Documentation
A deep dive into how ScryCheck analyzes your deck
Overview
ScryCheck analyzes Commander decks using a multi-stage pipeline that evaluates card quality, synergy, combo potential, and mana efficiency to produce a power level rating from 1-10.
The system is designed to be transparent: every score contribution can be traced back to specific cards and their roles in your deck.
Scoring Pipeline
When you submit a deck, it goes through these stages:
Card Parsing
Parse deck list, identify commanders, normalize card names against Scryfall data
Card Rating Lookup
Each card is looked up in our ratings database. Cards are tagged with roles (tutor, removal, fast_mana, etc.)
Vector Calculation
Tagged cards contribute points to 5 vectors: Speed, Consistency, Interaction, Mana Base, Threats
Combo Detection
Deck is checked against Commander Spellbook's 50K+ combo database
Theme Detection
Pattern matching identifies archetype themes (Aristocrats, Wheels, Stax, etc.)
Power Level Calculation
Vectors + combos + card quality = base score, then capped by cEDH signature requirements
Bracket Assignment
Hard gates (Game Changers, MLD, 2-card combos) set minimum bracket, power level can push higher
Vector Breakdown
All vectors use a 0-100 scale. Scores 0-50 are below average, 50-70 are focused, 70-85 are optimized, and 85+ are cEDH-level. Each vector is composed of subcategories with color-coded thresholds (red/yellow/green).
Speed (0-100)
How fast can your deck develop? Measures mana acceleration — fast mana, dorks, rocks, and ramp.
How it's calculated:
- • Fast Mana (Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, Moxen): +8-12 points each
- • Efficient Rocks (2-CMC rocks): +4-6 points each
- • Mana Dorks: +3-5 points each
- • Land Ramp: +2-4 points each
- • Threshold: 3+ fast mana sources for green status
Fast Mana
Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, Mox Diamond, Chrome Mox, Lotus Petal
Mana Rocks
Arcane Signet, Fellwar Stone, Talisman cycle, Mind Stone
Mana Dorks
Birds of Paradise, Llanowar Elves, Deathrite Shaman
Treasure Generators
Dockside Extortionist, Smothering Tithe, Pitiless Plunderer
Consistency (0-100)
How reliably can you find and execute your key pieces? Tutors, draw engines, and cantrips all contribute.
How it's calculated:
- • Efficient Tutors (Demonic, Vampiric): +10-15 points each
- • Draw Engines (Rhystic, Sylvan Library): +8-12 points each — these bury the table
- • Cantrips & Burst Draw (Brainstorm, Ponder): +3-5 points each — card replacement
- • Recursion: +4-6 points each
- • Threshold: 5+ tutors for green status at cEDH level
Tutors
Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Worldly Tutor, Enlightened Tutor
Draw Engines
Rhystic Study, Necropotence, Sylvan Library, Skullclamp
Cantrips & Burst
Brainstorm, Ponder, Night's Whisper, Sign in Blood
Wheels
Wheel of Fortune, Windfall, Echo of Eons
Scry & Surveil
Sensei's Divining Top, Scroll Rack, scry lands
Recursion
Eternal Witness, Regrowth, Underworld Breach
Interaction (0-100)
Can you disrupt opponents and protect your own plan? Critical for reaching cEDH levels.
How it's calculated:
- • Free Counterspells (Force of Will, Pact): +10-15 points each
- • Efficient Removal (Swords, Path): +6-8 points each
- • Board Wipes: +4-6 points each
- • Stax Pieces: +5-8 points each
- • Low interaction (<5 pieces) caps power level at 7.5
Counterspells
Force of Will, Fierce Guardianship, Mana Drain
Spot Removal
Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Abrupt Decay
Stax & Hate
Opposition Agent, Drannith Magistrate, Rule of Law
Mana Base (0-100)
Land quality and fixing. Measures fetches, duals, shocks, and premium lands. Taplands are penalized.
