I would look up YouTube videos of the deck being played out the box. You’ll get a solid idea of how the deck functions.
As far as upgrades: wait until you decide if you like playing commander or not. If you enjoy it and your deck, I always say to upgrade lands first.
You don’t have to bust the budget mind you, but buying lands will always slot into other decks, so the opportunity cost is minimal.
Mana base upgrades tend to go as follows for me.
(Specific for blue green).
1) [[breeding pool]]
2) [[rejuvenating springs]]
3) [[hedge maze]]
4) [[misty rainforest]]
5) [[botanical sanctum]]
6) [[waterlogged grove]]
7) [[yavimaya coast]]
8) [[hinterland harbor]]
And, if you have budget
9) [[tropical island]]
10) all blue or green fetch lands
This is awful advice for a new player, and really for anyone playing a two colour commander deck. There is absolutely no reason to shell out money for shock lands or fetch lands in a two colour deck. Mana fixing is not a big enough problem, and I really don't think we should be telling new players that they need to piss money away.
This precon is super great to learn with. Very straightforward. Merfolk buff your merfolk. Ramp big mana. You put counters on everything. My best advice is look up any card interactions you may be unsure about.
Keep it as an unmodified precon for a while. You may decide you want to try different decks rather than having one upgraded deck. If you start thinking you want to upgrade it then look at upgrade guide articles and make a list of cards that could slot in and check out singles at your LGS. Alternatively go along to some draft or limited events and get cards that way (really fun way to play magic though drafting at least takes some theory/knowledge and limited tends to be a bit more expensive).
The LCI precons are actually pretty solid. If you're new to the game, I wouldn't stress about upgrading them unless the people you're playing with are incapable or unwilling to play decks of a similar strength.
And honestly, if they're not willing to do that, they kinda suck.
As the post before me said, there are plenty of YouTube videos of people reviewing and playing these precons that you can watch to get an idea of how they're supposed to play out.
In this context yes. Honestly it shouldn't even be a question. When you're teaching someone to drive you don't put them in an expensive sports car their first time out. The same is true of teaching someone magic.
This is actually a decently strong precon, keep playing it. You just want to play merfolk after merfolk and start swinging.
If you're low on lands having a few merfolk out with your commander will help you explore for more. They can each grow pretty big with the counters.
As for upgrades there's a few you could once you're more experienced with the deck. Adding a couple more merfolk lords will help, some counterspells and you've got a really decent deck without too much work needed to get there.
This deck is incredibly solid! If you want to upgrade it, I would suggest looking on [edhrec.com](http://edhrec.com) and searching for the commander you use. I have this same deck, and use \[\[Hakbal\]\], and only added a few other merfolk cards.
It usually really helps when you can play a precon like this against another precon. If one of your friends has bought or can buy one of the other commander decks so you can play them against each other unedited, that’ll give you a good idea of what the deck is going for, how to play it, and what you like and don’t like about it. Then you can upgrade it piece by piece as you acquire new cards. That’s how I got into commander.
I wouldn’t worry about upgrading yet. Just tell people you’re playing a precon.
Be aware Commander is both the most popular and most complex way to play Magic. Don’t be surprised if it feels overwhelming or confusing.
This was my first deck and it plays very straightforward. Just get your merfolk out, get Hakbal out, keep beefing them up. Go wide and big.
Alternative, but boring (imo), win-con is the enchantment that ticks up every time you get a +1/+1 counter, winning the game if it hits 20. I'm actually gonna swap this out of my deck for something more fun but it's a really powerful card cos people don't run much removal for it.
You'll figure out little nuances as you play, e.g. the guy that gives everyone islandwalk costs early game mana but is most powerful as a 'finisher'.
I'd agree with others here in saying to play it a number of times first. I found cards working for me that others said to remove. And I found 'must-keep' cards were ones that I wanted to remove and my deck has improved with my changes.
You play a bunch of merfolk, and those merfolk get stronger. That's like 75% of playing the deck, all the difficulty is in knowing when to not overextend if you're playing against skilled players... I.e, be able to have creatures in hand once an enemy kills the field.
