Deck Archetypes

When people consider decks generally as Aggro, Control, Combo, It's just a general classification. The definition of what a deck is not so simple as to just the 3 classification. We consider various factors when designing a deck; the win cons, colors, favourite cards, combos, synergy, meta, etc. This becomes the main guideline to how we want to achieve the common goal in the end. To win. And, have fun at the same time.

To the main point, describing a deck as either in the above 3 categories is too generalized. It points no direction to specifically what the deck is designed to handle. In the past 2-3 years I've realized there is more than one way of aggro, likewise more than 1 way of control. No, I don't just mean the win cons/deck archetypes, but I mean the style of deck and to what the approach. 

I'll attempt to expand the classifications with my thoughts;

1) General Archetypes: 

• Aggro
• Combo
• Control 

2) Pace:

• Late game/stall
• Midrange
• Rush

3) Shell:

• Offense
• Defense

4) Synergy: 

• Curve
• Interaction
• Tempo

5) Conditional-Based win cons

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1) General Archetypes:  The general 3. I won't discuss much as we know what the different categories. 

• Aggro:

Aims to win as fast as possible, often with an army, or with fast creatures or a relatively early drop of a big creature to win the game. 

• Control/Tempo: 

Aims to prolong the game or lock down opponent's options and win with a relatively large creature or any viable win cons.

• Combo:

Basically, is the kind of decks you just want to play with yourself, setting up and pulling off grand plans and combos that goes infinite or some sort of instant-win conditions. 

Notice that just the above 3 categories don't tell you much about a deck; sure you know that the deck is fast, has a powerhouse win con, but is that it? Is there more to the deck than just beating down? How fast is the deck running? 

My point is that though the categories will give a rough idea how a deck should typically run, I feel that that alone won't help in knowing the deck well enough. Knowing the card interactions, synergy, and how the deck is meant to be played can give a better understanding to counter their strategies.

2) Pace: Generally describes how fast the deck. Does the deck aim to rush in to win fast or going at a slow, but steady pace?

• Late game/stall: (t9+)

Generally meant for Tempo/Control decks. These decks aims to prolong the game into late game for 2 primary reasons; forcing the opponents to exhaust their early game resources into a longer game plan than expected for a easier game in late, or stall the game into their advantage, allowing them to establish a dominant board control.

• Midrange (t4-8)

This is what most variants aim for. Combo/Midrange decks are versatile and relatively resilient, but they are prone to inconsistency if poorly designed. The plan is generally take 2 turns to stabilize their mana and board, before winning via their combos or their threats. While some of the decks can be designed for early/late game endurance, they prefer to win the game within 2-3 turns upon establishing board control rather than taking the chances unless the deck is running control.

• Rush (t1-4)

The infamous RDW, Infect, Affinity decks will fall into this category. Aggro decks will dominate this category, although some form of control can be found here (discussed later).

3) Shell: Defense is the best offense or offense is the best defense? I've looked several articles posted by other players but I rarely seen them talking about this. I feel that knowing your shell of the deck is important; Are your strategies mainly offensive, or you are actually defensive?

• Offense

Offense strategies don't just mean all-out aggro. This shell can be generalized for decks that are very reactive with the board; having wide reach with removals and counterspells, high damage output, early game win cons; any of the listed. Offensive shells tend to have cards like Path to exile, Doom blade, lightning bolt and swords. Decks like Jund, Infect, Tokens, RDW, Esper Control, USA Midrange are all considered offensive shells. 

• Defense

Vice-versa, Defense shell don't mean you have a deck full of walls and just wall out! (I'd admit this will be a fun deck!) Defense shells have strategies of protection. This means they sacrifice reach for more defensive cards like Remand, Fog, faith's shield, brave the elements. Sure, some the cards can be used offensively, like protecting your creatures when they go all out against your opponents, but note; you chose to protect your creatures. Decks like Bant, Hatebears, Pods, Tron are considered defensive shells.

4) Synergy: This, to me, is the core of the deck. How the deck primarily function from one threat to another, or one removal to the next

• Curve

The curve looks at basically, your mana curve. This sort of synergy means you're heavily top-decking, or maybe a small draw engine to curve your drops like t1 - 1 mana drop, t2- 2 mana drop or 2x 1 mana drop, etc. Usually such curves will curve off early at cmc 3 or 4 to maximize top-decking.

• Interaction

I can write a book on this, but I'll stick to just the general idea. This is the core of any decks running lock-down or infinite strategies. Even some mechanics like devotion or cards like wild defiance will rely on interaction to play out. Even triggers like ETB, LTB, Morbid all falls into this category! Disruptions like Thoughtseize, Duress, Stone Rain are another form of interaction. These are primarily interactions to give disadvantages to your opponents. 

• Tempo

If you don't run interaction, the next likely you run is tempo-based synergies. Strategies like card advantages, fast ramps into early-game heavy spells/drops, SOME form of disruption all falls into this place. Ideally, you want two things here; Maximize the mana: effect cost ratio and/or cantrips/card advantages. Cards like Remand, Sphinx's revelation are great tempo cards. Also, efficient ramps and drops can be considered good tempo plays.

5) Conditional-Based Win Cons: This is basically how a deck wins. Like the conventional 20-life/10-poison win/loss condition as this is usually the main win con for most decks and there is nothing much to discuss, really. The ideas however grant still voice you to shaving off your opponents life to 0 or 10 poison. Minority of the decks have alternate wins which may or may not be obvious at first glance.

Cards like Near-Death Experience, Battle of Wits, Laboratory Maniac, or anything that says if/at (____) occurs, you win. These decks have alternate design strategies to pull out their win con of the classic 20-point hit is impossible or vice-versa, that the former is their primarily designed win con but may switch to conventional combat if proven impossible. A good example would be a match-up against Tron and Pod decks; If the pod combo pulls off with infinite life, Tron decks can slowly wreck the board and play a long game with annihilation and top-decking to force the pod deck into concession or deck out.

Having roughly explained, it's easy to see that most, if not all the decks are designed such that they do not suit into just one category. It becomes crucial to know how the decks you are facing or piloting works; just like how to maximize the card's potential is important.

It's not a wise idea to have something that counteracts your strategy, like you won't want to run fog in an infect deck, likewise lightning bolt in maybe let's say a combo deck? okay, maybe the examples can occur, but usually you'll end up dropping the cards for alternative cards either to aid in your win; be it protecting your key pieces or giving that extra reach you need as removal or to for that last few points to take the game.

Lastly, knowing the deck pieces can help you in your side-boarding to remove/disrupt or avoid key pieces, but knowing how the deck pilots may sometimes give you advantages when you least expect. If you can take advantage of how the deck is played it really opens up more opportunities to how you can interact/counteract with the deck.