EDH Land Calculator
The best tool for determining the optimal land count for your Magic: The Gathering Commander deck.
Recommended Land Count
Ideal Land %
Total Mana Sources
Non-Land Spells
Deck Composition Breakdown
What is an EDH Land Calculator?
An edh land calculator is a specialized tool for players of Magic: The Gathering’s Commander format (also known as Elder Dragon Highlander, or EDH). Its primary purpose is to help a player determine the optimal number of land cards to include in their 100-card deck. Building a consistent mana base is one of the most critical aspects of deck construction, as having too few lands (mana screw) or too many lands (mana flood) can easily lead to a loss. This calculator uses common heuristics and formulas to provide a strong starting point, which you can then fine-tune based on your deck’s specific strategy. It takes into account your deck’s average spell cost and other mana sources to give a tailored recommendation.
EDH Land Calculator Formula and Explanation
While there’s no single “perfect” formula, this calculator uses a widely accepted baseline approach that adjusts based on the deck’s mana curve. The core idea is that decks with more expensive spells require a higher percentage of lands to function consistently.
The base formula for the ideal land percentage is:
Ideal Land % = 36% + (1.9 * (Average Mana Value - 2.5))
Then, the recommended land count is derived from that percentage and adjusted for other mana sources:
Recommended Lands = (Deck Size * Ideal Land %) - (Other Mana Sources * 0.5)
We only subtract half a land for each alternate mana source because ramp spells and mana rocks are not as reliable as playing a land directly from your hand. They can be countered, destroyed, or might not be in your opening hand. A tool like this edh land calculator provides a quantitative starting point for what is often a complex deckbuilding decision. For more details on deckbuilding, see our advanced commander deckbuilding guide.
| Variable | Meaning | Unit | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Size | The total number of cards in your deck, excluding the commander. | Cards | 99 (fixed for EDH) |
| Average Mana Value | The average casting cost of your non-land spells. | Mana | 2.0 – 4.5 |
| Other Mana Sources | Number of non-land cards that produce mana (artifacts, creatures, etc.). | Cards | 5 – 15 |
Practical Examples
Example 1: Aggressive, Low-Curve Deck
Imagine a fast, aggressive deck that wants to play many small creatures quickly. Its focus is on overwhelming the opponent before they can establish a defense.
- Inputs:
- Average Mana Value: 2.4
- Other Mana Sources: 8 (e.g., Sol Ring, a few Signets, some mana dorks)
- Results:
- The edh land calculator would suggest a lower land count, likely around 34-35 lands. This maximizes the chances of drawing action spells while still having enough mana to cast them in the early turns.
Example 2: “Battlecruiser” Control Deck
Now consider a slower, control-style deck that aims to survive the early game and cast powerful, high-impact spells in the late game.
- Inputs:
- Average Mana Value: 4.1
- Other Mana Sources: 14 (lots of ramp spells and powerful mana rocks)
- Results:
- For this deck, the calculator will recommend a much higher land count, probably in the range of 38-39 lands. Despite having many other mana sources, the high average cost demands hitting land drops consistently every turn. You can explore different ramp strategies in our article on the best mana rocks in commander.
How to Use This EDH Land Calculator
Using the calculator is a simple, three-step process designed to give you instant, actionable results.
- Enter Your Deck Size: This will almost always be 99 for a Commander deck.
- Input Average Mana Value: This is the most important input. To calculate it, add up the mana values of all non-land cards in your deck and divide by the number of those cards. A tool like our mana curve calculator can automate this for you.
- Count Other Mana Sources: Tally up any card that isn’t a land but can produce mana. This includes artifacts like Sol Ring, creatures like Birds of Paradise, and spells like Cultivate.
- Interpret the Results: The calculator will output a recommended number of lands. Use this as your baseline. From there, playtest your deck and adjust by one or two lands as needed until it feels perfectly consistent.
Key Factors That Affect Your Land Count
Beyond the numbers, several strategic factors influence your final land count. A good edh land calculator gets you close, but a great deckbuilder considers these nuances.
- Mana Curve: This is the primary factor. A low curve (many cheap spells) needs fewer lands than a high curve (many expensive spells).
- Commander’s Cost: If your commander is essential to your strategy and costs a lot of mana, you’ll want more lands to ensure you can cast it on time, and recast it after it’s been removed.
- Color Requirements: A five-color deck requires a more complex mana base than a mono-color deck and might need more utility lands or dual lands that enter tapped, subtly affecting your count. Read about building a commander mana base for more info.
- Card Draw: Decks with lots of card draw can afford to run slightly fewer lands because they see more of their library each game, increasing the odds of finding the lands they need.
- Landfall Synergies: If your deck has cards with the “Landfall” mechanic, you actively want to play more lands to trigger those abilities more often. These decks often run 40+ lands.
- MDFCs (Modal Double-Faced Cards): Cards from sets like Zendikar Rising that are a spell on one side and a land on the other are fantastic for smoothing out your draws. They can effectively reduce your need for basic lands.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
A great starting point for any Commander deck is 37-38 lands. This is a safe number that works for a wide variety of strategies. From there, you can use this edh land calculator to refine the number based on your deck’s specific needs.
A common rule of thumb is to count two mana rocks (or other ramp sources) as equivalent to one land. This calculator uses that 2:1 ratio. This is because ramp is less reliable than a land drop; it can be countered or destroyed.
It’s very risky. Only highly competitive, low-to-the-ground decks with lots of card draw and an average mana value below 2.5 should consider going this low. For most casual decks, staying at 34 or more is recommended for consistency.
Yes, you should include them in your total land count. However, be aware that running too many colorless utility lands can hurt your ability to cast colored spells. Understanding your EDH mana curve is crucial here.
For Landfall decks, you want more lands than the calculator suggests. A good number is often 40-42 lands, plus ramp. The goal is to maximize your land drops to trigger your powerful abilities.
No, this edh land calculator is specifically calibrated for the 100-card singleton format of Commander. 60-card formats have different ratios and probabilities. We have a separate MTG land calculator for that.
It is the single most important factor. It’s a direct reflection of how much mana your deck needs to operate. A small change in average mana value can change the recommended land count by one or two lands.
The calculator provides a mathematical starting point. Always trust playtesting. If your deck feels consistently flooded with mana, trim a land. If it’s consistently starved for mana, add one or two. The “feel” of the deck during a real game is the ultimate test.