Decksmith

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Decksmith Product Specifications ​

Product Vision ​

Decksmith is a focused, well-engineered workflow for Magic: The Gathering players who want to:

  1. Manage their card collection with precision (specific editions, conditions, foil variants)
  2. Build and validate decks across all MTG formats (Commander, Standard, Modern, etc.)
  3. Generate high-quality proxy sheets for playtesting before purchasing cards

Unlike bloated all-in-one platforms, Decksmith prioritizes clarity, configurability, and print quality over feature sprawl.

Core Features ​

Collection Management ​

  • Track specific card editions with variants (foil/non-foil, condition tracking)
  • Configurable inventory views (grid/table, custom columns, saved filters)
  • User-defined tags and custom fields (e.g., physical location, trade status)
  • Price tracking (TCGplayer USD, Cardmarket EUR) with collection valuation
  • 3D card viewer with rotation, zoom, and animated foil effects

Deck Building ​

  • Configurable deck sections (not hardcoded zones) with format templates
  • Format validation (singleton, color identity, banlists via Scryfall)
  • Coverage system: see which deck cards you own vs. need to proxy
  • Deck statistics (mana curve, color distribution, average CMC)
  • Deck cost calculator (total price to build with real cards)

Scryfall Integration ​

  • Daily bulk data sync (100k+ cards cached locally)
  • Fast full-text search with autocomplete
  • Advanced filters (color, CMC, rarity, set, legality)
  • Price data included (updated daily)

Proxy PDF Generation ​

  • Highly configurable layouts (paper format, grid, margins, cut lines, DPI)
  • Inspired by proxxied.com advanced options
  • Worker-based async generation (BullMQ + Redis job queue)
  • Live preview before generating
  • Support for double-sided printing (card backs)

Craft Guide ​

  • Educational content: equipment recommendations, step-by-step tutorials
  • Print quality tips, troubleshooting common issues
  • Future: community-submitted reviews and tips

Glossary ​

Magic: The Gathering Terms ​

Oracle ID Unique identifier for a card's rules identity. Cards with the same Oracle ID have identical gameplay rules, regardless of edition or artwork (e.g., all printings of "Lightning Bolt" share the same Oracle ID).

Card Print A specific edition/variant of a card. Example: "Lightning Bolt from Alpha (foil)" is a different print than "Lightning Bolt from M11 (non-foil)".

Set Code Three-letter abbreviation for a Magic set (e.g., LEA = Limited Edition Alpha, M11 = Magic 2011).

Collector Number Unique number identifying a card's position within its set (e.g., 162/249).

Foil Holographic card variant with prismatic shine. Typically more valuable than non-foil counterparts.

Color Identity In Commander format, the set of colors a card contributes to a deck (based on mana symbols in cost and text box). Decks can only include cards matching their commander's color identity.

Singleton Deck-building rule requiring max 1 copy of each card (except basic lands). Used in Commander and other casual formats.

Banlist Format-specific list of cards that are illegal to play (too powerful or problematic). Maintained by Wizards of the Coast and the Commander Rules Committee.

CMC (Converted Mana Cost) Total mana cost of a card (e.g., a card costing {2}{U}{U} has CMC 4).

Application Terms ​

Collection Entry A user's owned card in their collection. Includes quantity, condition, foil status, and optional custom fields.

Condition Physical state of a card: NM (Near Mint), LP (Lightly Played), MP (Moderately Played), HP (Heavily Played), DMG (Damaged).

Coverage Percentage of a deck's cards that exist in the user's collection. Example: "You own 42/60 cards (70% coverage)".

Deck Section User-defined zone within a deck (e.g., "Mainboard", "Command Zone", "Ramp", "Removal"). Sections can have validation rules (max cards, singleton, color restrictions).

Proxy Printed reproduction of a Magic card used for playtesting. Not legal in sanctioned tournaments but widely accepted in casual play.

Bleed Area Extra margin around card edges (typically 3mm) to account for trimming imperfections during cutting. Ensures critical content doesn't get cut off.

Safe Zone Inner margin (typically 5mm) where important text/icons should be placed to avoid being obscured by sleeves or trim variations.

DPI (Dots Per Inch) Print resolution. Higher DPI = sharper images but larger file sizes. Standard for proxies: 300 DPI. Professional: 600-1200 DPI.

Non-Goals (MVP Scope) ​

To maintain focus and avoid feature creep, Decksmith explicitly does not:

  • ❌ Tournament organization (pairings, standings, etc.)
  • ❌ Gameplay tracking (life totals, match history)
  • ❌ Social features (forums, messaging, friend lists)
  • ❌ Trade marketplace (buying/selling cards)
  • ❌ Price speculation tools (price history charts, market trends)
  • ❌ Card grading/authentication (PSA-style condition verification)
  • ❌ Multi-user collaboration (shared decks, real-time editing)

These features may be considered post-MVP based on user demand.

Target Users ​

  1. Competitive playtesters who need to proxy expensive decks before committing to purchases
  2. Casual Commander players managing large collections and multiple decks
  3. Budget-conscious players who want high-quality proxies for kitchen-table Magic
  4. Collectors tracking specific editions, conditions, and valuations

Success Metrics ​

MVP Goals ​

  • Users can manage a 1000+ card collection with custom organization
  • Users can build a 100-card Commander deck with full validation in < 15 minutes
  • Users can generate a print-ready PDF (60 cards, 300 DPI) in < 60 seconds
  • 3D card viewer loads in < 2 seconds on desktop

Quality Bars ​

  • All prices updated daily (< 24h staleness)
  • Search autocomplete responds in < 200ms
  • PDF generation success rate > 95% (retry failures automatically)
  • Zero downtime during Scryfall bulk sync

Architecture Principles ​

See CLAUDE.md for detailed architectural rules.

Key principles:

  • Separation of concerns (API ≠ domain logic)
  • Explicit data contracts (DTOs from packages/schema)
  • Deterministic behavior (no hidden side effects)
  • Minimal coupling, minimal magic

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