Home / Guides

Mulligan Basics

Which cards to keep in your opening hand, and why the answer depends on who you're facing.

The default rule

Keep cards you can play on curve in the first three turns and throw back the rest. An opening hand with a one, two or three drop gives you a real first turn of the game. A hand full of expensive cards makes you pass.

Adjust for the matchup

• Against aggro: keep cheap removal and early minions, even ones you wouldn't normally keep.
• Against control: you can keep a single strong mid-game card or card draw, since the early turns are slower.
• With a combo deck: keep your draw engine, not the combo pieces themselves. You'll draw into them.

Going second

The extra card and The Coin give you more room. A two-drop and a four-drop can work together through The Coin, so hands that look clunky going first are often fine going second.