How much land do I need for a 40 card deck?

How Much Land Do I Need for a 40 Card Deck?

When building a Magic: The Gathering deck, one of the most important considerations is the number of lands you need. Lands are the foundation of a deck, providing the mana required to play your spells. But how many lands do you need for a 40-card deck?

The Basic Rule of Thumb

A traditional rule of thumb is to have around 17-18 lands in a 40-card deck. This ratio is based on the idea that you want to have a sufficient number of lands to play your spells, while also not overwhelming your opponents with too many lands.

The Math Behind the Lands

To understand why 17-18 lands is a good rule of thumb, let’s look at some math. In a typical Magic: The Gathering game, you’ll be playing between 5-7 spells per turn. To play these spells, you’ll need a combination of lands and other mana sources.

  • Assuming an average mana cost of 3 for your spells, you’ll need to play at least 3 lands per turn to have enough mana.
  • Adding in additional mana sources, such as artifacts, creatures with mana abilities, and other lands, you can reduce the number of lands you need to play.
  • However, you still want to have a few lands in reserve to ensure you have enough mana to play your spells. This is where the 17-18 lands rule of thumb comes in.

The Land Ratio for 40-Card Decks

Here’s a breakdown of the land ratio for 40-card decks:

Deck Size Lands
40 17-18
60 24-25

Factors to Consider When Building Your Deck

While 17-18 lands is a good rule of thumb, there are several factors to consider when building your deck:

  • Mana Curve: If your deck has a high mana curve (i.e., it plays more expensive spells), you may need more lands to support those spells.
  • Land Drop: If your deck has a high land drop (i.e., it plays multiple lands per turn), you may need fewer lands overall.
  • Card Draw: If your deck has a high card draw component, you may need fewer lands to support those spells.
  • Other Mana Sources: If your deck has other mana sources, such as artifacts or creatures with mana abilities, you may need fewer lands overall.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when building a 40-card deck, a good rule of thumb is to have around 17-18 lands. This ratio provides a sufficient number of lands to play your spells, while also not overwhelming your opponents with too many lands. However, there are several factors to consider when building your deck, and you may need to adjust your land ratio accordingly. By following these guidelines, you can build a well-balanced deck that is competitive and fun to play.

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