Best Ways to Test MTG Decks Before Buying: Complete Guide

Testing Magic: The Gathering decks before buying expensive cards is smart financial planning. This guide covers the best methods for testing decks, from proxies to digital tools, so you can make informed purchasing decisions.

Why Test Before Buying?

Testing decks helps you:

• Save money - Avoid buying cards you won't use
• Find what works - Discover which strategies suit you
• Optimize builds - Refine decks before investing
• Avoid regret - Make sure you'll enjoy the deck
• Build confidence - Know the deck works before buying

Method 1: Proxies (Physical Testing)

Creating Proxies

The most common method for physical testing:

Steps:

1. Design proxies using TCGCustom
2. Print on paper or cardstock
3. Use sleeve trick - Place proxy in front of real card
4. Test in play - Play games with your playgroup

Advantages:

• Test with real cards and players
• Feel how deck plays physically
• Get feedback from opponents
• Test in actual play environment

Disadvantages:

• Requires printing
• Need playgroup approval
• Time-consuming to create
• Physical setup needed

Proxy Best Practices

• Ask permission from playgroup first
• Clearly mark proxies as not real
• Test thoroughly before buying
• Get feedback from opponents
• Be transparent about testing

Method 2: Digital Testing Platforms

MTG Arena

Best for: Standard and Historic formats

How it works:

• Free to play digital platform
• Earn cards through play
• Test Standard decks
• Limited card pool (Standard-focused)

Advantages:

• Official Wizards platform
• Polished interface
• Regular updates
• Large player base

Disadvantages:

• Limited to certain formats
• Must earn/buy digital cards
• Different meta than paper
• Can't test all cards

Magic: The Gathering Online (MTGO)

Best for: All formats, competitive testing

How it works:

• Digital platform with all cards
• Rent cards for testing
• Play all formats
• Closer to paper Magic

Advantages:

• All formats available
• Can rent expensive cards
• Competitive environment
• Similar to paper play

Disadvantages:

• Requires subscription/rental
• Older interface
• Learning curve
• Costs money

Cockatrice

Best for: Free testing, all formats

How it works:

• Free, open-source platform
• All cards available
• Manual gameplay
• No rules enforcement

Advantages:

• Completely free
• All cards available
• All formats supported
• No cost to test

Disadvantages:

• Manual rules enforcement
• Smaller player base
• Requires knowledge of rules
• Less polished interface

XMage

Best for: Automated testing, all formats

How it works:

• Free, open-source platform
• Automated rules engine
• All cards available
• Supports all formats

Advantages:

• Automated rules
• Free to use
• All cards available
• Good for testing

Disadvantages:

• Can have bugs
• Smaller community
• Requires installation
• Less polished than official

Method 3: Goldfishing (Solo Testing)

What is Goldfishing?

Playing your deck against an imaginary opponent who does nothing.

How to goldfish:

1. Shuffle deck
2. Draw opening hand
3. Play as if opponent does nothing
4. Track results - How fast can you win?
5. Repeat multiple times

What Goldfishing Tests

• Mana curve - Do you have enough lands?
• Consistency - Does deck work reliably?
• Speed - How fast can you win?
• Synergies - Do cards work together?

Limitations

• No interaction - Opponent doesn't respond
• Unrealistic - Real games have interaction
• Limited value - Doesn't test against strategies
• Best for - Initial testing only

Method 4: Playtesting with Friends

Organizing Playtests

1. Ask friends to help test
2. Use proxies for expensive cards
3. Play multiple games - Best of 3 or 5
4. Take notes - What works, what doesn't
5. Iterate - Make changes and retest

What to Test

• Against different decks - Various strategies
• Going first/second - Both scenarios
• Mulligan decisions - What hands to keep
• Sideboard plans - Post-board games

Getting Feedback

Ask opponents:

• What felt strong?
• What seemed weak?
• What was surprising?
• How did it feel to play against?

