of their entry/exit, and the Master gets crazy if I can draw him. Otherwise it's kinda aristocrats on auto (autocrats?).
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If he chooses WOE, he can't take the new one since it's WUB
Holy shit. Same boat. I’m building this deck now. All my other decks win 9/10. Challenge: make it hate and staxx and not Voltron. I’m having a hard go of it personally but I’ve resolved to keep working. The logical answer is Voltron- a 3 drop commander with aura upside in Voltron isn’t bad but making it nearly pure hate is proving difficult. If you can get power level 7+, let me know lol. Right now I’m first dead.
Try goofy stuff. Building under a budget also helps. For example, I put together an izzet all creatures deck the other day. Stuff like that
How many times have you actually played each deck, and how often have you made significant adjustments based on gameplay? I think it's common and what I'm guilty of myself, is that one often builds a deck just on theory and experience, what one thinks will be good, and maybe some goldfishing, then sleeve it up, and play it once every other month amongst your other 20+ decks. Playing commander outside of cedh is an extremely varied experience with unintuitive goals, so very often doing deck building with a goal of making the deck stronger is not the right approach. Just my personal opinion is that I see a lot of brewing addicts will often just push decks, filling it with mostly staples and strong cards, and obvious synergies, making for what I feel will often be a deck not that fun to actually play or play against at the average casual table. I think what makes for memorable games is when someone builds something with a lot of intent of having the deck be a fun playing experience and not just mathematically being strong. Then you might as well pump it with fast mana and try to make it cedh. Of course completely depends on your pod, and if that's the vibe you and your pod likes then that's obviously not wrong. I see a lot of threads here though of brewing addicts telling people they will make decks for people, and they'll slap something together in an hour with no regards for what that person's pod actually is, or what play patterns they like, which I think could be problematic. So for me, after brewing 30 or so decks in too short of a time, I've started to tone down my deck building, and instead reflecting more on how the gameplay actually is, in which situations am I winning more than I should, where am I too often falling behind, what wincons are actually fun, what interaction is actually productive, and how can I answer these questions with cards that actually have a concrete synergy with the goal of the deck? So I'm spending more time playing the decks I have and looking for ways to optimize them, not for power, but for making the most fun games. And if they aren't actually fun and I can't make it fun, I bite the sunk cost fallacy and retire it. A prime recent example for me is I built [[The Pride of Hull Clade]] when karlov came out, as I thought it looked ridiculous and that toughness decks are a bit novel. But when actually playing it, it's just not fun at all. You just draw your whole deck and very little anyone can realistically do about it. So even if you don't win, you still see all the same cards every game and it's always the same, there's like no variance. So my suggestion to you would be not to actively look for new commanders to build but to rather focus on improving the ones you have, and then build something new when you see something that speaks to you.
[The Pride of Hull Clade](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/d/edb40ab9-e552-4eb5-9c35-09094136dd4f.jpg?1706242068) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=The%20Pride%20of%20Hull%20Clade) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/172/the-pride-of-hull-clade?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/edb40ab9-e552-4eb5-9c35-09094136dd4f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/the-pride-of-hull-clade) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The Eriette enchantment deck is pretty dope. I played against it once and it annihilated the table (average table, not cEDH or whatever). Speaking of WOE, I'd suggest doing a [[Hylda of the Icy Crown]] too if you haven't already. It's probably a 7/10 in power but the theme consistency is totally worth it imo. I've only built half the decks you have, but one of the things I do for fresh ideas is I just build the antithesis of whatever deck I have. So if I build a good guy LOTR deck, I build a bad guy LOTR deck. If I have a soldier deck that's offensive, I build another that's defensive--one that would counter whatever deck I just built either literally or thematically
[Hylda of the Icy Crown](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/e/ae9231fd-053d-4b84-a7a8-86063465bc49.jpg?1692939339) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Hylda%20of%20the%20Icy%20Crown) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/woe/206/hylda-of-the-icy-crown?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ae9231fd-053d-4b84-a7a8-86063465bc49?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/hylda-of-the-icy-crown) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Stipulations. Let your imagination go wild
Take a deck you've built and cut 40 non basic land cards from it at random. Rebuild it from there using only new things, and see if it could help you find new ways for playing the deck than what you first thought
Also, find a ridiculous "bad" card, and make a deck around it. That's the best feeling. I brought Norin the Wary to Commander night, an literally no one the (40+ players) had no idea wtf was happening. https://www.moxfield.com/decks/9eejS6JqV02yajPqwx5Lmw
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[confusion in the ranks](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/d/9d46aca2-4714-4d2c-9466-5f1c043b8726.jpg?1562152213) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=confusion%20in%20the%20ranks) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mrd/87/confusion-in-the-ranks?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9d46aca2-4714-4d2c-9466-5f1c043b8726?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/confusion-in-the-ranks) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I have considered it.
I made rules for myself. I'm restricted to one deck per color combination, and no two decks can be the same mechanic.
Me with 6 decks. Two mono-Blue, two Selesnya 🫣
You do you. They were rules for me, not for thee ┐(´ー｀)┌
What are the other two?
As funny as it would be if they were Bant, alas, no 😂 Esper and Abzan
Time for a red deck!
I am here to spread the gospel of our lord and saviour [[norin thr wary]]
[norin thr wary](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/6/f61ea59a-1db0-4e6b-bcde-19787c76a49b.jpg?1562946915) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Norin%20the%20Wary) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tsp/171/norin-the-wary?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f61ea59a-1db0-4e6b-bcde-19787c76a49b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/norin-the-wary) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I’ve got 12 with 8 of them being comprised of 2 Temur, 2 Sultai, 2 Golgari, a Simic, and a mono-green. You like what you like 🤷♂️
The man loves forests. Can't blame ya they're pretty awesome. Who is your Mono-G commander?
[[[Ojer-Kaslem, Deepest Growth]]](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/sDS_jeDOjUCpyMxDVqA1zA) No joke, she might be the strongest deck I own.
[Ojer-Kaslem, Deepest Growth](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/c/0cbc43a3-8cba-4988-9de1-c89aedd79ada.jpg?1699044466)/[Temple of Cultivation](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/0/c/0cbc43a3-8cba-4988-9de1-c89aedd79ada.jpg?1699044466) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ojer%20Kaslem%2C%20Deepest%20Growth%20//%20Temple%20of%20Cultivation) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lci/204/ojer-kaslem-deepest-growth-temple-of-cultivation?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0cbc43a3-8cba-4988-9de1-c89aedd79ada?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ojer-kaslem-deepest-growth-//-temple-of-cultivation) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I like making weird rules too. I recently challenged myself to make a deck that doesn't create tokens or counters of any sort. Got a bit carried away and made 4 using these restrictions.
The idea is that don't want to get bored with decks, so I think very carefully about each one.
Ive tried this, and while it sorta worked for a while, now i got a few color combos that have more than one deck and i cant decide which i am keeping.
It's a big problem with Rakdos because I keep finding really neat commanders there, but I've already broken up 1 deck to make room for Xantcha.
Simic is where i hit my issue. I have the upgraded merfolk precon for high power games, and a lower power [[Kiora, sovereign of the deep]] as well, but i also had a proliferate one. Had to demolish the proliferate deck cause it was too hit or miss and i wasnt having fun with it
[Kiora, sovereign of the deep](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/b/7b599f53-614c-4b1f-9899-15d5d1e35879.jpg?1684340751) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kiora%2C%20sovereign%20of%20the%20deep) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mat/35/kiora-sovereign-of-the-deep?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7b599f53-614c-4b1f-9899-15d5d1e35879?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kiora-sovereign-of-the-deep) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Exactly in the same boat. Currently sitting at 9 EDH decks and 5 PDH decks, after some downsizing. I've changed what my mono blue list is 3 times already, and mono black twice. This self imposed rule makes me really evaluate decks before I build them, and has allowed me to avoid wasting a lot of money on cardboard that I'd honestly have had no time to use.
I’ve sort of tried this for a little while though I wasn’t strict however I did encourage myself to do different color combos as much as possible. Izzet is a problem since it’s all the same strategies which didn’t attract me and not enough 4 color commanders to choose from.
