How many lands should I put in a 60-card deck?

The standard starting point is 24 lands in a 60-card deck, giving you roughly a 40% chance of drawing a land each turn. Aggressive decks with low mana curves can go as low as 20-22, while control decks with expensive spells may run 25-27. Adjust based on your average mana value and test through gameplay.

What is the Rule of 9 in MTG?

The Rule of 9 is a deck-building shortcut: pick 9 cards that work toward your game plan, run 4 copies of each (9 × 4 = 36 spells), then add 24 lands. This ensures consistency because you'll draw your key cards more often. It's a great starting framework before fine-tuning individual slots.

How do I know if my mana curve is good?

A healthy mana curve looks like a bell curve peaking at 2-3 mana. You want plenty of 1-3 cost cards so you have plays every turn, a moderate number of 4-cost cards, and only a few 5+ cost finishers. If you're frequently stuck with unplayable hands, your curve is probably too top-heavy.

From Scraps to Synergy: MTG Deck Building Guide

While "Net-Decking" (copying a pro list) is a great way to learn the meta, nothing beats the feeling of winning with a 60-card machine you designed yourself. In the 2026 landscape of Aetherdrift, Tarkir, Lorwyn Eclipsed, and Foundations, deck building is more about efficiency and resilience than ever before.

Phase 1: The "Mission Statement"

Every great deck can describe its goal in one sentence. Before you pick a single card, ask: "How do I win?"

Aggro: "I play low-cost creatures to kill the opponent before they can react."

Control: "I stop everything the opponent does until I can play one massive finisher."

Combo: "I protect my board until I can trigger a specific interaction that wins instantly."

Not sure which style fits you? Pick the right MTG deck type for your playstyle.

Pro Tip: If you find yourself saying "I want to do a little bit of everything," your deck will likely do nothing well. Pick one goal and stick to it.

Phase 2: The "Rule of 9" (Standard/Modern)

If you're building a 60-card deck, the math is simple:

1.Subtract 24 lands from the total (the standard baseline).
2.That leaves you with 36 non-land cards.
3.Find 9 cards that support your mission statement and play 4 copies of each (9 × 4 = 36).

As you refine the deck, you can break this rule (running 1-ofs or 2-ofs), but for a beginner, the "Rule of 9" ensures you actually draw the cards you need to win.

Phase 3: Mastering the Mana Curve

You cannot play a deck full of 6-mana Dragons; you'll be dead before you cast the first one. Your "Mana Curve" is the distribution of your spells' costs.

The "Bell Curve":

Most decks want a few 1-drops, a lot of 2- and 3-drops, and a few "top-end" 4+ mana spells.

2026 Pro tip: Having a strong "Turn 2" play is currently mandatory. If your curve starts at 3, you are likely too slow for current Standard.

Phase 4: The Power Grid (Lands)

The most common mistake in deck building is not running enough lands.

The 24 Rule

For a 60-card deck, start with 24 lands. If your deck is very fast (Aggro), you can go down to 20. If it is very slow (Control), go up to 26.

Color Fixing

If you are playing two or more colors, you need "Dual Lands." In the 2026 Tarkir meta, "Tri-Lands" (lands that tap for three colors) are essential for 3-color decks, even if they enter the battlefield tapped.

Phase 5: Testing and "Sideboarding"

A deck is never finished; it is only "in progress."

Goldfishing

Play the first 5 turns of a game by yourself. If you consistently have nothing to do on Turn 2, your curve is too high.

The Sideboard (15 cards)

These are cards for specific problems. Losing to artifacts? Pack some Disenchant effects. Losing to fast creatures? Add more board wipes.

Building for Commander (100-Card Format)

Building for Commander follows a different "8x8" logic:

1.Pick 8 categories your deck needs (e.g., Ramp, Draw, Removal, Goblins).
2.Find 8 cards for each category (8 × 8 = 64 cards).
3.Add 35–36 lands and your Commander.

This creates a balanced, functional singleton deck every time.

How to build a magic deck