Cutting Cards

Commander (EDH) forum

Posted on Sept. 6, 2020, 7:38 p.m. by Omniscience_is_life

When I am upgrading and improving my EDH decks, I find (as I think many other do as well) that the hardest part is cutting cards. What I want to know is: What processes do you, kind internet user, use to single out cards to rid your commander decks of? Let's assume a 6--7.5 power scale deck here.

abby315 says... #2

I'm a person who likes to build "engine" decks, so I'm a big fan of using custom categories as seen here to parcel out my cards into ways they contribute to my strategy.

For one thing that helps me weigh cards that are dissimilar; e.g. Raven's Crime is certainly lower power than Leyline of the Void, but since my engine is opponent discard, it becomes more valuable for the whole deck. So, with that deck (and all decks that run on an engine), I always try to make cuts first from the Utility slot first. After that, I just cut the weakest cards from each category.

I think almost all EDH decks are either engine or combo-based even at lower power levels, just because having access to one card 100% of the time encourages that kind of deckbuilding, so the above approach works for most decks. For decks that are just straight aggro or value, I would just make cuts based on power and, after power, how much I like them. :P

September 6, 2020 7:47 p.m.

Prodigalpyro says... #3

I tend to look towards cutting cards that dont have as much synergy with my commander or the deck as a whole. It can also help to cut out some "win more cards" or cards that may synergize with the deck but are only powerful under situations you are less likely to encounter.

September 6, 2020 8:05 p.m.

Great suggestions all! I think with this newfound knowledge I'll be able to cut two more cards... out of eleven. It's a start ;D thanks again!

September 6, 2020 10:08 p.m.

Prodigalpyro says... #5

A start is a start. For me I also try to keep a list of cards that I have my eye on when play testing that could be swapped out for others that I may have cut when building the deck. So even if you cut out a few cards you were keen on maybe later in playing the deck if something doesn't feel like it fits as well you can take a glance and see if anything still catches your eye.

September 6, 2020 11:25 p.m.

greyninja says... #6

If a deck needs 1-2 card changes I'll sometimes struggle. Sit in front of the deck for an hour before making a decision lmao

With medium-big changes, laying out the whole deck and all the potential new stuff by card type (creature, artifact, etc) or card function is best we all agree.

Find where the fluff is. A pet card that isn't necessary. 2-4 cards with the same function for redundancy; cut the highest cmc. I might be running 17 pieces of ramp and honestly 16 is probably fine. Maybe just start at the highest cmc categories and work down. Apply all angles lol

If I build up multiple decks that need multiple changes... that can be a different story. Get into ruthless spike mode and be like "nope F this, you gotta go. New tactics en route!" Kinda helps you focus on each of their strengths and why you built that deck specifically, since each should have their own flavor.

Have fun y'all

September 7, 2020 12:20 a.m.

greyninja I love it! That may just have to be my new philosophy, "nope F this, you gotta go". Best advice yet I'll use it all asap!

September 7, 2020 12:31 a.m.

Gidgetimer says... #8

There are a couple different tactics that I use when making cuts for improvements to a deck. These are the improvement card cutting tactics, so they assume that you are already familiar with the deck and how each card performs in it. Tactics for a new deck are obviously a bit different. Some are a bit obvious, but it is best to return to the basics sometimes.

Unless you are specifically making changes to affect flood/screw don't change a mana card (dork, land, ramp, rock) for a non-mana card. In my opinion it is too tempting to "just cut a basic" so that there are more "cards that do stuff" in the deck. People will often do this and then wonder why they always seem to be 1 color or 1 mana away from awesome plays.

Having 4-10 broad categories that describe the non-mana cards in the deck is useful. I realize that is a big range, but there is a wide variety of decks and different categories are useful in each. A category should never contain less than 5 cards, or else it isn't broad enough in the deck. Some useful ones in different decks may be things like Engines, Combo, Wincon, Wraths, Targeted Removal, Interaction, Counters, Value, Life gain, Pillow Fort, Damage Doublers, Extra Combats, or Beaters. Obviously not every category fits in every deck, and that isn't an exhaustive list of categories. The main thing to keep in mind is that categorizing the deck into what role a card is playing makes it easier to know what cuts are appropriate.

Every cut starts with wanting to make an addition. The additions can be thought of as wanting to either improve the quantity or quality of cards in a category. Qualitative improvements mean that you will cut the worst card from within the same category the new one will fit into. Quantitative improvements mean you will be cutting either the worst card from amongst the other categories or the worst card from a category that you see too often.

So far I have covered only very basic high level theory. The difficulty is determining the "worst" card. When people are having a hard time making cuts it is usually because there is no obvious worst. This is where I apply a card evaluation technique I saw talked about somewhere. I want to say it was on a LoadingReadyRun podcast and they attributed it to Marshall Sutcliffe but I may be wrong. Think about how you would feel if you drew the card early game; late game; when you are ahead; and when you are behind. The more categories a card would be useful in, the better it is. If you wouldn't be happy to see the card at a minimum of two of those times it shouldn't be in the deck in the first place. My twist for EDH to further distinguish is to think through all of the ones with the least timings they are good at and figure out which one is least useful even in the situations it is good in.

Once you get used to going through the different timings for a card you obviously won't have to think them through in such a structured manner. It is always good to be able to fall back onto it as a tool though.

When all else fails, I find someone who is familiar with my deck, but not emotionally attached to it. And ask them which of the shortlist of cuts I have identified that they think would be the best to make.

September 7, 2020 7:07 a.m.

TriusMalarky says... #9

Mostly, I play a game or two and if a card didn't feel like it did anything, or was ever worth tutoring for, or if it was just a dead card entirely I cut it.

I do have some cards that I know the power of and leave in, though -- Presence of the Master is in my Sisay deck solely because both I and one of my friends built enchantress decks. It entirely locks those decks out of the game. Although, those decks are so good that I just run absurdly powerful enchantment hate in everything because oh my lord they make it hard to win.

TBH Tranquility is an auto include in our EDH meta.

September 7, 2020 3:28 p.m.

RambIe says... #10

cutting is easy
first you just pick a card you think you want to cut maybe
then change your mind put it back pick a different one
wait no that one worked that one time put it back pick another
wait no that combos with the other maybe you could cut the...
ugg cant cut that one cuz then you wont be able to do that one thing
go back to the first card you were going to cut
still cant be that one... bang your head on the table
leave it alone for a day or two to think about it
come back have a mental break down
finally stop caring settle on a card cut it out
loose the next game you play because you didn't have that card in your deck
put the card back, now you have 101 card
cry it out
ask a friend to help you figure out what card to cut
yell at them for there suggestion
then stop being friend with them for trying to sabotage your deck
eaeie meenie minie moe catch a tiger by its toe... fffss it cant be that one eather
then finally give up all hope and just rip out some land

September 7, 2020 6:30 p.m.

RambIe says... #11

P.s. as funny as that all sounds
You will notice first draft my decks have 36-40 land
After optimising i run 30-31...

September 8, 2020 11:42 a.m.

Suns_Champion says... #12

September 8, 2020 11:49 a.m.

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