Magic: The Gathering (MicroProse) Preconstructed Decks
The 1997 Magic: The Gathering game produced by MicroProse (which also referred to as Shandalar) included a number of preconstructed decks played by its enemy characters. Additionally, in the game's second expansion Duels of the Planeswalkers there were 22 more decks which could be found in the game's system files.
Enemy Decks
There are 55 enemy characters in the Shandalar game, each of which has its distinct deck. Enemies can be grouped into twelve separate tiers with the same starting life total, cost to bribe (a payment of in-game currency to skip the match), and approximate deck strength[1]. All decks were designed by Micropose Designer and Producer Coyote Tex.[2]
The two expansions, Spells of the Ancients and Duels of the Planeswalkers each had variations of each enemy decklist. Since they could be installed separately, cards added for Spells were removed for Duels. The expansion decks didn't use the game's sideboarding mechanic.
Weak enemies
There are five enemies in this tier, each with a different monocolored deck. They start with 10 life and can be bribed for 40 gold.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
| |
| Cleric | W | – | – | – | – |
| Seer | – | U | – | – | – |
| Witch | – | – | B | – | – |
| Sorceress | – | – | – | R | – |
| Druid | – | – | – | – | G |
Aggro enemies
There are five enemies in this tier, each with a different monocolored deck. They start with 12 life and can be bribed for 40 gold.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
|
| |
| Priestess | W | – | – | – | – |
| Merfolk Shaman | – | U | – | – | – |
| Undead Knight | – | – | B | – | – |
| Sorcerer | – | – | – | R | – |
| Elvish Magi | – | – | – | – | G |
Typical enemies
There are five enemies in this tier, each with a different monocolored deck. They start with 14 life and can be bribed for 60 gold.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
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| |
| Crusader | W | – | – | – | – |
| Conjurer | – | U | – | – | – |
| Warlock | – | – | B | – | – |
| Troll Shaman | – | – | – | R | – |
| Enchantress | – | – | – | – | G |
Two-color Lesser enemies
There are five enemies in this tier, each with a two-colored deck. Three decks are allied colors with the remaining two decks enemy colors. Enemies start with 16 life and can be bribed for 70 gold.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| |
| Elementalist | – | U | – | R | – |
| Fungus Master | – | U | – | – | G |
| Mind Stealer | – | U | B | – | – |
| Sedge Beast | – | – | B | R | – |
| Tusk Guardian | W | – | – | – | G |
Intermediate enemies
There are five enemies in this tier, each with a deck focused on a different color. While four of these were monocolored the fifth, the Paladin, splashed a second color.
Enemies at this level start with 18 life and can be bribed for 80 gold.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| |
| Forest Dragon | – | – | – | – | G |
| Goblin Warlord | – | – | – | R | – |
| Paladin | W | U | – | – | – |
| Sea Dragon | – | U | – | – | – |
| Vampire Lord | – | – | B | – | – |
The Genies
There are four enemies in this tier, each of which is a Genie and each has a different Wedge colored deck. The white, red, and black color combination is missing.
Genies start with 19 life and can be bribed for 80 gold.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Aga Galneer | W | – | B | – | G |
| Alt-a-Kesh | – | U | B | – | G |
| Queltosh | W | U | – | R | – |
| Saltrem Tor | – | U | – | R | G |
Two-color greater enemies
There are five enemies in this tier, each with a different two-colored deck. They start with 20 life and can be bribed for 100 gold.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Ape Lord | – | – | – | R | G |
| Centaur Shaman | – | – | B | – | G |
| Centaur Warchief | W | – | – | R | – |
| Lord of Fate | W | – | B | – | – |
| Winged Stallion | W | U | – | – | – |
Strong enemies
There are five enemies in this tier, each with a different monocolored deck. They start with 22 life and can be bribed for 100 gold.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Arch Angel | W | – | – | – | – |
| Shapeshifter | – | U | – | – | – |
| Nether Fiend | – | – | B | – | – |
| Crag Hydra | – | – | – | R | – |
| Beast Master | – | – | – | – | G |
The Dragons
There are five enemies in this tier, each of which is a Dragon and each with a different three-color (Shard) deck that included Black Lotus and the three on-color Moxen. They start with 24 life and can be bribed for 110 gold.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Kiska-Ra | W | U | – | – | G |
| Whim | W | U | B | – | – |
| Mandurang | – | U | B | R | – |
| Dracur | – | – | B | R | G |
| Prismat | W | – | – | R | G |
The Henchmen
There are five enemies in this tier. Four have a different monocolored deck, with the fifth splashing a second color. They start with up to 27 life and can't be bribed.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| High Priest | W | – | – | – | – |
| Necromancer | – | – | B | – | – |
| Summoner | W | – | – | – | G |
| The Thought Invoker | – | U | – | – | – |
| War Mage | – | – | – | R | – |
| War Mage (Spells) | W | – | – | R | – |
The Guildlords
The five Guildlords of Shandalar are enemies in this tier, each with a deck focused on a different color of mana. While four decks were monocolor, Kzzy'n's Red deck originally splashed White and Green. However. in the Spells of the Ancients expansion, his deck changed to monored.