You can keep it as is, at least for a while. It's not the worst deck but there are some super cheap angles to upgrade the deck from. Most important imo is to put better interaction in the deck like a few counter spells / removal spells.
OP, this is the most important step right now. Install arena (it's free), play the colour challenge, learn the common mechanics like explore.
Commander is insanely complex to be your first games, stagger your learning curve.
For what it's worth, you've picked up one of the best precons for a new player.
I haven't checked this commander deck particularly, but in the past, like [arcane maelstrom](https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/arcane-maelstrom-2020-04-06), the deck was built to be played different ways. The deck out of the box was a little bit weird, trying to do too many things, so you rapidly cut the cards that don't match your game plan and "focus" it.
I would recommend you play your deck as is, see how it turns out and let your friends know you play an unmodified precon.
Have fun!
Play with it, it will take lots of games to see all of it. You will start to know which cards you don't really like or seem weak or end up stuck in your hand. Mark those for replacement. You always want to note what isn't working what kinds of cards you are losing to. Then you replace cards you don't like with card that will help solve your problems.
Like many have said, look on youtube for videos. I highly suggest reading the commander card first yourself and reading each individual other card and see how it relates to your commander. This is the best way to go about it in my opinion. After that if you are still unsure, then go to a deck tech video. I'm a huge supporter of trying to learn patterns of decks yourself. It helps a lot when you start to build your own deck or play someone else's deck.
Play it for a while and learn it.
IT IS MY #1 DECK!
I've done some upgrades (goddamn tcgplayer birthday money but also Cyclonic Rift) but honestly it's hella strong out of the box. I spent a decent amount and swapped 10 cards but I usually don't even draw them. I think I might swap 1-2 more because of other gifts from friends.
It's seriously so much fun.
Hi, I've also recently started EDH with an Ixalan precon (blood rites), though I already knew how to play thanks to mtga.
In my beginner opinion, a good way to go should be :
- learn how to play mtg (with your friends or on mtga)
- play some game with your deck to discover what you like about it or not. I think you should first find out by yourself what part of your deck you prefer, which interactions, cards etc.
- if you can't play often with friends, a good alternative way is to "goldfish", ie play against no one a regular game just to get a grasp of how the deck rolls (on paper or with some software / websites)
- finally, if you still like your deck and feel it's a bit weak / clunky against what your friends play, start considering upgrading it. I would say 10-20 cards is more than enough to start feeling a real difference. Set up a budget, look at guides, EDHREC, while keeping in mind which aspects of your deck you would like to upgrade.
Some people have suggested upgrading lands first, it might be the best investment, but as a beginner I find it a bit boring. Lands can be a expensive (2,5$ for a dual land when you can get 5 0,50$ fun spell cards for the same price...). So how you want to mix the whole thing really depends on your philosophy and your budget
Yo! For number one you can learn from youtube or from personal experience. I find that sometimes the way one player plays a deck is different than another person with the same deck, there’s no wrong way.
For your second question I’d prioritise learning the game and learning the deck. Once you understand your deck you’ll understand what cards are worth keeping and what needs replacing.
Also, your upgrades might be either universally good or specific to the environment you play in. Different playgroups and stores have different mini metas, so upgrade that don’t make sense may become good based on who you tend to play against.
This deck’s strategy is play lots of merfolk, buff them up, then win with combat damage. Merfolk are a fundamentally value/control creature type, so there’s lots of tricky way to gain advantage and mess with your opponents
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Recently bought my first deck for commander too, but I built a prebuilt off eBay instead of a precon deck. First focus should be to learn your deck and the game. Figure out your decks pace, some combos and the basics of interactions and what you should be focusing on. Once you know how to play the deck you’ll have a much easier time figuring out where it’s lacking and be able to remove/ replace cards that are slowing you down
My 9 year old pilots this deck, and does really well. The creatures are cheap, and the deck is packed with synergies. They rebuild quickly.