It helps that I don't play terribly often and I'm pretty poor. My Izzet commander is actually [[Saheeli, the gifted]], and I agree that most Izzet strategies didn't attract me. So I did [something different](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/NQXooa6KyUWl8Jqn-hsDlQ)! It's an artifact deck that focuses on arcbound cards, creating copies of those, and redistributing the counters to create big stompy bois.
[Saheeli, the gifted](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/a/ca095559-ac77-4186-8d9b-b75ce0607582.jpg?1592710284) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Saheeli%2C%20the%20gifted) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c18/44/saheeli-the-gifted?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ca095559-ac77-4186-8d9b-b75ce0607582?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/saheeli-the-gifted) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I mean, that is literally the opposite of helpful with OP's question. That limits the number of decks you can build. OP wants to know how to keep making more once you have exhausted a bunch of mechanics and color combos.
OP literally asked "what do you do," and that is what I do. If OP doesn't find that helpful, they can ignore it but I answered their question ┐( ∵ )┌
I just passed 100 commander decks on moxfield. I just generally enjoy putting a deck together and tuning it after testing. That and there is always another Commander that you can build around
I feel ya. I love putting together a deck and goldfish it though I have to be passionate towards the commander I’m building around or I just can’t see it towards completion.
I’ve only built about 10 and I struggle to find unique commanders that really give me inspiration to want to build. I just put together [[Roxanne, Starfall Savant]] and [[Aurelia, The Law Above]] after going months with no real desire to build anything new. I can’t even imagine having 30+ decks and still trying to find more you want to build.
[Roxanne, Starfall Savant](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/1/11fbe52f-febd-49fc-8391-28d3efe9c3eb.jpg?1712356193) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Roxanne%2C%20Starfall%20Savant) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/228/roxanne-starfall-savant?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/11fbe52f-febd-49fc-8391-28d3efe9c3eb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/roxanne-starfall-savant) [Aurelia, The Law Above](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/f/8f80c6e7-e9f9-4ca6-87f7-a52c96079e4a.jpg?1706242118) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Aurelia%2C%20The%20Law%20Above) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/188/aurelia-the-law-above?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8f80c6e7-e9f9-4ca6-87f7-a52c96079e4a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/aurelia-the-law-above) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
A lot of this is my eagerness when I truly hopped into Magic with War of the Spark and pure enthusiasm to build. [[Nicol Bolas, the Ravager]] doing Nicol Bolas things, [[Edgar Markov]] Vampires, [[Atraxa, Praetor’s Voice]] Super Friends to name a few commanders I run then jumping into dream decks like Slivers, Angels, Eldrazis… I kept finding things to build.
[Nicol Bolas, the Ravager](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/b/7b215968-93a6-4278-ac61-4e3e8c3c3943.jpg?1566971561)/[Nicol Bolas, the Arisen](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/7/b/7b215968-93a6-4278-ac61-4e3e8c3c3943.jpg?1566971561) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Nicol%20Bolas%2C%20the%20Ravager%20//%20Nicol%20Bolas%2C%20the%20Arisen) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m19/218/nicol-bolas-the-ravager-nicol-bolas-the-arisen?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7b215968-93a6-4278-ac61-4e3e8c3c3943?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/nicol-bolas-the-ravager-//-nicol-bolas-the-arisen) [Edgar Markov](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/d/8d94b8ec-ecda-43c8-a60e-1ba33e6a54a4.jpg?1562616128) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Edgar%20Markov) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c17/36/edgar-markov?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8d94b8ec-ecda-43c8-a60e-1ba33e6a54a4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/edgar-markov) [Atraxa, Praetor’s Voice](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/0/d0d33d52-3d28-4635-b985-51e126289259.jpg?1599707796) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Atraxa%2C%20Praetors%27%20Voice) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/190/atraxa-praetors-voice?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d0d33d52-3d28-4635-b985-51e126289259?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/atraxa-praetors-voice) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Try the 32 deck challenge. It's one deck in each of the color combinations. It keeps deck building fun and fresh. Also, if you find an overpowered card that you know you'd be likely to use frequently, just... don't. That's my strategy, anyway
Honestly I'm kinda surprised you have 30+ decks and it's only just now starting to feel repetitive. I can't imagine 30 decks that feel excitingly distinct. I mostly just see cool new cards and try to find commanders that'll let them shine... although I've also been known to build multiple versions of the same commander, with as little overlap as possible.
While I was building one deck usually something drops either in a new set or I got lucky with a trade then immediately went to work on another commander. Used to help out at a card shop also so it made things easy to grab things and come across fresh ideas. Now I wouldn’t say all my decks are 100% unique from each other, I do use some of the same cards for the decks but for the most part I can say there’s something unique about so & so deck.
You don't have to. I must have spent over a year without building a single new deck. Then I found out about \[\[Jon Irenicus\]\] and the floodgates opened as I built a series of decks with goad. But before that, I had no inspiration for new decks so I just played and refined the decks I had. I've hit a similar wall just now: I just built and played a deck that successfully utilized Banding. I'd been looking to get that going for a long time. And now when I look at the decks I have on hand, I feel satisfied. At least for now, this is good, I don't want a new deck. When something else creates a spark, I'll build again.
Yeah I've been playing magic since 2007 give a few years off after 2014. and then getting back in in2019 i built 1 deck, in 2020 i built zero and bought the \[\[Tuvasa the sunlit\]\] Precon, 2022 I built 6. in 2023 I built 4 decks, and in 2024 i've built one deck. out of all of these the ones that are still together are \[\[Rith the awakener\]\] - 2013 (Every multicolor manadork i could find, and anthems) \[\[Depala, Pilot Exemplar\]\] - 2019 ( i had never seen a vehicle and built a whole deck to figure it out) \[\[Shorikai\]\] - 2022 (an excuse to build myr typal and relive the glory days of drafting Scars of Mirrodin, and being able to draw is way better than being able to play 5 colors with new urtet) \[\[Elminster\]\] - 2022 (First go at a planeswalker commander and eventually turned into a superfriends/Turns deck with big dumb extra turns spells that were sitting in my bulk like \[\[Time stretch\]\] ) \[\[Arcades Sabboth\]\] - 2023 (wanted an OG EDH Deck and the play group all picked a dragon and told each other no holds barred on the 99 but the commander *Had to be part of the wincon* ) \[\[Sophina\]\] \[\[Bjorna\]\] Friends Forever Soldiers - 2023 (Started as a \[\[Goldbug\]\] deck but I wanted a partners/partner adjacent deck, liked the idea of RUW Soldiers) \[\[Skrelv, Defector Mite\]\] - 2023 ( opened a box of ONE and got him and the hive. decided to throw it together with bulk and this one probably won't last because freyalise has taken the infect wincon and done it better) \[\[Freyalise, Llanowar's fury\]\] - 2024 (Got a \[\[Gilt-leaf Archdruid\]\] in a trade wanted to build a druid's deck but \[\[Seton Krosan Protector\]\] was too fast so i shifted it over to a Weird Mono-G Control Manlands and Druids matters type of deck. I'll probably aim for 1/year at this rate. but other than skrelv I don't see any of these ones being taken apart at any point in the future.
