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Magic (The Gathering) => Discussion => Topic started by: Enrico on April 26, 2012, 06:04:17 PM

Title: Deck 101 help
Post by: Enrico on April 26, 2012, 06:04:17 PM
Hi guys

I need help with building a deck.
I always seem to be doing something wrong. What is the average number of creatures, lands and spells one shoul have in a 60 deck. Also I never know if I should run 4 of one creature or less and mix it up as I'm always torn between which to keep. Should I have like 2 or 1 copy of each creature or run 4 each?

And lands how do I determine the correct balance if I'm playing 2 colors
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Dudecore2012 on April 26, 2012, 06:19:02 PM
What kind of decks do you enjoy playing? Usual rule is 33% mana, usually 60 cards (to increase the chance of drawing something you want), and card interactions. Synergy is important, and phases are important too.

The amount of which type of creatures you include depend on the gameplan. What do the creatures do? How much utility do they have (will they be deadweight by turn 5?) or do they interact with another card?
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Sagemaster on April 26, 2012, 06:23:50 PM
So for lands you want between 22-26 depending on the type of deck you're running. Mono Decks usually 22-24 depending on the mana cost of the creatures, 22-24 is also good for dual! With dual you wanna take into account the mana symbols of each color and sort of base it on that. Control decks usually have 26 land. Dual lands are so amazing for that reason. Creatures is based n whether you want control or aggro. Aggro = more creatures. Control = fewer. You can also use mana fixing creatures or artifacts. Ex. {birds of paradise}, {sphere of the suns}, {Pristine talismin} and {llanowar elves} to name a few. (mana fixing is pretty much like ramp or getting out more mana sources other than or in some cases playing more than one land a turn)Take a look at a few of the decks that have been posted to get a better symbol and welcome to the iMTG community 😃
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Enrico on April 27, 2012, 02:27:53 AM
I'm trying to make a G/B deck around ghoultree and tainted strike for a surprise 10 hit poison. It must be standard. But I not sure How many super cheap creatures to and stronger creatures to use. The more cheaper ones I use cause the easy to sack I get screwed later in the game because have no tough ones out. I then mix and Match and then getting to many spells instead of creatures
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Jake, Fart Sculptor on April 27, 2012, 03:04:56 AM
Poison combos, aside from {lashwirthe} or a wolf ran {inkmoth nexus} rarely pan out, your best bet in B/G with poison is low cost infect creatures and then boost spells like {giant growth} or {mutagenic growth} also cards that proliferate like {contagion clasp} if you check out dailymtg or tcgplayer.com they usually always have deck help articles, and the amount of copies you put in each deck depends on the importance of the card, if you want to draw it, and never have a problem drawing multiples, put 4, if you'd like to draw it once, put 3, with cards like {day of judgement} in a deck that has a lot of creatures, you only want to draw it possibly, as it can hinder your own win, put 2, and with cards that you want to use, that can make a game, or lose a game, put 1.
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: D3g3n on April 27, 2012, 03:12:52 AM
Well these are cards that may work into a B/G infect deck. I say infect because you should be focused in giving these as the main source of damage. The Ghoultree combo is a payoff when most of your creatures are in the yard, preferably after a board wipe. If you can give it trample and/or Deathtouch, that is just scary lol. There was a mono Green infect event deck that was pretty quick to win, may want to look and pull cards from there.

Dual land:
{Woodland Cemetery}

Cheap/Playable B/G/ artifact infect:
{Plague Stinger} - evasive and early poke
{Whispering Spector}
{Flenstermite}
{Blight Mamba} - cheap green and able to stick around
{Decimater Web} - a little bit of utility for the common cause of wrecking your opponent
{Flesh Eater Imp}
{Glistener Elf}
{Glistening Oil}
{Hand of the Praetor}
{Phyrexian Crusader}
{Plague Myr}
{Phyrexian Vatmouth} - relatively cheap but has drawback
{Putrefax}
{Tangle Antler} - Potentially gives other infect a direct hit

Green creature tutor:
{Green Sun's Zenith}

Black removal:
{Black Sun's Zenith} - Bypasses Pro-B/G
{Killing Wave} - Not that you care about your iwn creature, right?
{Damnation}

Any green pump cards:
{Triumph of the Horde}
{Overrun}
{Mutagenic Growth}
{Giant Growth}
{Ranger's Guile} - Hexproofing?

Green mana ramp:
{Rampant Growth}
{Birds of Paradise}
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: JaCe BeLeReN on April 27, 2012, 07:08:58 AM
Just basics if your using basic land I use a proportion:
Total amount of lands x number of green cards (divided by) the amount of non land cards in the deck. = the amount of forests you should use

That will mathematically give you the best ratio of land to color.
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Sagemaster on April 27, 2012, 05:23:34 PM
I'll create an infect deck in the standard section tonight b/g for ya :D just need to get to the hotel
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Dudecore2012 on April 27, 2012, 07:12:03 PM
Is {blighted agent} any good? What if you use him, {grand architect} and use {grand architects} tapping ability for {contagion engine}? This way you beef up your blighted agent, and use double proliferate to pass out infect counters? I'm positive this has been thought up, but seems cool anyway. I don't know much about infect. You can use the new {elgaud shieldmate} to proof your agent....

