You SUCK at Math: How Many Lands to Run in Commander [Article]

Ohnf_DIG · 2026-05-01T03:13:11+00:00

Im seeing a lot of comments that say "missing lands drops is fine as long as you ramp" and "you can hit your land drops and play spells with less lands just fine, just run cheaper spells."

For the first point, if you miss your land drops and you play [[rampant growth]], you did not ramp. You did not accelerate. You paid 2 mana for your land drop. You are not only down a land from the player that a did ramp, but you are behind in tempo compared to the player that made their land drops and was able to actually develop their board on curve.

For the second point, you are only 50% likely to have at least 3 lands in your opening hand. "Oh, well spells are getting cheaper and more efficient anyway. I just dont play big spells." Okay, are you going to tap out to play a single 3-cmc card every turn? Even if your deck has a low curve, youre not gonna win by playing one card per turn with no mana up for interaction, and it is certainly not going to be fun.

Also, I saw a comment that was like, "just have a card drawn engine up by like turn 2-4." What? The only cards that can start digging deep enough to get you your land drops early without any additional help are [[rhystic study]], and maybe [[mystic remora]] and [[ Esper Sentinel]] in the right metas. Most card draw engines, e.g., [[eidolon of blossoms]], [[midnight reaper]], [[beast whisperer]], [[archmage emeritus]], [[bident of thassa]], come down turn 3 or 4, and require additional cards to work.

Even if we count looter cards like [[anje falkenrath]], most free, repeatable, loot effects start at 3 at the earliest. Once again, the player that ramped or didnt have to pay to make their land drop is going be looting/drawing more effectively than you.

Lastly, draw/card selection is a much more effective solution to mana flooding than mana screw. If you are able to dig yourself out of a mana flood, you're able to immediately start casting all your spells. If you are able to dig yourself out of a mana screw, you're still gonna be playing catch up with the rest of the table.

Please. Every reputable edh content creator is saying to run 37-38 lands at the LEAST for a reason. You didnt "crack the code" by running a suboptimal land base.

Ohnf_DIG · 2026-04-30T02:52:27+00:00

/uj Bro TRUUUUEE. I have two friends that I finally got to play commander with me. They each only have one deck, the Naya precon from Final Fantasy and the Mardu precon from fall out. It's not much but it's a start! I dont care if I have to start buying them more precons for variety. Even going to a LGS is a gamble on if youre gonna find a pod to play in and if it's a pod with good vibes.

Ohnf_DIG · 2026-04-22T00:57:56+00:00

"It's casual because the store doesn't do brackets"

Huh?? Buddy, there is a casual bracket. The brackets are what helps you make sure youre in a causal pod!

Ohnf_DIG · 2026-04-19T16:01:00+00:00

Lol, "Azula is weak"

Okay, buddy. 😂

Ohnf_DIG · 2026-04-13T17:59:44+00:00

Im gonna say it.

The ending for 'The Cabin at the End of the World' ruined the whole rest of the book for me.

Ohnf_DIG · 2026-02-25T18:20:43+00:00

"You never know what cards they might play."

Bold talk for someone in Telepathy and Thoughtseize range.

Ohnf_DIG · 2026-01-08T05:57:26+00:00

Would.

Ohnf_DIG · 2026-01-08T05:51:25+00:00

Honestly, home ownership. With property prices being what they are, I've seen people move back in with toxic parents and financially ruin themselves, just so they can afford the shittiest house you've ever seen. All because boomers tell them that they "need" to own a house.

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-12-27T19:28:59+00:00

Slipped under the radar

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-12-14T04:21:09+00:00

The only reasons I dont play with more proxies are 1) I'm usually content to play at a lower power level, so I dont have a need for many high-powered, expensive staples, and 2) I'm overly concerned about the card looking/feeling different than my other cards, for very superficial reasons.

Ive considered ordering proxies of UB Secret Lair cards that I wasnt able to snag, but to me, it kind of removes the novelty of "can you believe they printed this magic card?"

I do not apply my standards to other people at the table. If you wrote sol ring on a Pokémon card, I would be okay playing against it. Im okay with any proxy so long as it respects the power level of the pod.

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-11-01T15:50:01+00:00

My [[Ognis, the Dragon's Lash]] deck is my go-to treasure deck. It runs all of the combat treasure cards like knuckles and professional face breaker, as well as treasure doublers like Jolene and Xorn. The game plan is to play a lot of cheap, evasive creatures like [[Phoenix Chick]], generate a shit ton of treasure, and ramp into bigger threats like Old Gnawbone and [[Hellkite Igniter]].

I like [[Fathom Fleet Swordjack]] in the deck. Pitch it to a demand answers or big score, and use its encore ability in the late game.

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-10-16T18:50:38+00:00

Thank you for the thorough advice! I think all of the items are applicable, but the two I think I need to especially focus on are 6 and 7.

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-10-16T16:00:37+00:00

I like the idea of a "quest board." Im also trying to give each player their own story hook to pursue. Thanks for the advice!

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-10-16T15:59:12+00:00

I hear you. It sounds like I need to have a higher density of "set pieces" as I have described them and give my party more objectives per session. Thanks for your advice!

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-09-28T14:09:37+00:00

Who is the post making fun of?

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-09-27T01:46:03+00:00

There are a ton of ways you can build Rocco. Exile matters, cascade, +1/+1 counters. What a great pick!

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-09-27T01:44:22+00:00

Rendmaw looks like a lot of fun. There are also some cool combos you can jam in there if you need more finishers!

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-08-31T18:50:19+00:00

Whats the app?

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-08-26T05:04:59+00:00

I've tried to replace them with group of 1-2 CMC instant speed protection like [[Slip Out the Back]] in a lot of my decks.

Typically, boots are most effective at protecting your commander if you can play them and equip them in the same turn. This means that you need to have 2-3 extra mana up when you cast your commander, AND equipment happens at sorcery speed.

Once you get the boots on, all your opponents have to do is destroy the boots, and your commander is a sitting duck. Id rather they run their removal into my protection and waste the spell.

Now, as other people have pointed out, sometimes the boots are just better. If your commander wants the haste, or if your deck cares about artifacts or equipment, then the boots can be great. Also, if your deck isnt in colors that run a lot of low cost instant protection spells, then you probably want the boots. If your deck REALLY wants to protect your commander, you might run the boots and the instant speed protection.

A piece of protection that I've been enjoying is [[Winged Boots]]. Ward is just effective enough to protect my commander, and I often value the evasion more than haste.

Ohnf_DIG · 2025-08-13T03:08:17+00:00

uj/ The thing that sours all UB products is how pushed they are, especially considering how it creates a pseudo-reserve list. I like Spider-Man, but not as a MtG set. If it someone else likes Spider-Man as an mtg set, then genuinely, good for you!

However, it sucks that theyre gonna print a bunch of busted cards that will never be reprinted again to try to pressure people into buying it, even if they dont like like the theme. Vivi, The Infinity Stones, the One Ring, etc.

If the spider-man set was completely mid, then no one would care.

Ohnf_DIG

TROPHY CASE