Creating Commander Decks

Learn how to build and manage Commander decks in Icarian with real-time format validation and deck testing.

What Is the Deck Builder?

Icarian’s deck builder is designed specifically for Commander (EDH) format, offering:

• Real-time format validation
• Partner commander support
• Deck value tracking (owned vs. missing cards)
• Goldfish testing mode
• Public deck sharing
• Deck event history

Creating Your First Deck

To create a new Commander deck:

1. Navigate to Decks from the main menu
2. Click New Deck
3. Enter a deck name (e.g., “Atraxa Superfriends”)
4. Optionally add a description
5. Click Create Deck

Your deck is created in private mode. You can publish it later for public viewing.

Selecting Your Commander

Every Commander deck needs a commander (or two with partner):

1. Open your deck (from the deck show page, not the edit form)
2. Click Choose Commander in the commander section
3. Search for a legendary creature or planeswalker with commander eligibility
4. Select your commander
5. Click Confirm

Note: Commanders can only be selected or changed from the deck show page. The deck edit form (accessed via the Edit button) only allows you to change the deck’s name, description, and published status.

Partner Commanders

For decks with partner commanders:

1. Choose your first commander (must have the “Partner” ability)
2. Click Choose Second Commander
3. The search will show valid partners based on your first commander:
   • Generic “Partner”: Shows all other commanders with “Partner” ability
   • “Partner with [Specific Card]”: Shows only that specific partner card
4. Select your second commander
5. Both commanders’ color identities combine for your deck

Example: If you select Will Kenrith (who has “Partner with Rowan Kenrith”), the second commander search will only show Rowan Kenrith, not other partner commanders.

Adding Cards to Your Deck

There are several ways to add cards:

Search and Add

1. Use the card search box in the deck builder
2. Type the card name
3. Click the card in the search results
4. The card is added to your deck

Add from Collection

1. Browse your collection
2. Click Add to Deck on any card
3. Select the target deck
4. The card is added

Bulk Import

1. On the Decks page, click Import deck
2. Give the deck a name and paste a decklist, one card per line
3. Click Import deck
4. Icarian matches cards and adds them to your new deck

Each line starts with how many copies (1 or 1x), then the card name. Add the set and collector number to get that printing, as in 1 Sol Ring (CMR) 472, and *F* or *E* for foil or etched. Lists exported from Moxfield, Archidekt, Arena and MTGO all work.

• Commander: the first card, plus a partner on the second line, becomes your commander. A card under a Commander heading or tagged [Commander] (as Archidekt does) is used instead, wherever it is in the list. If the first card can’t be a commander, the import says so and you can set one on the deck page.
• Considering: cards under Sideboard, Maybeboard or Considering go to your Considering list.
• Names: cards without a set match by name, even typed without accents or with curly quotes, and get the card’s usual printing.
• Warnings: after the import, Icarian lists lines it couldn’t read, cards it couldn’t find, foil or etched markers a printing doesn’t have, and extra copies of a card a Commander deck allows only one of.

Deck List vs. Considering List

Each deck has two card lists:

Deck List (Main 99)

Cards that are in your active 99-card deck (excluding commander).

Considering List

A wishlist of cards you’re thinking about adding: - Test potential additions - Save cards for future consideration - Track cards you want to acquire

Move cards between lists: 1. Click the Move button on any card 2. Select destination (Deck or Considering) 3. The card is moved instantly

Sorting and Grouping

Above the card list, Sort and Group choose how any deck’s cards are laid out, yours or someone else’s.

• Group splits the list into sections by Type (the default), Mana value, Color (the card’s own colors, so a Talisman is colorless), Role (Ramp, Card draw, Removal, Board wipes, Tutors) or Rarity. Lands get their own section in every grouping but Rarity, and your commander always comes first.
• Sort orders the cards inside each section by Name, Price, Mana value, Color, Date added, Owned (cards in your collection first) or Rarity. Cards with no price, or a special rarity, come last.
• Some sorts swap each card’s price for what they sort by: the mana cost under Mana value and Color, the set symbol in its rarity’s color under Rarity, and the day it was added under Date added.
• The arrows button beside Sort reverses the order. Picking a new sort starts it in its usual direction: highest price, newest and mythic first, the rest ascending.

