Magic decks fall along a spectrum from aggro to control, with combo and midrange in the mix. This analyzer scores your deck against each archetype from its mana curve and spell mix, then names the closest match and gives tuning advice for that style.
What the four archetypes mean in practice
Aggro decks aim to win before the opponent stabilises. They run many cheap, efficient threats and close with direct damage or evasion. The opponent has to react, not plan. Average mana value typically sits around 1.5–2.2 for a genuine aggro build.
Midrange decks play on the axis of value: every threat demands an answer, and every answer threatens in return. The curve peaks around 3–4 mana, balancing creatures and removal. Midrange wins grinding games by generating more resources than the opponent can match.
Control decks plan to answer everything and win in the late game. They run few threats but many answers, card draw engines, and sweepers. A high average mana value (often 3.0+) and heavy removal and draw counts both signal control.
Combo decks win by assembling a specific card interaction rather than through attrition. The key signal is a high count of dedicated combo pieces and tutors relative to the rest of the deck. Combo curves vary widely — storm runs cheaply; big-mana combo runs expensively — so piece count matters more than curve alone.
How it works
Each archetype gets a score from weighted signals in your deck:
aggro favored by low average mana value and many cheap creatures
midrange favored by a moderate curve and a balance of creatures + removal
control favored by a high curve, heavy removal, and lots of card draw
combo favored by a high count of dedicated combo pieces and tutorsThe mana value contributes a graded score per archetype, and the spell counts add proportional weight. The highest total score wins; ties lean toward the more threat-dense archetype.
Tuning advice by archetype
If the analyzer calls your deck aggro: verify the top-end is minimal. Any card above 3 mana that does not immediately win the game is likely a liability. Add reach — burn spells that deal damage directly, or evasive finishers — to close when the opponent stabilises at low life.
If midrange: check that your curve peaks efficiently and that your removal is flexible. Two-for-one threats (cards that replace themselves or generate tokens) improve your resource differential against control. You should rarely lose to aggro if your curve starts at 2 mana with good rate, and rarely lose to control if your threats are hard to answer individually.
If control: make sure your win conditions are hard to interact with — otherwise you do all the work but still lose to the one threat you cannot answer. Count your card draw engines: a control deck without consistent draw will run out of answers.
If combo: prioritise consistency. Tutors and card selection that find pieces reliably matter more than adding redundant win conditions. A backup plan that works even when the main combo is disrupted makes the deck resilient without diluting the core strategy.
Example
A deck with an average mana value of 1.9, 22 creatures at 1–2 mana, 4 removal spells, and no combo pieces scores heavily toward aggro: the low curve and creature density point there, with little card draw or removal to suggest control. The analysis would advise keeping the curve disciplined and adding reach for the final points of damage.
Many real decks blend styles — aggro-combo that wins with burn or an unexpected infinite is common — so treat the result as a label and a starting point, not a rigid verdict.