How Much Removal Should a Commander Deck Have?
By MTG Master EditorialPublished Updated
One of the biggest mistakes Commander players make isn't playing too few lands.
It isn't forgetting card draw.
It isn't even running an expensive mana curve.
It's sitting at a table with no way to answer the scary things everyone else is doing.
Commander is a multiplayer format. Someone will cast a game winning enchantment. Someone will assemble a combo. Someone will resolve a creature that absolutely cannot stay on the battlefield.
If your deck can't answer those threats, you're trusting three other players to solve your problems.
Most of the time, they won't.
Quick Answer
For most Commander decks, 8 to 12 pieces of dedicated removal is the sweet spot.
A balanced deck usually wants:
- 4 to 6 single target removal spells
- 2 to 4 board wipes
- 1 to 3 flexible removal spells that can answer multiple permanent types
Exactly how many you need depends on your strategy, your commander, and your playgroup, but very few decks should play fewer than eight total answers.
Why Removal Is So Important
Commander isn't about goldfishing your own game plan.
You're sharing the table with three opponents, each trying to execute theirs.
That means there are three times as many threats to answer.
Every game eventually reaches a point where somebody asks the table:
Does anyone have an answer?
You want the answer to be yes.
Even aggressive decks need removal. Eliminating one blocker can represent twenty damage. Destroying a combo piece can buy several turns. Removing a stax piece can let everyone actually play Magic again.
Removal doesn't slow your deck down.
Good removal lets your deck keep playing.
Not Every Removal Spell Does the Same Job
One of the easiest traps is filling your deck with creature removal and then losing to an enchantment.
Commander contains almost every permanent type imaginable.
The best removal packages can answer all of them.
Single Target Removal
These are your bread and butter.
They answer the one permanent that's causing problems while keeping the rest of the table intact.
Cheap, efficient removal lets you continue developing your own board instead of spending an entire turn answering someone else.
Most decks should start with 4 to 6 of these.
Board Wipes
Sometimes everything has gone wrong.
The token player has sixty creatures.
The Elf player has enough mana to cast their entire deck.
The Dinosaur player has made everyone question their life choices.
That's when you want a reset button.
Board wipes help prevent games from snowballing out of control and give slower decks a chance to recover.
Most Commander decks should play 2 to 4.
Creature heavy aggressive decks may play fewer.
Control decks often play more.
Flexible Removal Is Premium
Cards that can answer creatures, artifacts, enchantments, planeswalkers, or even lands are incredibly valuable.
You'll never know exactly what you'll need to remove.
Versatility wins games.
These spells are rarely dead draws because they almost always have a useful target.
Your Commander Matters
Some commanders naturally solve problems.
Others barely interact with opponents at all.
If your commander repeatedly removes creatures, bounces permanents, or fights opposing threats, you may not need as many dedicated removal spells.
If your commander only advances your own strategy, you'll usually need a stronger removal package elsewhere in the deck.
Always evaluate your commander as part of your interaction suite.
Check the removal package in your actual deck
MTG Master evaluates removal together with your commander, deck speed, interaction coverage, and overall strategy.
Different Archetypes Need Different Amounts
Aggro
Aggressive decks usually want around 8 removal spells.
Their goal isn't answering everything.
They simply need to clear blockers and stop opponents from stabilizing.
Midrange
Midrange decks thrive on flexibility.
Around 10 to 12 removal spells lets them answer almost any threat while continuing to develop their own board.
Control
Control decks often run 12 to 15 pieces of removal.
Winning the long game means surviving long enough to reach it.
Combo
Combo decks don't necessarily need to answer every permanent.
They mainly need enough interaction to survive until their combo is ready.
Around 8 to 10 answers is common.
Don't Forget Artifacts and Enchantments
Many Commander games are decided by permanents that aren't creatures.
Mana rocks accelerate opponents.
Powerful enchantments generate overwhelming value.
Equipment can turn an ordinary creature into an unstoppable threat.
If every removal spell in your deck says “Destroy target creature,” you'll eventually lose to something that isn't one.
A healthy mix of answers makes your deck far more resilient.
Common Mistakes
Only playing creature removal
This is by far the most common mistake.
Commander has too many dangerous noncreature permanents to ignore them.
Saving removal forever
New players often wait for the “perfect” target.
Sometimes the perfect target is simply the card that's going to make you lose in two turns.
Use your removal when it protects your chances of winning.
Using removal on every threat
The opposite mistake is firing removal at everything that moves.
Not every scary creature deserves an answer.
Sometimes another player is the real threat.
Commander rewards patience as much as action.
Forgetting instant speed interaction
Being able to respond during another player's turn is incredibly valuable.
Instant speed removal lets you stop combos, protect yourself in combat, and make opponents play around open mana.
How Do You Know If You Need More Removal?
Your deck probably needs more interaction if you regularly find yourself saying:
I wish I had an answer.
Or if you often lose because:
- An enchantment stayed on the battlefield for five turns.
- A combo player assembled their pieces uncontested.
- A single creature dominated the entire table.
- Someone's commander survived the whole game untouched.
These are usually signs that your removal package is too light.
Final Recommendation
For most Commander decks, 10 removal spells is an excellent place to start.
Aim for a healthy mix of single target removal, board wipes, and flexible answers that can deal with different permanent types.
Then adjust based on your commander and your local playgroup.
Remember, removal doesn't stop you from playing Magic.
It makes sure everyone else has to play fair, too.