How it's calculated:
- • Fetchlands: +5-7 points each
- • Dual/Shock Lands: +4-6 points each
- • Utility Lands (Urza's Saga, Ancient Tomb): +6-10 points each
- • Taplands: -2-4 points each (penalty)
- • Mono-colored decks get adjusted expectations
Fetchlands
Flooded Strand, Polluted Delta, Verdant Catacombs
Premium Lands
Original duals, shocks, City of Brass, Mana Confluence
Fast & Check Lands
Blackcleave Cliffs, Drowned Catacomb, Spirebluff Canal
Taplands (Penalized)
Temples, Guildgates, Gain lands — slow you down
Threats (0-100)
How decisively can you close out games? Combos, finishers, and win conditions.
How it's calculated:
- • Detected Combos: +15-25 points per combo (weighted by card count)
- • Win Conditions (Thoracle, Craterhoof): +10-15 points each
- • Sacrifice Outlets: +5-8 points each
- • Drain Effects (Blood Artist): +4-6 points each
- • 2-card deterministic combos provide largest lethality boost
Combo Pieces
Thassa's Oracle, Demonic Consultation, Isochron Scepter
Win Conditions
Craterhoof Behemoth, Torment of Hailfire, Approach
Sacrifice Outlets
Phyrexian Altar, Ashnod's Altar, Goblin Bombardment
Power Level Scale
ScryCheck rates decks on a 1-10 scale with decimal precision. The base level comes from total score, then modifiers and caps are applied based on deck characteristics.
Score → Power Level Thresholds:
Competitive Tier
Hyper-efficient. Consistency on a card-for-card basis. Turn 2-3 wins possible.
Every card matters. Multiple plays from Turn 1. Ready to interact instantly.
Optimized Tier
Specific gameplan with tight curve. Can threaten wins as early as Turn 3-4.
Refined to best cards for the strategy. Efficient ramp, draw, and land base.
Tuned Tier
Definite strategy with focused synergies. Contains at least one hard wincon.
Broad strategy with goodstuff cards. Better mana but still inefficient.
Focused Tier
Tighter design but rough mana base. May have a 3+ card combo wincon.
2-3 basic strategies. Inefficient mana base with taplands. Battlecruiser gameplay.
Unfocused Tier
Relies heavily on commander. Fragile combos, lots of taplands.
Conforms to color identity and card limits. No cohesive strategy or mana curve.
cEDH Signatures
Key Insight: cEDH requires the complete package. A deck can't reach 9-10 with just one strong axis — it needs multiple "signatures" that indicate true competitive viability.
Signature Count → Power Cap:
The Signatures:
Speed
- • High: 80+ velocity (+1 sig)
- • Elite: 90+ velocity (+2 sig)
Interaction
- • High: 8+ interaction pieces (+1 sig)
- • Elite: 12+ interaction pieces (+2 sig)
Combos
- • Redundancy: 3+ combo lines (+1 sig)
- • Compact: 2-card deterministic win (+2 sig)
Tutors
- • High: 5+ tutors (+1 sig)
- • Elite: 8+ tutors (+2 sig)
Mana Curve
- • Efficient: ≤2.5 avg CMC (+1 sig)
- • Optimal: ≤2.2 avg CMC (+2 sig)
Card Quality
- • Elite: 550+ score (+1 sig)
- • Premium: 650+ score (+2 sig)
Commander Brackets
ScryCheck estimates your deck's Commander Bracket based on theofficial WotC guidelines .
How Brackets Work:
Hard Gates set the minimum bracket based on deck contents. Power level can push the bracket higher than the hard gate minimum, but never lower.
Game Changers
Game Changers are cards identified by WotC as having outsized impact on Commander games. Their presence establishes minimum bracket requirements.