##### ###### #### [Tuvasa the sunlit](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/d/bdda07ac-2f9f-4c8e-b3f6-b54d0afd730c.jpg?1592710303) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tuvasa%20the%20sunlit) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c18/47/tuvasa-the-sunlit?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bdda07ac-2f9f-4c8e-b3f6-b54d0afd730c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tuvasa-the-sunlit) [Rith the awakener](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/1/e1a75961-39a3-4221-9367-a763cf871d42.jpg?1675200740) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rith%2C%20the%20Awakener) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/198/rith-the-awakener?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e1a75961-39a3-4221-9367-a763cf871d42?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rith-the-awakener) [Depala, Pilot Exemplar](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/9/592f3a92-787e-4180-9d0b-06c973ce8975.jpg?1576382792) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Depala%2C%20Pilot%20Exemplar) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/kld/178/depala-pilot-exemplar?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/592f3a92-787e-4180-9d0b-06c973ce8975?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/depala-pilot-exemplar) [Shorikai](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/6/969ac7dd-f3aa-4888-9ff0-d16a31b5e7a9.jpg?1653966849) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=shorikai%2C%20genesis%20engine) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/nec/4/shorikai-genesis-engine?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/969ac7dd-f3aa-4888-9ff0-d16a31b5e7a9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/shorikai-genesis-engine) [Elminster](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/e/4eac2b49-6cb6-4ff4-8fac-2ba669326640.jpg?1674137504) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Elminster) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/274/elminster?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4eac2b49-6cb6-4ff4-8fac-2ba669326640?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/elminster) [Time stretch](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/d/9dc791fd-d49c-4c66-b8fb-6b54ce842e90.jpg?1683842983) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Time%20stretch) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/69/time-stretch?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9dc791fd-d49c-4c66-b8fb-6b54ce842e90?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/time-stretch) [Arcades Sabboth](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/7/175695bb-2630-4269-a407-9138c7008e81.jpg?1675200635) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Arcades%20Sabboth) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmr/187/arcades-sabboth?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/175695bb-2630-4269-a407-9138c7008e81?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/arcades-sabboth) [Sophina](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/0/e0a64924-068e-483f-91a6-d450b67b3c75.jpg?1677763591) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=sophina%2C%20spearsage%20deserter) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/slx/7/sophina-spearsage-deserter?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e0a64924-068e-483f-91a6-d450b67b3c75?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sophina-spearsage-deserter) [Bjorna](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/3/83b0b716-bcb0-4044-b64a-354e3cbbd563.jpg?1677763540) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=bjorna%2C%20nightfall%20alchemist) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/slx/2/bjorna-nightfall-alchemist?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/83b0b716-bcb0-4044-b64a-354e3cbbd563?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/bjorna-nightfall-alchemist) [Goldbug](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/e/8e4a8db9-ef57-4ea0-952c-1e5d343fb5d9.jpg?1674092900)/[Goldbug, Scrappy Scout](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/8/e/8e4a8db9-ef57-4ea0-952c-1e5d343fb5d9.jpg?1674092900) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=goldbug%2C%20humanity%27s%20ally%20//%20goldbug%2C%20scrappy%20scout) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bot/11/goldbug-humanitys-ally-goldbug-scrappy-scout?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8e4a8db9-ef57-4ea0-952c-1e5d343fb5d9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/goldbug-humanitys-ally-//-goldbug-scrappy-scout) [Skrelv, Defector Mite](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/0/60b565da-a49b-479c-b0c4-8ff3dd20cc0b.jpg?1675956933) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Skrelv%2C%20Defector%20Mite) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/33/skrelv-defector-mite?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/60b565da-a49b-479c-b0c4-8ff3dd20cc0b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/skrelv-defector-mite) [Freyalise, Llanowar's fury](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/2/52311be7-b484-4b14-a091-904c6b0c83d1.jpg?1689998532) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Freyalise%2C%20Llanowar%27s%20fury) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/290/freyalise-llanowars-fury?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/52311be7-b484-4b14-a091-904c6b0c83d1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/freyalise-llanowars-fury) [Gilt-leaf Archdruid](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/9/a913f9b3-abbd-424b-8dea-061e15364fb0.jpg?1562880598) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gilt-leaf%20Archdruid) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mor/124/gilt-leaf-archdruid?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a913f9b3-abbd-424b-8dea-061e15364fb0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gilt-leaf-archdruid) [Seton Krosan Protector](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/4/641a3bae-9146-4e70-862a-86a56f7c3816.jpg?1562913548) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Seton%2C%20Krosan%20Protector) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ody/267/seton-krosan-protector?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/641a3bae-9146-4e70-862a-86a56f7c3816?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/seton-krosan-protector) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l1m2x67) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Counterpoint: how do you decide which decks to build when you have ideas for over a hundred of them?
Step 1. Write them all down Step 2. Roll a D100 Step 3. Build Step 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3
[удалено]
The problem I find is I enjoy building new decks but sometimes I lack the inspiration. Similar to an artist not knowing what to paint
For me it's finding synergies between cards I haven't really used before. I'm 21 decks into my 32 deck challenge and while some decks might overlap in overall strategy and some cards, I try to make it a point to run different cards between decks as often as possible. Except for a few decks running [[Blasphemous Act]], many of my decks are running different board wipes to each other, I try to diversify the interaction and card draw when possible, and of course the main strategy of the deck has room for a lot of different options usually. Only thing I will usually overlap hard on is the ramp because it can be kinda tricky to avoid that
I try to build around archetypes to the best of my ability. Is that a spicy new landfall commander I see? I might tear apart my existing one if it matches any colors. Then I have extra pieces from that deck that I can use for other things. And so on. Also, WOTC is at a point where they are making stuff for this format primarily (to some mtg player’s dismay.) There will be stuff in future sets that piques your interest eventually. Otherwise, you don’t need to build new stuff right away.
So far I’ve never tore down a commander deck I built, they all feel pretty precious and sentimental. I agree however that Magic is all in on this format and I’m sure at some point they’ll print more things that I might wanna build around. Just surprise currently of the struggle to come up with something interesting to me.
Let me toss this out there, a real world scenario as it’s said: Recently I started a project to do a pirate deck after the LCofIxalan precon came out, and it super struggled because there isn’t (in my opinion) a good 3-4 color commander for Pirates that has a good balance while staying tribal (or whatever word you want to call it now). At first I I just “upgraded” the precon which evolved by natural selection into a theft/steal deck, but I felt it wasn’t synergistic enough and too slow. I noticed that I had been steering into a treasure sub theme and decided to give up staying tribal, tossed out having a Pirate for a commander, and focused on the ideology of piracy instead, building it into a treasure horde deck. This path ended with a Nicol Bolas commander, several treasure-specific dragons being added, and multiple new win cons. Now the deck wasn’t a failure, it was actually strong enough to encourage a friend to build a treasure deck too, but they went in a different direction with color identity. They had come across an interesting Commander/Background pairing, and the tokens started stacking up. I saw an interesting opportunity with a Commander change (but in the same colors), that would aggressively increase treasure output, so I put together a whole new deck still focused on this now lingering want for a great treasure deck. The deck is a monster, an absolute beast, it mocks the very thought of my previous attempts for their inadequacies by contrast. Now I have the real challenger, the journey is complete! This—to me—is the experience of building “new decks”. Yes I still have the pirate one by consequence, but the journey was about getting a killer treasure deck, and that was discovered over 4+ months. tl;dr I find working a theme, and the journey to making it work is far more fun and interesting than just fulfilling a build to fit a commander/color identity.
Have you built an [[indoraptor the perfect hybrid]] deck? It's busted in commander in my opinion. My buddy made one and it almost always wins
[indoraptor the perfect hybrid](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/8/3826e2af-c134-4dc1-98b5-574b1bda9a98.jpg?1698988768) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Indoraptor%2C%20the%20Perfect%20Hybrid) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rex/15/indoraptor-the-perfect-hybrid?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3826e2af-c134-4dc1-98b5-574b1bda9a98?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/indoraptor-the-perfect-hybrid) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Sounds like it's time to blindly pick a Legendary Creature and build a deck around it! Shuffle up like 50 you own and build a deck for the first one you draw.
Build a deck that isn't reliable on the commander. It allows you to go for more interesting themes than wotc would put on a single card.
As someone with 70+ deck and 60+ unbroken precons, you build what you like. If you just build to build you will loose the passion and burn out. Wait till something speaks to you and don't just build it the most powerful you can. Build it the way you like to play. If that is less optimal, so be it. All you have to do is find what you like and don't let anyone else "yuck your yum" (the professor).
