Are Red's Nonbasic Lands the Worst? A Scientific Analysis

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swamp|FDN|286" href="#" target="_blank">Swamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.stevenbelledin.com/">Steven Belledin</a>)</h6>
<h1>Your Deck is a Canvas</h1>
<p>With <em>Tarkir: Dragonstorm</em> just around the corner, spoilers are starting to finally pull their way through the bloat of Universes Beyond.</p>
<p>As I'm writing this I've just now seen a little preview of the full art basics we'll be treated to in packs and bundles via a <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/saffronolive.bsky.social/post/3lknprwike227">post on BlueSky</a> from good old Saffron Olive.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/tarkir-full-arts.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-146734 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/tarkir-full-arts.jpg" alt="A preview of the full art basic lands in Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Close ups of the eyes of dragons whose colours match those of the five colours of magic. Their pupils the shape of each mana symbol." width="1449" height="431" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/tarkir-full-arts.jpg 1449w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/tarkir-full-arts-300x89.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/tarkir-full-arts-1024x305.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/tarkir-full-arts-768x228.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1449px) 100vw, 1449px" /></a></p>
<p>Would you just take a look at those! I'm well aware that the art of full art basics can be a touchy subjects for <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> purists.</p>
<p>But personally I'm in love with these. Even as a player that doesn't usually run dragon focussed decks. They're such a perfect blend of the modern, glossy stylings of recent full arts that we've become accustomed to with truly classic fantasy art.</p>
<p>This cycle in fact was illustrated by none other than <a href="https://ronspencer.wordpress.com/">Ron Spencer</a> , one of the original collection of artists that worked on <em>Magic's</em> <em>Alpha</em> set.</p>
<h2>The Beauty of Basic Lands</h2>
<p>And this got me thinking, once again, about all the gorgeous art we're treated to in this game of ours. One of my favorite things about building mono decks, in any format, is the amount of beautiful basic lands you can flood your deck with.</p>
<p>And as this is <em>The Monolith</em>, the column in which I try to convince you to build more mono decks, this seems like a perfect opportunity to gaze and gawp at some of the most gorgeous illustrations your mana base can have.</p>
<p>For this list I'm going to be sticking with only full arts that are available in standard sets. Regular game pieces that you get from a booster pack, just like any other card.</p>
<p>There's plenty of stunning illustrations in Secret Lairs and promos, but the cards listed on this article aren't locked behind paywalls or artificial scarcity.</p>
<p>They're a part of the game just like any other basic land. So with that being said, let's take a look at some of the most beautiful basics money can buy.</p>
<h2>Foundations</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Plains|FDN|282"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Island|FDN|285"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swamp|FDN|286"></div></div>
<p>I'll kick off with some recency bias in the shape of what has to be the coolest core set we've ever had, right? Foundations was a slam dunk in my opinion, providing a perfect jumping off point for new players whilst also establishing a new bedrock for standard decks of all kinds.</p>
<p>There's some nice new designs, a tonne of old favourites, and most importantly - some absolutely beautiful art.</p>
<p>And the full art lands are no exception. There's two cycles, all portraying locations from across <em>Magic's</em> multiverse including planes from sets old and new.</p>
<p>My favorite of the two depicts some of the settings most iconic Planeswalkers relaxing in the vistas. I love the way they cut silhouettes across the landscapes and add a nice sense of scale to the artworks. Not to mention the absolutely beautiful colors.</p>
<p>Just look at Ajani's Plains. The incredible sunset hues, glowing against his face. The wreaths of shadow slicing across the golden fields. Stunning.</p>
<h2>Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mountain|NEO|299"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Island|NEO|295"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Plains|NEO|293"></div></div>
<p>Magic's return to the plane of <em>Kamigawa</em> saw a departure from its roots as a play on traditional Japanese folk lore. Instead, <em>Neon Dynasty</em> flung itself far into the future with a cyberpunk twist. Mechs and motorbikes careened down neon soaked alleyways and the ninjas stalked the rooftops.</p>
<p>However, the set's full art basic lands looked back at the plane's original scope. To a Japan more feudal, rich with tradition and concerned with the old ways. A nod to the original set but also a celebration of the nation's artworks. Wood block prints and delicate ink-works.</p>
<p>The cards depict a <em>Kamigawa</em> more rural and pastoral than its future form in which the set takes place. And as a result, we're left with what must be some of the most enticing depictions of a <em>Magic </em>plane ever rendered on cardboard.</p>
<h2>The Brothers' War</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swamp|BRO|282"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mountain|BRO|284"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Island|BRO|280"></div></div>
<p>Things don't have to be innately beautiful for one to make beautiful art of it. Whilst there are many tranquil scenes in <em>Magic's</em> world, most of the game's subject matter depicts stories of turmoil and strife.</p>
<p>And no classic story in <em>Magic's</em> cannon was so tragic and also caused so much destruction as that of the <em>The Brothers' War</em>. When Urza and his brotherly rival Mishra ravaged a world in their attempts to best one another.</p>
<p><em>The Brothers' War's </em>basics show the dichotomy artists strike when they illustrate for <em>Magic: the Gathering</em>. Between violence and beauty.</p>
<p>Themes of darkness and streams of lights. In their imagery, the lands show gargantuan war machines, alone in empty fields and swamps.</p>
