• EDHREC is a valuable tool that showcases the most popular cards that players put in their commander decks. If you’re interested in a commander, and want to check out what kind of direction they promote, EDHREC is a great place to start if you’re unfamiliar with the broad ranges of strategies and mechanics in MTG.
• Scryfall is a robust card-search engine that enables players to search across every card in Magic’s history for specific things. From mana value, creature type, toughness, specific card text, to colour identity and more, learning Scryfall’s syntax is a truly invaluable tool to find cards that are off the beaten path and will go a long way in making your deck feel like its your own, not just a carbon copy of the top 99 cards on EDHREC.
• Archidekt and Moxfield are both extremely useful online deck-building tools. Have one of these open alongside EDHREC or Scryfall and add cards you like as you find them. Both provide extremely useful statistics such as your average mana value and curve, as well as the colours makeup of your deck, which you can then use to tune your deck’s manabase. Additionally, once you’ve built your deck, it’s extremely easy to update and change cards, as well as show your friends so they can provide suggestions.

There are two pathways into securing yourself a commander deck. The first, and most readily available, is picking up a preconstructed Commander Deck (pre-con for short). Wizards of the Coast has steadily been pumping out these ready-made decks for a while now, so there’s no shortage of variety – pick one you think you’ll resonate with and jump in! Some we’d recommend are:

• Forces of the Imperium (White/Blue/Black Tokens)
• Mind Flayarrrs (Blue/Black Horrors)
• Upgrades Unleashed (Red/Green Equipment and Creature Modifications)

Alternatively, a great way to get into Commander is via a friend. If your friend is an avid Commander player, ask them if they can help you build a deck and they’ll likely be keen to get you into the hobby. Start looking around for Commanders that catch your eye and deck ideas that you’re interested in, then start building and dive straight into your next game night!

• Lands: Lands are oftentimes the most boring, but essential part of your mana base. Conventional wisdom suggests anywhere between 35 to 40 lands, so start with more if you have an expensive commander and less if otherwise.
• Ramp: It’s generally accepted that for every 2 pieces of ramp, you can cut a land. This is not a hard and fast rule, as some decks require more lands to function, or lands are a key piece of the deck (e.g. using Landfall). Tune accordingly, but don’t get greedy – missing a land drop in the early game is a sure-fire way to set yourself back. Classic examples of ramp are Sol Ring, and Arcane Signet.

• Interaction: Being able to slow down or stop your opponents from executing their game plan often ends with you shuffling up for the next game. Make sure to pack some instant speed removal. Spells that destroy non-land permanents are great, and Counterspells also help you protect your own game plan! Sometimes you also just need to reset the board – look no further than board wipes such as Wrath of God, Damnation, and Blasphemous Act!

• Value and Synergy Pieces: In order for you to get to a consistent spot each game, it’s important to have enough ways to draw cards. Usually, this is done via single cards such as Fact or Fiction, or an ‘engine’ which helps you draw based on what your other cards are doing. For example, if you can make a token on each of your turns, Idol of Oblivion will keep your hand full!
  • Other aspects of value and synergy come from compounding the benefits of certain cards. A simple example of this is Anointed Procession – it does nothing by itself, but if you’re making a treasure every so often, you’ll be rewarded with double the spoils. A more nuanced example is if my deck is focused around playing many creatures, then I’m incentivized to play cards that give me benefits when I do so (such as Beast Whisperer). At that point, it’s likely better for me to play Mulldrifter over the previously mentioned Fact or Fiction, because Mulldrifter is a creature that triggers Beast Whisperer and other creature-based strategies you can employ.

• Game enders/Haymakers: Once you’ve accrued enough value, you’ll need to find your winning condition (a.k.a win-con). Spiralling endlessly in pools of value often leads everyone to focus on you, so once you have a lead, close out the game quickly. Your win-cons will change based on your deck, but some good examples are Finale of Devastation, Approach of the Second Sun, Torment of Hailfire, and Mechanized Production.

• Tokens: If you pick up a pre-con, you’ll already have all the tokens you need. If not, your LGS should have some, and every MTG pack will have a token in them as well, so you’ll fill a collection quickly. Tokens keep the board states clear, and help reduce mental load.

One of the most important things you can do to make your MTG experience enjoyable is to find a good LGS environment and/or playgroup. Games are always better when you have people you click with and match the same energy you bring, whether that’s cool, calm, and collected, or energetic and chaotic.

If you’re a new player, then there’s also a chance that any given deck you face is of a higher average power level. Tell your group that you’re a new player, and be transparent about how familiar you are with the game!

After playing with your first deck, be it a pre-con or a self-made deck, you’re eventually going to identify cards that aren’t performing as well as you thought. This is a great moment to upgrade your deck with cards that facilitate your deck’s plan! 

Remember to not only consider budget, but also whether you’re skewing your deck to a certain colour or mana value (in which case you may need to adjust your lands or ramp). Something to keep in mind is that powerful cards are usually expensive, but aren’t necessary to make a fun (or good) deck.

You may also want to look at picking up another deck! If you’ve seen any cool decks during your game nights, keep mental note which parts are your favourites and later, take a look around at what commanders can do something similar. Deck-building is often just as fun as playing, and lets you express yourself as a player!

For protecting the decks you’ve bought and curated over time, we can’t recommend Ultimate Guard and Dragonshield enough. These titans of TCG accessories have been on top of the game for years, protecting your precious cards. You can grab various sleeves here.

Counters, Commander tax, representing the number of tokens, and more – these days, dice are practically essential to keep track of your board. You can pick some up here!

As important to sleeves in protecting your deck are deckboxes. There’s simply no way you can bring your deck around town with a sound conscience without a study deckbox. We’d recommend Ultimate Guard!

And finally, a good playmat will complete your play experience. Scrabbling for your cards won’t ever be a problem again, and there are so many playmats these days that depict artworks from your favourite cards, commanders, brands, and hobbies - you’ll definitely find a playmat you love.