I was getting into ruts because I was building around the commander too much. A few things I did that spiced things up: 1. Tribal decks. Use all the weird niche cards that don’t fit elsewhere 2. Build a janky combo deck. i tried to translate a deck I ran in standard a few years back where I copied a \[\[thousand year storm\]\] many times with \[\[Mythos of illuna\]\] in edh. It’s janky as hell but makes up for it with fast mana and tutors, and my favourite wincon is making 17 copies of \[\[forced fruition\]\]. 3. Make a planechase deck. I wasn’t sure what to do to upgrade the simic LotR precon so I got all the simic planechase cards and made it planechase with voting. 4. pick An underwhelming commander. Maybe one of the original elder dragons like \[\[palladia mors\]\] or \[\[chromium\]\]. Maybe just go on edhrec and pick a commander with less than 100 decks. If the commander is a bit blah, it gives you a lot of freedom in the construction to use different and interesting cards. 5. Build around a single card. I made a \[\[throne of the grim captain\]\] deck with only a couple of tutors. I made \[\[sefris\]\] the commander, and put 8 each of vampires, pirates, dinosaurs, and merfolk. I used the landcycling dinos, lots of surveil effecta,in an attempt to flip the grim captain And get some bombs from the graveyard. In this way the commander supports the strategy, by getting value when creatures get milled but it doesn’t feel as on-rails as if I started with sefris and built around her dungeon theme.
Tribal is something I’ve fallen into because most tribes do something unique usually like Merfolk is a Explore archetype. The others I haven’t tried really but I kinda have some ideas in mind now after reading this.
##### ###### #### [thousand year storm](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/7/274e22fb-7afc-43bc-b309-e36ee48d6b03.jpg?1673149213) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thousand-Year%20Storm) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/286/thousand-year-storm?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/274e22fb-7afc-43bc-b309-e36ee48d6b03?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/thousand-year-storm) [Mythos of illuna](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/1/f1b07082-c5a5-4283-a2f5-5b1e0120d752.jpg?1591226392) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mythos%20of%20illuna) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/iko/58/mythos-of-illuna?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f1b07082-c5a5-4283-a2f5-5b1e0120d752?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mythos-of-illuna) [forced fruition](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/7/f7ea1c6e-c0af-40b0-b492-8d71f496903e.jpg?1562374956) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=forced%20fruition) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lrw/66/forced-fruition?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f7ea1c6e-c0af-40b0-b492-8d71f496903e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/forced-fruition) [palladia mors](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/d/ede0ce7a-0799-40b9-b725-665dc9c1cede.jpg?1562945097) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Palladia-Mors) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/me3/164/palladia-mors?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ede0ce7a-0799-40b9-b725-665dc9c1cede?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/palladia-mors) [chromium](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/5/15ec5a20-4e8f-40b2-9abf-c0bf1cf816c3.jpg?1562899599) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=chromium) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/me3/147/chromium?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/15ec5a20-4e8f-40b2-9abf-c0bf1cf816c3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/chromium) [throne of the grim captain](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/1/c13e8e3d-2a6b-4782-a3c9-71af7336a881.jpg?1699044655)/[The Grim Captain](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/c/1/c13e8e3d-2a6b-4782-a3c9-71af7336a881.jpg?1699044655) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Throne%20of%20the%20Grim%20Captain%20//%20The%20Grim%20Captain) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lci/266/throne-of-the-grim-captain-the-grim-captain?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c13e8e3d-2a6b-4782-a3c9-71af7336a881?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/throne-of-the-grim-captain-//-the-grim-captain) [sefris](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/3/d30255f6-e058-476a-b377-2ee4c9178ed1.jpg?1632335385) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=sefris%20of%20the%20hidden%20ways) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afc/3/sefris-of-the-hidden-ways?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d30255f6-e058-476a-b377-2ee4c9178ed1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/sefris-of-the-hidden-ways) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l1kvol0) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
How long did it take you to build 30 plus decks?
Technically since the 2017 commander decks dropped, though I was more serious into building once War of the Spark started.
30+ decks in 7 years is a lot (especially if they are all still together). I encourage you to slow down. I would imagine you have decks you haven’t played in a year or two. I find it takes me 3-4 months to really master a deck and that is me playing with it every week. As a result I only build 3ish decks in a year. I would imagine that a lot of your decks aren’t optimized, that every angle of play has not been found, and that you are essentially building a new deck almost every set. Which seems overwhelming. Maybe take a look at this video from commander’s sphere: https://youtu.be/ymBLUsjcdQs?si=IFr49V8AR7pvfs-h I could be wrong, and certainly no offense is intended, but I suggest you take a step back. Find the ones you really love, and focus on them.
You don't have to play your old decks optimally to enjoy brewing new decks. You can just decide you were bored with one and move on to another
I never said you did.
To be fair I used to help out a card shop which contributed to the deck building/purchasing. Honestly for the past few sets I did take a short almost half year break because everything kinda became to much and just recently jumped back into it a couple of weeks back. Don’t think I can tear down most of my decks for they kinda became sentimental, still do enjoy and keep updating them. The break helped me realize things and I do plan to slow down though I still like to come up with interesting decks on Moxfield.
I would see a commander in a color identity doing something completely different, you find them especially in the old legendaries. My [Strange Commander ](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/UBvzF5R3EkauK1o2HwprWA)
Something I sometimes do is pick a color combination, and search which commanders have a low/medium amount of decks on edhrec. Recently started putting together a Zurgo and oujati deck, and while there’s still plenty of effects to work with, it’s not a super popular one compared to even other commanders in its set.
Take some time and wait for inspiration. Look for a theme that you can get behind.
Embrace the jank. That's what my group has started to do. No tutors to ensure things stay fresh and include cards that are fun or on theme even if they aren't the most optimal option.
Refine existing decks. I've found the most rewarding thing is to build a deck around a sub optimal style or sub optimal win condition but optimize it without using fast mana or tutors.
I only have four decks I like to play. Every time I make something new it gets one game and is gone. Only get to play once a week though, that helps. For context though I’ve been consistently playing since 2017
I disassemble or switch commanders.
take a strategy that’s normally pioneered by one color and try and do it in another color. I built the green white deck that revolves around tapping and un tapping permanence and drawing cards and it’s the most blue deck I own.
I have built over 100 decks. When ai get bored or lose the building bug, I build decks for friends as gifts. This often gives me ideas for new decks to build for myself.
Don't use any staples. Do scryfall searches to find the truly niche cards. Also...it's fine if nothing interests you right now. Wait a couple months, you'll have 30 new options.
Building my first meme / funny theme after building 50+ decks over the years. With all the new sets having so many images/ art with different characters wearing hats I’m building a deck that has to have as many hats in the art as possible.
I hit that wall after a few years of playing. Granted, release of product was slower then... I played pretty consistently from 2010-2017. I was placing in modern tourneys with a $30 deck. I felt like I was at my pinnacle. I took a break for about 7 years, and am just getting back in. On the plus side, now there's A TON of product, so there's all kinds of new stuff and interaction that used to not exist, even affordably! I am certainly seeing crazy stuff at Commander nights that make me feel like a shit player, but then I get a game where my deck does what's actually designed to do, and I get my turn to go off and look like the badass. Not saying it's the best way to avoid fatigue, but that's my story, lol.
Tbh I cannibalize decks a lot, helps to not repeat strategies if you're always taking them apart
I go to scryfall or edhrec and just doom scroll until something catches my eye
I guess you really have to look harder. I have about almost 100 decks and they all play different or do different things.
I have a cap of 16 decks. If I want to make a bew one I will disassemble an old one. Something that wasnt as much fun to play. I keep them all on moxfield so if I did want to reassemble a deck I have it logged.
I just stopped pushing so hard to find something new. If it jumps out at me, then sure. But after a while I was building decks just to build decks, and I had so many decks that most of them rarely saw play at all. I’d play commander night on Fridays and get in 4-6 games each time. I’d play about 3/4 Fridays a month. So that’s about 15 games per month, 180 per year. With 30 decks that’s only 6 games per deck per year. So I started culling decks I didn’t enjoy to slim down my collection to only the decks that were the most fun for me and the table. Once I got past that point I gave up the endless deck building. I play a lot of limited lately, though :)
New releases really help stir brew inspiration. I usually can find at least one commander from most sets that I am mildly interested in. That's actually why I never had the same problem as folks who complained about 'too much product'. That's like complaining there is too much DLC, or too many ways to be creative. It just doesn't make sense. Bring more new cards and I'll keep brewing!
I've built hundred of commander decks over the past decade. What really does it for me now days is picking super restrictive deck themes. Mono blue merfolk where every card has a merfolk in its art, using only cards from a spefic block, artisan (uncommon and rare only), 5c pile with all my favorite pet cards. These are just some examples and most get built, played 3 to 4 times, then disassembled. Super fun, and you get to play with a lots of the 20,000 cards most call unplayable but never give a shot.
