How Many Lands Should You Play in Commander?
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The golden question! In Commander, a format renowned for its epic scale and intricate strategies, determining the right number of lands can feel like navigating a treacherous sea. The short answer? Aim for 35-40 lands as a starting point. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The ideal number depends heavily on your deck’s specific strategy, mana curve, and the amount of mana ramp you include. This number isn’t set in stone; it’s a dynamic figure influenced by several factors. Let’s dive deep into how to fine-tune your land count for optimal performance!
Understanding the Commander Landscape
Before we drill down into the specifics, it’s important to grasp the unique nature of Commander (also known as EDH). This is a multiplayer format, typically involving four players, each wielding a 100-card deck. This already makes it different from other formats like Standard or Modern that usually feature 60-card decks. Commander games tend to be longer, allowing for bigger plays and more complex interactions. Your Commander is a legendary creature that sits in the command zone and can be cast repeatedly throughout the game. As the game progresses and players make plays, the cost to play the Commander increases by 2 mana for each additional time the Commander is cast. The extended nature of these games means mana consistency is even more critical. You need enough lands to consistently cast your spells and deploy your strategy, but too many lands can lead to mana flood, drawing lands when you need action.
The Key Factors Influencing Land Count
Several factors will dictate whether you should lean towards the higher or lower end of that 35-40 land range – or even deviate from it entirely.
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Mana Curve: This is the average converted mana cost (CMC) of the non-land cards in your deck. A deck packed with cheap, efficient spells can function with fewer lands. Conversely, a deck relying on high-cost bombs requires a more substantial land base. Evaluate the CMC of your deck and adjust. If you’re casting spells at a CMC of 3.5, you can run about 35-36 lands. But decks with a lower curve can run 32-34 and decks with a higher curve may want 37-38.
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Mana Ramp: Ramp refers to spells and abilities that allow you to generate mana faster than normal, accelerating your game plan. This includes mana rocks (artifacts that produce mana), land ramp (spells that fetch lands from your library), and mana dorks (creatures that tap for mana). The more ramp you have, the fewer lands you typically need. A great example is Sol Ring, the ultimate turn-one play, that deserves a spot in every deck. Aim for around 8-10 pieces of ramp. If you have plenty of ramp, consider cutting 1 land for every 3 or 4 ramp spells.
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Color Requirements: Decks with diverse color requirements need more lands and careful mana fixing to ensure you can cast your spells on time. If your deck demands specific color combinations early in the game, prioritize lands that can produce multiple colors or fetch lands that can.
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Landfall Synergies: Some commanders or decks heavily rely on landfall abilities, which trigger when a land enters the battlefield under your control. These decks often benefit from running a higher-than-average land count, and cards that put more lands on the battlefield. Typically for a commander deck you will need 35-40 lands. For commanders or decks that rely on a heavy landfall mechanic or just lands in general, I will suggest 45-50.
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Card Draw: The more card draw you have, the more easily you can find lands (and action) when you need them. This provides some measure of insurance against being mana-screwed or mana-flooded. If you have a lot of cheap cantrips, such as Ponder or Brainstorm, cut one land for every three or four.
Refining Your Land Base Through Playtesting
Ultimately, the “correct” land count is determined through rigorous playtesting. Keep track of your mana consistency in each game. Are you consistently missing land drops early on? Are you frequently stuck with a hand full of lands and no action? Adjust your land count accordingly, making small tweaks and observing the results. It’s an iterative process, but it’s the most reliable way to optimize your deck’s performance.
Additional Tips and Tricks
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Prioritize Dual Lands: Investing in dual lands (lands that can produce two different colors of mana) is crucial for ensuring mana consistency in multi-colored decks.
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Consider Fetch Lands: Fetch lands (lands that allow you to search for and put other lands onto the battlefield) are powerful tools for both mana fixing and thinning your deck, improving the quality of your draws.
