Ever feel like you’re standing in front of a giant candy store, but you can’t decide which treat to pick? That’s kind of what it’s like when you first dive into Commander, the most popular way to play Magic: The Gathering. With so many amazing pre-built decks, it’s easy to feel a little lost. You want to jump into the fun, but picking the *right* Starter Commander Deck can seem like a puzzle.
You might worry about picking a deck that’s too complicated, too weak, or just not your style. Maybe you’ve heard Commander is awesome but don’t know where to begin. That’s where we come in! This post is your friendly guide to navigating the world of Starter Commander Decks. We’ll break down what makes them great and help you discover which one will be your perfect entry point into epic multiplayer battles.
By the end of this, you’ll feel confident about choosing a deck that matches your personality and playstyle. Get ready to build your first Commander army and start slinging spells with your friends!
Top Starter Commander Decks Recommendations
- Bundle of all 5 Starter Commander Decks—First Flight, Grave Danger, Chaos Incarnate, Draconic Destruction, and Token Triumph
- Each deck contains 100 cards—1 Foil-Etched Legendary card + 99 nonfoil cards
- Each deck also comes with 1 deck box, 10 double-sided tokens, punchout counters, a strategy insert, and a reference card
- The perfect introduction to Magic’s most popular format—join your friends in epic multiplayer battles with a ready-to-play MTG deck
- Commander Game Format 2–5 players, around 120 minutes to play
- WELCOME TO THE MULTIVERSE—The perfect way to start playing Commander with your friends. Bring this 100-card deck to the table and square off against up to three other combatants!
- THRILLING MULTIPLAYER BATTLES—Battle your friends with powerful creatures and spectacular spells in Commander, Magic’s most popular multiplayer format
- DESIGN THE BLUEPRINT FOR PAIN—Work with Sai to engineer useful artifacts and generate flying thopters as a bonus. Make unexpected plays and draw additional cards to let the cogs of your strategy click into place!
- FOIL LEGENDARY CARD—Every Foundations Commander Deck includes 1 Mythic Rare Legendary Creature card with a shiny Traditional Foil treatment to command your deck in style
- CONTENTS—1 ready-to-play Keen Engineering Foundations MTG Commander Deck (100 cards), 1 deck box, 10 double-sided token cards, 1 strategy guide, 1 reference card
- WELCOME TO THE MULTIVERSE—The perfect way to start playing Commander with your friends. Bring this 100-card deck to the table and square off against up to three other combatants!
- THRILLING MULTIPLAYER BATTLES—Battle your friends with powerful creatures and spectacular spells in Commander, Magic’s most popular multiplayer format
- RULE FROM YOUR THRONE OF TREASURE—Your reign over the table begins with Lathliss, who creates a dragon when a non-token dragon enters. Use treasure tokens and cost-reduction effects to send out your fiercest dragons early and drown the world in fire!
- FOIL LEGENDARY CARD—Every Foundations Commander Deck includes 1 Mythic Rare Legendary Creature card with a shiny Traditional Foil treatment to command your deck in style
- CONTENTS—1 ready-to-play Reign of Dragons Foundations MTG Commander Deck (100 cards), 1 deck box, 10 double-sided token cards, 1 strategy guide, 1 reference card
- READY-TO-PLAY COMMANDER DECK FOR NEWCOMERS AND FANS: Join friends in epic battles! This Magic: The Gathering Starter Commander Deck, Draconic Destruction (Red-Green), is ready to play straight out of the box
- INTRO TO MAGIC’S MOST POPULAR FORMAT: Commander is a multiplayer way to play Magic! Learn how to play with your own deck, easy-to-follow rules, strategy tips, and reference card
- 100 CARD RED-GREEN DECK: With the Draconic Destruction deck, go on the attack with Atarka, World Render, and double down on dragon damage to overwhelm foes with a multiplying army
- FOIL-ETCHED LEGENDARY CREATURE CARD: Includes 1 legendary creature card with gorgeous art and a foil-etched treatment. This card serves as your "commander" with unique abilities that make plays even more powerful
- INCLUDES ACCESSORIES AND DECK BOX: Also comes with 10 two-sided tokens, a deck box for storage, and punchout counters to keep track of creature buffs
- WELCOME TO THE MULTIVERSE—The perfect way to start playing Commander with your friends. Bring this 100-card deck to the table and square off against up to three other combatants!
