Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a collectible card game that has been around for over 25 years. One of the most important decisions a player must make when building a deck is how many creatures to include. Creatures are the backbone of any MTG deck, but the number of creatures should be balanced with other spells to create a cohesive strategy.
A common misconception is that a deck must have a certain number of creatures to be effective. However, this is not true. There are decks that can function well with no creatures at all. These decks are known as “control” decks, which rely on spells to control the board and eventually win the game. A control deck might play anywhere between 0 and 12 creatures, depending on how reactive they want to be.
On the other hand, tere are decks that focus on creatures as their main strategy. These are known as “aggro” decks, and they typically play a lot of low-cost creatures that can attack early and often. Aggro decks usually play around 20 to 25 creatures, depending on the specific strategy.
For most other types of decks, the number of creatures falls somewhere in between. A midrange deck, for example, might play around 20 creatures, while a combo deck might only play a handful of creatures that are essential to the combo.
It’s important to remember that the number of creatures in a deck is not the only factor that determines its effectiveness. The quality of the creatures themselves is also important. A deck with 20 mediocre creatures is likely to perform worse than a deck with 10 powerful creatures.
In addition to creature quality, the number of spells in a deck also plays a crucial role. Spells can be used to remove opposing creatures, draw cards, or disrupt the opponent’s strategy. A good balance of creatures and spells is necessary to create a cohesive strategy.
The number of lands in a deck is also important. Lands are necessary to cast spells and play creatures, so having too few lands can lead to mana issues. Traditional knowledge is that lands should make up a touch over 40% of a deck. This means about 17–18 lands for a 40-card deck and about 24–25 lands for a 60-card deck.
There is no hard and fast rule for how many creatures to include in an MTG deck. The number of creatures should be balanced with other spells to create a cohesive strategy. The quality of the creatures, the number of spells, and the number of lands are all important factors to consider when building a deck. Ultimately, the best number of creatures for a deck will depend on the specific strategy and playstyle of the player.
Number of Creatures in a 60 Card Deck
When it comes to building a 60-card Magic: The Gathering deck, the number of creatures you should include can vary depending on your strategy and playstyle. Generally, a creature count between 12 and 26 is common, but this can range higher or lower depending on the deck’s focus.
Aggro decks, whch aim to win quickly through dealing damage to the opponent, typically have a higher creature count, with around 20 to 26 creatures. In contrast, control decks, which prioritize slowing down the opponent and maintaining board control, may have fewer creatures, such as 12 to 18.
Midrange decks, which aim to balance between offense and defense, often have a creature count around 18 to 22. Combo decks, which rely on specific card interactions to win, may have a lower creature count as their win condition is not always creature-based.
Ultimately, the number of creatures you should include in your deck depends on your strategy and preferences. It can be helpful to experiment with different creature counts and adjust as needed based on how the deck performs in playtesting.
Source: amazon.com
Ideal Number of Creatures for a Control Deck
A control deck is a type of Magic: The Gathering deck that aims to control the game’s pace and deny the opponent’s strategies by using spells and abilities to counter, remove, or restrict their creatures, lands, and other resources. Unlike aggro or midrange decks that rely on quick and consistent damage output or board presence, control decks prioritize long-term advantage and disruption, often winning by attrition or a few powerful finishers.
One of the key decisions that a control deck builder needs to make is how many creatures to include in their deck. While there is no fixed rule or formula for this, as the optimal creature count may vary depending on the deck’s colors, archetypes, meta, and personal preferences, there are some general guidelines and considerations that can help inform the choice.
Firstly, it’s worth noting that not all control decks need to run creatures at all. Some control decks, especially those that focus on blue and black, can rely solely on instants, sorceries, enchantments, and planeswalkers to control the game and win through card advantage, mill, or alternate win conditions like Teferi, Hero of Dominaria’s ultimate ability. These decks are often called “creatureless” or “Naked Singularity” (a reference to an old card that made all mana costs colorless) control decks.
However, most control decks do run some creatures, especially in formats like Standard or Modern were the card pool and power level are more limited than in Legacy or Vintage. The reasons for including creatures in a control deck can be manifold:
– To provide early blockers or attackers that can buy time, trade with opposing creatures, or pressure the opponent’s life total. This can be important against aggro or midrange decks that aim to overwhelm the control player before they can stabilize or establish their game plan.
– To synergize with other cards in the deck, such as removal spells that trigger on creature types, or planeswalkers that benefit from having creatures on the board. For example, a control deck that runs Chandra, Torch of Defiance might want to include some cheap creatures that can crew Heart of Kiran or provide additional targets for Chandra’s +1 ability.