Method 5: Theorycrafting and Analysis

Deck Analysis Tools

• EDHREC - See popular cards and strategies
• MTG Goldfish - Meta analysis and decklists
• Scryfall - Card search and analysis
• Deck building sites - Test mana curves

What to Analyze

• Mana curve - Distribution of costs
• Card synergies - How cards work together
• Meta matchups - How it fares against popular decks
• Win conditions - How you plan to win

Limitations

• No actual play - Theoretical only
• May miss interactions - Real play reveals issues
• Meta assumptions - May not match your meta
• Best combined with other methods

Comprehensive Testing Strategy

Phase 1: Initial Testing

1. Goldfish the deck 10-20 times
2. Check mana curve - Is it reasonable?
3. Verify synergies - Do cards work together?
4. Identify issues - What needs fixing?

Phase 2: Proxy Testing

1. Create proxies for expensive cards
2. Play with playgroup - Get real game experience
3. Test against variety - Different deck types
4. Track results - Win rate, what works

Phase 3: Refinement

1. Make adjustments based on testing
2. Retest changes - Verify improvements
3. Optimize list - Fine-tune card choices
4. Finalize build - Ready to buy

Phase 4: Purchase Decision

1. Evaluate results - Did deck perform well?
2. Consider cost - Is it worth the investment?
3. Check enjoyment - Did you have fun?
4. Make decision - Buy or don't buy

Testing Specific Formats

Standard Testing

• MTG Arena - Best digital option
• Local meta - Test against common decks
• Proxies - For expensive cards
• Focus on - Current meta matchups

Modern Testing

• MTGO - Rent cards to test
• Cockatrice/XMage - Free alternatives
• Proxies - Physical testing
• Focus on - Tier deck matchups

EDH/Commander Testing

• Proxies - Very common in format
• Playgroup testing - Best method
• Multiple games - Test consistency
• Focus on - Fun factor and power level

Legacy/Vintage Testing

• MTGO - Only realistic option
• Proxies - For physical play
• Expensive format - Testing crucial
• Focus on - Competitive viability

Budget Considerations

Testing Costs

• Proxies: ~$0.10-0.50 per card (printing)
• Digital platforms: Free to $20/month
• Time investment: 5-20 hours of testing
• Total: Much cheaper than buying untested

Buying Costs

• Standard deck: $100-500
• Modern deck: $500-2000
• EDH deck: $100-5000+
• Legacy deck: $2000-10000+

ROI of Testing

Testing can save you:

• Hundreds of dollars on unused cards
• Time wasted on bad decks
• Frustration from underperforming decks
• Regret from poor purchases

Common Testing Mistakes

Mistake 1: Not Testing Enough

Problem: Testing only 1-2 games Fix: Test 10+ games before deciding

Mistake 2: Testing in Wrong Environment

Problem: Testing against wrong decks Fix: Test against your actual meta

Mistake 3: Ignoring Results

Problem: Buying despite poor testing Fix: Trust your testing results

Mistake 4: Not Iterating

Problem: Testing same list repeatedly Fix: Make changes and retest

Tools and Resources

Deck Building

• TCGCustom - Create and test custom cards
• Deckstats - Deck building and analysis
• TappedOut - Deck sharing and testing
• Archidekt - Visual deck builder

Testing Platforms

• MTG Arena - Official digital platform
• MTGO - Comprehensive digital Magic
• Cockatrice - Free testing platform
• XMage - Automated free platform

Analysis Tools

• EDHREC - Commander statistics
• MTG Goldfish - Meta analysis
• Scryfall - Advanced card search
• 17lands - Limited format data

Conclusion

Testing Magic decks before buying is essential for making smart financial decisions. Use a combination of methods:

• Start with goldfishing - Quick initial test
• Move to proxies - Physical playtesting
• Use digital tools - Broader testing options
• Get playgroup feedback - Real game experience

Remember: Testing takes time but saves money. Don't rush into purchases - test thoroughly and make informed decisions. Use TCGCustom to create proxies for testing, and combine multiple testing methods for the best results.

Whether you're testing a budget Standard deck or an expensive Commander build, proper testing will help you make purchases you won't regret. Take the time to test, iterate, and refine before investing in expensive cards.