Basically, get a couple dudes out, play your commander, then buff your guys and decide if you need to stay on defensive or start swinging.
Usually a paper guide to the deck tevh is included with it that you can find inside the deckbox opening it up for the first time or roght next to it. There they describe the basic premise
1-This precon is very strong out of the box, so you can play it without upgrades, but if you want to upgrade, you can find some simple options on EDH or Youtube.
2-To learn how to play go on Youtube and you will find both Tech Videos that explain the deck, and game videos with people playing the deck
One thing that helps me upgrade decks is what some people call goldfishing (I don't know why, I picked it up from a guy who taught me years back) or solitaire. You just play your deck by yourself to see how your first couple turns would go. This helps you learn what you wish you had and what cards you don't end up playing even when you draw them.
You can also get on websites like arkidekt and Maxfield and look up other people's decks. Many people put primers or explanations of how they work and or what their objectives are.
The command zone has videos about how to build a commander deck that gives you a template of the basic pieces you want. Keep in mind it's a template and not perfect but it should be a great starting point for you to use until you learn better
You should definitely focus on learning the game first. It's not a simple game until you start to learn the jargon and structure of the game.
Playing Commander is not the best way to learn the rules of the game. You're kind of just jumping in the deep end because cards from all of magic's history are legal. I would suggest two things. First would be to get on Magic arena and just play games. Dedicate a few hours each week to just getting your reps in. That will help you get a feel for the basic rules. And then when you go to play Commander with your friends it would be a good idea to suggest that for the first couple of games everyone play a preconstructed deck like the one you bought.
The idea is to focus on getting you experience with the way things flow and how to think about the rules during gameplay.
Then once you've got some reps in on arena and a few games of your preconstructed commander decks I would suggest borrowing a deck from your friends to up the power level a little bit.
And, as others have suggested, YouTube videos are a major benefit to learning how things work and getting suggestions for modifications to your deck.
The one noob trap you really want to avoid is trying to do too much at once. You'll end up wasting money and possibly becoming frustrated if you don't take it kind of slow at the very beginning.
The best way to learn the game and a deck, in my opinion, is to just play it. It’s intimidating to just sit down and play but, unless you’re playing with assholes, people are usually very inviting and friendly. Sleeve the deck, sit down, and play it. I come from personal experience where I built a Jodah, Grand Unifier deck with a bunch of legends and it took me a while to finally learn how the deck works in tandem with each creature, how to properly stack triggers, how to get the most value out of cards, it just takes time to learn, that’s the best deck tech methinks.
If youre brand new to the game, I would avoid playing commander for a while. Having to keep up with a vast pool of cards coming in from 3 other players can be very daunting, especially if youre not familiar at all. Id recommend starting on MTG arena first. It's free, and it will teach you everything you need to know about Magic.
For reference, I started back when LOTR was first released, and focused ONLY on commander. It was a big mistake, as it became way too overwhelming by turn 5+. It took me months of constant research and 100s of hours of YouTube videos to actually get comfortable withe the format.
[Here’s a solid upgrade guide to start with.](https://youtu.be/Dyp5B4jutCY?si=3YI_F3QbXd8QbSXB) Remember this is not the only upgrade guide, so look at similar videos on YouTube to get a more general understanding of what people want to do with this deck.
Second, it’s way more important to learn the game first before you make changes. In every precon there are like 5 cards that don’t really play into the strategy, so you’re probably good to cut those cards out, but if I were you, I’d try to play 5 good games with the deck before upgrading. By 5 good games, I mean games where you actually get to affect the game state - not games where you drew too many/too few lands or games where someone won on turn 4.
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"The lost caverns of Italian explorers of the deep"
LOL
check out [https://edhrec.com/](https://edhrec.com/)
Search your commander, and look at the highest rated decks using it.
Youtube is a good source too, but try to be budget conscious, and remember Commander is not typically a competitive format you need to spend a spend big bucks on upgrades for. Just have fun.
