There are alternative optimization criterions that I could have chosen (such as the highest probability of a turn-4 kill, a weighted turn-kill average taking into account both playing and drawing first, or even a game-theoretical analysis with real opponents who attack and block) but I like the one that I chose-it has a straightforward interpretation, rewards fast kills, and punishes slow draws. That is, we are on the play against a goldfish (an opponent who doesn’t do anything) and we aim to find the deck that minimizes the expected number of turns necessary to deal 20 damage. Would 20 land and 40 Lightning Bolts be best? Or 15 land and 45 Lightning Bolts? Would it be better to play 20 lands and 40 Savannah Lions? And how about a balanced mix of one-drops, two-drops, three-drops, Bolts, and lands?īefore answering any of this, I first need to pinpoint the exact meaning of “best deck.” For this article, I will adhere to the optimization criterion: the fastest average goldfish kill on the play. Frankly, I like analysis, so I set out to answer it.Ī priori, it was far from clear to me how the best deck would look. This question is intended to offer intellectual entertainment, but may also unlock new insights for deckbuilding.

A generic land that taps for one mana (of any color, so just imagine a City of Brass).

A spell that deals 3 damage to the opponent for one mana (obviously inspired by Lightning Bolt, though Lava Spike and Bump in the Night are similarly efficient).A 6-power creature for three mana (representative of Geist of Saint Traft, arguably the hardest-hitting three-drop of all time, as well as Knight of the Reliquary and Countryside Crusher when they’re having a good day).A 4-power creature for two mana (representative of efficient two-drops such as Putrid Leech, Dandân, and Jötun Grunt).A 2-power creature for one mana (representative of iconic one-drops such as Kird Ape, Gravecrawler, and Savannah Lions).In other words, what is the fastest 60-card aggro deck when you can pick any number of: For this format, I want to answer the following question: What Is the Optimal Deck? There is no four-card maximum, so you can play any number of copies of these cards, and the goal is to deal 20 damage as quickly as possible. Suppose that there would be a format in which only the following five cards were legal:

Mtg playtest simulator