<p>A mech the size of a skyscraper stands solemnly in a torrential storm at sea. All in masterful, oil-like landscapes that ape of the depictions of war from centuries past.</p>
<p>It's Pacific Rim meets the Dutch masters. It's beautiful and it's sick as hell.</p>
<h2>Theros: Beyond Death</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forest|THB|254"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Plains|THB|250"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Island|THB|251"></div></div>
<p>Sets like <em>Theros: Beyond Death</em> and <em>Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty</em> that revisit planes from older sets, give an interesting insight to <em>Magic's</em> evolution over time.</p>
<p>You can hold one card up from the previous iteration next to another from the newest and physically gaze upon all the differences in the artworks between sets old and new.</p>
<p>The new blood of illustrators side by side with the old greats. The digital renderings of a modern card next to the traditional mediums of a classic.</p>
<p>The full art lands in <em>Theros: Beyond Death</em> were the topic of some controversy among <em>Magic</em> traditionalists when they released. "These aren't lands" they said. They're constellations. Nebulae. There's not a forest or a mountain in sight. And whilst on a surface level I agree, I do think the lands' detractors may have slightly missed the point.</p>
<p>There's plenty of abstraction in this game of ours. And whilst it's important to keep the game's themes rooted in internally consistent logic, the fact of the matter is that as ideas for planes get more ambitious - certain core principles need to adapt to fit in with those new designs.</p>
<p>Boiler rooms in haunted houses become mountains. Garden districts on top of skyscrapers become forests. And whilst <em>Theros</em> has plenty of regular lands to work with, it's also the domain of the gods. And here, the lands you seek are also among the cosmos. In beautiful and glittering starlight.</p>
<h2>Dominaria United</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mountain|DMU|280"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forest|DMU|281"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swamp|DMU|279"></div></div>
<p>But don't worry too much if you are a traditionalist, (although if you really are, are you even playing full arts to begin with?) because I've got a set of basic lands here that hark back to the stunning vistas of <em>Magic's </em>original setting, <em>Dominaria</em>.</p>
<p>Emblazoned in stained glass are a cycle of lands paying reverence to the myriad iconic locations of the OG plane. Floating cities and great forests surround stylized illustrations of the mana symbols.</p>
<p>The colours are bold and saturated and of all the standard sets' full art basic lands, these stand out from the rest of your board like no other. They're a perfect matching of style and substance for me. The perfect blend of a medium and a place to depict it with.</p>
<p>There's so much history in the lands of Dominaria and as the home of the Saga, the history depicting enchantment that pays homage to great stories in <em>Magic's </em>past, there seems no better way to make mana to cast them with.</p>
<p>I really like it when a card you can get in a standard booster pack feels like you've just ordered a secret lair by mistake. These lands have such a unique feel to them that stand out from so many of the other basics on offer.</p>
<p>Like they were custom-built for an artist to illustrate for some special drop. But they're not. They're right at the back of a <em>Dominaria United</em> pack.</p>
<p>Behind the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolarian Terror" href="#" target="_blank">Tolarian Terrors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Temporary Lockdown" href="#" target="_blank">Temporary Lockdowns</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheoldred, the Apocalypse" href="#" target="_blank">Sheoldreds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of an already fantastic set.</p>
<h2>The Best Land is Your Favorite Land</h2>
<p>One of the lovely things about art is its subjectivity, which means that no matter how hard they try any commenters on this article won't actually be able to tell me I'm wrong for these choices.</p>
<p>That does unfortunately go both ways however which means that in the end, whatever basics you love will also be the best of the bunch.</p>
<p>As long as they're in your deck. And no matter how much I disagree with your choices, that'll always be true. Funny how life is like that sometimes, huh?</p>
<p>Here's an honorary mention to the cool space lands from <em>Unfinity</em>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swamp|UNF|242"></div></div>
<p>I'll see you in the next episode of <em>The Monolith </em>where I'll no doubt be checking out some cool new monocolored cards in Tarkir! Until then happy building, and happy full art admiring. I'll see you in the next one.</p>


Magic's Most Beautiful Full Art Basics

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Confluence|EXP|042" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Confluence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://www.howardlyon.com/">Howard Lyon</a></h6>
<h4><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/how-to-build-a-commander-deck" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Article 1: How to Build a Commander Deck</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-commander">Article 2: How to Choose Your Commander</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/beginner-content-how-to-win-a-commander-game">Article 3: How to Win a Commander Game</a> |</h4>
<p>Hello there, and welcome to the world of Commander, <em>Magic: The Gathering's </em>most popular format! My name is Brian, and I aim to be your guide for navigating this format that we at EDHREC know and love so much.</p>
<p>In this series, we're focused on helping out players new to the format get started. If you missed the previous articles, make sure to check out the links above.</p>
<p>Today, we're talking about mana curves. What is a mana curve, why it's important, how to examine your deck's curve, and what to keep in mind when you're adding or removing cards.</p>
<h3>What is a mana curve?</h3>
<p>If you're new to the game, you may have not heard of a mana curve before. A mana curve is the distribution of mana values of the nonland cards in your deck.</p>
