How Many Land Cards Should Be in a Deck?
When it comes to building a Magic: The Gathering deck, one of the most crucial decisions you’ll make is how many land cards to include. The answer to this question can be a bit tricky, as it depends on a variety of factors, including the type of deck you’re building, the mana base you’re working with, and the overall strategy you’re trying to achieve.
Traditional Knowledge
Traditionally, the rule of thumb has been that lands should make up around 40% of a deck. This means that for a 40-card deck, you should aim to include around 17-18 lands. For a 60-card deck, the number of lands would be around 24-25. This ratio has been widely accepted and has worked well for many players over the years.
Factors to Consider
However, there are several factors that can affect the number of lands you should include in your deck. For example:
- Mana base: If you’re building a deck with a strong mana base, you may be able to get away with fewer lands. On the other hand, if your mana base is weak, you may need to include more lands to ensure that you can consistently play your spells.
- Mana-intensive spells: If you’re including a lot of spells that require a lot of mana to cast, you’ll need to include more lands to ensure that you have the necessary mana to play them.
- Color identity: If you’re building a deck with a specific color identity, you may need to include more lands to ensure that you have the necessary mana to play your spells.
- Deck strategy: The overall strategy of your deck can also affect the number of lands you should include. For example, if you’re building a deck that relies heavily on creatures, you may need to include more lands to ensure that you have the necessary mana to play them.
Modern Deckbuilding
In recent years, the traditional 40% land ratio has been challenged by many players. Some argue that this ratio is too high and that decks can be successful with fewer lands. Others argue that the ratio is too low and that decks need more lands to be successful.
Average Land Count
According to a recent article by Magic Data Science, the average land count in Commander decks is around 36. This would translate to around 14.5 lands in a 40-card deck or 21.8 lands in a 60-card deck.
Mana Rocks
Another important consideration when building a deck is the number of mana rocks you include. Mana rocks are cards that generate mana, such as artifacts and enchantments. While they can be very powerful, they can also take up valuable space in your deck.
How Many Mana Rocks is Too Many?
If you’re building a non-green, non-artifact based, non-mana hungry deck, you may want to limit your mana rocks to 5-7. This will ensure that you have enough mana to play your spells without overwhelming your deck with too many rocks.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the number of land cards you should include in your deck depends on a variety of factors, including the type of deck you’re building, the mana base you’re working with, and the overall strategy you’re trying to achieve. While the traditional 40% land ratio is still a good starting point, it’s not the only consideration. By taking into account the factors mentioned above, you can build a deck that is well-balanced and effective.
Table: Land Ratio by Deck Size
| Deck Size | Traditional Land Ratio | Average Land Count |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 17-18 | 14.5 |
| 60 | 24-25 | 21.8 |
Bullets:
- Traditional land ratio is around 40%
- Average land count in Commander decks is around 36
- Mana base, mana-intensive spells, color identity, and deck strategy can affect the number of lands you should include
- Mana rocks can take up valuable space in your deck and should be limited to 5-7 in non-green, non-artifact based, non-mana hungry decks