Balancing ActBalancing Act | Art by Scott M. Fischer

Over the years learning about the Commander format, I've noticed more and more how deckbuilding tips often come down to one big thing: balance. In this article, let's ExploreExplore how this concept applies to the many topics we come across as Commander players when sitting down to brew new decks and tune our old favorites. I'll also be providing resources to help guide readers on their balancing journey.

Let's get started!

Balancing Mana Production With "Action"

"Lands vs. spells" is often the first example of balance we learn about in Magic. Everyone quickly becomes familiar with the frustration of mana screw, a situation where they're only able to cast a few spells – or none at all.

The opposite, mana flood, results when players have too many lands and run out of spells to cast. This sweet spot of having enough mana to cast spells, but not so much that we run out of action, is also an important part of Commander.

Deckbuilding Resource: Smoothers

In 2022, Mark Rosewater introduced the idea of "smoothing" in Magic design as "a mechanic that either helps a player draw cards or fiddles with the top of the library to increase the quality of the card draws."

In Commander, we can think of smoothers as cards with mana value two or less that help us find lands in the early game, but remain relevant later in the game. Abundant HarvestAbundant Harvest, for example, is a perfect distillation of a smoother – it's a guaranteed land if you need it in the early game, but simply replaces itself with a different spell when our mana needs are met.

Compare this to Lay of the LandLay of the Land, which fills the first role but loses utility if drawn late.

Smoothers are often instants and sorceries, but can also take the form of impactful permanents. For example, the recently printed Dawnhand DissidentDawnhand Dissident helps filter draws in the early game and can become a powerful recursion engine if left unchecked over time.

Another recent smoother is Does MachinesDoes Machines; its goofy name and printing in a much-maligned set don't change its powerful versatility. It can serve as filtering in the early game, recursion in the middle game, and a win condition in the late game!

Here is a package of 80 budget-friendly smoothers.

Balancing Lands With Ramp Spells

In Commander, however, it's not just about having a good ratio of lands and spells. Within the mana production category, there is often a separate Balancing ActBalancing Act going on: actual lands vs. ramp.

Some players prefer higher land counts of 38-40 and don't stock their deck full of mana rocks. Others are okay skimping on a few lands and count on their artifact mana, ramp spells, and/or mana dorks to get the job done. This tradeoff can result in them accelerating past opponents who are more focused on consistently making land drops.

Deckbuilding Resource: Themed and Late Game-Friendly Rocks

But we don't have to choose between making land drops and ramping – we can find a healthy medium and do it all! If we prioritize accelerating from two to four mana and accessing every color of mana we need, classics like Arcane SignetArcane Signet and Fellwar StoneFellwar Stone are a good fit.

But if we want to test out a few rocks we won't be disappointed to see later in the game, why not try Midnight ClockMidnight Clock, Cursed MirrorCursed Mirror, The IrencragThe Irencrag, Aetheric AmplifierAetheric Amplifier, All-Fates ScrollAll-Fates Scroll, or BlitzballBlitzball?

There are also abundant themed mana rocks, like Fabrication FoundryFabrication Foundry for Artifact decks, Crowded CryptCrowded Crypt for Aristocrats decks and Forger's FoundryForger's Foundry for Spellslinger decks.

Here is a package of over 50 low-budget themed and late game-friendly rocks.

Balancing Card Draw With Impacting the Game

Another early lesson in Magic is often about the importance of drawing more cards than our opponents. While less obvious than the mana/spells divide, card draw also comes with an intrinsic form of balance. If we don't draw enough cards, we risk falling behind to more well-resourced opponents.

But if our decks are too diluted with card draw, we'll spend the whole game just drawing into more spells that don't do anything but draw us cards! Too much draw, too little action can have many downsides, including causing the game to drag on too long and making us appear to be a significant threat due to our stocked hand.

Deckbuilding Resource: Versatile Card Draw

Commander has a huge card pool available, so we don't have to exclusively rely on pure card draw classics like Dig Through TimeDig Through Time, Big ScoreBig Score, or HarmonizeHarmonize. This isn't to say these cards are bad – they're staples for a reason – just a reminder that there are all sorts of undiscovered tech that grants card draw while simultaneously advancing the game in another way.

