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What is a Good Amount of Land for a Commander Deck?

The golden question that plagues every Commander deck builder! In short, a “good” amount of land for a Commander deck typically falls within the range of 33 to 40 lands. However, this is merely a starting point, a guideline, and not a rigid rule. The ideal number depends heavily on your deck’s specific strategy, mana curve, and the amount of ramp you include. A faster, lower-cost deck can often function well with fewer lands, while a deck packed with expensive spells will need more. Let’s delve into the nuances of land counts and explore the factors that influence this crucial deck-building decision.

Understanding the Importance of Land in Commander

Land is the lifeblood of any Magic: The Gathering deck. Without sufficient land, you’ll struggle to cast your spells, develop your board presence, and execute your game plan. In Commander, a format known for its longer game lengths and larger mana pools, ensuring consistent access to mana is even more critical. Missing land drops early can significantly hinder your ability to participate in the game, while being mana-screwed later can prevent you from casting key spells and closing out the win.

Factors Influencing Land Count

Several key factors should inform your land count decision:

Mana Curve: This refers to the distribution of mana costs among your spells. A deck with a high mana curve (lots of expensive spells) requires more land to reliably cast those spells. Conversely, a deck with a low mana curve can function effectively with fewer lands. Calculate your average converted mana cost (CMC) – if it’s above 3.5, you’ll likely want to lean towards the higher end of the land range (37-40). If it’s closer to 2 or below, you can probably get away with 33-35 lands.
Ramp: Ramp refers to cards that accelerate your mana production, such as mana rocks (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet), mana dorks (Llanowar Elves, Birds of Paradise), and land ramp spells (Rampant Growth, Cultivate). The more ramp you include in your deck, the fewer lands you need. As a general rule, consider cutting a land for every two to three pieces of reliable ramp.
Card Draw: Card draw spells help you find lands and spells when you need them. Decks with ample card draw can afford to run fewer lands, as they are more likely to draw into them when needed. Cheap cantrips like Ponder and Preordain are excellent for smoothing out your mana base and allowing you to run a slightly lower land count.
Color Requirements: If your deck requires specific colors of mana early in the game, you may need to adjust your land base to ensure you have access to those colors. This may involve including more dual lands or lands that fix your mana.
Commander’s Cost and Playstyle: Consider the cost and playstyle of your commander. If your commander is expensive to cast or requires specific colors, you’ll want a slightly higher land count. If your commander is cheap and can be cast early, you can afford to be a little more aggressive with your land count.

The Importance of Mana Rocks

Mana rocks are noncreature artifacts that produce mana. They’re a crucial part of most Commander decks, offering a reliable source of mana that isn’t vulnerable to land destruction. Popular mana rocks include Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Commander’s Sphere, and Chromatic Lantern. A good starting point is to aim for 8-12 mana rocks in your deck. The more mana rocks you include, the fewer lands you need. Mana rocks help you fix your colors, ramp into your more expensive spells, and can often be reused even after land destruction.

Special Lands: The Secret Weapon

Beyond basic lands, including a variety of special lands in your Commander deck is crucial. These lands offer additional utility and can significantly enhance your deck’s performance. Some examples include:

Dual Lands: Lands that produce two different colors of mana (e.g., Command Tower, Exotic Orchard). These are essential for fixing your mana in multi-color decks.
Utility Lands: Lands that have special abilities beyond producing mana (e.g., Maze of Ith, Rogue’s Passage, Reliquary Tower). These lands can provide valuable effects that can swing the game in your favor.
Fetch Lands: Lands that allow you to search your library for a land and put it onto the battlefield (e.g., Evolving Wilds, Terramorphic Expanse). These lands help thin your deck and ensure you hit your land drops.

Fine-Tuning Your Land Count

Once you’ve considered the factors above and chosen a starting land count, it’s time to fine-tune your mana base through playtesting. Pay attention to how often you are mana-screwed (not drawing enough land) or mana-flooded (drawing too much land). Adjust your land count and ramp package accordingly until you find a balance that works for your deck. Keep a log of your games, noting when you were stuck on mana, had too much mana, or had the right amount. After several games, you’ll start to see patterns that will help you optimize your land count.

FAQs: Lands in Commander

Here are some frequently asked questions to help you further refine your understanding of land counts in Commander:

Is 30 lands enough for Commander? Generally, no. 30 lands is quite low for a Commander deck. Unless your deck has an exceptionally low mana curve and a significant amount of ramp, you’ll likely find yourself mana-screwed more often than not.
Is 32 lands too low for Commander? 32 lands can work in very specific decks with low mana curves and abundant ramp and card draw. However, for most decks, it’s still on the low side.
Is 34 lands enough for Commander? 34 lands is a more reasonable starting point for decks with lower mana curves and good ramp. You’ll still need to carefully consider your specific deck’s needs.
Is 36 lands the perfect number for Commander? There’s no “perfect” number, but 36 is a solid average. It’s a good starting point for many midrange decks with a moderate mana curve.
Is 38 lands too much for Commander? 38 lands might be too much for decks with low mana curves and lots of ramp. However, for decks with high mana curves and limited ramp, it might be necessary.
How much ramp should a Commander deck have? A good starting point is 8-10 pieces of ramp. Adjust this number based on your commander’s cost and your deck’s overall strategy.
What’s the right land count for a budget Commander deck? Budget decks often rely on less expensive lands and ramp. Focus on inexpensive mana rocks and ramp spells, and adjust your land count accordingly. Budget constraints should not change the land count range drastically.
How many creatures should I have in my Commander deck? The number of creatures depends on your strategy. Some decks run very few creatures, while others rely heavily on them. Consider the synergy between your creatures and your commander.
How many mana rocks is too many? It’s generally difficult to have too many mana rocks, especially in non-green decks. However, if you find yourself consistently drawing mana rocks when you need spells, you may have too many.
Can you put any basic land in a Commander deck? No. You can only include basic lands whose colors are within your commander’s color identity.
What should a Commander deck consist of? A Commander deck consists of 100 cards: your commander plus 99 other cards (or two partner commanders plus 98 other cards). You can only have one copy of each card (except basic lands).
Do lands have to match your Commander’s colors? Yes. All lands in your deck must only produce mana that is within your commander’s color identity.
How many nonbasic lands can you have in a Commander deck? You can have as many different nonbasic lands as you want, as long as they adhere to the color identity rule and you only have one copy of each.
How many Planeswalkers can you have in a Commander deck? There is no limit to the number of Planeswalkers you can have, as long as they follow the singleton and color identity rules.
What is the ideal number of lands in a 60-card MTG deck? In a standard 60 card format you usually include about 24 lands.

Conclusion

Determining the optimal land count for your Commander deck is a balancing act. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but by considering your mana curve, ramp package, card draw, color requirements, and commander’s cost, you can arrive at a land count that maximizes your chances of success. Remember to playtest extensively and adjust your mana base as needed.

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What is a good amount of land for a Commander deck?