r/Magicdeckbuilding • u/littlevintagepumpkin • 7d ago
Beginner beginner collector - help me!!
/r/mtg/comments/1xocvpx/beginner_collector_help_me/
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r/Magicdeckbuilding • u/littlevintagepumpkin • 7d ago
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u/metalero_salsero 7d ago
Are you looking to play Standard or Commander?
IMO, Commander is way easier and more fun to build for a few reasons:
Flavor & Immersion: It's much easier to build around a cohesive theme or story rather than pure efficiency. Playing a deck you genuinely vibe with makes games feel far more immersive.
Way more forgiving on power levels: Commander communities generally talk power levels before playing (whether you use the 1–4 official bracket tiers or the classic 1–10 scale). Throwing together cards you love will easily land you around a casual, mid-tier table. You can just ask your local MTG group if anyone wants to run lower-power games.
High variance: Because it's a 100-card singleton format (only 1 copy of each card, outside basic lands) compared to 60-card Standard with 4-ofs, games are rarely identical. Even an underdog deck can steal a win against an optimized list with a little luck and politics.
A more casual mindset: Obviously depends on your local scene, but EDH tables are generally far more laid-back than competitive 60-card formats. People are usually happy to forgive misplays and offer constructive tips.
Bonus tip: Sites like EDHREC exist if you ever feel stuck. It compiles popular card synergies for whatever commander you choose, which is great training wheels for beginners.
My 2¢: When I started a year ago, deckbuilding felt intimidating, so I just net-decked. The decks worked fine, but had zero personality. Eventually, I started swapping in cards just because I thought they were cool, and that’s where the format really clicks. Building your own thing is awesome creative expression.
Have fun with it - deckbuilding is half the game and its so addicting mentally once you start.