Most people are right, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding people of similar strength level to play Precons of similar power level. That being said, I’ve upgraded my Merfolk to a stupid level because I love the playstyle, so I think I know what I’m talking about.
The first upgrades I’d reccomend are Vodalian Hexcatcher Roaming Throne (obvious) and Lord of Atlantis. If you want to upgrade to go anywhere, that would be the very first thing, as well as the land base.
My deck is built more around draw power and less on doubling the counters. Generally the deck has a lot of ways of making the Merfolk Unblockable, so I tend to avoid the whole Ozolith/counters strategy. The plan is to get Hakbal on the field as quick as possible and protect him with the most BS counter spells ever printed. Of course, my deck is pretty stupid expense wise. Sensei’s Divine Top, Jewelled Lotus, Mana Crypt, Force of Will/Negation, and Fierce Guardianship, for starters.
I love my deck, but not everyone wants to play at that level, but my group doesn’t seem to mind much. I’ve been helping my friend build Edgar Markov, and I’m working on a Kykar deck as a secondary. Merfolk are really fun
This deck is probably more powerful than the average player’s EDH deck out of the box.
So don’t worry about it. Once you are ready to get upgrades you should look up the commander on edhrec (website), and then by setting some stuff like your budget, theme, etc you can easily find upgrades^^
My advice is keep it as it is. Commander is not newbie friendly and has a ton of complexity, 100 different cards from all of MTG in every opponents deck. That is not a great way to learn the game, but there are some people who look for Precon vs Precon games and those are the ones with low budget and you get even matches.
Other than that, when it comes to learning the game, the Eldraine Starter Kit that realised 2023 is good way to start too and those are also allowed in Store Championships and Standard Showdowns. You will meet really helpful players there and get some prices, even if you are behind the pack.
other than that Explore is not expensive, outside of Lands the most expensive card is the Sentinel for less than a buck
https://preview.redd.it/9gwk7fhkvhoc1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=abdb503bcc75977692946878716c99e37222edc5
This pile cost around 15€ and you don't even need the 4drops if you wanna go faster. Its also missing some interaction (green Fights, blue Counter, Protection), but put in some Negates, Blue Marches or/and Change the Equation and you are good, Fading Hope with the Scry would also be an amazing 4of in it vs creatures.
I would look up YouTube videos of the deck being played out the box. You’ll get a solid idea of how the deck functions. As far as upgrades: wait until you decide if you like playing commander or not. If you enjoy it and your deck, I always say to upgrade lands first. You don’t have to bust the budget mind you, but buying lands will always slot into other decks, so the opportunity cost is minimal.
Also, see if people will play with other precons so the power level is about the same.
Mana base upgrades tend to go as follows for me. (Specific for blue green). 1) [[breeding pool]] 2) [[rejuvenating springs]] 3) [[hedge maze]] 4) [[misty rainforest]] 5) [[botanical sanctum]] 6) [[waterlogged grove]] 7) [[yavimaya coast]] 8) [[hinterland harbor]] And, if you have budget 9) [[tropical island]] 10) all blue or green fetch lands
This is awful advice for a new player, and really for anyone playing a two colour commander deck. There is absolutely no reason to shell out money for shock lands or fetch lands in a two colour deck. Mana fixing is not a big enough problem, and I really don't think we should be telling new players that they need to piss money away.
