We all know the thrill that comes with building a new deck: the piqued interest of a card or mechanic associated with a deck, the excitement of going through websites pulling insight from others, the whittling down of cards to include, the strength and toil of spending to put it together, play-testing and tech-ing, and then finally the appreciation of a creation of your own. We all know this process in Magic: The Gathering. Today I want to discuss the less talked about and sadder brother of this experience: Taking a deck apart.

When is it time to take a deck apart? This is a tough process to analyze because there is a bit of shame and reclusiveness to the process. There is a deep sadness and disappointment in taking a deck apart. But how do we know when it's time to take a deck apart? Thinking about it and doing it are completely different things.

Why Do You Want to Take a Deck Apart?

The first thing I noticed when talking to players about why they've taken their decks apart are that there is something in the function of the deck that just doesn't work. In Commander, maybe the commander keeps getting targeted - Kaalia of the Vast, for example. Maybe the mana value of the commander is too much to handle like Gavi, Nest Warden. Or even maybe the color balancing in a budget Five-Color Azlask, The Swelling Scourge is too much. These concerns are easy to understand, I think. This deck doesn't perform the way I intended it to, time to move on to a new experiment. A lot of players usually go through with taking apart a deck like this after much deliberation and soul searching - or Moxfield and EDHREC searching.

The next thing I've noticed, the sadder and more insidious reason people want to take decks apart is a loss of love. A deck you used to love playing has lost its flavor. You need spice and excitement in your next game, or maybe you're just itching for that thrill of building something new. Maybe you don't like playing an angel and passing the turn anymore - Giada, Font of Hope. Maybe you're sick of animating your Treasure tokens in Vihaan, Goldwaker. Something about a strategy that appealed to you for such a long time has lost its flavor. This is a deeply sad thing when it happens, like losing love for a partner. Maybe that's an exaggeration.

I've actually gone through this exact feeling with my Prosper, Tome Bound. It was the first deck I'd upgraded to a competitive edge. I'd consistently won or been the threat for the majority of the games I played with it. I loved the interactions, response potential, and the powerful way I felt in games. I felt like a contender, a real player. However, I built a few other, higher power, more fun, more consistent decks. I started playing him less and less. I started to wonder what new Rakdos Commanders I could use his cards for. I was searching for that thrill. He's still built to this day. Why didn't I take him apart?

Why Do We Actually Take a Deck Apart?

I've yanked your chain a little bit here. Why do we do it? Because we need to or want to. I've met tons of people who never take a deck apart. They don't need the pieces for anything else and it stays together. I've seen TikToks of people joking about their 100 Commander deck collections, each double sleeved, and in a nice deck box.

I think it's not really feasible for people with limited income to keep buying viable staples for each deck in a color identity and strategy. Some people take decks apart and sell pieces to build the next. I would like to propose, most people won't take apart a deck unless they have to, whether it's fun to play anymore or not. If money was no object, we would hold on to that feeling of history and closeness to our old decks. There is a bigger question here though:

Should We Take Our Decks Apart?

Maybe it shows in this article, very different from my usual, how sensitive I am about this topic. I think the answer here is yes. Take those decks apart. Magic is a game about growth, acceleration, interaction, and change. We cannot grow without letting go of some of the decks that just don't work or don't spark joy. I know they're your favorite little deck, but use those staples in a game that grows you as a player.

I started 2024 with so many decks. I took apart Arcades, The Strategist, Eriette of the Charmed Apple, The Valeyard, Kenrith, The Returned King, Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis, Firesong and Sunspeaker, and the list goes on. These decks didn't spark joy, or play very well. If I find something in me changes, I can rebuild them, but I think in letting a lot of these decks go, I could grow as a player. I was playing more difficult, and interactive decks. I wasn't darting from deck to deck, and spending the time to get really good with a handful of them.

But enough of me yapping, let me hear your thoughts? What's your eulogy to your past decks? I'm @strixhavendropout on Blue Sky. Thank you so much for taking the time to read. I hope this helps in your next deck-building, or destroying, session!