If you were to open the Patrick Chapin Next Level Deckbuilding PDF 18 today, here are the five sections that would immediately change how you build.
Chapin expanded on the concept of the "Metagame Clock," a cycle showing how archetypes relate to one another.
The Principle: Decks generally beat those clockwise from them and lose to those counter-clockwise (though modern Magic design has blurred these lines). Understanding where your deck sits on this clock helps you sideboard correctly.
Chapin suggests that every deck must answer three fundamental questions to succeed:
As of today, Patrick Chapin has not released an official "PDF 18" as a standalone retail product. However, you can access the next-best things: Patrick Chapin Next Level Deckbuilding Pdf 18
Warning: Be wary of scam sites offering "Patrick Chapin Next Level Deckbuilding PDF 18 download" for a fee. Chapin’s work is protected, and free versions circulating on torrents often contain malware or outdated information.
Before hunting for a specific PDF, we must understand the source material. Next Level Deckbuilding is not a simple list of "good cards." It is a psychological and mathematical framework. Chapin approaches deck construction as a dialogue between three forces:
Where most players see archetypes (Aggro, Control, Combo), Chapin sees roles within a fluid game state. The "Next Level" insight is that your deckbuilding choices must anticipate not just the meta, but the role assumption your opponent will make.
Instead of a 60-card list, Chapin’s PDF suggests starting with an 18-card "engine." These are the irreplaceable cards that define your strategy. Then, build the remaining 42 cards (including lands) around supporting those 18. This prevents "good stuff" piles that have no synergy. If you were to open the Patrick Chapin
Let’s assume you’ve absorbed the lessons of this mythical document. How would you build a winning deck in today’s Modern or Pioneer?
Step 1 – Identify your 9 core cards (the 18).
Example: In Modern Rakdos Scam, your core is 4 Grief, 4 Fury, 4 Feign Death effects, 2 Thoughtseize, 2 Undying Malice, and 2 Not Dead After All. That’s 18 cards.
Step 2 – Calculate your 18% removal threshold.
For 36 spells, you need 6-7 removal pieces. You add 4 Lightning Bolt, 2 Terminate.
Step 3 – Determine the 18th land.
Average CMC is 2.2 (excluding free spells). You start at 20 lands, then add one for every 18 cards above 2.5 CMC – none apply. So you run 20 lands, not 24. That frees up four slots for flex. The Principle: Decks generally beat those clockwise from
Step 4 – Flex slots (repeat the 18-card test for sideboard).
You now have 18 sideboard slots (15 in reality, but Chapin argues you should think in terms of 18 possible swaps including transformational moves). You build a mirror 18 plan: 6 graveyard hate, 6 artifact/enchantment removal, 6 anti-aggro tools.
The result? A tight, efficient deck that never stumbles on mana, always draws the right interaction, and can change roles post-board.
The book is famous for its sideboarding theory. Chapin argues that sideboarding is often where matches are won or lost.