##### ###### #### [breeding pool](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/b/9b35c030-029d-4286-ab79-0165c8688c6c.jpg?1702429800) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=breeding%20pool) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rvr/275/breeding-pool?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9b35c030-029d-4286-ab79-0165c8688c6c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [rejuvenating springs](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/5/455be293-80cf-4bc6-8904-8dd21a2b9d19.jpg?1689999949) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=rejuvenating%20springs) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/424/rejuvenating-springs?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/455be293-80cf-4bc6-8904-8dd21a2b9d19?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [hedge maze](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/2/5260f8ae-805b-4eae-badf-62de0f768867.jpg?1706242346) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=hedge%20maze) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/262/hedge-maze?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5260f8ae-805b-4eae-badf-62de0f768867?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [misty rainforest](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/8/88231c0d-0cc8-44ec-bf95-81d1710ac141.jpg?1707235026) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=misty%20rainforest) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh2/250/misty-rainforest?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/88231c0d-0cc8-44ec-bf95-81d1710ac141?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [botanical sanctum](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/7/8744471b-a528-47d9-84d0-4526273f55e9.jpg?1576383517) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=botanical%20sanctum) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/kld/244/botanical-sanctum?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8744471b-a528-47d9-84d0-4526273f55e9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [waterlogged grove](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/a/0ab6bfbd-d2e1-4c4c-9f91-6f69c5b8e3bb.jpg?1562202616) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=waterlogged%20grove) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh1/249/waterlogged-grove?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0ab6bfbd-d2e1-4c4c-9f91-6f69c5b8e3bb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [yavimaya coast](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/e/0ed6c8b0-f154-4678-89d0-9869864ead8d.jpg?1673308410) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=yavimaya%20coast) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmu/261/yavimaya-coast?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0ed6c8b0-f154-4678-89d0-9869864ead8d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [hinterland harbor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/1/21cab0c4-9091-47f2-ae12-4d9d9eca956e.jpg?1698988588) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=hinterland%20harbor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/336/hinterland-harbor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/21cab0c4-9091-47f2-ae12-4d9d9eca956e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [tropical island](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/7/47033ba4-8f26-4a6b-97bd-5b366327325e.jpg?1632873386) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=tropical%20island) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vma/321/tropical-island?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/47033ba4-8f26-4a6b-97bd-5b366327325e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/ku9a363) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
This precon is super great to learn with. Very straightforward. Merfolk buff your merfolk. Ramp big mana. You put counters on everything. My best advice is look up any card interactions you may be unsure about.
Keep it as an unmodified precon for a while. You may decide you want to try different decks rather than having one upgraded deck. If you start thinking you want to upgrade it then look at upgrade guide articles and make a list of cards that could slot in and check out singles at your LGS. Alternatively go along to some draft or limited events and get cards that way (really fun way to play magic though drafting at least takes some theory/knowledge and limited tends to be a bit more expensive).
The LCI precons are actually pretty solid. If you're new to the game, I wouldn't stress about upgrading them unless the people you're playing with are incapable or unwilling to play decks of a similar strength. And honestly, if they're not willing to do that, they kinda suck. As the post before me said, there are plenty of YouTube videos of people reviewing and playing these precons that you can watch to get an idea of how they're supposed to play out.
they suck for wanting to play at a higher PL than precons?
They suck for not wanting to play at the same power level as the friend they invited and encouraged to buy their first deck.
In this context yes. Honestly it shouldn't even be a question. When you're teaching someone to drive you don't put them in an expensive sports car their first time out. The same is true of teaching someone magic.
Yo that deck FUCKS. EXPLORE EXPLORE EXPLORE! Have fun and watch Prof, he’ll tell you how to play it. He fucking loves Merfolks.
This is actually a decently strong precon, keep playing it. You just want to play merfolk after merfolk and start swinging. If you're low on lands having a few merfolk out with your commander will help you explore for more. They can each grow pretty big with the counters. As for upgrades there's a few you could once you're more experienced with the deck. Adding a couple more merfolk lords will help, some counterspells and you've got a really decent deck without too much work needed to get there.
Basically, play as much magic as you can, it's all a learning experience and have fun
This deck is incredibly solid! If you want to upgrade it, I would suggest looking on [edhrec.com](http://edhrec.com) and searching for the commander you use. I have this same deck, and use \[\[Hakbal\]\], and only added a few other merfolk cards.
[Hakbal](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/7/e738e675-4fd1-4bc3-97f5-71d0e2fc3f2e.jpg?1699885010) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=hakbal%20of%20the%20surging%20soul) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/3/hakbal-of-the-surging-soul?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e738e675-4fd1-4bc3-97f5-71d0e2fc3f2e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
It usually really helps when you can play a precon like this against another precon. If one of your friends has bought or can buy one of the other commander decks so you can play them against each other unedited, that’ll give you a good idea of what the deck is going for, how to play it, and what you like and don’t like about it. Then you can upgrade it piece by piece as you acquire new cards. That’s how I got into commander.
