Include / Exclude Lists

Pin specific cards into every build or permanently block them from selection.

Overview

The Include / Exclude feature (also called "Must-Haves") lets you control card selection at the individual card level, outside the normal theme and pool logic.

  • Must Include: cards are always added to the deck, before pool selection runs.
  • Must Exclude: cards are never added, regardless of theme, bracket, or pool filtering.

Requires ALLOW_MUST_HAVES=1 (default: on).

Enabling the UI Controls

The include/exclude buttons are hidden by default to keep the Step 5 interface clean. To show them:

SHOW_MUST_HAVE_BUTTONS=1

When enabled, each card row in Step 5 gains a Must Include (+) and Must Exclude (−) button. You can also manage lists via the quick-add input at the top of the section.

Adding Cards

Via Step 5 UI

  1. Enable SHOW_MUST_HAVE_BUTTONS=1.
  2. In Step 5, click + on a card to add it to Must Include, or − to add it to Must Exclude.
  3. Use the quick-add input at the top to add cards by name without scrolling.

Via JSON Config

Supply lists in your deck config file:

{
  "must_include": ["Sol Ring", "Arcane Signet"],
  "must_exclude": ["Thassa's Oracle"]
}

Both keys accept an array of card names. Names are matched case-insensitively.

Priority Order

When include/exclude interacts with other filters, this order applies:

  1. Must Exclude — always wins; card is never selected.
  2. Must Include — card is always added, before pool selection.
  3. Budget filter — applied to the remaining pool after Must Include cards are inserted.
  4. Bracket filter — applied after budget.

Must Include cards are inserted directly and are not subject to budget pool filtering. They may appear as over-budget in the summary if they exceed the ceiling, and they may trigger bracket warnings if they violate bracket rules.

Multi-Copy Archetypes

Some cards have a printed exception allowing any number of copies in a Commander deck. When you add one of these cards to Must Include, a count picker dialog appears to set the desired copy count.

For the full list of supported archetypes, count caps, and detailed guidance see the Multi-Copy Package guide.

Conflict Resolution

Scenario Behavior
Card is in both Must Include and Must Exclude A conflict dialog prompts you to resolve before building. Exclude wins if unresolved.
Must Include card not in color identity Build silently skips the card (does not hard-fail). Verify color identity before including.
Must Include card violates bracket rule Card is added; bracket compliance report flags it. Resolve in Step 5 or adjust bracket.

Headless / CLI

Set include and exclude lists in the JSON config. Environment variable overrides are not supported for per-card lists; use the config file.

{
  "must_include": ["Swiftfoot Boots"],
  "must_exclude": ["Demonic Tutor"]
}

FAQ

Can I include a card that isn't in my commander's color identity?
The builder will attempt to add it but will silently skip it if the card is outside the commander's color identity. Check the build summary for skipped cards.

What happens if my Must Include list makes the deck exceed 100 cards?
Must Include cards are inserted before pool selection fills the remaining slots. The total is always capped at 100 cards, with Must Includes taking priority over pool-selected cards.

Do Must Include cards count against bracket compliance?
Yes. A Must Include card that violates your bracket (e.g., a Game Changer at Bracket 2) will be flagged in the compliance report. The card stays in the deck regardless of enforcement mode.

See Also