Commander (also called EDH) is the most popular way to play Magic: The Gathering — a 100-card, multiplayer format built around a single legendary leader. It is also the most beginner-friendly format to build for, because the singleton rule means you are not chasing four-of playsets or an expensive competitive metagame. This guide walks you through building a Commander deck from a blank page: the rules that shape your deck, how to pick a commander, the card-type “recipe” that makes a deck actually function, and how to test and tune it.

Commander rules you need before you build

You only need a handful of rules to start deckbuilding. The format’s deck-construction constraints are what make it unique:

• 100 cards exactly, including your commander. No more, no less.
• Singleton. Only one copy of each card is allowed — the lone exception is basic lands, which you can run in any quantity.
• Your commander is a legendary creature (or a card that explicitly says “can be your commander”). It begins the game in the command zone.
• Color identity. Every card in your 99 must fall within your commander’s colors. A card’s color identity is every mana symbol in its cost and rules text. If your commander is mono-green, you cannot run a card with a blue mana symbol anywhere on it.
• You start at 40 life (instead of 20), and games are usually four players, free-for-all.

Two more rules matter at the table even though they don’t change deckbuilding much: you can cast your commander from the command zone, but each time you recast it after the first it costs {2} more (the “commander tax”), and 21 combat damage from a single commander knocks a player out, no matter their life total.

Step 1: Choose your commander first

In Commander, the deck is built around the leader — so pick the commander before anything else. Your commander decides two things: your colors (which determines every card you’re allowed to run) and your strategy (most commanders are pointed at a specific theme). Good first-deck commanders are ones with a clear, self-explanatory ability — “whenever you do X, get Y” — so the deck almost builds itself.

If you’re brand new, the easiest on-ramp is a preconstructed Commander deck: a ready-to-play 100-card deck Wizards sells for every major set. You can play it out of the box and upgrade it card by card. We cover that path in our guide to optimizing precon Commander decks.

Step 2: Pick a strategy and a win condition

A pile of individually good cards is not a deck. Before you add cards, answer one question: how does this deck actually win the game? Common, beginner-friendly win conditions include:

• Combat / “go wide”: flood the board with creatures and attack (tokens, anthems, trample).
• Voltron: load up your commander with auras and equipment and win with commander damage.
• Aristocrats: sacrifice your own creatures for value and drain opponents’ life.
• Big mana / ramp into giants: accelerate your mana and cast huge threats early.

Write your win condition on a sticky note. Every card you consider should earn its slot by advancing that plan, protecting it, or stopping opponents from disrupting it.

Step 3: Use the deckbuilding template (the “recipe”)

Here’s the single most useful trick for a functional first deck. Instead of guessing, fill your 99 cards (everything except your commander) against a proven ratio. These numbers are a starting point you’ll tune later, not a law — but a deck that hits them almost always plays smoothly:

Ramp: get ahead on mana

Commander games reward you for casting your spells a turn or two early. Ramp is how. The two cards almost every deck wants are Sol Ring (it comes in nearly every precon and is legal in Commander) and Arcane Signet, which taps for any of your commander’s colors. Green decks add land-fetch ramp like Cultivate.

Removal: have answers

You will face a turn-three threat that ends the game if it sticks. Cheap, efficient removal is non-negotiable. Swords to Plowshares is the gold standard in white — one mana to exile any creature. Run a healthy mix of targeted removal plus a couple of board wipes so you’re never helpless against a board you can’t race.

Step 4: Build a mana base that works

The mana base is where new decks live or die. A few rules of thumb:

• Run 36–38 lands unless your curve is very low and your ramp count is high.
• In multicolor decks, add fixing. Command Tower taps for any color in your commander’s identity and belongs in essentially every multicolor deck. Add dual lands and your mana rocks to smooth out colors.
• Mind your curve. If most of your spells cost 4+, you need more lands and ramp; a low, aggressive curve can shave a land or two.

Step 5: Test, then tune

Your first list is a draft, not a finished deck. Play it (or goldfish it solo) and watch for the three classic problems:

1. Mana screw/flood — adjust your land count up or down by one or two.
2. Running out of cards — add more card draw.
3. Dying to one big threat — add removal or a board wipe.

Cut the cards that consistently sit dead in your hand and replace them with cards that advance your plan. Three or four games will teach you more than three hours of theorycrafting.

The shortcut: let AI build your first draft

Assembling 99 cards by hand is a lot for a first deck — getting the ramp, removal, and land counts right is exactly the kind of bookkeeping that’s easy to get wrong. KrakenTheMeta’s AI Commander deck builder does it for you: pick a commander, describe the strategy you want, and it generates a full, rules-legal 100-card list — correct color identity, a sensible mana base, ramp and removal already balanced to the template above. It’s the fastest way to go from “I like this commander” to a deck you can actually sleeve up.

From there you can browse and copy thousands of community-built public decks for inspiration, check current prices on the card pricing tool before you buy, and read our companion guide on crafting winning Commander decks. When you’re ready to save and publish your own lists, create a free account.

Frequently asked questions

How many lands should a Commander deck have?

36–38 lands is the standard starting point for most decks. Lower your curve and increase ramp, and you can dip toward 35; a top-heavy deck full of expensive spells may want 38–39.

How much does it cost to build a Commander deck?

A preconstructed deck runs about $30–$45 and is playable out of the box. A budget custom build can be assembled for $50–$100, while there’s effectively no ceiling for high-end decks. New to Commander? Start with one of the best budget commanders — cheap legends that anchor a powerful deck for well under $75. The singleton rule keeps costs down because you never buy four copies of anything.

Can I use the same card in two different Commander decks?

Yes. The singleton rule only applies within a single deck — you can own one copy of a card and move it between decks, or own multiple copies to run one in each.

Do I have to attack with my commander?

No. Plenty of commanders never attack and instead provide an engine or value from the command zone. Commander damage (21 from one commander) is just one of several ways to win.

Next step: once your deck skeleton is built, fill it with the cards that belong in nearly every deck — see our guide to the best Commander staples by role.

All card images are courtesy of Scryfall. Magic: The Gathering and all card names and artwork are © Wizards of the Coast. KrakenTheMeta is an independent fan tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast.