How much land should I have in my deck?

How Much Land Should I Have in My Deck?

In Magic: The Gathering, the amount of land in your deck is a crucial aspect of deckbuilding. It’s essential to find the right balance between the number of lands and other cards in your deck. In this article, we’ll explore the general guidelines for determining how much land you should have in your deck.

Traditional Wisdom

Traditionally, the rule of thumb is to have around 40% of your deck consist of lands. This means that for a 60-card deck, you should aim for around 24 lands. This percentage can be adjusted depending on the deck’s mana curve and the number of cards that produce mana.

EDH and Commander Decks

For EDH (Elder Dragon Highlander) and Commander decks, the guidelines are slightly different. EDH decks typically have a higher mana curve and require more lands to support the more powerful spells. As a general rule, you should aim for around 33 lands in a 100-card EDH deck.

Sealed Deck and Limited

For Sealed Deck and Limited formats, the guidelines are different again. In these formats, you typically have less control over the cards you draw and need to rely on the cards you start with. As a general rule, you should aim for around 17 lands in a 40-card Sealed Deck.

Mana Curve and Land Percentage

The mana curve of your deck is a significant factor in determining how many lands you should have. A deck with a lower mana curve (i.e., more one- and two-mana spells) can get away with fewer lands, while a deck with a higher mana curve (i.e., more three- and four-mana spells) will require more lands.

Here is a rough guide to land percentage based on mana curve:

How Many Lands Do I Need for 80 Cards?

If you’re building a deck with 80 cards, you’ll need to adjust the land count accordingly. A general rule of thumb is to multiply the land count by 1.5 to get the number of lands you’ll need for an 80-card deck. This means that if you would normally use 24 lands in a 60-card deck, you would use around 36 lands in an 80-card deck.

Here is a rough guide to land count for 80-card decks:

Conclusion

In conclusion, the amount of land you should have in your deck depends on the format you’re playing in, the mana curve of your deck, and the number of cards you’re using. By following these general guidelines, you can build a well-rounded deck that has the right balance of lands and other cards.

Here are some key takeaways:

• Traditional decks should aim for around 40% land, or 24 lands for a 60-card deck.
• EDH and Commander decks should aim for around 33 lands in a 100-card deck.
• Sealed Deck and Limited decks should aim for around 17 lands in a 40-card deck.
• The mana curve of your deck is a significant factor in determining how many lands you should have.
• For 80-card decks, multiply the land count by 1.5 to get the number of lands you’ll need.

By following these guidelines, you can build a deck that is well-suited to the format you’re playing in and has the right balance of lands and other cards.