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🎴 Deck Builder

The Deck Builder feature allows you to create, manage, and organize Magic: The Gathering decks using cards from your collection.

Video Tutorial

Watch this video tutorial on building decks in TCG Archivist

➕ Creating a Deck

Start a New Deck

  1. Switch to the Decks tab using the toggle at the top of the home screen
  2. Tap the + button to create a new deck
  3. Enter a deck name
  4. Select a format (Standard, Modern, Commander, etc.)
  5. Tap Create

Adding Cards to Your Deck

There are multiple ways to add cards:

From Your Collection

  1. Open your deck
  2. Tap Add Cards (+)
  3. Use the search screen to find cards in your collection or the full database
  4. Enable selection mode and select the cards you want
  5. Tap Add to Deck and choose your deck
  6. Cards are added to the main deck with quantity 1 each
  7. Change the quantity of each card as needed in the edit version dialog.

Import a Decklist

  1. From the Decks tab, tap the Import button
  2. Paste your decklist in standard format: 
    4 Lightning Bolt
4 Counterspell
20 Island
  3. The app will match cards to your collection
  4. Review and confirm the import

Tip

The app shows which cards you own and which you need to acquire when importing decklists.

🔧 Managing Your Decks

Deck Overview

Each deck in the Decks tab displays: - Deck name and format - Card count (main deck + sideboard) - Color identity with mana symbols - Thumbnail image from a card in the deck

Tap a deck image to view and edit it, tap the 3 dots to edit its name, image or format.

Editing a Deck

  1. Open the deck you want to edit
  2. Tap on any card to:
  3. Adjust quantity
  4. Remove from deck
  5. View card details
  6. Swipe to move between main deck and sideboard

📍 Deck Allocation

The Deck Allocation tool helps you physically assemble decks from your collection while keeping your digital inventory accurate.

How Deck Allocation Works

Note

When you add cards to a deck, they're tracked separately from your general collection, this way you can have multiple decks that use the same cards or build decks with cards you don't yet own. In other words, cards in deck don't effect your collection

Using the Allocation Tool

The allocation tool provides a pull list to help you find and gather physical cards:

  1. Open your deck from the Decks tab
  2. Tap the Allocation box icon.
  3. View the organized list of cards you need to pull from your collection
  4. The pull list shows:
  5. Card name and quantity needed
  6. Storage location where each card is physically stored
  7. Set and collector number for specific versions
  8. Cards grouped by storage location or card name for efficient gathering

Automatic Location Updates

As you physically assemble your deck, the allocation tool updates storage locations:

  1. Select cards as you pull them - Check off cards as you find and gather them from your collection
  2. Review your selections - The deck location name is shown at the top of the screen (e.g., "Deck: Commander Deck")
  3. Confirm allocation - Tap the checkmark in the top-right corner to confirm
  4. Automatic update - All selected cards storage locations are moved to the deck location shown at the top
  5. Inventory stays accurate - Your digital collection now reflects that these cards are physically in the deck, instead of the box they were just pulled from

Benefits of the Allocation Tool

  • Efficient gathering: Cards are grouped by storage location, so you can pull all cards from "Bin 1", then "Bin 2", etc.
  • No guesswork: Know exactly where each card is stored before you start looking
  • Automatic tracking: Storage locations update automatically when you pull cards
  • Prevents errors: Ensures your app reflects the actual physical location of cards
  • Time-saving: No need to manually search or update locations after assembling decks

Best Practice

Use the allocation tool every time you physically assemble a deck. This keeps your digital inventory accurate and makes it easy to find cards for future decks. When you disassemble a deck, use the search, selection and move tools to simply move the cards back to a storage container.

📤 Exporting Decks

Export Formats

  1. Open a deck from the Decks tab
  2. Tap the export/share option
  3. Choose export format:
  4. Text format - Standard decklist format
  5. Share - Share via messaging apps or email

Export Format Example: 

Main Deck (60)
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Counterspell
20 Island
...

Sideboard (15)
3 Negate
2 Dispel
...

📊 Deck Statistics

View statistics for each deck:

  • Total cards in main deck and sideboard
  • Deck value - Based on Scryfall pricing
  • Format - The format you assigned to the deck

🎮 Testing Your Deck

Deck Simulator (Goldfish Testing)

Once you've built a deck, test it with the built-in Deck Simulator:

  1. Open your deck from the Decks screen
  2. Tap the play icon in the top-right
  3. Practice playing the deck solo (goldfish testing)

What you can do: - Draw opening hands and test consistency - Practice sequencing and play patterns - Evaluate mana curve in real gameplay - Test how fast your deck executes its game plan - Iterate on card choices based on performance

Tip

Goldfish testing is perfect for testing new deck ideas before playing against opponents. Run through 5-10 test games to see how consistently your deck performs.

Learn more in the Deck Simulator guide.

💡 Tips for Deck Building

Efficient Deck Building

  • Import decklists from online sources to quickly build decks
  • Track which cards you need to complete a deck
  • Test your deck with the Deck Simulator before playing
  • Use the "Get Missing Cards" feature (box icon) to quickly export a list of all cards you do not own

Collection Management

  • Cards in decks are shown on the deck tab in card details screens
  • Use the version edit and deck allocation feature within the deck builder to see which versions of the card you own and where they are physically located -Utilize the deck allocation feature when physically assembling decks to quickly find cards and update the storage locations of those cards in the app.
  • Export your deck to share with friends or for online play

Deck Review

  • Check card counts for main deck and sideboard
  • Review deck value and card allocation
  • Verify you have the cards you need
  • Use the Deck Simulator to test performance

Next Steps

  • Learn about Search & Results to find cards for your decks
  • Explore the Home Screen to manage your collection
  • Check the FAQ for more deck building tips