Each enemy starts with between 35 and 45 life and can't be bribed.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| |
| Astral Visionary | – | U | – | – | – |
| Azaar Lichlord | – | – | B | – | – |
| Kzzy'n - The Dragon Lord | W | – | – | R | G |
| Kzzy'n - The Dragon Lord (Spells) | – | – | – | R | – |
| Morgane The Great Druid | – | – | – | – | G |
| Sainted One | W | – | – | – | – |
Arzakon
Arzakon is the final boss and the only enemy in the highest tier. Arzakon plays a five-colored 107-card deck in the original game, a 66 card four-coloured deck in the Spells of the Ancients expansion, before returning to a near-identical decklist in the second expansion.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Arzakon (Shandalar) | W | U | B | R | G |
| Climatic Battle (Spells) | W | U | – | R | G |
| Arzakon (Duels) | W | U | B | R | G |
"Play Deck" folder decks
The files for these decks was installed with the second expansion, Duels of the Planeswalkers. They weren't automatically available in the game: users would need to open the game's files and move them into a different directory.
Coyote Tex's decks
These decks were designed by Coyote Tex, MicroProse Designer and Producer[3]. The .dck files were dated September 19, 1996 which matches the date of the enemy decks in the original game.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Eggscalibur | W | – | – | – | – |
| Ethyl Merman | – | U | – | – | – |
| Swamp Thing | – | – | B | – | – |
| Dante | – | – | – | R | – |
| Wolfling | – | – | – | – | G |
Kevin Bane's decks
These decks were designed by Kevin Bane, the Assistant Lead of Quality Assurance on Duels[4].
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Armies of Light | W | – | – | – | – |
| Bruise | – | U | B | – | – |
| Coral Reef | – | U | – | – | – |
| Darkfall | – | – | B | – | – |
| Emerald Blur | – | – | – | – | G |
| Fire and Ice | – | U | – | R | – |
| Kobold Madness | – | – | – | R | – |
| Tropical Depression | – | U | – | – | G |
Other decks
These decks were designed by other members of MicroProse, largely from the Quality Assurance team.
| Enemy deck name |
Colors Included | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
| |
| A Royal Pain | – | – | B | – | G |
| Abysmal Onslaught | – | – | B | – | – |
| Black Sky | – | – | B | – | – |
| Dark and Poison Elf | – | – | B | – | G |
| Fire in the Sky | W | – | – | R | – |
| Infernal Rage | – | – | – | R | – |
| Mental Flight | W | U | – | – | – |
| Unholy Alliance | W | – | B | – | – |
| Witch Slayer | W | – | – | – | – |
References
- ↑ Erik. "Magic the Gathering - Microprose Shandalar (website)". dos486.com. Retrieved on February 14, 2025.
- ↑ CoyoteTex (June 04, 2022). "Hello from the Designer of the original Shandalar game (forum post)". Collectable Card Games Headquarters. slightlymagic.net. Retrieved on February 14, 2025.
- ↑ CoyoteTex (June 04, 2022). "Hello from the Designer of the original Shandalar game (forum post)". Collectable Card Games Headquarters. slightlymagic.net. Retrieved on February 14, 2025.
- ↑ Game FAQs (2025). "Game Credits - Kevin Bane (website)". Game FAQs. Retrieved on May 2, 2025.