Turn a new idea into a testable theory

State your idea

Theorycrafting means building an idea before enough games show how well it works. Use the deck archetypes overview to name the winning plan, then start with one clear claim. For example: “A small minion package may help this deck rebuild after a clear.”

That claim is a guess to test. It is not a promise that the deck is strong.

Separate facts from assumptions

Facts include the card's full text and the rules that apply to it. Check those first. Assumptions are things your plan expects but has not shown yet.

Here is a hypothetical idea. Imagine an eligible card that rewards you when you play several cheap minions. We are not naming a real card or saying it is currently available.

The idea might need these assumptions:

• I can find enough useful cheap minions.
• I can hold some of them until the reward is ready.
• I have enough mana to use the pieces together.
• Saving those cards will not leave me too far behind.

Write what you will look for in games to check each assumption.

Picture normal and awkward games

Describe a good opening, an ordinary opening, and a poor one. Then picture the enemy removing your setup or forcing you to defend early.

The best case shows the idea's ceiling. The awkward case helps reveal its floor. Both matter. A huge result is less useful if you rarely reach it.

Choose one first test

Test a claim you can observe. “The package helps me make a new board after a clear” is easier to check than “The deck is amazing.”

Note each chance to rebuild, which cards you had, and what happened. If the pieces keep arriving too late, your first theory needs work even if you win some games.

Label the idea honestly

Save the draft as untested. After playing it, say what you observed and what remains unclear. A few exciting wins can suggest a next test. They do not establish a lasting ranking.

Move to building the first draft once the idea has a clear plan, known rules, and a question that games can answer.