Two ways to classify decks
When someone asks about the types of Magic decks they can mean different things:
- Archetype: the strategy the deck follows, that is, how it intends to win. Aggro, control or combo are archetypes.
- Format: the set of rules a deck is built and played under, such as Commander, Pauper, Modern or Standard. It changes the deck size, the cards allowed and the number of players.
The classic archetypes
| Archetype | How it wins | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggro | Attacks fast with cheap creatures and direct damage | Pressure from the first turn | Runs out of resources if the opponent stabilises |
| Midrange | Deploys efficient creatures and spells and dominates the board | Flexibility in every phase | Can be slow against very fast aggro or combos |
| Control | Answers threats and wins late with a few powerful cards | Long-term card advantage | Needs time and suffers from early pressure |
| Combo | Assembles several cards that together win or unbalance the game | Very fast wins | Depends on specific pieces and is vulnerable to disruption |
| Tempo | Combines cheap threats with cheap answers to stay one step ahead | Mana efficiency | Loses steam if it does not get an advantage early |
| Ramp | Accelerates mana to play huge threats ahead of schedule | Raw power | A bad opening hand or removed ramp makes the deck stumble |
Aggro
The goal is to reduce the opponent’s life as quickly as possible. It uses low-cost creatures, direct damage spells and often haste. It works best with low curves and few lands, because every turn counts.
Midrange
The middle ground: solid creatures, some card draw and some interaction. It often plays in two stages, interacting early and imposing itself late. It is a good starting point because it allows many ways of playing.
Control
Counterspells, discard, removal and board wipes to neutralise the opponent and win with one or two powerful threats. It demands a good knowledge of your own cards and your opponent’s.
Combo
Assembles pieces that, combined, win or create a decisive advantage. It relies on tutors, card draw and protecting the key pieces. It is very fast when it works, but it takes practice.
Tempo
Mixes cheap threats with effects that disrupt the opponent’s rhythm, such as bouncing permanents or countering spells. It wins by developing faster and spending mana efficiently.
Ramp
Invests the early turns in producing more mana to cast giant threats before anyone else. It is the style of many green decks and fits big creatures very well.
A general rule between archetypes
As a guide, and knowing it is a simplification, it is often said that aggro pressures combo before it comes together, combo ignores control because it is faster than its answers, and control holds off aggro by trading resources. In practice it depends on the specific cards, the opening hand and the decisions made during the game.
Deck types in Commander
Commander adds styles of its own, because the table has four players and the commander defines the plan:
| Style | Main idea |
|---|---|
| Tribal | Creatures of one type (Dragons, Dinosaurs, Slivers…) that boost each other |
| Voltron | Make the commander huge with equipment and auras to win through commander damage |
| Aristocrats | Sacrifice creatures for value and to drain life |
| Spellslinger | Cast many sorceries and instants that trigger each other |
| Tokens | Create armies of tokens and boost them en masse |
| Stax | Limit your opponents’ resources while you keep developing |
| Reanimator | Return enormous creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield |
| Group hug | Benefit everyone to control the table indirectly |
Some of our decks are good examples: the Dragons deck with Atarka combines tribal and ramp, the Slivers deck is a tribal that boosts the whole team, and the Dinosaurs deck with Gishath mixes enormous creatures with ramp. To see them, check the ready-to-play Commander decks.
The power level also changes the experience: you can see it in the guide to competitive Commander decks (cEDH).
Deck types by format
| Format | Deck | Cards allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Commander | 100 cards, with a commander | Almost all, no repeats |
| Pauper | 60 cards and a 15-card sideboard | Only cards printed at common |
| Modern and Pioneer | 60 cards and a 15-card sideboard | Sets from Eighth Edition (Modern) and Return to Ravnica (Pioneer) |
| Standard | 60 cards and a 15-card sideboard | The most recent sets |
| Limited (draft and sealed) | 40 cards minimum | Those you get from opening packs |
If an affordable 60-card format appeals to you, read what Pauper is or how to build a Pauper deck.
Decks by colour
Magic has five colours and decks are also described by the ones they use:
- Mono-colour: a single colour. It is the most consistent way to start.
- Two colours: combinations with names of their own, such as Gruul (red and green) or Selesnya (green and white).
- Three colours: such as Naya (red, green and white), with more options and a more demanding mana base.
- Four and five colours: very flexible, but they need a carefully built mana base.
How to choose the deck type that suits you
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you prefer to attack or to react? If you enjoy attacking, start with aggro or tribal; if you like responding, try control or tempo.
- How much complexity do you want? Big-creature decks with ramp are easier to pilot than combo or control.
- Who will you play with? At a social Commander table a tribal or themed deck fits; in a competitive league, an optimised archetype.
- What is your budget? Pauper and casual decks let you start with little.
If you want us to design it for you
At Deck Lab you can choose the play style (aggro, control, combo, midrange, tribal, ramp, aristocrats or tokens), the bracket and the budget when you order a custom Commander deck from €32, or a custom Pauper deck if you prefer a 60-card format. You review the list before we assemble the deck.
Content reviewed: 2 October 2026.
