Give each card a job and check the curve

Name each card's main job

A card can have several uses. Give it one main job so you can see what your deck is missing.

Common jobs include early threats, removal, card draw, defense, support, and a finisher. Write the job beside the card's name. Then explain when that job matters.

For example, a small minion may be an early threat. A spell may clear a blocker. A later card may help rebuild your board. Those cards fill different needs even if they cost the same amount.

Read the mana curve as a plan

The mana curve shows how your cards are spread across costs. It can reveal a hand full of cards you cannot play yet. It does not show whether a cheap card has a useful effect on an early turn.

An imaginary two-cost spell might need one of your minions on the board. It is cheap, but it does little when your board is empty. Count cards that can start your plan as well as cards that help it later.

Ask these questions:

• What can I do on the first few turns?
• Can I play a threat and an answer on the same turn later?
• Which cards need a target, a resource, or another card first?
• What useful play remains after the enemy clears my board?

Walk through ordinary hands

Choose several different starting hands from your draft. Include an awkward one. Describe your first few turns with each hand. This is a quick check, not proof that the deck works.

A control deck still needs a way to handle early pressure. An aggro deck still needs a way to keep going if the game lasts longer than planned.

Fix gaps before adding extras

Do not chase a perfect-looking cost chart. There is no single curve that fits every plan. If your hands often lack a useful early play, inspect those card roles first. Then test a change in real games.

Use the mana and curve lesson to connect your deck's costs with choices during a turn.