How to Play Aggro Decks in Magic: The Gathering

The heart of an Aggro deck is the mana curve. Curving out means playing a one-drop on turn one, a two-drop on turn two, and a three-drop on turn three, using all of your mana every turn to pressure the opponent before they can set up a defense. A hand that lets you curve out smoothly is usually a keeper, because Aggro's entire plan depends on tempo and using your early turns efficiently. Dead turns are far more costly for Aggro than for any other archetype.

Mulligan decisions for Aggro hinge on whether a hand can apply early pressure. A great Aggro keep has the right number of lands (often two or three) plus a curve of cheap threats. Hands that are too land-heavy, too top-heavy, or missing early plays should usually be mulliganed, because a slow start undermines your whole game plan. When in doubt, keep hands that put threats on the board fast and ship hands that hope to draw into action later.

A central decision in every Aggro game is whether to race or trade. Racing means ignoring the opponent's creatures and attacking their life total, betting that you can deal lethal before they kill you. Trading means using your creatures to block or attack into theirs to control the board. As a rule, race when you are the faster deck or have reach with burn, and trade when the opponent threatens to out-damage you. Counting damage carefully, on both sides, tells you which line wins.

Fighting through removal is what separates good Aggro pilots from great ones. Expect the opponent to have answers, so do not overcommit into an open board where a single board wipe could undo your work. Sequence your threats so that you keep enough pressure on the table while holding a follow-up in hand. Burn spells give Aggro its reach: even after the board is cleared, you can often point the last few points of damage at the opponent's face to close the game. Treat that burn as a finisher, not as early removal, unless trading is necessary to survive.