Deck building,
without the headache
You don’t need a spreadsheet. You need six principles and a starter set. Here’s everything you need to put 60 cards together that actually work.
60 cards is the target
Standard decks run 60 cards, Commander runs 100. Stick to exactly 60 for your first deck — fewer cards means your best cards show up more often.
About 24 lands
Roughly 40% of a 60-card deck should be lands. Too few and you can’t cast anything; too many and you’ll flood. 24 is a safe starting point for most beginner decks.
Pick a theme, then a color
A focused strategy beats a pile of individually good cards. Decide on a plan (“go wide with tokens” or “ramp into big creatures”), then find cards that support it in one or two colors.
4 copies of your best cards
You can run up to 4 copies of any non-land card (except in Commander where it’s 1). Your strongest cards should always be at 4 so you draw them consistently.
The mana curve matters
Mix cheap and expensive spells so you’re always doing something. Too many costly cards means slow, clunky starts. Aim for a smooth curve from 1–2 mana up to your finisher.
Starter decks are fine — great, even
Don’t build from scratch right away. A pre-built Starter Kit or Commander precon gives you a working foundation to learn from, swap cards around in, and gradually make your own.
Deck-building guides
Ready to go deeper? These guides cover specific strategies, card choices, and format tips.