How many lands should I run?

How Many Lands Should I Run?

When building a Magic: The Gathering deck, one of the most crucial decisions you’ll make is how many lands to include. The answer to this question can be a bit complex, as it depends on various factors such as the deck’s strategy, mana base, and overall gameplan. In this article, we’ll explore the various considerations and provide some general guidelines to help you determine the right number of lands for your deck.

Traditional Wisdom: 40% Lands

One of the most common pieces of advice is to aim for a land-to-card ratio of around 40%. This means that if your deck has 60 cards, you should aim to include around 24 lands (40% of 60). This is a general guideline that has been passed down through the years, and it’s a good starting point for most decks. However, it’s essential to remember that this is just a rough estimate, and you may need to adjust your land count based on the specific needs of your deck.

Factors to Consider

Before we dive into some specific guidelines, let’s consider some of the factors that can influence your land count:

• Mana base: If your deck relies heavily on a specific mana color or combination of colors, you may need to include more lands to ensure you have enough mana to cast your spells.
• Card draw: If your deck has a lot of card draw spells, you may be able to get away with fewer lands, as you’ll be able to generate more mana through card draw.
• Ramp: If your deck includes ramp spells or other cards that accelerate your mana development, you may be able to include fewer lands.
• Landfall: If your deck includes landfall cards, you may want to include more lands to trigger these effects.

General Guidelines

Based on these factors, here are some general guidelines for determining the right number of lands for your deck:

• Commander decks: 35-40 lands
• Non-Commander decks: 25-35 lands
• Ramp-focused decks: 20-30 lands
• Landfall-focused decks: 30-40 lands

Calculating Your Land Count

To calculate your land count, you can use the following formula:

Land Count = (Total Cards / 2.5) + (Number of Ramp Spells / 2) + (Number of Landfall Cards / 2)

This formula takes into account the total number of cards in your deck, the number of ramp spells, and the number of landfall cards. You can adjust this formula based on your specific deck’s needs.

Example

Let’s say you’re building a Commander deck with 60 cards, 10 ramp spells, and 5 landfall cards. Using the formula above, you would calculate your land count as follows:

Land Count = (60 / 2.5) + (10 / 2) + (5 / 2) = 24 + 5 + 2.5 = 31.5

In this case, you would aim to include around 31-32 lands in your deck.

Conclusion

Determining the right number of lands for your Magic: The Gathering deck can be a complex process, but by considering the factors outlined above and using the general guidelines and formula provided, you can make an informed decision. Remember to always keep in mind the specific needs of your deck and adjust your land count accordingly. Happy brewing!