What is the ideal number of EDH Decks?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on April 25, 2017, 6:57 p.m. by MagicalHacker
If one has too few Commander decks, they typically become dismantled for becoming boring to play. If one has too many, they typically become dismantled for not being interesting enough to play often enough.
I know for myself that 6 is too many, and 2 is too few, but I have no idea what my ideal number is, so I wanted to ask you all!
What is the ideal number of decks you get to play per play session? Per week?
fadelightningmm says... #4
I usually get to play maybe 3 games a week. That being said I have in the neighborhood of 10 (9 now that leovold got hammered to death). Of the 10 I play 2 quite regularly. When I play with an unfamiliar group I bust out clones which doesn't normally get played in my normal group. In all honesty I should probably have like 4 but my group cycles the same decks every week it's nice to add some variety
April 25, 2017 7:04 p.m.
DrukenReaps says... #5
I just keep building until costs get too high then I pull old decks apart for cards that I don't want to buy again. Most I've had at one time is 15. I don't feel a need to play them, though that is fun, I need to build...
April 25, 2017 7:05 p.m.
One. If it's Rith, the Awakener. :-D
Seriously though, I like around 5. More than that, and I can't keep them current as new sets come out.
April 25, 2017 7:05 p.m. Edited.
I always struggle with this because I can't decide what I like to play.
Right now, I have Allied Command, which is Tazri-Allies Tribal. However, that's my only deck right now, and I'm struggling to find another deck to build. 2 colors is hard because I used all my best duals for it. is my best option, but I'm not sure what to play.
April 25, 2017 7:20 p.m.
3 is my preference too. Deck boxes hold 3, with a single for tokens and dice makes traveling a lot easier. I see guys at my LGS lugging around 10+ decks and I have to wonder what the point is if you only get to play 3-5 a night before it closes.
April 25, 2017 7:32 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #10
Sidisi, Nekusar, Prossh, Mayael, Breya, Teysa 2, Olivia 1, Thada Adel, Skithyrix, Feldon and Trostani.
11 decks. I usually only get 2-3 games a week, and I will often play Sidisi or Prossh in at least one of them. If I played more they'd get a better rotation, and we'd be able to tweak and adapt them more. So for the number of games I play a week I probably have too many, but I think it's a healthy number for a person who doesn't like to play the same game more than a couple times a month. I could probably afford to cut down to 6-7 and not have too many problems.
In all honesty I'm working on a project that allows me to take the staples from each deck and rotate them through the decks for budget purposes. It also lets me have a higher number of decks at my disposal as I can have a pile of cards for a given commander ready to go and just slap the fetches, shocks and staples in when I want to play a certain deck.
April 25, 2017 7:53 p.m.
I currently have 22 sleeved up and 4 in the process of being built. One of the places I play has 4-6 pods going on, and I will decide which deck to play depending on who's at the table. As some players are more cut throat than others, and some are budget hindered. So my decks range from casual themed decks to more competitive builds.
I have even loaned my decks to other players who either didn't have a deck, or was tired of playing their current decks.
April 25, 2017 9:02 p.m.
I have 10 decks with around 6 more in the process of being built.
April 26, 2017 12:37 a.m.
Wolfsbane706 says... #13
I've only got two decks since that's really all I have room for (poor choice in deck boxes) but I tend to use my Bant deck more frequently because I'm more familiar with it.
April 26, 2017 2:39 a.m.
landofMordor says... #14
The number of decks I have depends on the decks' strategies, not just the number. So, I've got 8 in total, ranging from control to explosive non-infinite combo to reanimator to aggro to artifact. And I only consider building a new deck if it'll add to the mix of strategies (group hug/chaos is one I'm considering, for example). My meta has a really nice power level, so I keep one or two of those 8 mostly in reserve to avoid getting too competitive.
But usually around 4-6 of my decks are played each week, because I often have friends or family members borrow a deck.
April 26, 2017 7:44 a.m.
Funny you should ask :D
I have 4 which are constantly evolving and those are the decks I play with. I play EDH 1-3 times a week so if I had more I wouldn't be playing with them. I do have a couple more lists that I update online and I'm waiting for the opportunity (budget and time) to realise those as well, but I don't believe I would have more than 6 at any given time.
One for each day of the week with an off-day for r&r.
April 26, 2017 10:37 a.m.
I have 10 commander decks myself. I choose based off how much I want to think or how my mood is from control to combo to Agro. I usually get to play 8 or 9 of the decks each game night. I try to at least play each once every game night never been able to play all ten. Once mail day comes next week I will be at 11 so I most likely will take one apart. I do play favorites with the decks which only thing that effects is how much I am willing to constantly make the deck better then theres the token decks that I have just to have one of a play style like mill etc that I don't put much stock into.
April 26, 2017 1:55 p.m.
This question depends on budget and your personality. If you just want a diversity of interesting decks, the number you own can go as high as you want assuming you're ok net-decking and forking up money constantly to keep lists current.
If you like updating your own lists, I wouldn't go over 4. I just have sharuum and ezuri in paper (never enjoyed anything else enough to paper it), and while I don't get to play all that often, it's a hassle just keeping those two updated. Ezuri is way behind for budget reasons.
This leads me to budget: if you don't have the cash to constantly update numerous decks, I wouldn't go over two. Cardboard crack is expensive man.
April 26, 2017 8:55 p.m.
JaceTheSwagSculptor says... #18
I think you should always at least keep one commander deck that you're not constantly dismantling. The key to keeping yourself interested is always attempting to optimize the deck. Look at new sets, EDHRec, and other people's lists to take in the different angles of the commander you are pursuing. I don't understand the point of investing the time and money in building a deck if you see a consistent trend in your actions that will just lead you to you promptly taking it apart.
Since 2 is too few for you, find 3 commanders you like and stick with them.
April 26, 2017 10:39 p.m.
Winterblast says... #19
I want to keep the number of decks low enough to ensure competetive builds for all my decks and high enough to ensure having a good variety to choose from. At the moment I have 6 decks, which can be considered competetive and 2 that are slightly worse but still strong.
One of the decks can be exchanged quickly because it's a Stax deck and the artifact shell is always the same...I have enough cards in the same sleeves to build at least 3 variations in different colours plus a storm combo deck with the same mana base and artifact fastmana. I like to brew a lot and optimize these lists until they are fully powered and then start optimizing the next build. Unless there are absolute must plays in a new set, I can quickly switch between these builds then and have them ready to play in a few minutes.
May 9, 2017 11:14 a.m.
As many as you want. Just have one for every color, then one for every combination of colors. That would be a total of 31 decks.
May 9, 2017 11:24 a.m.
sanddeviljack says... #22
X+1, where X is the number you currently own.
I have four, though there are a number of commanders that I want to revisit at some point because I think I could build better decks for them than I did the first time around. And then there are a couple that I have solid ideas for, but haven't gotten to 'cause, you know, life.
In the end, it really depends on what you want out of it. If you want to really get to know your decks, then I think the advice given earlier--resolving to optimize a small number (like 3)--is sound. On the far end of the spectrum, though, is my pal who hosts MTG nights all the time; he's got everything from oddball theme decks to precons to decks that leaving you wondering what just happened. Most of us fall in between.
Raging_Squiggle says... #2
Have multiple, but swap out your arsenal weekly, so you only have 3 or 4 to play but they're different each week.
April 25, 2017 6:59 p.m.