After some research, we see card draw combined with all sorts of other advantages like:

• Rewarding attackers (Elegy AcolyteElegy Acolyte, Subira, Tulzidi CaravannerSubira, Tulzidi Caravanner, Akiri, Fearless VoyagerAkiri, Fearless Voyager)
• Adding new threats to the board (Will of the TemurWill of the Temur, Izoni, Center of the WebIzoni, Center of the Web, Éowyn, ShieldmaidenÉowyn, Shieldmaiden)
• Growing existing threats (Champions from BeyondChampions from Beyond, Shaman of the Great HuntShaman of the Great Hunt, Cleopatra, Exiled PharaohCleopatra, Exiled Pharaoh)
• Disruption (Observed StasisObserved Stasis, Raven EagleRaven Eagle, Hunter's TalentHunter's Talent, Ill-Timed ExplosionIll-Timed Explosion, Lorehold CommandLorehold Command)
• Recursion (Tersa LightshatterTersa Lightshatter, The War in HeavenThe War in Heaven, Sidar Jabari of ZhalfirSidar Jabari of Zhalfir)
• Lowering opponents' life totals (Starving RevenantStarving Revenant, Mob VerdictMob Verdict, Thunder of UnityThunder of Unity)

Here is a package of over 135 cards that fall into the above categories. Note: these are only <$1 budget cards that explicitly have the word "draw," so we're just scratching the surface here.

Balancing Removal With Proactive Play

While these first few categories have focused on advancing our own game plan, another basic of the game is slowing down our opponents. A big part of this disruption comes in the form of removal.

Commander players are continually debating how much removal to play in their decks, what ratio of spot vs. mass removal to include, and even making tier lists of removal spells.

Like these other aspects of deckbuilding, removal requires balance. For example, a deck that doesn't include enough may struggle to prevent opponents from winning and have trouble making political alliances. But a deck that includes too much removal, especially sweepers, might cause the game to go on for a long time and face the ire of opponents who are having their plans repeatedly foiled.

Deckbuilding Resource: Asymmetrical Sweepers

Many deck archetypes have sweepers that harm opposing forces while leaving their own armies untouched. Sweepers like these allow us to mitigate opposing threats without resetting the game completely.

These spells are asymmetrical because of one or more of the following:

• Creatures with certain card types are safe (Their Name Is DeathTheir Name Is Death, Extinguish All HopeExtinguish All Hope)
• Creatures with certain creature types are safe (Stick TogetherStick Together, WinnowingWinnowing, Whelming WaveWhelming Wave, Crux of FateCrux of Fate)
• Legendary creatures/permanents are safe (Urza's Ruinous BlastUrza's Ruinous Blast, Invasion of FioraInvasion of Fiora)
• Creatures with certain mana values are safe (Austere CommandAustere Command, Calamity of the TitansCalamity of the Titans)
• Creatures with certain power/toughness are safe (The Battle of BywaterThe Battle of Bywater, Expel the InterlopersExpel the Interlopers)
• Creatures with certain modifications are safe (Winds of RathWinds of Rath, Wave GoodbyeWave Goodbye)
• Some/all of our own creatures are safe (Localized DestructionLocalized Destruction, Gallifrey Falls // No MoreGallifrey Falls // No More)
• Permanents with certain colors/colorless permanents are safe (InundateInundate, Selective ObliterationSelective Obliteration)
• One creature remains safe for us or for each player (Final ShowdownFinal Showdown, Single CombatSingle Combat, DuneblastDuneblast)

Here is a package of over 65 asymmetrical sweepers.

Conclusion

There has been an explosion of new cards in just the past few years that have seriously bolstered these categories. This means there has never been an easier time to create a fitting balance between all the goals we're trying to achieve – but it can certainly take awhile to put the right pieces together.

What parts of your decks do you spend the most time balancing? Are there categories of cards you've found useful when building a new deck or tuning an older one? Sound off in the comments below! Until next time.