Hard Gates:
- • 1-3 Game Changers: Minimum Bracket 3
- • 4+ Game Changers: Minimum Bracket 4
- • Any Mass Land Denial: Minimum Bracket 4
- • Any 2-Card Deterministic Combo: Minimum Bracket 3
Fast Mana (9)
Ancient Tomb, Chrome Mox, Grim Monolith, Lion's Eye Diamond, Mana Vault, Mishra's Workshop, Mox Diamond, Gaea's Cradle, Serra's Sanctum
Efficient Tutors (12)
Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Imperial Seal, Mystical Tutor, Enlightened Tutor, Worldly Tutor, Gamble, Crop Rotation, Natural Order, Survival of the Fittest, Intuition, Gifts Ungiven
Resource Engines (9)
Rhystic Study, Smothering Tithe, Necropotence, Ad Nauseam, Bolas's Citadel, Consecrated Sphinx, Seedborn Muse, Jeska's Will, The One Ring
Stax/Denial (9)
Drannith Magistrate, Opposition Agent, Narset Parter of Veils, Notion Thief, Grand Arbiter Augustin IV, Humility, The Tabernacle, Field of the Dead, Glacial Chasm
Combo Detection
ScryCheck uses the Commander Spellbook database to detect combos in your deck. Each combo adds to your Threats score.
Combo Statistics:
- • 50,000+ documented combos
- • 2-card through 6+ card combinations
- • Infinite mana, damage, tokens, mill, and more
- • Direct links to combo explanations
Combo Weighting
Not all combos are equal. ScryCheck weights combos based on three factors:
Card Count
- • 2-card: 100% weight
- • 3-card: 70% weight
- • 4-card: 40% weight
- • 5+ card: 20% weight
Outcome Type
- • Instant Win: 100%
- • Deterministic: 90%
- • Resource: 60%
- • Value: 30%
Redundancy
Combos that share pieces with other combos get a +20% bonus for increased consistency.
Example: Thoracle + Demonic Consultation (2-card, instant win, shares Thoracle with Tainted Pact) = 1.0 × 1.0 × 1.2 = 1.2 weight
Theme Detection
ScryCheck identifies deck archetypes and themes by looking at card patterns, creature types, keywords, and known synergy packages.
Theme Strength Levels:
Detection Methods:
Keyword Themes
Detected by card text: Aristocrats (death triggers), Wheels (discard + draw), Landfall, Tokens, +1/+1 Counters, etc.
Tribal Themes
Detected by creature type density: Elves, Goblins, Zombies, Dragons, etc.
Card-List Themes
Detected by specific staples: Food Chain, Ad Nauseam, Cheerios, Sunforger Package, Consultation/Thoracle (requires both enabler + payoff)
AI Insights
ScryCheck uses GPT-4o to provide personalized deck analysis beyond what static rules can offer. AI insights are generated on-demand and cached for performance.
Strategy Summary
What your deck is trying to do, in plain English. Identifies primary win conditions and play patterns.
Role Coverage
Analyzes strengths (what your deck does well) and gaps (roles that may be missing or underrepresented).
Synergy Clusters
Identifies groups of cards that work well together. Also flags anti-synergies and potential trap cards.
Recommendations
Targeted add/cut suggestions based on your deck's strategy and identified weaknesses.
Input Formats
Supported Formats:
Paste List
One card per line. Quantities optional:
Sol Ring 1 Mana Crypt 4 Island Demonic Tutor
Import URL
Paste a link from:
- • Moxfield (moxfield.com/decks/...)
- • Archidekt (archidekt.com/decks/...)
FAQ
Why is my deck rated lower/higher than expected?
Power level is subjective! ScryCheck focuses on card quality, combo potential, and mana efficiency. A deck can feel powerful due to piloting skill or local meta, even if the raw card analysis suggests otherwise. The ±margin shows our confidence range.
What does “Confidence” mean?
Confidence indicates what percentage of your cards have known ratings. Higher confidence means more of your deck was recognized. Newer or obscure cards may not be rated yet.
Why is my Mana Base score negative?
The Mana Base score can go negative if your deck has too many taplands or an unusual land count. It represents land quality relative to format expectations — not mana acceleration (that's Speed).
How are decks stored?
When you analyze a deck, results are saved with a unique hash. Decks with identical card lists share the same URL, making it easy to share your analysis. You can re-analyze at any time to get updated scores.
Why doesn't my commander show synergy bonuses?
Commander synergy detection covers ~200+ popular commanders. If your commander isn't recognized, the deck is still analyzed normally — you just won't see commander-specific bonuses or archetype adjustments.