- THRILLING MULTIPLAYER BATTLES—Battle your friends with powerful creatures and spectacular spells in Commander, Magic’s most popular multiplayer format
- RISE WITH THE FALLEN—Overrun the table’s defenses with Ghoulcaller Gisa, who can rapidly build a zombie army. Once your shambling horde reaches critical mass, boost their attack and send everyone else to the graveyard!
- FOIL LEGENDARY CARD—Every Foundations Commander Deck includes 1 Mythic Rare Legendary Creature card with a shiny Traditional Foil treatment to command your deck in style
- CONTENTS—1 ready-to-play Wretched Ranks Foundations MTG Commander Deck (100 cards), 1 deck box, 10 double-sided token cards, 1 strategy guide, 1 reference card
- WELCOME TO THE MULTIVERSE—The perfect way to start playing Commander with your friends. Bring this 100-card deck to the table and square off against up to three other combatants!
- THRILLING MULTIPLAYER BATTLES—Battle your friends with powerful creatures and spectacular spells in Commander, Magic’s most popular multiplayer format
- BECOME AN ANGEL ... OF DEATH!—Hope arrives in full force with Giada and her ability to strengthen any angels you cast. Play a whole host of angels, reap the divine benefits, and ascend to victory!
- FOIL LEGENDARY CARD—Every Foundations Commander Deck includes 1 Mythic Rare Legendary Creature card with a shiny Traditional Foil treatment to command your deck in style
- CONTENTS—1 ready-to-play Calling All Angels Foundations MTG Commander Deck (100 cards), 1 deck box, 10 double-sided token cards, 1 strategy guide, 1 reference card
- READY-TO-PLAY COMMANDER DECK FOR NEWCOMERS AND FANS: Join friends in epic battles! This Magic: The Gathering Starter Commander Deck, Grave Danger (Blue-Black), is ready to play straight out of the box
- INTRO TO MAGIC’S MOST POPULAR FORMAT: Commander is a multiplayer way to play Magic! Learn how to play with your own deck, easy-to-follow rules, strategy tips, and reference card
- 100 CARD BLUE-BLACK DECK: With the Grave Danger deck, ally with the human wizards and siblings Gisa and Geralf and overwhelm foes with a multiplying army of zombies
- FOIL-ETCHED LEGENDARY CREATURE CARD: Includes 1 legendary creature card with gorgeous art and a foil-etched treatment. This card serves as your "commander" with unique abilities that make plays even more powerful
- INCLUDES ACCESSORIES AND DECK BOX: Also comes with 10 two-sided tokens, a deck box for storage, and punchout counters to keep track of creature buffs
- READY-TO-PLAY COMMANDER DECK FOR NEWCOMERS AND FANS: Join friends in epic battles! This Magic: The Gathering Starter Commander Deck, First Flight (White-Blue), is ready to play straight out of the box
- INTRO TO MAGIC’S MOST POPULAR FORMAT: Commander is a multiplayer way to play Magic! Learn how to play with your own deck, easy-to-follow rules, strategy tips, and reference card
- 100 CARD WHITE-BLUE DECK: With the First Flight deck, take wing with the sphinx Isperia, Supreme Judge, and overwhelm foes with a squadron of flying friends
- FOIL-ETCHED LEGENDARY CREATURE CARD: Includes 1 legendary creature card with gorgeous art and a foil-etched treatment. This card serves as your "commander" with unique abilities that make plays even more powerful
- INCLUDES ACCESSORIES AND DECK BOX: Also comes with 10 two-sided tokens, a deck box for storage, and punchout counters to keep track of creature buffs
Your First Steps into Commander: A Starter Deck Buying Guide
Welcome, new planeswalkers! So, you’ve heard about the exciting world of Commander, the popular multiplayer format in Magic: The Gathering. You’re ready to jump in, but the thought of building a deck from scratch feels a little overwhelming. That’s where Starter Commander Decks come in! These pre-built decks are designed to get you playing right away. Let’s break down what makes a good one.
