So you’ve learned the basic rules of the game, and found a playgroup or local game store to play at. And if you chose to play paper Magic in our 7-step guide, then you might have a bunch of free Common and Uncommon cards to build a simple deck. But what if you want to go further and do a few upgrades while getting the most bang for your buck? Tap & Sac has put together some worthy products that passed our quality and price checks, and whether you play Commander or Standard, there’s something for everyone.

Best Deals for Commander Decks

Preconstructed Commander decks used to be be released once a year, an event greatly anticipated by loyal fans of the format. That has changed in the past 2 years, as the format’s popularity grows and new decks and Commander staple cards are increasingly picked off the shelves.

Wizards of the Coast now releases at least 2 new decks for each Standard set release, and there’s likely going to be more since even Secret Lair has started offering complete Commander decks as well.

The Elven Empire preconstructed deck is a great balance of power and cost, offering a mid-level competitiveness while being one of the cheapest decks still available on store shelves. Lathril, Blade of Elves has become one of the more popular Elf Commanders, and an abundance of Elf cards in Magic’s history will keep the deck fresh and any replays fun for a long time.

There’s another new preconstructed Commander deck that has been rather ‘prosperous’ for new players, and that’s the Planar Portal deck, utilising Exile and Treasure synergy to out-spell your opponents. Once you get Prosper, Tome-Bound from the Command Zone, his passive abilities help to generate both card advantage and additional Mana to cast more spells. Of all the Commanders in the 2021 release, Prosper is the one that has seen the most adoption for upgrades. which means more value for money spent.

Best Deals for Standard Decks (Paper)

The best news to hit 2022 is that sanctioned and live paper events are coming back in scale. Star City Games just announced their 3 SCG Con events at Philadelphia (February), Indianapolis (March), and Dallas (April), and while Standard isn’t in their lineup yet, there’s a fairly good chance it will show up in future events.

For newer players, Standard is a good starting point because the card pool is the smallest, which means a playing field that is more manageable and affordable. Wizards has made it even easier with preconstructed “Challenger” decks that offer decent competitiveness while essentially offering a discount over purchasing singles.

The latest Standard Challenger decks provide very different play styles and some even offering great resale value (see our full review). Some of the cards may have just rotated out of the format (happens every year around October), but the deck themes are very much intact and easily upgraded with cards from the newer sets.

For example, Lovestruck Beast in the Mono Green Stompy deck has left Standard, but can be upgraded with Kazandu Mammoth as a turn 3 play. In a few months, Wizards will likely also release the new set of Challenger decks for 2022, so look out for that too!

Best Deals For Card Protection and Storage/Transportation

Whatever format you’re playing, it’s imperative to protect your cards from wear and tear. You might humbly declare that none of your cards are of value, but the market has a funny way of morphing over time. Cards ranging from Commons (Rhystic Study and Priest of Titania are two good examples) to useless Rares (see Gilded Drake) are good examples of how personal perspectives and the competitive environment can change over time. These cards are now worth over a hundred times more.

Dragonshield Matte sleeves are the hardiest and overall great products, but we do also recommend Titanshield sleeves, which for the same price, you get 150 sleeves compared to 100 in Dragonshield. The Titanshields are just as tough, and in our opinion provides a a better shuffling experience as most other sleeves are either too sticky (clump together), or too smooth and easily fall out of your hands. Titanshield sleeves are not as tall as Dragonshields but in our opinion this makes handling much easier especially for those with smaller hands.

Playmats are nice, but really not something absolutely necessary once you have card sleeves. However you do need a way to transport those decks securely. The range of deck boxes out there is overwhelming, and some are exorbitantly expensive. We came across GameGenic that offers amazing deck boxes at a reasonable price.

Their Triple Deck Box current goes for around US$18, and as you can already guess, it stores 3 full decks instead of 1. For many of the premium brands out there, $17 may only get you a deck box that can hold just a single deck.

It officially fits 80 double-sleeved cards in each segment, perfect for any non-Commander deck including the sideboard. And if you do play Commander, it should be able to fit 100 single-sleeved cards in each compartment. The entire case is made of durable plastic, so no faux leather or felt, but it definitely still accomplishes the goal of deck transportation at an affordable price.

End Step

Magic can grow to become a very expensive hobby, and one of our goals is to keep that in check. There are good deals out there, and we hope this short list has provided a glimpse of what’s out there. If you search a little harder, you’ll find that you don’t always have to spend $20 on sleeves, $500 on a deck or $60 on boxes for 3 decks. If you find a great deal yourself, do share with us at lets@tapandsac.com so that we can add it to this list!