Magic: The Gathering Arena is an exceptional game. It takes MtG and makes it digital and more approachable, you even get funky animations and sound clips. That being said, building a collection of cards up is hard so you need to do everything you can to work on that. One of the best ways to get more cards is by taking part in the Sealed tournaments that occasionally run.
Each of these events has you opening six booster packs. You then get to build a deck with all of the cards you now have. It is one of the most entertaining ways of playing MtG because everyone goes in with the same degree of luck and a similar playing field. It doesn’t matter if the other person has four copies of the latest chase mythic rare, because they won’t have access to them during the event. Well, it is unlikely anyway.
The thing is that if you’ve never played a Sealed event before, how on earth are you meant to build a deck? Well, that is pretty much what this guide is here for. Rather than focussing on a specific set, this is a general post about the general rules to follow. So, it should help no matter when you read it.
The Basics
Look, this whole segment is a glorious pun because the first thing we need to discuss is the mana base. (This is funny because the single-coloured lands are called Basic Lands, I know explaining a joke ruins it, but I like this one).
So, you generally want between 13 and 18 lands in your Sealed deck. This depends on what your mana curve is (how much mana each card costs on average, sort of), how many colours you have in your deck, and what kind of cards you are using. For example, if you are playing with a bunch of cards that turn your lands into creatures then having more lands is a good thing. If, however, your deck is entirely made up of two-mana creatures, then you are going to want fewer lands.
Your land count can also be affected by cards that search for land, creatures that generate mana, and lands that produce more than one colour. If you have a bunch of creatures who can make mana then you may need marginally less land, if you have a land that can produce more than one colour of mana or spells which fetch up a land, then you can probably splash a third colour. It is all about always being able to play the cards you have. That is basically your aim.
The Bombs
Next up is what cards to use. MtG Arena shows you your rares and mythic rares first and for good reason. These are probably the most powerful cards in your deck. Generally speaking, if a few of these share one or two colours, then they are probably the colours you want to be in. So, if you have two white rares and a black mythic, then building a black/white deck is a good shout.
You want to have a look at your removal too. The only thing more important than having a flashy card is having an answer to everyone else’s flashy card. So, if you have a spell that reads “Kill target thing” it is usually a good idea to include it. You need to be able to deal with threats in order to win.
If your removal and your bombs don’t line up well, then it is about looking at the rest of the pool. Do you have enough decent cards in the same colours as your removal to build a cohesive functioning deck? Are there some cheap creatures to go aggro with, or some big ones to close out the game?
There are lots of little questions which can only be answered when looking at exactly which cards you have, but if you look for big game-winning cards and removal, then you are starting from a very good place. That being said, you would also be surprised just how good an army of 2/2s can be in some games. This will all come with practice though.
Definitely check out our hub for all things MtG Arena and good luck.
Published: May 7, 2019 04:33 pm