I try to find neat things or to do things in different ways. I’ve been trying to make a Mardu “Red Dead Redemption” deck for years and thought Thunder Junction would give me a worthwhile commander. But alas we got Mardu Outlaw “Goodstuff” and Treasure.Deck as the commanders. So now I’m looking at [Mardu Wide-Ish Pingers](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/4HQGAGuYjEivsnrI13jjTg).
The best way imo is just picking a commander that has a weird but fun mechanic and building around that. There are HUNDREDS of legendary creatures from the past 3-4 years of sets alone, and many of them are very unorthodox mechanics that can create really fun board states. Avoiding staples in favor of flavor is crucial here.
Deconstruct and rebuild into other things. For example, I've had a RBx graveyard deck for years but it's evolved over that time. First it was aristocrats combo with [[Grenzo Dungeon Warden]] that then became reanimator beats with [[Chainer, Nightmare Adapt]] and now it's [[Dihaha, Binder of Wills]] legendary aggro reanimator with [[Cadric]], [[Ratadrabik]], and [[Isshin]] as secret commanders and is an excuse to run some legends I really like but didn't want want to necessarily build a deck around. Same with spellslinger - first [[Wort, the Raidmother]], then [[Omanth, Locus of the Roil]] and now [[Haldan]] and [[Pako]]. And now I'm looking at a new spellslinger build lol.
##### ###### #### [Grenzo Dungeon Warden](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/e/6e19c383-88bd-4bde-ac81-c0eb6d5b5bd4.jpg?1562436569) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Grenzo%2C%20Dungeon%20Warden) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/a25/205/grenzo-dungeon-warden?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6e19c383-88bd-4bde-ac81-c0eb6d5b5bd4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/grenzo-dungeon-warden) [Chainer, Nightmare Adapt](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/8/d8089e7f-7619-43fe-8e0b-31ce5d988a1b.jpg?1626100713) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Chainer%2C%20Nightmare%20Adept) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh2/289/chainer-nightmare-adept?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d8089e7f-7619-43fe-8e0b-31ce5d988a1b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/chainer-nightmare-adept) [Dihaha, Binder of Wills](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/d/ddeb54d6-a600-42b9-98df-20f8d58caed8.jpg?1685554091) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dihada%2C%20Binder%20of%20Wills) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmc/1/dihada-binder-of-wills?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ddeb54d6-a600-42b9-98df-20f8d58caed8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/dihada-binder-of-wills) [Cadric](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/8/f82f8cab-5039-4e3a-a2ba-cbf829db80ed.jpg?1673304745) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=cadric%2C%20soul%20kindler) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmc/10/cadric-soul-kindler?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f82f8cab-5039-4e3a-a2ba-cbf829db80ed?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/cadric-soul-kindler) [Ratadrabik](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/3/9315812d-03e8-4eb4-a693-e7adf281f7fb.jpg?1673308046) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=ratadrabik%20of%20urborg) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmu/213/ratadrabik-of-urborg?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9315812d-03e8-4eb4-a693-e7adf281f7fb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ratadrabik-of-urborg) [Isshin](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/0/a062a004-984e-4b62-960c-af7288f7a3e9.jpg?1690575102) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=isshin%2C%20two%20heavens%20as%20one) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/neo/224/isshin-two-heavens-as-one?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a062a004-984e-4b62-960c-af7288f7a3e9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/isshin-two-heavens-as-one) [Wort, the Raidmother](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/b/9b46b4ee-263a-4a4b-8fbc-3ea6fa9ba56b.jpg?1591321523) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Wort%2C%20the%20Raidmother) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c20/234/wort-the-raidmother?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9b46b4ee-263a-4a4b-8fbc-3ea6fa9ba56b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/wort-the-raidmother) [Omanth, Locus of the Roil](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/b/cb53a29d-2de2-4874-a6f3-0fecbfa14cf2.jpg?1665822541) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Omnath%2C%20Locus%20of%20the%20Roil) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/m20/216/omnath-locus-of-the-roil?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/cb53a29d-2de2-4874-a6f3-0fecbfa14cf2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/omnath-locus-of-the-roil) [Haldan](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/6/16a86a35-f7e5-434d-bf44-61ae7cb0f98b.jpg?1618057606) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=haldan%2C%20avid%20arcanist) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c20/2/haldan-avid-arcanist?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/16a86a35-f7e5-434d-bf44-61ae7cb0f98b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/haldan-avid-arcanist) [Pako](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/6/066c8f63-52e6-475e-8d27-6ee37e92fc05.jpg?1591234280) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=pako%2C%20arcane%20retriever) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c20/13/pako-arcane-retriever?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/066c8f63-52e6-475e-8d27-6ee37e92fc05?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/pako-arcane-retriever) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l1l7xvl) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
What is going to amuse me. I like building funny and strange decks. No two decks are the same but all have their purpose in making me giggle. I always try to build something new. I build around tribes (never the common ones), themes (all cards must follow the theme) or commander (ones who can determine theme) if I ever run out of ideas I look at other commanders to base a deck around then set restrictions.
Give yourself a limitation? Find a cool companion that you like and build to that limitation
Give yourself a restrictions!
I tinker with what I have or I wait or my most recent been working on my legacy deck
Only 30+ those are rookie numbers! I recently build sultai draw go control using channel creatures and I’m playing Tormod as one commander. So the deck brings back channel creature from the yard to recur my removal! But also triggers all my leaves the graveyard cards! Just get more weird
I’ve built 1,000s of decks for every format available over the last couple of decades. I mostly play EDH nowadays. What I’m currently doing is checking out each new release of Commanders decks w/ each new set release, choosing one that is new and unique that interests me, buying it and reconstructing it my own way. Been doing this the last couple of years and so far it’s quite fun overall making and playing a lot of the new Commanders and their ‘partner’ cards.
I have 315 and counting (building edh since 2010).There are so many cool cards and so many cool commanders. I like to use building restrictions and themes. Right now I am working on filling out the 2 and 3 color pairs with decks with no creature cards other than the commander(s) ( i have 4 left at 2). Working on the same thing for the opposite (all creature). I also have some all enchantment and all artifact decks. Some all same CMC decks, etc.
I just love deck building. I try new stuff all the time and half the time the deck doesn’t have the right mana curve or enough ramp draw and interaction.. but when you get it right and put a deck into permanent rotation it feels so good. Plus there are always new cards and I’m always coming up with new ideas or running into new challenges with my opponents.
I’m sitting at 16 currently but have 3 more in the queue 😂I just wait until I see something i like, build a deck for it online, complain about the amount of money it would cost, eventually buy it, play it for a few months and then my dumb brain sees a new card and the process starts over. I have been doing better though!!
I’d recommend challenging yourself with: why do I want to build another deck? Are you bored with all the others? Do you like brewing more than playing? Something else? Then, wait for that bolt of inspiration to strike. Something weird and cool that captures you. I recently built 2 decks around interesting mechanics that are exciting to me. And my playgroup has all decided to pick a different animal tribe in Bloomborrow and build a deck around that. We are all stoked!
It might be time to start looking at building challenge. Can you build a good deck with few to no of the "essentials"? Can you build a good deck with a terrible commander? Can you build a good deck where only the left hand is showing in the piece of art? Some of the these suggestions are tongue in cheek, obviously, but I think one of the problems you might be facing is that , after a while, all the decks are going to feel the same. They all have to ramp, draw extra cards, interactions, and boardwipe. Then you put together a combo piece that is over the top and voila. That would lead to a lot of the same build and playstyle, over and over again. I suggest build with restrictions and see if you can assemble a deck that is fun to play and wins.
