Synergy vs Goodstuff: Two Approaches to Commander Deck Building

Every Commander deck falls somewhere on a spectrum between two philosophies: synergy and goodstuff.

Synergy decks are built around specific interactions between cards. Each card is chosen because it works with other cards in the deck, creating combinations that are stronger than the sum of their parts. A Zombie tribal deck where every card interacts with Zombies is a synergy deck.

Goodstuff decks are built with individually powerful cards that do not need other cards to be effective. Each card stands on its own merits. A deck packed with format staples like Rhystic Study, Cyclonic Rift, and Sylvan Library regardless of commander is a goodstuff deck.

Neither approach is inherently better. Understanding when each philosophy works helps you build smarter decks.

The Synergy Approach

How It Works

Synergy decks choose cards based on how they interact with the rest of the deck rather than their individual power level. A card like Carrion Feeder is mediocre in isolation - a 1/1 for one mana with no evasion. But in a Zombie aristocrats deck, it is a free sacrifice outlet that triggers death payoffs, grows into a threat, and enables Gravecrawler loops.

The strength of synergy is that it creates a deck where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Twenty individually weak Zombies plus five tribal payoffs create a board state that no collection of individually powerful cards can match.

Strengths

Higher ceiling: A synergy deck firing on all cylinders generates more value than a goodstuff deck. When your cards work together, each additional card multiplies the power of everything else.

Budget-friendly: Synergy cards are often cheap because they are narrow. Cards like Diregraf Captain, Beast Whisperer, and Beastmaster Ascension cost under $1 because they only go in specific decks. A synergy-heavy deck can compete with decks costing five times more.

Unique gameplay: Synergy decks play differently from game to game depending on which synergies you draw. They have a distinct identity that makes them fun to play repeatedly.

Commander-dependent: Your commander ties everything together. When your commander is on the battlefield, the deck hums. This makes the game feel like your commander matters, which is the whole point of the format.

Weaknesses

Lower floor: When your synergies do not come together, synergy decks can feel terrible. Drawing half your Zombie payoffs without any Zombies, or half your Zombies without any payoffs, leads to non-games.

Commander-dependent (the bad version): If your commander gets removed repeatedly and you cannot recast it due to commander tax, your deck can fall apart. Cards chosen for synergy with your commander become dead draws without it.

Fragile: Board wipes and targeted removal can dismantle a synergy engine. A single Wrath of God against a creature-based synergy deck resets turns of development.

Deckbuilding complexity: Building a good synergy deck requires understanding which cards work together and in what ratios. New players often build synergy decks that are too narrow or too inconsistent.

The Goodstuff Approach

How It Works

Goodstuff decks fill every slot with the most powerful card available for that slot. Instead of choosing removal based on synergy, you choose the best removal spell in your colors. Instead of choosing creatures that work with your theme, you choose the creatures with the highest individual power level.

A Simic (blue-green) goodstuff deck might run Consecrated Sphinx, Cyclonic Rift, Rhystic Study, Sylvan Library, Oracle of Mul Daya, and Bane of Progress. None of these cards synergize with each other - they are each independently powerful.

Strengths

Consistency: Every card you draw is strong on its own. You never have the "wrong half" problem because there are no halves. Any seven cards from your deck form a functional hand.

Resilience: Removing one powerful card does not dismantle your strategy because no card depends on another. Board wipes hurt less because each creature you replay is independently threatening.

Flexibility: Goodstuff decks can adapt to any board state because they are not locked into a specific strategy. You can play reactively or proactively based on what the game demands.

Lower deckbuilding complexity: "Include the best cards" is simpler than "find the right synergy ratios." For new players, goodstuff is an accessible starting point.

Weaknesses

Lower ceiling: A pile of individually strong cards rarely matches a synergy deck at peak performance. Twenty independently powerful cards will lose to twenty synergistic cards that multiply each other's effectiveness.

Expensive: The best individually powerful cards tend to be the most expensive. Rhystic Study, Cyclonic Rift, Mana Drain, and Sylvan Library are format staples that cost real money. A goodstuff deck is essentially a collection of the most sought-after cards in Commander.

Generic feel: Goodstuff decks can feel samey. When your deck is mostly format staples, it plays similarly regardless of your commander. Two different Simic goodstuff decks with different commanders often feel like the same deck.

Commander is less relevant: In a goodstuff deck, your commander is often a value engine that could be swapped for any other value engine in the same colors. The deck does not feel built around the commander.

The Hybrid Approach

The best Commander decks usually blend both philosophies. They have a synergy core built around their commander's strategy, supplemented by individually powerful staples that fill utility slots.

How to Blend Them

Synergy for your theme (60-65% of non-land cards): The creatures, payoffs, and enablers that define your deck's identity.

Goodstuff for your utility (35-40% of non-land cards): Ramp, removal, card draw, and protection chosen for raw efficiency rather than synergy.

Example: A Wilhelt Zombie deck runs:

• Synergy: Gravecrawler, Diregraf Captain, Plague Belcher, Carrion Feeder, Undead Augur, Rooftop Storm (Zombie-specific)
• Goodstuff: Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Counterspell, Go for the Throat, Toxic Deluge, Phyrexian Arena (efficient regardless of theme)

This hybrid approach gives you the explosive potential of synergy with the consistency of individually strong cards.

Choosing Your Approach

Build Synergy When

• Your commander has a specific, build-around ability
• You want a unique, distinctive deck
• You are on a budget (synergy cards are cheaper)
• Your playgroup is at a casual or focused power level
• You enjoy the puzzle of finding card interactions

Build Goodstuff When

• Your commander is a generic value engine
• You want maximum consistency
• Budget is not a primary concern
• Your playgroup is at an optimized or competitive power level
• You want a deck that adapts to any situation

Build Hybrid When

• You want the best of both worlds (most players should aim here)
• Your commander supports a specific strategy but you want consistency
• You are upgrading a synergy-heavy precon and need to improve its floor

Evaluating Cards for Each Approach

When deciding whether to include a card, ask:

For synergy: "Does this card get better because of other cards in my deck?"

• If yes, it is a synergy include
• If it is only good in magical-Christmas-land scenarios, skip it

For goodstuff: "Is this card strong enough on its own regardless of what else I draw?"

• If yes, it is a goodstuff include
• If it is just "decent," there is probably a better option

For hybrid evaluation: "Is this card good enough on its own AND gets better with my synergies?"

• These are the best cards in your deck. Prioritize them.

Understanding where your deck falls on the synergy-to-goodstuff spectrum helps you make better deckbuilding decisions. For help finding the right balance for your commander, try Manacove - describe your strategy and the AI will suggest cards that match both your theme and your power level.