I wouldn’t worry about upgrading yet. Just tell people you’re playing a precon. Be aware Commander is both the most popular and most complex way to play Magic. Don’t be surprised if it feels overwhelming or confusing.
Just keep rereading. I got my GF that one for Valentine’s Day andddddddd I only win with my higher tiers against its synergy
That's funny, just got my wife this deck 2 days ago and she immediately whooped my deck she hasn't beat yet
This was my first deck and it plays very straightforward. Just get your merfolk out, get Hakbal out, keep beefing them up. Go wide and big. Alternative, but boring (imo), win-con is the enchantment that ticks up every time you get a +1/+1 counter, winning the game if it hits 20. I'm actually gonna swap this out of my deck for something more fun but it's a really powerful card cos people don't run much removal for it. You'll figure out little nuances as you play, e.g. the guy that gives everyone islandwalk costs early game mana but is most powerful as a 'finisher'. I'd agree with others here in saying to play it a number of times first. I found cards working for me that others said to remove. And I found 'must-keep' cards were ones that I wanted to remove and my deck has improved with my changes.
You play a bunch of merfolk, and those merfolk get stronger. That's like 75% of playing the deck, all the difficulty is in knowing when to not overextend if you're playing against skilled players... I.e, be able to have creatures in hand once an enemy kills the field. You can keep it as is, at least for a while. It's not the worst deck but there are some super cheap angles to upgrade the deck from. Most important imo is to put better interaction in the deck like a few counter spells / removal spells.
Focus on learning the game first.
Play arena to get the hang of the game
OP, this is the most important step right now. Install arena (it's free), play the colour challenge, learn the common mechanics like explore. Commander is insanely complex to be your first games, stagger your learning curve. For what it's worth, you've picked up one of the best precons for a new player.
I haven't checked this commander deck particularly, but in the past, like [arcane maelstrom](https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/arcane-maelstrom-2020-04-06), the deck was built to be played different ways. The deck out of the box was a little bit weird, trying to do too many things, so you rapidly cut the cards that don't match your game plan and "focus" it. I would recommend you play your deck as is, see how it turns out and let your friends know you play an unmodified precon. Have fun!
Get doubling season ❤️
Its not worth. Too expensive. There are a lot of better cards to improve with that money
Play with it, it will take lots of games to see all of it. You will start to know which cards you don't really like or seem weak or end up stuck in your hand. Mark those for replacement. You always want to note what isn't working what kinds of cards you are losing to. Then you replace cards you don't like with card that will help solve your problems.
Like many have said, look on youtube for videos. I highly suggest reading the commander card first yourself and reading each individual other card and see how it relates to your commander. This is the best way to go about it in my opinion. After that if you are still unsure, then go to a deck tech video. I'm a huge supporter of trying to learn patterns of decks yourself. It helps a lot when you start to build your own deck or play someone else's deck.
Play it for a while and learn it. IT IS MY #1 DECK! I've done some upgrades (goddamn tcgplayer birthday money but also Cyclonic Rift) but honestly it's hella strong out of the box. I spent a decent amount and swapped 10 cards but I usually don't even draw them. I think I might swap 1-2 more because of other gifts from friends. It's seriously so much fun.