{killing wave} isn't the best card, because it isn't a hard wipe, players will normally choose whatever is best for them at the time it drops, you can't really plan for success...{contagion engine} is slightly better because they all get -1/-1, and proliferate gives the option of passing out more counters, doesn't include yourself, and includes poison counters on opponents. And bypasses Hexproof, indestructiblity and other things (as does {killing wave}
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Wally on April 27, 2012, 07:27:52 PM
Quote from: Dudecore2012 on April 27, 2012, 07:12:03 PM
Is {blighted agent} any good? What if you use him, {grand architect} and use {grand architects} tapping ability for {contagion engine}? This way you beef up your blighted agent, and use double proliferate to pass out infect counters? I'm positive this has been thought up, but seems cool anyway. I don't know much about infect. You can use the new {elgaud shieldmate} to proof your agent....

{killing wave} isn't the best card, because it isn't a hard wipe, players will normally choose whatever is best for them at the time it drops, you can't really plan for success...{contagion engine} is slightly better because they all get -1/-1, and proliferate gives the option of passing out more counters, doesn't include yourself, and includes poison counters on opponents.

Yeah the blighted infect is a very workable setup. Very effective. Equipped with swords and it makes little girls and grown men cry
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Wally on April 27, 2012, 07:29:38 PM
Also. {giant growth} isn't standard leagal, but the one mana more, +1 more better card {titanic growth} is :)
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Dudecore2012 on April 27, 2012, 07:41:35 PM
{Damnation} isn't standard legal either. {Phyrexian Metamorph} is good too, because you can use it to copy your contagion engine, copy your swords, copy a creature you want, copy legendaries (although you'd probably want {Phantasmal Image} for that). {Grand Architect} can equip your swords cheaper. You'd get some blue control measures too, even new blink cards to get a fresh set of -1/-1 counters and reapply Metamorph.

Some things to consider I guess .
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: JaCe BeLeReN on April 27, 2012, 09:33:39 PM
Quote from: Dudecore2012 on April 27, 2012, 07:12:03 PM
Is {blighted agent} any good? What if you use him, {grand architect} and use {grand architects} tapping ability for {contagion engine}? This way you beef up your blighted agent, and use double proliferate to pass out infect counters? I'm positive this has been thought up, but seems cool anyway. I don't know much about infect. You can use the new {elgaud shieldmate} to proof your agent....

{killing wave} isn't the best card, because it isn't a hard wipe, players will normally choose whatever is best for them at the time it drops, you can't really plan for success...{contagion engine} is slightly better because they all get -1/-1, and proliferate gives the option of passing out more counters, doesn't include yourself, and includes poison counters on opponents. And bypasses Hexproof, indestructiblity and other things (as does {killing wave}
I 💙💚 U/G infect. Blighted Agent + tons of growth cards ({Mutagenic Growth} {Titanic Growth}, {Ect}) = win
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Enrico on April 30, 2012, 11:33:16 AM
Ok guys here is my sneak infect deck

Creatures

4 x ghoultree
3x disciple of griselband
3x skinrender
4x perilous myr
4x fume spitter
4x black cat

Spells

2x spider spawning
4x deadly allure
3x prey upon
3x tainted strike
2x altars reap
2x disentomb
2x caravan vigil
3x doom blade

Lands

2x evolving wilds
1x grim backwoods
9x swamps
7x forests

Advice?
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Bilygote on April 30, 2012, 01:11:53 PM
I'd have a minimum of 22 lands. You'll want to put in 4 fetch lands like {evolving wilds} or {terramorphic expanse} in case you get hosed on either land type

Based on your current card you'll need to have a minimum of 25 land that breaks down as 4 fetch lands, 17 Swamps, 4 forests (I base this on the number of colored mana symbols in your cards)

Any dual mana lands should come out of your swamp count

I'd reduce your spells to 16, lands to 22, keep your creature count the same

Just my 2 cents, good luck
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: SpiritedAway on April 30, 2012, 01:28:44 PM
{Birthing Pod}?
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Enrico on April 30, 2012, 02:56:23 PM
I have 2 birthing pods but if I would use its function I would need to sacrifice a creature with manna cost of 7 to add 1 and cast ghoultree. If I understand correctly
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: BlackJester on April 30, 2012, 03:44:49 PM
Please repost this as a deck in the appropriate section: Casual, Standard, etc.
Cheers!
Title: Re: Deck 101 help
Post by: Greg54js on April 30, 2012, 03:50:24 PM
Quote from: BlackJester on April 30, 2012, 03:44:49 PM
Please repost this as a deck in the appropriate section: Casual, Standard, etc.
Cheers!

It's posted under standard