Hey Folks, I Need Some Tips!
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Feb. 19, 2012, 5:05 p.m. by PKman
So I'm looking into playing EDH for the first time and while I'm aware of the basic rules for the most part, I could use some helpful tips into building a decent first deck.
Firstly, is purchasing one of the sealed Commander decks WotC released worth it for a beginning EDH player, and if so which would be a good deck to choose from? Or would it be perhaps better to build one myself? I'm not big on purchasing singles of cards (because while I understand the dynamics of supply and demand I still don't think any piece of cardboard is worth 30+ dollars, I'm looking at you Tarmogoyf), but if there are some generals that would be cheap-ish to build around I'm not impartial to doing so. Or perhaps some amalgam of the two? Like purchasing a Commander deck and building off it?
Secondly, after seeing examples of EDH decks on here, how does one determine their mana base in an EDH deck? Of course it would probably vary, but 100 cards is a bit more than 60, so where's a good place to start?
Also in terms of the singleton dynamic, is it good to have a bunch of win conditions, or is the point more to pack the deck with stuff that would just compliment the General?
What are some other tips to make an EDH deck good? I know that's phrased very vaguely, but I don't quite know how else to put it...
Much thanks in advance.
I was actually quite interested in the Devour for Power preconstructed deck. And actually checking out your Dominus deck, aside from the older cards (since I'm a newer player), I definitely have a lot of options in those colors to pick and choose from that I didn't quite consider.
Thanks a ton! It really seems like you get a lot more options in EDH decks than in a lot of other formats. I guess that's really what catches me off guard in trying to get into it.
February 19, 2012 7:07 p.m.
thebeardedshuffler says... #4
What's the pace of EDH like? I've built a deck or two but not had a chance to try them out as yet. What turn do you tend to need a decent presence by?
February 19, 2012 7:16 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #5
The pacing all depends on the deck. For example, my BUG deck usually ramps for the first three turns, starts playing some smaller cards on turns four-six, and then goes off after that. Some decks are faster, others slower. It definitely gives you more options and time than a normal 60-card game though.
February 19, 2012 8:12 p.m.
thebeardedshuffler says... #6
Good to know. I was worried the decks I've made were a bit too slow, but if I can usually have a dominating board presence by turn 10 or so it's probably not too bad. That's just one-sided playtesting though, of course..
February 19, 2012 8:23 p.m.
So do EDH games usually run longer than normal games? I mean I assume if you're playing a bunch of people yes, but even if I were to only play 1 opponent?
February 19, 2012 10:54 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #8
Most of the time, yes. You're spending longer on average to build up. I've had games go into the 20s of turn cycles and last for three hours in multiplayer. One-on-ones can take up to 30-45 minutes depending on the decks and players.
Epochalyptik says... #2
The precon decks can certainly do some work, especially with modification. You just need to pick a deck (and a general) suited to your playstyle.
EDH decks normally work around 34-38 lands, with 36 being a happy balance for most. Color depends on the saturation of the deck.
There are two schools of EDH theory: one builds around the general, and one builds around its colors. Either one can work just as well as the other, it's really a matter of preference. Some generals really shine when you build to their strengths (The Mimeoplasm
, Zur the Enchanter
) while others are merely support cards (Damia, Sage of Stone
, Arcanis the Omnipotent
). Multiple win-cons mean you aren't screwed if one gets disrupted (which is likely in multiplayer games), but make sure they all work somewhat cohesively.
What colors/general were you thinking of building?
If you'd like to check out a sample BUG deck, I've got this one: deck:dominus-3. It's a bit pricey, given your restrictions, but the principles can be applied to a deck of any price.
February 19, 2012 5:14 p.m.