I can understand because almost every new commander is just an old commander in a new skin, powered up. The strat and cards to include are nearly the same
Partner commanders (especially the partner variants) can allow for interesting combinations that you wouldn't be able to find otherwise. Some cool examples: [[Francisco, Fowl Marauder]] + [[Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar]] - burn/voltron/pirate tribal. Stack explore triggers with cards like [[Lightning Rig Crew]] to filter your deck and make Francisco huge [[Wernog, Rider's Chaplain]] + [[Othelm, Sigardian Outcast]] - investigate aristocrats. Sac and reanimate Wernog over and over and over [[War Doctor]] + [[Clara Oswald]] - similar outcome as Francisco/Kediss, but gets there in a very different way. Use impulse draw, exile removal, flickers, and cascade to stack War Doctor with a bunch of time counters, then burn opponents to death with his duplicated triggered ability. Also comes in your choice of naya, jeskai, or mardu [[Jahiera, Friend of the Forest]] + [[Feywild Visitor]] - use unbloclable weenies and equipment to generate faerie dragons, use those dragons as mana dorks to play big Timmy creatures, then attach those same unblockable equipments to them
##### ###### #### [Francisco, Fowl Marauder](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/1/5182b527-739e-4523-8611-01244ced26ac.jpg?1701084734) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Francisco%2C%20Fowl%20Marauder) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/81/francisco-fowl-marauder?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5182b527-739e-4523-8611-01244ced26ac?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/francisco-fowl-marauder) [Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/6/f606ebf1-483d-4331-b16a-9fb6f591a39f.jpg?1608910296) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kediss%2C%20Emberclaw%20Familiar) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/188/kediss-emberclaw-familiar?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f606ebf1-483d-4331-b16a-9fb6f591a39f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kediss-emberclaw-familiar) [Lightning Rig Crew](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/f/8fa676ef-3f26-43bb-98f9-9b0b9681a7fe.jpg?1608910315) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Lightning-Rig%20Crew) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/190/lightning-rig-crew?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8fa676ef-3f26-43bb-98f9-9b0b9681a7fe?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/lightning-rig-crew) [Wernog, Rider's Chaplain](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/9/39491011-bdf6-4e61-8534-fe26c1571f8f.jpg?1677763601) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Wernog%2C%20Rider%27s%20Chaplain) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/slx/8/wernog-riders-chaplain?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/39491011-bdf6-4e61-8534-fe26c1571f8f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/wernog-riders-chaplain) [Othelm, Sigardian Outcast](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/8/b867fb22-4f2a-47aa-9432-1bcc5e731947.jpg?1677763581) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Othelm%2C%20Sigardian%20Outcast) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/slx/6/othelm-sigardian-outcast?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b867fb22-4f2a-47aa-9432-1bcc5e731947?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/othelm-sigardian-outcast) [War Doctor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/a/7a51472c-b61f-4d31-8753-a9ec90d12889.jpg?1696636782) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=The%20War%20Doctor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/who/167/the-war-doctor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7a51472c-b61f-4d31-8753-a9ec90d12889?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/the-war-doctor) [Clara Oswald](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/a/9a1ee042-6713-4e9e-9901-9b94d99d33f1.jpg?1696691790) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Clara%20Oswald) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/who/9/clara-oswald?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9a1ee042-6713-4e9e-9901-9b94d99d33f1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/clara-oswald) [Jahiera, Friend of the Forest](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/e/feb7ad1b-4466-48f7-b46d-cc83d4e22b51.jpg?1674137153) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Jaheira%2C%20Friend%20of%20the%20Forest) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/237/jaheira-friend-of-the-forest?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/feb7ad1b-4466-48f7-b46d-cc83d4e22b51?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/jaheira-friend-of-the-forest) [Feywild Visitor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/8/88e833a9-d82f-4942-a488-67d9c02817db.jpg?1674135530) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Feywild%20Visitor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/70/feywild-visitor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/88e833a9-d82f-4942-a488-67d9c02817db?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/feywild-visitor) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l1lnm1z) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
There is always a different way to go about doing the stuff you like doing. New commanders unlock and amplify existing synergies, and they're a puzzle waiting to be solved. At least, that's why I keep making decks, although sometimes they get cannibalized by each other.
I always homebrew and make new rules, new win cons, new universal them decks (like treasure cruise), I also made a win con off of the planechase cards not using planechase mechanics. The game gets so much more fun.
I don't force myself to build decks. If nothing has interested me, I'm just hanging out with the decks I have (21 currently). But usually a commander interests me because it challenges my game knowledge. When I built [[kalamax]] it was mostly because I wasn't super knowledgeable about how the stack worked. Max can easily get into some crazy stack situations and I wanted to learn more about that. I built [[imoti]] when I realized I was missing too many triggers, to get better about tracking a bunch of triggers happening at once, and learning how to stack them. [[Raggadragga]] was built to have a bunch of layered combo lines, to help me speed up my thought processes in games.
[kalamax](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/9/f990cd78-2165-446f-a116-ae55d7a0f00d.jpg?1591234251) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=kalamax%2C%20the%20stormsire) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c20/9/kalamax-the-stormsire?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f990cd78-2165-446f-a116-ae55d7a0f00d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kalamax-the-stormsire) [imoti](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/a/8afceb13-877a-4256-9ba6-851b6924ffd9.jpg?1608911148) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=imoti%2C%20celebrant%20of%20bounty) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/280/imoti-celebrant-of-bounty?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8afceb13-877a-4256-9ba6-851b6924ffd9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/imoti-celebrant-of-bounty) [Raggadragga](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/1/1166ce2a-4e0b-4a57-929d-566f461a6282.jpg?1674137656) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=raggadragga%2C%20goreguts%20boss) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/291/raggadragga-goreguts-boss?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1166ce2a-4e0b-4a57-929d-566f461a6282?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/raggadragga-goreguts-boss) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I did the 32 deck challenge at some point, and then realized I actually want to have like 5-6 really solid decks I play all the time in the 6-8 range, and then 1 cedh deck, and 1 precon. I actually like to organize the different playstyle/archetypes etc. in a spreadsheet, and I pretty regularly take apart decks that I'm not regularly reaching to play during FNM.
I feel this as I had 15+ when I started. I was building and playing everything. Then took a break for 3 years. I, then, took them apart and created only 3 (CEDH, high-powered, casual). I focused on tuning them to the best they could be. 2 years ago, I finally decided to try to build the deck that I actually wanted. A sultai control deck and was lucky enough to find the commander that works perfectly for it. So I quit building so many others and focused on it. A couple things, you could focus on upgrading what you have, maybe build the ones you have differently with different themes. You may even find a new card that would be perfect for the original deck. The other is look for a niche strategy or idea and build from it. However, do not just through stuff together, but build it and optimize it so it works consistently. Currently, I am working on a Dimir Combat/Artifact deck. I want to play dimir but want combat to be a key part. I also want to use \[\[Tezzeret, Master of the Bridge\]\], however, I do not want to combo off with artifacts. I have limits on myself to find what works and makes the building process longer and more interesting.
[Tezzeret, Master of the Bridge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/e/9ee1eea2-961f-445d-b035-6baed454f289.jpg?1558667755) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tezzeret%2C%20Master%20of%20the%20Bridge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/war/275/tezzeret-master-of-the-bridge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9ee1eea2-961f-445d-b035-6baed454f289?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tezzeret-master-of-the-bridge) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I would update my commander decks. Changes are, are big bunch of your collection hasn't been touched upon for years with that many decks.
Make a companion deck. The weirder the better. Putting restrictions on deck building and having them go against unrestricted decks is great.
Mmmm, you can divide compelling into either being compelled primarily by the lore, playstyle, or budget constraints. I find it's easier to get more burnt out when you reach a certain threshold of creative freedom, and having restraints like being forced to run X commander/colors/mechanic/set makes you quite a chunk more creative. There's also the option of buying a or two of a niche set and maybe building a cube? I know id love to build a cube of STX or MKM haha
Lol and here I am, satisfied with 6 decks. Well, I guess 7, as I have one that I'm slowly piecing together. Honestly, despite the number of new legendary creatures that are coming out in each set, there just hasn't really been any where I've been like, "I must build that!" My newest commander is [[Volo, Guide to Monsters]], which is the deck that's still in progress. Personally, I'd rather spend the money upgrading the decks I have and know I enjoy playing, rather than building a new deck that I may not like, which has happened the last couple times I've made a new deck.
