3 Color Mana Base
Commander Deck Help forum
Posted on March 12, 2018, 1:55 p.m. by Profet93
I love EDH but I have never built anything more than Mono or Dual color commander's due to the mana base.
It's already enough to worry about drawing the correct lands, but now I have to worry about having the correct colors? I would like some feedback as to how one could get one's colors more easily in a 3 color deck. From observing other players, I know there are certain ways to get your colors such as...
- Ramp (artifact and green ramp)
- Chromatic Lantern/Prismatic Omen/Joiner Adept effects
- Tutoring for necessary land
Am I worrying too much over something trivial? I ask because eventually down the road I want to build a 3 color commander. I have some shock lands and a decent mana base for whatever color I need, and I could easily trade/buy the cards I need (except the duals).
I do not have a specific commander in mind but I know I want something with green (to help the mana base and) since i Love green. Maybe The Mimeoplasm or Roon of the Hidden Realm?
Rainbow lands can be quite nifty in 3+ colours.
City of Brass and Mana Confluence hurt a bit, but they provide everything you need.
Reflecting Pool is a solid option. Exotic Orchard is a bit more risky, depending on how many players you are up against, and what decks they are running. I use it in five colour, but am guessing it is servicable in three.
Tarnished Citadel provides emergency colour fixing at a fairly annoying life cost, but you can still tap it for colourless in non-emergency situations.
Forbidden Orchard is okay, but providing your enemy a chump blocker is less than ideal.
Command Tower, of course.
Green gives you a number of sorceries that allow fetching lands. You also get access to ramp enchantments like Dawn's Reflection, Utopia Sprawl, Overgrowth, and Fertile Ground.
March 12, 2018 2:13 p.m.
Thank you for your detailed response. Is there perhaps a link/resources that would help me determine the correct # of each type of land?
Budget is of no concern, the only exception being that i do not wish to purchase dual lands. I can't justify spending over $50 on 1 land, at least not yet anyways.
Given everything you've said, I will add all the check lands, perhaps the 1 tri land, command tower (and other omni-lands). The slower, fetchable lands are nice, but I really don't want anything to come into play tapped if possible (exception being the tri land).
I am aware of the ramping aspects you mentioned as well as the dorks.
I am aware of most the lands that tap for any color (but at a price). I will probably add some of the omni lands in the deck, just not all. I am also aware of the enchantments, but would only run them if I could ifnd a way to abuse them (like with Arbor Elf)
March 12, 2018 7:11 p.m.
Shocklands should be the first investment, especially if using green. You can choose to have them come into play tapped or untapped. Cards that say get a forest, will let you get a Stomping grounds (or other shock that is a forest). Green has several spells that specify you get a land type, but don't specify that it be basic. Use these to get the shocks. Wood Elves is a good inclusion also.
Green allows easier access to the correct mana in multi colored decks. Heavy green land count, ramp spells, etc.
Also the signets can help with getting the right colors. Such as Boros Signet.
Epochalyptik says... #2
A lot of it comes down to making sure the lands themselves are chosen smartly.
Tricolor mana bases can stretch a budget, but they don't necessarily have to. You do want to make sure you include good cycles of reliable dual lands, most of which are, thankfully, affordable.
Consider:
- Check lands (Glacial Fortress)
- Pain lands (Adarkar Wastes)
- Trilands (Seaside Citadel)
- Shock lands (Hallowed Fountain)
That is usually enough to get you started.
Then, augment your land base with omnilands like Command Tower, Reflecting Pool, City of Brass, Exotic Orchard, etc. as your budget and situation allows.
If you're building G/X/Y, I strongly recommend including shock lands because you can tutor them with great ramp spells like Nature's Lore, Farseek, Skyshroud Claim, and others. They also set you up nicely to support check lands because they cover multiple basic land types. If you can afford them, fetches (start with the three on-color fetched and add more if you can) help improve consistency.
You can complement shocks with the slower fetchable lands from BFZ and Amonkhet (Prairie Stream, Irrigated Farmland).
Mana dorks, such as Birds of Paradise, Lotus Cobra, and Bloom Tender are very powerful options, and you'll want to include those that suit your deck, but I recommend focusing first on the lands.
March 12, 2018 2:06 p.m. Edited.