Key Features to Look For
When picking your first Starter Commander Deck, keep these important features in mind:
- The Commander: This is the most important card! Your Commander leads your army and has special abilities. Look for a Commander that excites you. Do you like aggressive creatures? Tricky spells? A Commander that fits your playstyle makes the game more fun.
- Synergy: This means the cards in the deck work well together. A good starter deck has cards that support your Commander’s strategy. They should help you cast spells, play creatures, or draw more cards.
- Power Level: Starter decks are usually designed for casual play. They won’t be as powerful as highly customized decks. This is good for beginners! It means you can learn the game without feeling completely outmatched.
- Card Variety: A good deck has a mix of creatures, spells, and lands. Creatures attack and block. Spells do things like damage your opponents or protect your creatures. Lands give you the “mana” you need to cast your spells.
Important Materials
Starter Commander Decks come with everything you need to start playing.
- The Deck: You get a 100-card deck. This includes your Commander and 99 other cards. All these cards are ready to play right out of the box.
- Deck Box: Most starter decks come with a simple deck box to keep your cards safe.
- Life Counter: You’ll often get a way to track your life total, like a spindown die. This is super helpful for keeping score.
- Strategy Insert: Some decks include a small booklet that explains how to play the deck and suggests ways to improve it later.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
What makes a starter deck great?
- Ease of Use: A good starter deck has clear instructions and plays smoothly. The cards should make sense together. You shouldn’t have to search for hours to figure out what to do.
- Fun Factor: The most important thing is that the deck is fun to play! Does it let you do cool things? Does it create exciting game moments?
- Replayability: Can you play this deck many times and still enjoy it? Starter decks are meant to be a starting point. You can upgrade them later with new cards. A good starter deck provides a solid foundation for those upgrades.
- Card Quality: The cards themselves are printed on standard Magic: The Gathering card stock. The artwork and design are usually very well done. However, the power of the cards can vary between different starter decks. Some might have stronger, more sought-after cards than others.
User Experience and Use Cases
Starter Commander Decks are perfect for several situations:
- New Players: If you’re brand new to Magic: The Gathering or just the Commander format, a starter deck is your best friend. It lets you learn the rules and strategies without the stress of building.
- Casual Game Nights: These decks are ideal for playing with friends in a relaxed setting. They encourage interaction and fun, not just winning at all costs.
- Trying Out a New Strategy: Maybe you’re curious about a certain color combination or playstyle. A starter deck lets you experience it without investing a lot of money.
- Expanding Your Collection: Even experienced players can enjoy starter decks. They often contain useful cards that can be added to other decks.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is a Starter Commander Deck?
A: A Starter Commander Deck is a pre-built 100-card Magic: The Gathering deck designed for beginners to easily enter the Commander format.
Q: How many cards are in a Starter Commander Deck?
A: Each Starter Commander Deck contains 100 cards, including one legendary creature that serves as your Commander.
Q: Do I need any other cards to play with a Starter Commander Deck?
A: No, a Starter Commander Deck comes with everything you need to play right out of the box. You just need opponents!
Q: Are Starter Commander Decks good for experienced players?
A: Yes! Experienced players can use them to try new strategies, get specific cards, or as a base for building more powerful decks.
Q: Can I change the cards in a Starter Commander Deck?
A: Absolutely! Starter decks are a great starting point. You can swap cards in and out to make them stronger or fit your personal playstyle.
Q: What does “synergy” mean in a deck?
A: Synergy means that the cards in the deck work well together and help each other achieve a common goal.
Q: How powerful are Starter Commander Decks compared to other decks?
A: Starter decks are generally designed for casual play and are less powerful than highly competitive, custom-built decks.
Q: Where can I buy Starter Commander Decks?
A: You can find them at local game stores, major online retailers, and sometimes at larger general merchandise stores.
Q: What if I don’t like the Commander in the deck I choose?
A: You can still use the other 99 cards! You can also choose to replace the Commander with any legendary creature you own or acquire.
Q: Are Starter Commander Decks a good value for money?
A: For new players, they offer excellent value. You get a playable deck and learn the format for a reasonable price.
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