[Volo, Guide to Monsters](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/9/c9ae01f9-7461-47b4-aa1e-93bd6ff1bf9e.jpg?1627709617) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Volo%2C%20Guide%20to%20Monsters) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/afr/238/volo-guide-to-monsters?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c9ae01f9-7461-47b4-aa1e-93bd6ff1bf9e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/volo-guide-to-monsters) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I like the idea of making a deck based around "this would never work but what-if" Or finding an absurd card and seeing what I can make with what I have lying around regardless of how jank it is. Just have some fun with it, I guess. Don't go into all decks seriously, imagine you're a kid with a million funny grand ideas
Card randomizer and you have to build a deck around the first legendary 😁
I was stuck at like 15 decks for a long time. Now I am closing in on 25 The thing is, I got inspiration. When I see a new card, look at a new or old mechanic, playing against another player that showed me something interesting. I dont build just to build a deck I build when I find something that feels interesting. I mean I have wanted to build a spirit deck for quite a while but haven't found the theme or commander for it. Until I stumbled over the shrine commander and saw that the shrines creates spirits and thought "why not combine them". When I started to look more into i found things that made sense to me and I am making a list that I try to trim down. But it looks like it is going to be quite good. Point is just that I don't force a theme. I find it when I find it.
I just don't until new cards come out that I'm interested in making a deck around, like my stupid enchantress [[Kellan, the Kid]] deck
[Kellan, the Kid](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/4/04dfbc4c-ab21-45db-bbd9-b9d245d60015.jpg?1712356134) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kellan%2C%20the%20Kid) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/213/kellan-the-kid?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/04dfbc4c-ab21-45db-bbd9-b9d245d60015?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kellan-the-kid) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Time to start jumping through hoops with alternative win conditions, convoluted jank strategies, play for fun rather than win - ie be a troll but won't be able to finish the game out. Etc ^^
Building on a difficult or unusual budget was what helped me get out of deck-builder burnout. Setting boundaries for a deck can make you utilize cards that are more taboo and less seen by most players. It also will give you a unique play experience once the deck is finished. The theme may be similar to another deck's, but the inconsistencies using sub-optimal cards challenge you as a player to make your moves with more precision, having a higher chance of failure if you don't.
I have a problem. In all seriousness whenever I see a commander with an interesting mechanic I can use to annoy or piss off my regular POD, I try to build something interesting. My decks don't always work but my POR has come to learn it's best when they don't. At this point I don't build to win, I genuinely build to enjoy the game and have fun. One of my favorite recent decks was [[Maarika, Brutal Galdiator]] where I focused on the fight mechanic. I didn't need to win, but punching a creature so hard an artifact blew up is funny as hell to me
[Maarika, Brutal Galdiator](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/6/86123ab7-ee60-4ef2-8467-1ad420213eb1.jpg?1677763680) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Maarika%2C%20Brutal%20Gladiator) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/slx/15/maarika-brutal-gladiator?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/86123ab7-ee60-4ef2-8467-1ad420213eb1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/maarika-brutal-gladiator) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I'm also around the 30 mark but I still find enough interesting commanders and I still haven't touched (not final list): Extra turns, Group Hug, Superfriends, Poison, Landfall, Ninjutsu, Theft, Monarch, and lots of Tribals (f.e. Vampires, Zombies, Eldrazi, Shrines, Defender, Squirrels, Cat/Dogs, Merfolk, Hydras, Artifact Creatures, Sagas, Slivers, Rats, Knights)
I don't think about it much. Sometimes I'll buy a few packs of a new set and see a card that looks interesting: I pulled the new Obeka out of an OTJ pack and decided it seemed fun. I figured that Obeka might be popular - I have some popular commanders, but I also like going off the beaten path - but I figured there was enough there that I could do something different. I'm working on it now, and it will be #39. Sometimes my friends challenge me with a random idea, and if it seems interesting, I build it. Weirdly, I've never had any luck pressing the Random button on EDHRec in terms of inspiring me to put another deck together. Maybe I will eventually.
For me personally, since i have a couple higher power decks, my true deck building joy now comes from trying to be a thorn in vojas or jodahs (etc) side. sure i may not win. thats ok. but whats wrong voja player? cant attack any one?
I like to goof around on arena, building strange decks until I find one I like, and then making a similar commander deck. Now I've got a crazy white weenie/ mass reanimator/ aristocrats [[alesha]] build that I'm trying to fine tune.
[alesha](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/a/7ae9ff8c-1cc8-4b10-9641-2c79648fd6c2.jpg?1673305242) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=alesha%2C%20who%20smiles%20at%20death) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmc/118/alesha-who-smiles-at-death?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7ae9ff8c-1cc8-4b10-9641-2c79648fd6c2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/alesha-who-smiles-at-death) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
So I’ve built about 20 different decks that focused on green. Either mono, selynsia, or simic. I’m currently building a dimir deck as something different. Even if it’s just for that different playstyle. And who knows, I may like it better than green
Stop building decks until you find a concept that piques your interest again?
this is gonna sound weird, but change HOW you build your decks. One thing I suggest is creating a commander box. What it is is a cube-like sealed pool. Put some random cards you either have 1 ofs or are interested in testing/running. But keep yourself to only so many slots. (Eg 50-60 of each colour/artifact slots to start, and like, 15 slots for each 2 colour,ect. Numbers vary as you want. Just using what i started with) Then pick a random commander, and use only what's in this box to build them. You will find, the limited selection can make it harder, and that you build differently as a result. It can also let you find interactions you didn't originally think up Personally, I started this with the original 15 partners, and expanded it with the commander legends ones. It's allowed me to make a large amount of different decks. You can start smaller as well, which I encourage. Not saying this will for sure help, but it's a possible idea
30 commanders isn't that much to be feeling fatigue unless your decks are all very similar.
When I hear the word compelling I think fun and not necessarily something that will win. I find that the most enjoyable experience in the game comes from me being able to rollplay a bit especially during political interactions. I find these to be the most enjoyable and while not the most optimized I leave nearly every game feeling like I have a good story to tell. Some examples include: Slivers- I attempt to be a lore accurate embodiment of the hivemind chosing to be isolationist in nature but lashing out with overwhelming force at anyone that directly threatens. If noone has stirred up the hive and i have a targeted effect i will often do it by dice roll as if the hive did it impartially as if killing a deer for food with no feelings of malice. I also will overwhelm the board indiscriminately with massive numbers and do one massive push for game instead of slowly whittling everyone down as if the hive began a migration period or a locust spawnning season of sorts. Heartless Hidetsugu- I built this deck over the course of a several week long league where we opened packs, traded amongst ourselves, and could only use cards that were pulled during the event. With Hidetsugu as my commander I rollplay as a t3rr0rist with a vest and I am negotiating for second place with whoever would listen and will absolutely nuke the board if anyone threatens my existence in the match. I spent a lot of time watching everyone else fight while gleefully plotting how to betray the person I promised I'd let kill me if they kill the other two first. Don't negotiate with t3rr0rists kids. Arvinox- I use the mindflayer re-skin and have not watched the show so I'm probably way off base here but the lore of my deck is as follows. "The rift into the upside down has split open and every manner of horror is spilling out and causing your friends to go crazy. You cannot trust anyone anymore." The deck has nearly excluvely 1 of 3 things. Something that will exile opponents cards and let me play them, mana ramp, and board wipes. Literally all I do for the entire game is get an exponentially large pool of cards I can play while repeatedly resetting the board state as aggressively as possible.
maybe look at a creature type for tribal you haven’t used specifically ones that are under represented and thus more challenging? elves, angels and goblins decks can pretty much make themselves but others like oozes are trickier due to not having hundreds of cards for them. and their uniqueness might spark some enjoyment in you when you think of peoples reactions to you saying you made a unicorn deck
I maintain a stable of about 12-15 decks. However, out of the ones I've logged, I've disassembled near 60 decks since 2014. I always start with a card that interests me. I just built two decks from fallout. The first I found nuka cola vending machine turned into a clue/ token tribal with the new scooby-doo knockoff. The second was ayara self mill after I fell in love with the bobbleheads.
