How to Build Your First Magic: The Gathering Commander Deck

Your Beginner’s Guide to the Most Popular Format in MTG

If you're new to Magic: The Gathering and keep hearing about Commander (EDH), you're not alone. It's the most popular casual format in the game—and for good reason. With 100 cards, iconic legends, and endless creativity, Commander decks are like personalized masterpieces.

But where do you begin?

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to build your very first Commander deck—from picking a legendary creature to choosing the right lands and support cards.

---

What Is Commander?

Commander is a singleton format (only one of each card, except basic lands), where each player builds a 100-card deck led by a legendary creature known as the Commander.

• Deck size: 100 cards total

• Commander: 1 legendary creature (or planeswalker with “can be your commander”)

• Singleton: Only one copy of any card, other than basic lands

• Color identity: All cards must match your Commander’s colors

---

Step 1: Choose Your Commander

Start by picking a legendary creature you love—either for their abilities, artwork, or personality. This choice determines your deck's colors and strategy.

Popular Starter Commanders:

• Tatyova, Benthic Druid (Landfall / Draw)

• Korvold, Fae-Cursed King (Sacrifice / Value)

• Alela, Artful Provocateur (Flyers / Artifacts & Enchantments)

• Zacama, Primal Calamity (Big mana / Creature control)

💡 Not sure where to start? Preconstructed Commander decks are a great entry point and easy to upgrade over time.

Shop Commander Precons →

---

Step 2: Decide on a Strategy or Theme

Once you’ve chosen your Commander, build around their strengths. Common themes include:

• Tokens – Flood the board with creature tokens

• Artifacts – Leverage synergies between mechanical cards

• Spellslinger – Cast lots of instants and sorceries

• Lifegain – Gain life and trigger powerful effects

• +1/+1 Counters – Buff your creatures and grow your board

Keep your Commander’s abilities in mind and focus your deck around that theme.

---

Step 3: Mana Base (Typically ~37–40 lands)

You'll need a mix of lands and mana-producing cards that match your Commander’s color identity.

Basic Formula:

• 36–38 lands

• Ramp cards (10–15 total) like:

  • Sol Ring

  • Arcane Signet

  • Cultivate

  • Kodama's Reach

  • Signets (Azorius Signet, Rakdos Signet, etc.)

Start with budget lands like Evolving Wilds, Command Tower, and tapped dual lands. You can always upgrade later.

Shop Land Packs & Ramp →

---

Step 4: Include Key Card Types

A well-rounded deck usually contains:

Examples:

• Removal: Swords to Plowshares, Beast Within, Chaos Warp

• Draw: Rhystic Study, Harmonize, Read the Bones

• Board wipes: Wrath of God, Damnation, Cyclonic Rift

Pro tip: Bulk rare lots can help you fill gaps and experiment cheaply.

Shop Bulk Rares & Staples →

---

Step 5: Choose Sleeves, Deck Box & Accessories

Protecting your deck is essential—especially in Commander, where many players customize their decks and bling them out.

Starter Accessories:

• 100+ card deck box (like Ultimate Guard Sidewinder or Gamegenic Sidekick)

• High-quality sleeves (Dragon Shield, Ultra Pro Eclipse)

• Dice or tokens for counters and effects

• Playmat to keep your cards clean and safe

Shop Commander Accessories →

---

Step 6: Test, Play, and Tweak

The best part about Commander is that your deck evolves with you. After a few games, you’ll start to notice which cards overperform and which ones you rarely play. Don’t be afraid to make changes!

Easy Ways to Improve:

• Trade with friends or local players

• Upgrade your mana base slowly

• Replace underwhelming cards with stronger synergy pieces

---

Final Thoughts: Start Simple, Upgrade Later

Your first Commander deck doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be fun. Start with a theme you enjoy, use budget-friendly options, and grow your collection over time.

Building Commander is about expression, creativity, and community. Whether you’re heading to a game night or building a dream deck at home, you’re officially part of one of the most welcoming corners of Magic.