One of the simplest but most important decisions in Magic: The Gathering deckbuilding is deciding how many copies of a card to include. For budget players, this decision matters even more because buying four copies of every card can quickly become expensive.

Knowing when to play three or four copies lets you spend your limited budget on the cards that matter most to your deck’s strategy.

When a card is essential to your deck’s game plan, playing four copies is usually the better choice. This applies to cards that you want to see consistently, such as your main threat, key removal spell, or an important combo piece.

If your deck is built around a particular card and your strategy weakens when you don’t draw it, maximizing copies increases your chances of finding it during a game. Even if the fourth copy costs a little more, it can be a better investment than spending that money on cards that have a less important role.

Playing three copies can be appropriate when a card is useful but not something you necessarily want to draw in every game. Perhaps it is powerful in certain situations, but having multiple copies in your opening hand could be awkward.

This is common with expensive cards, legendary permanents, situational answers, or cards that become less useful when drawn in multiples. For budget players, running three copies can also be a practical way to reduce the cost of a deck while maintaining most of its consistency.

Another factor to consider is your deck’s curve and redundancy. If you already have several cards performing similar functions, you may not need four copies of each. For example, a deck might use three copies of one removal spell and four copies of another because the second card is more flexible.

Similarly, if your deck has multiple creatures that fill the same role, you can distribute your copies instead of automatically playing four of everything. This approach can make a budget deck more efficient without sacrificing its overall game plan.

Ultimately, the decision between three and four copies should come from testing rather than a strict rule. Play the deck several times and pay attention to which cards you consistently wish you had more of and which ones sit in your hand.

If you frequently find yourself saying, “I wish I drew this card,” consider increasing it to four copies. If you regularly draw multiples and feel that they are unnecessary, three copies may be enough.

For budget MTG players, smart deckbuilding is not simply about owning the most expensive cards—it is about making every card count. Four copies should generally be reserved for cards that are central to your strategy, while three copies can provide flexibility for powerful but situational cards.

Learning this distinction can save money, improve consistency, and help you build stronger decks with the collection you already have.

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In building a Magic: the Gathering deck, I usually aim to use a core card or card components and build a strategy around it. The problem then goes with the card’s consistency and the synergy with the deck build.

For example, a control deck archetype uses card draws to resupply its hand of counterspells, mass removal, and planeswalker support. If you are only considering winning via a planeswalker ultimate ability, then you need to also check the instances when that win route is hard to achieve. In that way, you can have options like attacking to reduce life totals to zero as an alternate.

When determining the best cards to use in your Magic: the Gathering main deck, consider the following factors:

1. Synergy: Look for cards that work well together and complement each other. For example, cards that share a creature type, a color, or a theme can work well together and create a cohesive strategy.
2. Power level: Choose cards that are powerful and effective for their mana cost. Look for cards that can provide a strong advantage, such as creatures with high power and toughness, spells that can remove the opponent’s creatures or draw you cards, and so on.
3. Mana curve: Make sure you have a balanced mana curve, meaning that you have enough cards that can be played at each stage of the game. This will help ensure that you have something to play on each turn and are not stuck with a hand full of unplayable cards.
4. Meta considerations: Consider the current metagame and the decks you are likely to face. Choose cards that are effective against popular decks and strategies, and avoid cards that are weak against them.
5. Your play style: Choose cards that fit your play style and preferences. For example, if you prefer an aggressive play style, choose creatures with haste and low mana cost. If you prefer a more controlling style, choose cards that can remove or neutralize your opponent’s threats.
6. Testing: Playtest your deck to determine which cards are effective and which ones are not. Make changes to your deck as needed based on your playtesting results.

Overall, the best cards to use in your main deck are those that fit well together, are powerful and effective, have a balanced mana curve, are effective against the current metagame, and fit your play style and preferences.