How to Build a Sideboard Plan Without Buying Every Card Up Front

TLDR: You don’t need to buy every sideboard card before you start playing. Using proxy cards, testing against common matchups, and focusing on flexible answers can help you build a strong sideboard plan gradually and affordably. This approach fits casual players and collectors who want to explore Magic’s multiverse while crafting thoughtful strategies.

Sideboarding is a crucial part of Magic: The Gathering gameplay, allowing you to adapt your deck between games against different opponents. Still, the idea of buying every possible sideboard card up front can be overwhelming and expensive, especially if you’re experimenting with new decks or strategies. Luckily, there’s a creative and budget-friendly way to build your sideboard plan that fits perfectly with casual play and proxy cards.

At Make MTG Cards, we believe that every planeswalker deserves a deck prepared for the shifting tides of battle. By using proxies, you can bring your sideboard to life quickly and vividly, testing cards that fit your strategy without the pressure of costly commitments. Let’s explore how you can build a sideboard plan that’s flexible, practical, and perfectly tailored to your Magic multiverse adventures.

Understanding the Role of Your Sideboard

Before you start selecting sideboard cards, it’s important to understand what a sideboard is for. In Magic, your sideboard is a set of up to 15 cards separate from your main deck that you can swap in between games. The goal is to improve your chances against specific matchups by adjusting your deck’s tools.

A good sideboard plan anticipates common threats or strategies you’ll face and brings in answers that your main deck might lack. For example, if you face lots of artifact-heavy decks, you might want artifact removal in your sideboard. If control decks are common, you might bring cards that pressure their life total or disrupt their counterspells.

Sideboarding is not about having a perfect answer for every single card or deck in the entire multiverse — that would be impossible and costly. Instead, focus on the metagame you expect to play in, your deck’s strengths and weaknesses, and cards that provide the most versatile answers.

Why Proxy Cards Are Perfect for Sideboard Planning

Proxies are custom-made Magic cards that replicate the function and look of real cards but are used for casual play, deck testing, and collection. They let you try out sideboard cards without the upfront investment, making it easier to experiment.

Using proxies for your sideboard means you can quickly swap out cards after testing or as the local metagame changes. For example, if you find that you’re facing a lot of aggressive decks, you can proxy in additional blockers or lifegain cards to see how well they perform.

At Make MTG Cards, our vibrant, detailed proxies capture the essence of powerful planeswalkers and mystical mana flows, making your sideboard as inspiring as your main deck. This encourages you to explore new strategies creatively and without risk.

Step 1: Identify Your Deck’s Weaknesses and Matchups

Start by analyzing your deck to see where it struggles. Does it have trouble against fast aggro decks? Control decks? Artifact or enchantment-heavy builds? Write down the types of decks or strategies that give you the most trouble in games.

For example, if you play a midrange deck heavy on creatures but weak to sweepers like Wrath of God, your sideboard should include cards that help you recover or protect your creatures. If your deck is combo-based and vulnerable to disruption, look for cards that can protect your key pieces or disrupt your opponent’s game plan.

The more you play and observe, the better your understanding will be. Use your local playgroup, online forums, or tournament reports to get a sense of common decks in your area or format.

Step 2: Choose Flexible and Multi-Purpose Sideboard Cards

Since you don’t want to buy every possible sideboard card, focus on cards that can serve multiple roles or answer various threats. For example, cards like "Duress" or "Thoughtseize" can disrupt many different strategies, while "Pithing Needle" can shut down a variety of activated abilities.

Consider cards that can fit both offensive and defensive roles, or that interact well with your main deck. This approach lets you cover more bases with fewer cards, saving money and space in your sideboard.

Try to pick cards that have synergy with your deck’s core plan. For instance, if your deck uses a lot of artifacts, including artifact destruction in your sideboard serves dual purposes: it protects you from opponents’ artifacts and may help your own combos by clearing blockers or threats.

Step 3: Proxy Your Sideboard and Test Extensively

Once you have a tentative list of sideboard cards, create proxies of them. This allows you to test your sideboard plan in real games without buying the cards first.

Play multiple matches against different decks and practice sideboarding between games. Take notes on which cards you bring in, which ones perform well, and which ones don’t pull their weight.

Testing helps you refine your choices and avoid spending money on cards that don’t truly fit your needs. It also builds your sideboarding skills and understanding of matchups.

Remember, sideboarding is dynamic and can evolve as you learn more about your local metagame or change your deck’s main strategy.

Step 4: Prioritize Purchasing Based on Impact and Frequency

After testing with proxies, you’ll have a clearer idea of which sideboard cards are essential for your deck. Prioritize purchasing cards that have the biggest impact on your win rate or help against the most common matchups you face.

Don’t rush to buy every card at once. Start with the few that will improve your experience the most. You can slowly expand your sideboard as your budget and needs grow.

Meanwhile, keep using proxies for cards that are less frequent or more experimental. This balanced approach lets you invest wisely while still keeping your options open.

Step 5: Adapt Your Sideboard as the Metagame Changes

Magic’s metagame is always evolving. New decks emerge, old ones fall out of favor, and ban lists or new sets can shake things up. Your sideboard plan should be flexible enough to adapt accordingly.

Keep track of popular decks in your playgroup or format and update your sideboard proxies to test new cards or swap out less useful ones.

Regularly revisiting your sideboard strategy keeps your deck competitive and your gameplay fresh. Proxies make this process easy and fun, as you can bring your favorite planeswalkers and mystical landscapes to life while experimenting.

Examples of Sideboard Plans Using Proxies

Imagine you play a red-green aggro deck that struggles against control decks. Your proxy sideboard might include cards like "Veil of Summer" to protect against counterspells, "Choke" to hamper blue decks, and "Leyline of the Void" to handle graveyard strategies.

You test these proxies in casual matches and find "Veil of Summer" shines, but "Choke" is too narrow for your local meta. You decide to buy "Veil of Summer" first and keep proxying other options until you find something better.

Alternatively, if you play a blue control deck, your proxy sideboard might have flexible answers like "Negate," "Dispel," and "Mystical Dispute" to handle various threats. You use proxies to tune ratios and swap between cards depending on opponents before committing to purchases.

These examples show how proxies empower you to build a thoughtful sideboard plan at your own pace.

Final Thoughts: Embrace Creativity and Exploration with Your Sideboard

Building a sideboard plan without buying every card upfront is not only smart—it’s also a great way to deepen your connection to Magic’s rich multiverse. Proxies let you bring the worlds of powerful planeswalkers, glowing runes, and fractured dimensions to your table, inspiring you to create and explore new strategies.

At Make MTG Cards, we’re here to support your journey with vibrant, high-quality proxies that capture the magic of every mana color and mystical landscape. Whether you’re a casual player, a collector, or a deckbuilder, our proxies help you test, learn, and evolve your sideboard plan affordably and creatively.

So grab your hooded planeswalker silhouette, summon your favorite spells, and start crafting a sideboard plan that’s as dynamic and inspiring as the Magic multiverse itself!