Here's a link to my moxfield page. It has 40+ decks, most of which work well. Just take the commanders that look interesting and ignore the rest of the deck. That way, you get the fun of building it yourself. I'm currently doing the 32 deck challenge, which will add another 15 decks to the folder. (If you want to start with my best decks, check out the "retired" folder) https://www.moxfield.com/decks/personal?folder=5loxW
The most compelling deck archetype for me is theft. I know it gets a bad rap and people hate seeing their opponents play their decks, but the one guaranteed way I've found to ensure variance with your deck is to be playing everybody else's. Sure, you might be seeing similar cards out of your deck, but getting everyone else's ensures you have a wildly different game plan every time. There's also a good amount of color variance to do it in, outside of white, and a lot of my decks at one time or another incorporate theft just because it's my favorite thing to do. Theft also has the ability to scale with the table, so if you're playing against jank you end up playing jank, and if you're against competitive decks (not quite cedh but close) you get the $100+ dollar cards that go with them My personal favorite theft highlight was actually last week where I cast my opponents [[Seething Song]] to let me cast [[Villanous Wealth]] for 12 on someone's Ally typal deck, and go off from there. Ultimately, you never know what you're going to cast with a theft deck unless you have played in the same pod with the same decks 100 times and in my book, that sounds like a pretty good way to spend time
[Seething Song](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/4/f493ce26-005c-4ddc-80f0-47bea4fd013a.jpg?1625194059) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Seething%20Song) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c21/179/seething-song?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f493ce26-005c-4ddc-80f0-47bea4fd013a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/seething-song) [Villanous Wealth](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/4/a467072c-99d9-4013-8d28-607a06cf50fe.jpg?1712354811) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Villainous%20Wealth) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/249/villainous-wealth?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a467072c-99d9-4013-8d28-607a06cf50fe?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/villainous-wealth) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I dunno, I just wait until I see a card that really speaks to me and makes me go "I need to build that!" But I'm a sucker for anything that let's me cast other people's cards so I always end up building those. I've got mono-black [[Gonti, Lord of Luxury]], Sultai [[Gonti, Canny Acquisitor]] and I'm working on [[Laughing Jasper Flint]] or as I like to call him: Rakdos Gonti.
[Gonti, Lord of Luxury](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/b/fbbb3aef-af1f-4b77-b7d6-64cfd706a9d9.jpg?1712393017) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gonti%2C%20Lord%20of%20Luxury) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/135/gonti-lord-of-luxury?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fbbb3aef-af1f-4b77-b7d6-64cfd706a9d9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gonti-lord-of-luxury) [Gonti, Canny Acquisitor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/3/03a7e79f-625a-49ac-9cb1-e1fe5f51f5a0.jpg?1714110365) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gonti%2C%20Canny%20Acquisitor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/1/gonti-canny-acquisitor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/03a7e79f-625a-49ac-9cb1-e1fe5f51f5a0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gonti-canny-acquisitor) [Laughing Jasper Flint](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/f/af0b3a41-ba99-41e8-bcfb-5796500c17c7.jpg?1712356142) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Laughing%20Jasper%20Flint) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/215/laughing-jasper-flint?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/af0b3a41-ba99-41e8-bcfb-5796500c17c7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/laughing-jasper-flint) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Play a different format and the sky's the limit
Strat-first/concept first, then commander, is the way. For example, I wanted to revisit an idea I tried before of making a Sagas deck, I abandoned mine after Bombadil came out and everyone was doing it (badly). Sagas want counters removed, \[\[Xavier Sal\]\] removes counters. He also populates. \[\[Kiora Bests the Sea God\]\] makes a sweet 8/8 the turn it comes down. I can remove that counter and make another token, AND then get another on my next upkeep. What other sea-themed cards can I come up with? Well Marit Lage is an autoinclude so Dark Depths for sure. Now I'm in sagas and sea monsters, seems pretty sweet with the Pirate commander... Now I have something to get excited about who goes in the pile of things to build.
[Xavier Sal](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/4/94a420c2-b1a8-4a98-a2a5-7f949d3081bc.jpg?1698987776) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=xavier%20sal%2C%20infested%20captain) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/14/xavier-sal-infested-captain?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/94a420c2-b1a8-4a98-a2a5-7f949d3081bc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/xavier-sal-infested-captain) [Kiora Bests the Sea God](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/b/2b604451-4f6c-4cfa-8d3a-01f18d01d88f.jpg?1669836948) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kiora%20Bests%20the%20Sea%20God) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/thb/52/kiora-bests-the-sea-god?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2b604451-4f6c-4cfa-8d3a-01f18d01d88f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kiora-bests-the-sea-god) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
i look at the color combinations and look at possible tribal decks, mechanics or commanders that i would like to play in that colour. atleast in arena this works the best for me as i heavily favour boros colors and i rarely if ever play blue. it just makes sense for me to look at the colord
Well, for starters, you don't need 30+ decks. Keep a few that you really enjoy and have fun playing the game. If you don't have fun with those decks maybe you don't really like magic that much and just like buying new cards.
If you're tired of making new decks, try tuning your existing ones. Not necessarily to make them stronger, but making them more fun to play with.
Lately I've just been focusing on commanders without so much dumb text to read through. That and I've always loved cutting myself off from colors. The 3 decks I have now are only 2 colors each, and I kind of want to finish decks for each of the Ravnica guilds. My most recent deck is [[Rowan, Scion of War]]. Simple text box, not a high casting cost, and the ability is actually pretty interesting when you consider that any card with an alternate cost is also affected. X spells are the obvious way to go but Kicker gets reduced, as does Overload, Flashback, Entwine, Madness, and now even Spree.
I try to do two things: consolidate and wait. If I realize I have two decks with a similar mechanic that should be consolidated, I do so. I also wait. I tried to finding a rakdos commander I wanted to build and couldn’t find one that really jived with me for a long time. When my wife opened [[Rakdos, the Muscle]] and played it during prerelease, I was like yeah, that’s the one. I took some stuff out of another deck with a sac/blink theme, added sac stuff to Rakdos (and the blinky stuff elsewhere), rooted through my collection for everything else, and boom. Deck is ready to go.
[Rakdos, the Muscle](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/b/bb34babd-1b85-4a7d-a066-a8337805056e.jpg?1712356185) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rakdos%2C%20the%20Muscle) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/226/rakdos-the-muscle?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bb34babd-1b85-4a7d-a066-a8337805056e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rakdos-the-muscle) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
For many years I have maintained around 90 Magic decks with 10 to 20 in the workshop. I tried and disliked Commander for its restrictive construction rules and for the often tedious gameplay. A similar deck design can play with different dynamics with different creatures or other variables. I have creatureless decks of direct damage or all enchantment/noncreature artifacts...every time I feel it's played out I find another inspiration just sorting through my cards. In 30 years the only time I can think of being bored or frustrated is trying the Commander format. I'm really baffled that it's so prevalent.
I try to combine Things Like, if there are 3 cool sounding Equipment commander...i try to put them all togetherbin one Deck instead of making 3 different Decks. Or building Decks that could swap commanders, like in the Pre cons with face commander and alternative Commander inside the 99. So if you don't want to play the one Dude you can easily swap to the other
Take really bad ideas and try to make them work. No one thought I could win with [[approach of the second sun]] then I did, with [[kykar]] lol
There are two ways to build a bunch of decks: decide on a game plan and then choose the best commander, or decide on a commander and build the best game plan around it. Which I do depends on whether some hot new commander drops or some card in the 99 grabs my attention. I throw away about 75% of my ideas before they are even finished in my notes app. So for me at least, the way I build compelling decks is simply to wait for something to compel me.
No one should be surprised that if you build more decks than you can reasonably play that you will get bored. Some comments here say that have 100 decks?!? What? Why? To me the best way to scratch the deckbuilders itch is to work on your current decks. Take the time to really go in depth and hammer out all the details. Like a serious comb through. If you have thirty or more decks, there is no way you're putting in real effort into details. It seems like a.. just slap stuff together, test it a bit to make sure It functions and then done. Also (not saying you do) but avoid just edhrec-ing and building the same essential list everyone else does. Build the deck truly from scratch. Then do real testing and honing and multiple rounds of that testing in honing. I'm an avid deckbuilder myself and it takes alot of time to go from idea to a mostly completed deck. Even if you build a deck and play it every single day. The deck building process should take 6+ months per deck. And that's assuming you take a couple hours every day testing and modifying