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Don’t Underestimate Basic Lands: Basic lands are essential for their reliability. A solid foundation of basics ensures you can always cast your spells, even under pressure.
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Be Wary of Non-Basics: While utility lands can be powerful, they often come with drawbacks, such as entering the battlefield tapped or producing only colorless mana. Be mindful of the balance between utility and consistency.
Embracing the Art of Deckbuilding
Finding the perfect land count is just one piece of the Commander puzzle. The true art of deckbuilding lies in understanding your deck’s strategy, identifying its weaknesses, and making informed decisions that maximize its potential. So experiment, adapt, and never stop learning! If you would like to learn more about strategy, and how games apply to learning, check out the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is 34 lands enough for Commander?
It depends on the deck. The higher the mana curve, the more you will need a higher land count and ramp. The average deck typically has about a 3.5 CMC curve and would be fine with about 35-36 lands. But decks with a lower curve can run 32-34, and decks with a higher curve may want 37-38.
2. How many lands should a 40-card deck have?
The standard number of lands in a draft deck is 17–18. This ratio generally works well for 40-card formats.
3. What is a good land ratio for a Commander deck?
Typically for a commander deck you will need 35-40. For commanders or decks that rely on a heavy landfall mechanic or just lands in general, I will suggest 45-50. The number is flexible due to the amount of the ramp you have in your deck.
4. What is the ideal number of lands in MTG?
If your average mana value is three, which is fairly typical, then you should start with 40 or 41 lands and cut one land for every three or four cheap card draw or mana ramp spells in your deck.
5. Is 32 lands too low for Commander?
32 lands may be enough for a Commander deck, but it is usually paired with 8-16 mana rocks/accelerants in most decks. More competitive decks have even less since their curve is so low. 38 lands is a smoother sailing experience.
6. Is 37 lands enough for Commander?
Yes, but in general, for medium-power midrange Commander decks, try not to go below 37 lands. You could also cut a land for every three or four cheap cantrips, such as Ponder or Brainstorm, and cut a land for every three or four mana dorks, such as Llanowar Elves or Birds of Paradise.
7. How much ramp should a Commander deck have?
Aim for 8 – 10 ramp spells in your deck depending on your Commander cost.
8. How many creatures should you have in Commander?
As many or as few as you need. Creatures are not necessary to make decent commander decks. Don’t give yourself limits, use creatures if their effects are synergistic with your game plan. If no creatures fits; no big deal.
9. How many mana rocks is too many?
If you’re playing a non-green, non-artifact based, non-mana hungry deck then I wouldn’t suggest including more than five to seven rocks. This allows for the Commander staples and a couple color-pairing specific options.
10. What is the max cards in Commander?
Each Commander deck must contain exactly 100 cards, including its commander. In other words, the minimum deck size and the maximum deck size are both 100.
11. How many colors should a Commander deck have?
You can build a commander deck with as few colors as you want. By definition any commander deck will be the same number of colors as the commander.
12. How big should a Commander deck be?
A Commander deck must be exactly 100 cards, including the Commander. In other words, an EDH deck consists of one Commander (or two if both have Partner) and 99 (or 98) other cards.
13. How do I calculate how many lands I need?
If your average spell costs two mana, then 23 lands is the number. As your average nonland CMC climbs towards 2.25, go up to 24; as it drops towards 1.75, you can consider going down to 22. Once your average nonland CMC hits 2.5, you need AT LEAST 25 lands. This applies to the other, smaller MTG deck styles, such as the 60-card decks.
14. What cards should be in every Commander deck?
Sol Ring is the ultimate turn one play and deserves a place in every deck. Also, Arcane Signet, Chaos Warp, Rhystic Study, Heroic Intervention, and Swiftfoot Boots.
15. How do I know how strong my Commander deck is?
Turn count is the baseline metric for determining your deck’s Power Level. Play your deck many times, and note what turn your deck most consistently wins, or establishes complete, or near-complete, dominance.