MTG help

[netfirecat]

I can't build worth a flip and using precons are getting old, especially since against a true deck, they suck... Anyone mind building decks around certain themes?

[Tokimo]

What formats are you playing? Standard is easier to build decks for than extended. Competitive legacy is the hardest thing to build decks for (vintage excluded since it's barely a real format).

Are you net decking at all? Build some Jund decks if nothing else works. If you're losing all of the time with a championship winning Jund deck, it's not because your deck building skills are lacking, it's because you're not a good player (you can get better though, practice helps as does changing the kind of deck you're playing).

[netfirecat]

Mostly casual and the local tourney runs t2 mostly. I rarely go to the tourney, though. My problem is, even when i cut myself down to a block or a set, i overpower or not put enough. I can't balance... Once i get that done, mana balance is wackey, too... I always put to much mana in every time

[GnKoichi]

For Lackey, you can always netdeck. Check out the decklists from the Wizards website from their weekly columns or tournament reports. You can always make adjustments to fit your play style. For real life games, get into drafting. It really helped me, and is a much lower pressure situation.

[GnKoichi]

Also, for mana, go 4 lands for every ten cards in your deck (16 in a 40 card deck, 24 in a 60 card deck) give or take a land for taste.

[netfirecat]

I've heard that, but if my cost is out of balance, i need more mana to compensate. I've tried.

[Tokimo]

Well, there's one of your problems there. Don't use slow mana curves. If you're using a lot of expensive cards they need to win you the game when you start casting them.

Force yourself to play by some mana curve rules: 24 lands, 12 x 1CC spells, 12 x 2CC spells, 6 x 3CC spells, 6 more spells of any cost.

That's tighter than you need to be, but the point still exists. Make sure you're toting a lot of 1 drops and 2 drops.

[aardvark]

For Lackey, you can always netdeck. Check out the decklists from the Wizards website from their weekly columns or tournament reports. You can always make adjustments to fit your play style.

That's my m.o. I can't build a deck to save my life, mostly because I haven't tried. Honestly, I'm trying not to play mtg but I get dragged back in. Gah! Especially when 99.99999% of the users on Lackey will only play mtg most of the time. 

Diversity <insert expletive here>!

[mathman1550]

I agree, diversity is very important. Play Harry Potter or VTES with me some time

[aardvark]

I keep trying to go through the white wolf demo here. But I keep getting - ooh, shiny!

Ahem, yes, well, I am definitely willing to play vtes. From what I have been able to go through I like it quite a bit. I've got a starter coming in the mail and hopefully I've got a guy who's willing to teach me.

I wonder if I'll still have buildmyowndeckitis?
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Probably. 

[netfirecat]

hmm, never been told to use that formula before... That might help. now i'll try again.