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BMoor's Magic The Gathering Deck Garage
"Clear Blue Sky"
June 4, 2007

I just started playing and my friend told me that a flying deck would be good to start off with.  If Magic is anything like Yu-gi-oh, it will be expensive to get a good deck.  So, do have any ideas for starting a flying deck on a budget?
Alright, before I get a flood of three-sentence E-mails, I just want to say this right off the bat: a deck mechanic's job is to help those who are having problems with the deck they've built, not to build new decks for people from scratch.  In the words of someone I greatly admire and respect, I help those who help themselves.  I am here to aid deckbuilders in diagnosing and fixing problems, not to allow lazy players to netdeck and not have to be creative.
 
So why am I making an exception for Nameless Nate here?  Because he said that he has just started Magic, and therefore it's only logical that he doesn't know how to build his own deck yet.  I expect all my correspondents to be able to walk on their own somewhat, but with this fellow, that will come after I help him instead of before.
 
Since Nate specified both lack of experience and lack of funds, I decided to go with a 9th-edition inspired monoblue flying deck.  All the cards in the deck work fairly simply, but are still powerful.  Many of them can also be had for a song.
 
Clear Blue Sky
Creatures: 20
4 Storm Crow
4 Wind Drake
4 Snapping Drake
4 Air Elemental
4 Mahamoti Djinn
 
Spells: 16
4 Boomerang
4 Annex
4 Sleight of Hand
4 Sift
 
Lands: 24
24 Islands
 
 
 
There it is.  Experienced deckbuilders may find it too simple, perhaps even "dumbed down", but I'd say that makes it more fun.  You don't have to worry about what's triggering on your upkeep or how many spells you have to chain into or what spell to counter and why.  Just play fliers, and swoop down on unsuspecting foes.  I'm tempted to buy the cards and make this deck myself.
 
The price is certainly right.  I checked all the prices over at www.shuffleandcut.com, and the whole deck can be had for less than $25.  Not counting the lands, but they're selling those at 50 cents for a 10-pack.  Besides that, most people will just give you lands; they're essentially free.  And if you order from ShuffleandCut, they give you a few free rares to go with it.  Fortunately, Magic is not at all like Yu-Gi-Oh.
 
Now then, once you assemble this blue bullet, you're probably going to want to stick in any other blue cards you own that look cool.  Everyone does.  Even I get the urge at certain times.  But take my advice on this one: don't.  Don't add in new cards yet.  In fact, what you really need to do is make a promise to yourself: you won't change any cards in your deck until you've played a hundred games with it.  That's right: one hundred games with this deck.
 
Why on earth?  Because, my friend, there are a LOT of cards in Magic.  More than I can count.  Last time I heard, it was OVER 9000!!  That's a lot of cards to sift through, deciding which one to add.  And then there's the question of what card to take out to make room.  If you're just a beginner, how will you know what card is best?
 
The answer will come in time.  Take the time to play those hundred games.  Learn how your deck works.  Learn all the nifty things Boomerang can do.  Learn why you might want to play Sleight of Hand this turn, even if it means you can't play Snapping Drake.  Learn why drawing three cards is worth having to discard one.  Learn when to attack, and when to hold back a blocker.  Get comfortable with the game.  Get to know the rules, and get to know what makes each card as good (or as bad) as it is.  Then, you'll have a sense about what cards are good enough to make room for in your deck.  You've got the rest of your life to explore every card ever printed.  Take the time now to get the play experience, and don't let the overload of choices confuse you.  For now, just have fun.
 
Also, if you don't worry about getting more new cards, you'll spend less money. 
 
Good luck!
 
~BMoor


 



 

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