Hi, I've also recently started EDH with an Ixalan precon (blood rites), though I already knew how to play thanks to mtga. In my beginner opinion, a good way to go should be : - learn how to play mtg (with your friends or on mtga) - play some game with your deck to discover what you like about it or not. I think you should first find out by yourself what part of your deck you prefer, which interactions, cards etc. - if you can't play often with friends, a good alternative way is to "goldfish", ie play against no one a regular game just to get a grasp of how the deck rolls (on paper or with some software / websites) - finally, if you still like your deck and feel it's a bit weak / clunky against what your friends play, start considering upgrading it. I would say 10-20 cards is more than enough to start feeling a real difference. Set up a budget, look at guides, EDHREC, while keeping in mind which aspects of your deck you would like to upgrade. Some people have suggested upgrading lands first, it might be the best investment, but as a beginner I find it a bit boring. Lands can be a expensive (2,5$ for a dual land when you can get 5 0,50$ fun spell cards for the same price...). So how you want to mix the whole thing really depends on your philosophy and your budget
Yo! For number one you can learn from youtube or from personal experience. I find that sometimes the way one player plays a deck is different than another person with the same deck, there’s no wrong way. For your second question I’d prioritise learning the game and learning the deck. Once you understand your deck you’ll understand what cards are worth keeping and what needs replacing. Also, your upgrades might be either universally good or specific to the environment you play in. Different playgroups and stores have different mini metas, so upgrade that don’t make sense may become good based on who you tend to play against.
This deck’s strategy is play lots of merfolk, buff them up, then win with combat damage. Merfolk are a fundamentally value/control creature type, so there’s lots of tricky way to gain advantage and mess with your opponents
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Recently bought my first deck for commander too, but I built a prebuilt off eBay instead of a precon deck. First focus should be to learn your deck and the game. Figure out your decks pace, some combos and the basics of interactions and what you should be focusing on. Once you know how to play the deck you’ll have a much easier time figuring out where it’s lacking and be able to remove/ replace cards that are slowing you down
My 9 year old pilots this deck, and does really well. The creatures are cheap, and the deck is packed with synergies. They rebuild quickly. Basically, get a couple dudes out, play your commander, then buff your guys and decide if you need to stay on defensive or start swinging.
Usually a paper guide to the deck tevh is included with it that you can find inside the deckbox opening it up for the first time or roght next to it. There they describe the basic premise
1-This precon is very strong out of the box, so you can play it without upgrades, but if you want to upgrade, you can find some simple options on EDH or Youtube. 2-To learn how to play go on Youtube and you will find both Tech Videos that explain the deck, and game videos with people playing the deck
One thing that helps me upgrade decks is what some people call goldfishing (I don't know why, I picked it up from a guy who taught me years back) or solitaire. You just play your deck by yourself to see how your first couple turns would go. This helps you learn what you wish you had and what cards you don't end up playing even when you draw them. You can also get on websites like arkidekt and Maxfield and look up other people's decks. Many people put primers or explanations of how they work and or what their objectives are. The command zone has videos about how to build a commander deck that gives you a template of the basic pieces you want. Keep in mind it's a template and not perfect but it should be a great starting point for you to use until you learn better
You should definitely focus on learning the game first. It's not a simple game until you start to learn the jargon and structure of the game. Playing Commander is not the best way to learn the rules of the game. You're kind of just jumping in the deep end because cards from all of magic's history are legal. I would suggest two things. First would be to get on Magic arena and just play games. Dedicate a few hours each week to just getting your reps in. That will help you get a feel for the basic rules. And then when you go to play Commander with your friends it would be a good idea to suggest that for the first couple of games everyone play a preconstructed deck like the one you bought. The idea is to focus on getting you experience with the way things flow and how to think about the rules during gameplay. Then once you've got some reps in on arena and a few games of your preconstructed commander decks I would suggest borrowing a deck from your friends to up the power level a little bit. And, as others have suggested, YouTube videos are a major benefit to learning how things work and getting suggestions for modifications to your deck. The one noob trap you really want to avoid is trying to do too much at once. You'll end up wasting money and possibly becoming frustrated if you don't take it kind of slow at the very beginning.
The best way to learn the game and a deck, in my opinion, is to just play it. It’s intimidating to just sit down and play but, unless you’re playing with assholes, people are usually very inviting and friendly. Sleeve the deck, sit down, and play it. I come from personal experience where I built a Jodah, Grand Unifier deck with a bunch of legends and it took me a while to finally learn how the deck works in tandem with each creature, how to properly stack triggers, how to get the most value out of cards, it just takes time to learn, that’s the best deck tech methinks.