Your choice is saved to your account and applies to every deck you open. Considering is sorted and grouped the same way.

A card can do more than one job, so under Role it appears once, in the first of its roles in that order. The analytics still count it for each role, so their numbers can be higher than the section counts.

If you’re signed out, you can still sort and group, but nothing is saved.

Format Validation

Icarian validates your deck in real-time against Commander rules:

Card Count

• Deck must have exactly 100 cards (99 + 1-2 commanders)
• Shows current count with color coding (red if invalid)

Color Identity

• All cards must match commander’s color identity
• Validation checks mana symbols in cost and rules text
• Partner commanders combine color identities

Singleton Restriction

• Only 1 copy of each card (except basic lands)
• Duplicates are highlighted as errors
• Add unlimited basic lands

Format Legality

• All cards must be Commander-legal
• Checks for banned/restricted cards
• Uses MTG JSON legality data

Commander Eligibility

• Commanders must be legendary creatures OR planeswalkers with “can be your commander” text
• Uses MTG JSON leadershipSkills.commander data
• Partner/Partner With commanders are supported

Validation errors appear in the Validation Panel on the deck page.

Changing Card Printings

If you own multiple printings of a card:

1. Click the printing icon next to the card
2. Select your preferred printing
3. Click Change Printing

This is useful for: - Using a foil version - Matching frame styles - Selecting specific art

Deck Statistics

View your deck’s stats in real-time:

• Total Value - Combined price of all cards
• Owned Value - Value of cards you own
• Missing Value - Value of cards you need to acquire
• Mana Curve - Distribution of mana costs
• Color Distribution - Breakdown by color
• Type Distribution - Creatures, artifacts, enchantments, etc.

Publishing Your Deck

To share your deck publicly:

1. Open the deck and choose Tools → Edit deck
2. Turn on Publish deck and click Save deck
3. Your deck is now public at /users/YOUR_USERNAME/decks/DECK_SLUG
4. Share the URL with friends

Published decks are viewable by anyone, even without an account. See Publishing Decks and Primers for what others see.

If a moderator unpublishes your deck for breaking the Code of Conduct, you’ll get a notification with the reason, and the deck page shows it too. The deck stays yours to edit, brew and play, but Publish deck is locked until a moderator restores it.

Deck Privacy

Decks can be public or private:

• Private - Only you can view (default)
• Public - Anyone with the link can view

To make a deck private again, turn off Publish deck in Tools → Edit deck and save.

Removing Cards

To remove a card from your deck:

1. Find the card in the deck list
2. Click Remove
3. The card is removed instantly

Deleting Decks

To delete a deck:

1. Open the deck
2. Click Delete Deck
3. Confirm the deletion

Warning: Deck deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. Deck history will also be deleted.

Best Practices

1. Start with a commander - Choose your commander first to establish color identity
2. Use the considering list - Test cards before committing to the main deck
3. Track owned cards - Use the owned/missing value to budget purchases
4. Goldfish test - Use goldfish mode to test your mana curve and consistency
5. Publish and share - Share your brews with the community

Common Questions

“Why can’t I add this card?”

Check these common issues: - Card violates color identity (has colors outside commander’s identity) - Card is banned in Commander format - You already have 100 cards (limit reached) - The card is a duplicate (and not a basic land)

“Can I have more than one commander?”

Yes, if: - Both commanders have the generic “Partner” ability (can pair with any other Partner commander), OR - Both commanders have “Partner with [Each Other]” (these cards are designed as specific pairs and can only partner with each other), OR - One commander has “Friends Forever” or similar mechanic

Note: When you select a commander with “Partner with [Specific Card]”, Icarian will automatically show only that specific partner in the second commander search, preventing invalid pairings.

“How do I build a competitive deck?”

1. Choose a powerful commander
2. Target low mana curve (avg CMC ~2.5)
3. Add strong mana acceleration
4. Include card draw engines
5. Use goldfish mode to test consistency