– To act as finishers or win conditions that can close out the game once the control player has gained enough advantage or disrupted the opponent’s resources. These creatures are usually big, evasive, or have some sort of game-ending ability that can’t be easily answered. Examples include Torrential Gearhulk, Grave Titan, or Baneslayer Angel.
– To diversify the deck’s threats and reduce vulnerability to specific types of removal or disruption. If a control deck relies too much on a single card or strategy, it can be easily countered by a well-timed removal spell or sideboard card. By including different types of cards, such as creatures, planeswalkers, and enchantments, a control deck can force the opponent to spread their answers thin and increase the chances of resolving a key card.
So, how many creatures should a control deck have? As mentioned before, there is no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are some general ranges and examples:
– Creatureless control: 0 creatures. Examples: Blue-Black Control, Jeskai Control, Mono-Blue Devotion (Historic)
– Low-creature control: 1-4 creatures. Examples: Esper Control with Basilica Bell-Haunt or Dream Trawler, Grixis Control with Nicol Bolas, the Ravager, Mono-Black Control with Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet.
– Medium-creature control: 5-8 creatures. Examples: Azorius Control with Lyra Dawnbringer or Archangel Avacyn, Dimir Control with The Scarab God or Hostage Taker, Sultai Control with Hydroid Krasis or Uro, Titan of Nature’s Wrath.
– High-creature control: 9-12 creatures. Examples: Abzan Control with Siege Rhino, Naya Control with Huntmaster of the Fells, Jund Control with Bloodbraid Elf or Kroxa, Titan of Death’s Hunger.
Of course, these numbers are not set in stone, and a control deck can succeed with more or fewer creatures than the suggested range. The choice ultimately depends on the deck’s goals, strengths, and weaknesses, as well as the metagame and personal playstyle. As always, testing and tweaking the deck is the best way to find out what works and what doesn’t.
Number of Creatures in a 40-Card Deck
When it coes to building a 40-card deck for a game such as Magic: The Gathering, one of the key considerations is how many creatures to include. As a general rule, most players will include between 15 and 18 creatures in a 40-card deck. This provides a good balance between creatures, spells, and other types of cards, allowing for a range of different strategies and play styles.
Of course, the exact number of creatures you include in your 40-card deck will depend on a variety of factors. For example, if you are building a deck that relies heavily on creature-based strategies, you may want to include more creatures to ensure that you have a strong board presence. Conversely, if you are building a deck that focuses more on spells or other non-creature cards, you may be able to get away with including fewer creatures.
It is also worth noting that the specific creatures you include in your deck will depend on the colors and themes of your deck. For example, if you are building a red/green deck that focuses on big, powerful creatures, you may want to include fewer creatures overall but ensure that each one is a high-impact threat. On the other hand, if you are building a blue/white control deck, you may want to include more creatures with defensive abilities that can help protect you from your opponent’s attacks.
Ultimately, the number of creatures you include in your 40-card deck will depend on your personal preferences, play style, and the specific strategies and themes of your deck. However, as a general guideline, 15-18 creatures is a good starting point for most players.
Number of Lands and Creatures in a MTG Deck
In a Magic: The Gathering deck, the number of lands and creatures can vary depending on the strategy of the deck and the format being played. However, thre are some general guidelines that players can follow.
In traditional formats, such as Standard and Modern, a deck typically consists of 60 cards. Of these 60 cards, players usually include around 24-26 lands, which make up about 40% of the deck. This number can vary depending on the deck’s curve and how much mana the deck needs to function.
As for creatures, the number can also vary depending on the deck’s strategy. Aggressive decks that aim to win quickly may include more creatures than control decks that aim to disrupt the opponent’s game plan. In general, a deck will include between 20-30 creatures, with some decks having as few as 10 or as many as 40.
It’s important to note that these numbers are not set in stone and can vary depending on the individual player’s preference and playstyle. Additionally, in other formats such as Commander, which uses a 100-card deck, the number of lands and creatures can be different due to the larger deck size and the unique rules of the format.
Conclusion
Determining the number of creatures in a MTG deck depends on various factors such as the deck’s strategy, format, and personal playing style. Aggressive decks tend to have a higher number of creatures, while control decks migt have fewer creatures and more spells. As a general rule, 15-18 creatures is a safe bet for an average deck, but this can be adjusted based on personal preference and playtesting. It’s important to note that the number of creatures should never be the only consideration when building a deck; card synergy, mana curve, and overall game plan are also critical elements to consider. Ultimately, the goal should be to create a well-rounded deck that is capable of winning in a variety of situations.