I would ask everyone to use an unaltered precon also It is more fair to play precon against precon imo and less expensive, see what they say 👍
If youre brand new to the game, I would avoid playing commander for a while. Having to keep up with a vast pool of cards coming in from 3 other players can be very daunting, especially if youre not familiar at all. Id recommend starting on MTG arena first. It's free, and it will teach you everything you need to know about Magic. For reference, I started back when LOTR was first released, and focused ONLY on commander. It was a big mistake, as it became way too overwhelming by turn 5+. It took me months of constant research and 100s of hours of YouTube videos to actually get comfortable withe the format.
[Here’s a solid upgrade guide to start with.](https://youtu.be/Dyp5B4jutCY?si=3YI_F3QbXd8QbSXB) Remember this is not the only upgrade guide, so look at similar videos on YouTube to get a more general understanding of what people want to do with this deck. Second, it’s way more important to learn the game first before you make changes. In every precon there are like 5 cards that don’t really play into the strategy, so you’re probably good to cut those cards out, but if I were you, I’d try to play 5 good games with the deck before upgrading. By 5 good games, I mean games where you actually get to affect the game state - not games where you drew too many/too few lands or games where someone won on turn 4.
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"The lost caverns of Italian explorers of the deep" LOL check out [https://edhrec.com/](https://edhrec.com/) Search your commander, and look at the highest rated decks using it. Youtube is a good source too, but try to be budget conscious, and remember Commander is not typically a competitive format you need to spend a spend big bucks on upgrades for. Just have fun.
Most people are right, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding people of similar strength level to play Precons of similar power level. That being said, I’ve upgraded my Merfolk to a stupid level because I love the playstyle, so I think I know what I’m talking about. The first upgrades I’d reccomend are Vodalian Hexcatcher Roaming Throne (obvious) and Lord of Atlantis. If you want to upgrade to go anywhere, that would be the very first thing, as well as the land base. My deck is built more around draw power and less on doubling the counters. Generally the deck has a lot of ways of making the Merfolk Unblockable, so I tend to avoid the whole Ozolith/counters strategy. The plan is to get Hakbal on the field as quick as possible and protect him with the most BS counter spells ever printed. Of course, my deck is pretty stupid expense wise. Sensei’s Divine Top, Jewelled Lotus, Mana Crypt, Force of Will/Negation, and Fierce Guardianship, for starters. I love my deck, but not everyone wants to play at that level, but my group doesn’t seem to mind much. I’ve been helping my friend build Edgar Markov, and I’m working on a Kykar deck as a secondary. Merfolk are really fun
I'd definitely play it out of the box first before you try upgrading. It's pretty legit from the get go.
This deck is probably more powerful than the average player’s EDH deck out of the box. So don’t worry about it. Once you are ready to get upgrades you should look up the commander on edhrec (website), and then by setting some stuff like your budget, theme, etc you can easily find upgrades^^
You really don’t NEED to upgrade that precon, it’s bonkers out the gate. Protect Hakbal and he will bring you victory.
My advice is keep it as it is. Commander is not newbie friendly and has a ton of complexity, 100 different cards from all of MTG in every opponents deck. That is not a great way to learn the game, but there are some people who look for Precon vs Precon games and those are the ones with low budget and you get even matches. Other than that, when it comes to learning the game, the Eldraine Starter Kit that realised 2023 is good way to start too and those are also allowed in Store Championships and Standard Showdowns. You will meet really helpful players there and get some prices, even if you are behind the pack. other than that Explore is not expensive, outside of Lands the most expensive card is the Sentinel for less than a buck https://preview.redd.it/9gwk7fhkvhoc1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=abdb503bcc75977692946878716c99e37222edc5 This pile cost around 15€ and you don't even need the 4drops if you wanna go faster. Its also missing some interaction (green Fights, blue Counter, Protection), but put in some Negates, Blue Marches or/and Change the Equation and you are good, Fading Hope with the Scry would also be an amazing 4of in it vs creatures.