Start with Your Commander: A Better Deck Building Workflow

Most deck builders get this backwards, or at least, we did. They give you a blank list and say “add cards.” But that’s not how Commander works. You don’t start with 100 empty slots. You start with a commander.

We updated Icarian’s deck building flow around that simple truth.

Find Your Commander Anywhere

The best commander for you might come from anywhere. A YouTube video showcasing a spicy brew. A Reddit thread about underrated legends. EDHRec’s top commanders page. A card you opened at prerelease that sparked an idea.

We’re not trying to replace those discovery moments. When you know who you want to build around, that’s when Icarian takes over.

Browse Commanders, Start Building

When you click “New Deck” in Icarian, you don’t get a form. You get the Commander Browser.

Search for your commander by name, or filter to find them:

• Archetype: Want to build Aristocrats? Tokens? Squirrel Tribal? Filter to commanders that support your strategy.
• Color Identity: Search within colors, including specific colors, or exact matches.
• Owned Only: See which commanders you already have in your collection.

Each commander card shows their top archetypes as badges. Find your commander, click “Create Deck,” and you’re building.

Partners? We Handle That

If your commander has Partner, Friends Forever, or any other pairing ability, the next screen shows your options.

We surface the most popular pairings at the top. Below that, every legal partner option. Select your partner or skip if you want to go solo.

Name It and Start Brewing

Quick confirmation screen. Name your deck, add a description if you want, decide if it’s public. Submit.

Here’s what changed recently: you don’t land on an empty deck page. You go straight into the Brew Wizard.

Guided Building, Not Guesswork

The Brew Wizard walks you through building your 99 in stages:

1. Gameplan: Pick your deck’s strategies. These affect which cards we recommend.
2. Synergistic Cards: Cards that work with your commanders and gameplan.
3. Ramp: Mana acceleration to hit your curve.
4. Removal: Targeted answers for threats.
5. Card Draw: Keep your hand full.
6. Board Wipes: Reset buttons when things go wrong.
7. Mana Base: Lands to tie it all together.

Each stage shows your progress. You always know where you stand.

We’ll cover the Brew Wizard in detail in other posts. The key point: you’re not staring at a blank list wondering where to start. You’re following a structure that works.

Commander deck building should start with your commander. Not a blank slate. Not a card search. The legendary creature that defines your entire strategy.

That’s how we built it.

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Ready to build your next deck? Create your free Icarian account and start browsing commanders.