hyalopterouslemur on Bottom-up deck design
3 weeks ago
Technically, it's top, bottom, top, bottom, but that's harder to say.
Step 1: Create a deck concept, and choose a Commander. You can do either first, but you must do both before continuing.
Step 2: Nuts and bolts So this is your stuff you need: Removal/counterspells, draw, ramp, wipes, recursion, tutors, protection, and land destruction. Here we're looking for reasonable overlap with our deck concept, and with each other. Boundless Realms is not a ramp spell; it's a landfall enabler. Spread the Sickness is a proliferate spell that happens to kill a creature. Rhystic Study is a Stax piece, pretty much until an opponent plays a wincon.
Step 3: Themes So, these are the cards that make our deck unique. Again, look for overlap between your themes, and continue to look for overlap with your necessities; that's where infinite combos are born.
Step 4: Lands There really isn't much here. Like. if you're hating nonbasic lands with [card:Back to Basics]] or Ruination or the like, you should probably limit yourself to five nonbasic lands at most. On the flip side, if you're in four or five colors, maybe limit yourself to exact;y ten basic lands so you have something to play with if someone drops a Path to Exile or Assassin's Trophy or Boseiju, Who Endures. You can just use an algorithm to find your ideal land configuration for properly matched mana. And be aware, if you're in 3+ colors and playing mostly basics, something like Bolas's Citadel or March of the World Ooze or Twilight Shepherd or Garruk, Primal Hunter or Necropotence is unlikely to be hardcast.
Step 5: Testing and revisions The final step. Test your deck. Goldfish. Play it against friends. Make revisions where it's weak.
Does anyone else make decks like this?