Deckbuilding Contest Finalists - November 2025

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fact or Fiction" href="#" target="_blank">Fact or Fiction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.originalmagicart.store/collections/matt-cavotta" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Cavotta</a></em></p>
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<p>As we move into the second half of 2025 it's once more time for another Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest.</p>
<p>This is a monthly contest with a different theme each month. Your goal is to build a Commander-legal deck that fulfills the prompt in a creative or unique fashion. At the end of each month, three finalists will be selected for you to vote on.</p>
<p>Whoever gets the most votes will be crowned the winner, although all three finalists receive a prize.</p>
<p>This month we're asking the age old question: How many lands should you play in Commander?</p>
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<h2>What’s the Contest All About?</h2>
<p>Working within the parameters of the prompt provided below, construct a decklist with your own creative spin. Three chosen finalists will be awarded <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">store credit to use on Cardsphere</a>.</p>
<p><strong>For August's deck building contest - </strong>build a Commander-legal deck with fewer than 30 lands, or more than 50. This includes double-faced cards that are lands on one side.</p>
<p>Decks will be judged on their creativity and originality, as well as how important the total land count is to how the deck functions.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Explore"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mind Grind"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mana Severance"></div></div></p>
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<p>The question of how many lands to play has plagued players for nearly as long as <em>Magic</em> has existed. Common wisdom says that slightly more than a third of your total deck size is enough, although the math would suggest a number closer to half is better. Many players stick to the low ends of these ranges, because spells are more exciting than lands, but some archetypes encourage you to play even fewer lands.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Charbelcher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Conjurer&#039;s Bauble"></div></div>
<p>Perhaps the best known archetype to play as few lands as possible is Storm. <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/storm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Storm decks</a> want to chain as many spells together as possible, which a couple of lands on top of your deck can easily interrupt. Whether you're chaining artifacts with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or paying life with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bolas&#039;s Citadel" href="#" target="_blank">Bolas&#039;s Citadel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, there's no worse feeling than having your turn end thanks to an unlucky land on top of your deck.</p>
<p>Of course, other cards might encourage you to play even fewer lands. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Charbelcher" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Charbelcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a famous combo finisher for decks that play no lands, but you could also play only Mountains to still ensure revealing fewer cards in a lethal blast.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flubs, the Fool"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lord Windgrace"></div></div>
<p>On the flip side, some decks want to play more lands than usual. <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/landfall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Landfall</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/lands-matter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lands Matter</a> decks need plenty of lands to fuel their primary engines, and often to win the game as well.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omnath, Locus of Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Omnath, Locus of Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Field of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Field of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle" href="#" target="_blank">Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all much less impressive when you don't have any lands to play.</p>
<p>Decks with many expensive spells, like Dragons or Eldrazi, usually also want more lands to ensure they can cast their big spells. You might also play more lands than usual to take advantage of creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cavalier of Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Cavalier of Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Multani, Yavimaya&#039;s Avatar" href="#" target="_blank">Multani, Yavimaya&#039;s Avatar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which grow more powerful the more lands you have in play or in your graveyard.</p>
<h2>How To Participate</h2>
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<li>Brew an EDH/Commander-legal deck on <a href="https://archidekt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt</a> that satisfies the prompt.</li>
<li>Any unreleased cards spoiled during the contest’s duration are allowed.</li>
<li>Silver-bordered and acorn cards, while cool, are not allowed.</li>
<li>Digital-only cards (such as those designed for the Alchemy format on Arena) are not allowed.</li>
<li>Strictly one deck submitted per user.</li>
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<p>This month we're also revamping the submission process. Decks must now be submitted on Archidekt via a button on the <a href="https://archidekt.com/contest/15112617">newspost</a>. This will make it easier to view all submissions in a single place. Additionally, it will simplify the process of writing a description by sharing the same text on the submission page and the deck page itself.</p>
<p>You can also comment on individual decks directly from the submission, making those discussions easier to find and track later.</p>
<p>To submit a deck, select the orange button labeled "Submit a deck to this contest" and follow the form prompt. Submissions are accepted until <strong>9:00 pm EST</strong> (UTC -4, currently) on <strong>Wednesday, August 13, 2025</strong>.</p>
<p>Only one submission per user! If you change your mind and want to submit a different deck before submissions close, you may do so by first deleting your submission. To edit your description, you can do so from the deck page itself.</p>
<p>From the eligible submissions, we'll select three finalists with lists that we believe best embody the spirit of the prompt. Deck descriptions are not required but certainly may provide valuable context!</p>
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<p>On <strong>Wednesday, August 20, 2025</strong>, we’ll announce three finalists via the Archidekt Discord and a brief article on EDHREC highlighting each deck.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/sets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Each finalist will be awarded credit to use on Cardsphere</a>. The value of the credit is in US dollars and depends on the finalist's placement in deck upvotes at the end of the week-long polling period:</p>
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<li>1st Place Prize - $250</li>
<li>2nd Place Prize - $150</li>
<li>3rd Place Prize - $100</li>
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<p>Finalists will be contacted via email regarding their winnings within roughly 24 hours following the conclusion of voting on <strong>Wednesday, August 27, 2025</strong>.</p>
<p>Please note, you must have a Cardsphere account in order to receive your winnings. It's quick and free - <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/signup?referrer=archidekt_contest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register here</a> if you don't have an account already!</p>
<p>Here are the <a href="https://archidekt.com/contestRules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official contest rules</a>. If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, or join the Archidekt <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public Discord server</a>. We look forward to seeing what you all come up with!</p>


edh deckbuilding contest

Deckbuilding Contest Finalists - November 2025

Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest - August 2025