Deck Building Themes

[G. Moto]

  @robort, now I have a question. You said the creature's colors and activated abilities, does that mean if I run Alesha who smiles at death I can run a MARDU (R/W/B) commander deck? I ask because she's an all red card but both W and B are in her effect costs.

[ushiikun]

@ G. Moto:  Your are correct.  Commander decks use the color identity of their commander, not the color of the card.  So in your example a Commander deck using Alesha who smiles at death would be a Mardu commander, since color identity counts all the mana symbols anywhere in the card.

[robort]

@ G. Moto:  Your are correct.  Commander decks use the color identity of their commander, not the color of the card.  So in your example a Commander deck using Alesha who smiles at death would be a Mardu commander, since color identity counts all the mana symbols anywhere in the card.

Is correct That's why I like commander a lot. So many cards one can choose and use. Combine from multiple block, create just about anything your mind comes up with. My favorite saying is someone making thier very first commander deck is "I'm gonna make something so broken".

I say go ahead, make it broken, make it vampires, make it weenies, make it recursion, use nothing but counters, go completely wild. That's the beauty of it, one can make whatever with just the cards they allready own. Have it made whatever and be fun.

[G. Moto]

   I'm gonna have so much fun in my commander games now. Tarkir Mardu commander deck here I come. Now in the case of archangel Avacyn, does it include both sides of the card (Meaning a Boros commander deck), or is it only including the face of the card? Basically a Mono white deck with a commander that turns red.

[robort]

   I'm gonna have so much fun in my commander games now. Tarkir Mardu commander deck here I come. Now in the case of archangel Avacyn, does it include both sides of the card (Meaning a Boros commander deck), or is it only including the face of the card? Basically a Mono white deck with a commander that turns red.

903.4c The back face of a double-faced card (see rule 711) is included when determining a card’s color identity.
Example: Civilized Scholar is the front face of a double-faced card with mana cost {2}{U}. Homicidal Brute is the back face of that double-faced card and has a red color indicator. The card’s color identity is blue and red.

[G. Moto]

   Thank you very much for that. The entirety of my card inventory just became more useful. 

[skeri]

Just reading through everyone's comments has made commander sound like a really fun format to play. I think I'm going to try to whip up a commander deck with whatever cards I have on hand. It'll be super broken lol

[G. Moto]

  @skeri, just remember, it's a 100 card deck including the lands so make sure you factor that in. Also it's ok to use multiple legendary creatures IN the deck but you always have to have at least 1 designated commander when you play.

[DelverMage]

Plus skeri, we would love to have you share your EDH deck out here with us.

[KouriNick]

I've found when I'm deckbuilding I try to go pretty all in on a theme, whether that be tribal, a specific game mechanic, or a deck style (aggressive or controlling). I played Modern Faeries for about a year and the theme and synergy was amazing! It was all in on being tribal, counter-magic and controlling all while being a very powerful and competitive list. I think every deck I've built since then has just been chasing that balance.

[skeri]

That's something that is very satisfying: picking a theme and finding the balance that makes it play well. I love that, my vampire deck just got to that point where all the cards work together in some way and the synergy and speed are amazing AND all the cards match in a vampiric tribal way.

I've pulled some cards out of my collection to start a commander deck, I'll start posting and adjusting it on here once I have an idea where to start with it and I'll put it up for review!

[DelverMage]

Who have you decided for your Commander?  (Remember, it has to be a Legendary Creature...)

[NathanJ]

I vary quite a bit in my deck builds. Sometimes I see some sort of combo or synergy that fascinates me so I design a deck around that (like the Ruthless Deathfang and Eldrazi Scions). Other times it's about a card I really like or see a lot of potential in (like the Soul Swallower). My main Standard deck is an anomaly as it's literally just things I really like thrown together in a workable deck. It started with the Acid-spewer Dragon, because I won with it in my first game of Magic ever, and the Managorger Hydra and I wanted +1/+1 counters, Lifelink, Deathtouch, morphs and dragons to factor prominently because I like all of those things. It also had to be Abzan colors because those are my favorite colors.. So, like I said, I vary.

[skeri]

Who have you decided for your Commander?  (Remember, it has to be a Legendary Creature...)

I've decided to go with Sheoldred, Whispering One and try a black based deck. I love that card and I have a lot of other black cards to choose from at home.

[robort]

Who have you decided for your Commander?  (Remember, it has to be a Legendary Creature...)

I've decided to go with Sheoldred, Whispering One and try a black based deck. I love that card and I have a lot of other black cards to choose from at home.

OOOOH!! OOOOH! I always liked him, very first card I earned at a tourney. I use him in my black/green commander deck.
He combos well with these 2 cards for me. Call To The Grave and Grave Betrayal.