<p>If that still doesn't make sense, that's okay. It's much easier to visualize. Here's the mana curve of a deck recently featured in my other series, <em><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brew-for-your-buck-mary-read-and-anne-bonny-budget-combo">Brew For Your Buck</a>:</em></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.31.03.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-143409 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.31.03.png" alt="" width="1796" height="400" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.31.03.png 1796w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.31.03-300x67.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.31.03-1024x228.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.31.03-768x171.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.31.03-1536x342.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1796px) 100vw, 1796px" /></a></p>
<p>Much better. You can see the "curve" on the graph, with most of the cards clustered in the 2-4 mana range.</p>
<h3>Why does it matter?</h3>
<p>Okay, so who cares? You should! Having a well-structured mana curve means you will be able to play out your cards, making your deck more effective, meaning you'll win more, which is ultimately more fun! I often see newer players struggle in games because they can't play enough of their cards.</p>
<p>It's a frustrating experience for them, and takes away from the dynamic gameplay of a multiplayer format, making it less fun for the rest of the table.</p>
<p>Here's another way to think about it: Let's assume that the average game of Commander lasts about 12 turns. How many five mana cards are you reasonably going to play in those 12 turns? Better yet, how many total cards will you see during the game? It's probably less than you think.</p>
<p>Adjusting your mana curve to maximize the effectiveness of your deck is one of the most important deckbuilding decisions you can make.</p>
<h3>Commander Matters</h3>
<p>There are many different ways and reasons to adjust your mana curve, and as usual, it starts with your commander. There are two reasons: 1) you probably want to cast your commander as soon as you get to that point in the curve, and 2) your commander's abilities will affect the other decisions around your mana curve. Let's take a look at two of my personal decks:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rose, Cutthroat Raider"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Belbe, Corrupted Observer"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/10673136/rosie_the_riveter">Rosie the Riveter</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.16.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-143412 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.16.png" alt="" width="1800" height="372" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.16.png 1800w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.16-300x62.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.16-1024x212.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.16-768x159.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.16-1536x317.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/10673122/beldrazi">Beldrazi</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.04.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-143411 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.04.png" alt="" width="1808" height="390" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.04.png 1808w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.04-300x65.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.04-1024x221.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.04-768x166.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-10.56.04-1536x331.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1808px) 100vw, 1808px" /></a></p>
<p>The mana curves for these two decks are wildly different. The first one is weighted heavily towards mana value 1-3, while the second has a huge spike after six mana. Why? It's all about the commanders.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rose, Cutthroat Raider" href="#" target="_blank">Rose</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wants me to attack all three of my opponents so I can make the max amount of Junk tokens, so I focused on cheap creatures for turns one through three so that by turn four, I can cast Rose and get the maximum benefit.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Belbe, Corrupted Observer" href="#" target="_blank">Belbe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (with the help of some key one drops) can pretty easily generate six mana as early as turn two, so I want to have plenty of Eldrazi haymakers to cast way ahead of schedule.</p>
<p>Despite the big difference in the mana curves, in both cases you can see the importance of the commander's mana value, and the resulting mana value of the cards around it. I love these examples since they showcase the extremes of how your mana curve can change based on the commander.</p>
<h3>Nuts and Bolts</h3>
<p>Okay, hopefully you've got the concept down, so let's get into some actionable things to consider during your deckbuilding:</p>
<h4><strong><em>In general</em><em> </em>it is better to lower your curve where you can</strong>.</h4>
<p>Belbe in the example above shows that doing so is not always the case, but if you're just starting out, keeping your curve low will yield the fastest results. There is a reason why <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rampant Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Rampant Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is played in nearly 810,000 decks and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Natural Connection" href="#" target="_blank">Natural Connection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is played in only 6,000.</p>
<p>Putting a bunch of 6+ mana cards in your deck might seem fun and powerful, but if you can only cast two of them in a game, drawing a bunch of them isn't very effective. Look for cards that do something similar but for less mana.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rampant Growth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Natural Connection"></div></div>
<h4>Concentrate the majority of your cards between 2-4 mana.</h4>
<p>There are a lot of effective cards printed in this mana value range that can really swing the tide of the game. Keeping your cards in this range will also open up a lot more options during gameplay and let you react to different game scenarios.</p>
