The eight pillars
More to explore · beginner
The eight pillars split a Commander deck into eight simple piles that add up to about 100 cards. It comes from the site's guide Building your first Commander deck, and it suits complete beginners building their very first deck.
The pillars
| Category | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lands | 35 to 38 | The mana base: basics, dual lands and a few utility lands. |
| Ramp | 8 to 12 | Mana acceleration: mana rocks, mana creatures and cards that fetch lands. |
| Card advantage | 8 to 12 | Refills your hand. The guide calls it the most important pillar. |
| Removal | 6 to 8 | Single-target answers to threats. |
| Board wipes | 2 to 4 | A reset button for a stalled board or one that has gone wide. |
| Themed cards | 25 to 35 | Cards that do the thing your commander wants. |
| Flex slots | 5 to 10 | Pet cards, oddball picks and situational answers. |
| Win conditions | 3 to 5 | Cards that actually close the game. You need a few, not fifteen; the rest of the deck enables them. |
Each card sits in one pillar. You will prune and shuffle as you play.
Common mistakes the pillars guard against
- Too few lands. It is the most common new-deck mistake: 33 to 34 feels like enough but is not, so default to 36 to 37.
- Too little card draw. With fewer than 8 card-draw cards, a deck runs out of gas.
- Too many win conditions. The rest of the deck is there to get you to them.
After each game
Ask three questions:
- Which cards never came up?
- Which cards underperformed?
- Which cards did you wish you had?
Cut the first two kinds and add the third. It is a habit, not a rule that blocks a card; see What blocks a card, and what is only a note.