<p>If you're at five mana, you can cast two 2-drops, a 4-drop, or cast your three mana commander like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vadrik, Astral Archmage" href="#" target="_blank">Vadrik</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and hold up a two mana <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to protect it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vadrik, Astral Archmage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Counterspell"></div></div>
<h4>Make sure your high mana cards are impactful</h4>
<p>On the flip side, when you do play one of your higher mana value cards, make sure it's something that's extremely impactful. A generic example is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will send opposing boards back to the stone age.</p>
<p>Something a little more niche might be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terror of the Peaks" href="#" target="_blank">Terror of the Peaks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm" href="#" target="_blank">Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cyclonic Rift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Terror of the Peaks"></div></div>
<h4>Consider the "actual" mana value of your cards</h4>
<p>Many cards that are commonly played in Commander have cost reduction effects attached to them. The most common example of course is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It will show up on your curve as an 8+ mana card, but in reality you can cast it for a lot less than that.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, an X spell like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hangarback Walker" href="#" target="_blank">Hangarback Walker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will show up as zero mana value, but you probably won't be casting it for no mana since it will insta-die.</p>
<p>An advantage of X spells is that they can slot in at multiple spots on the curve, but consider them at the mana value you'll be casting them most often.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blasphemous Act"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hangarback Walker"></div></div>
<h4>Look for cards with "multiple" mana values</h4>
<p>Similar to the last point about X spells, there are also cards that have "multiple" mana values. These cards are often powerful because of their flexibility.</p>
<p>One of my favorite card types, Adventures, are a good example. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Virtue of Persistence" href="#" target="_blank">Virtue of Persistence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is considered a seven mana card, but it helps offset its high cost by having Locthwain Scorn as a mode you can cast early while you wait to get there.</p>
<p>The mana value of split cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wear // Tear" href="#" target="_blank">Wear // Tear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is equal to the mana value of both halves (three in this case) but you can cast either (or both in this case) half for less than that.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Virtue of Persistence"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wear // Tear"></div></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Mana Curve Tools</h3>
<p>Now that you've got those mana curve concepts in your tool belt, you can apply them to your deckbuilding. The last thing to touch on are the tools available to help you mana all of these numbers. Look no further than <a href="https://archidekt.com/">Archidekt</a>.</p>
<p>The graphs I included above all game from my lists from Archidekt. Those screenshots are just of the basic and general mana curve, which is where you should focus your attention early. As you become a more experienced deckbuilder, you can dive even deeper, including filters by color...</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.15.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-143416 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.15.png" alt="" width="1812" height="1000" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.15.png 1812w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.15-300x166.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.15-1024x565.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.15-768x424.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.15-1536x848.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1812px) 100vw, 1812px" /></a></p>
<p>...or by any number of other options, including personalized categories if you make them:</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.35.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-143417 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.35.png" alt="" width="1798" height="652" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.35.png 1798w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.35-300x109.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.35-1024x371.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.35-768x278.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screen-Shot-2024-12-30-at-11.59.35-1536x557.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1798px) 100vw, 1798px" /></a></p>
<p>If you have a deck that you feel like isn't firing on all cylinders, try plugging it into Archidekt and seeing what the mana curve section reveals. You might be surprised at the results, and you'll have a good starting point for improving your mana curve if necessary.</p>
<h3>Wrap Up</h3>
<p>Whew! We covered a lot today, and I hope it wasn't too overwhelming. The idea of a mana curve is really important for our game, and not just in Commander. It's even more of a focus in other formats that are much faster and more competitive than Commander, where even a tiny slip up might spell disaster.</p>
<p>If your decks aren't performing as well as you'd like, I highly encourage you to review your decks and check out your mana curve. And when you build a new one, make sure you take these ideas into account! I promise it'll lead to more plays and as a result, more fun.</p>
<p>Look out for more beginner articles from me soon, and if you're looking for cheap and effective decks, check out my other series <em>Brew For Your Buck</em> here on EDHREC. If you have any questions or comments, drop them down below and I'll be sure to address them. Until then, happy deckbuilding and watch out for the curve!</p>


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