Your Hatsune Miku Secret Lair deck just arrived. Before you shuffle up and jump into a game, a few minutes of careful first steps protect an investment you can't simply reorder if something goes wrong.
None of this takes long, but it makes a real difference for a deck this exclusive.
Here's exactly what to do first.
This checklist applies whether you're planning to play immediately or shelve the deck for later.
Checking your deck against the official decklist, two commander options, 12 foil borderless non-lands, 14 foil borderless basics, and 74 non-foil reprints, confirms everything is present and accounted for. This is worth doing immediately rather than assuming the count is correct.
Catching a missing or incorrect card right away gives you the best chance at resolving it through the retailer or Wizards' customer support.
A quick visual check of the 26 foil borderless cards for centering issues, print lines, or surface defects is worth doing before they ever see shuffling or play. These are the cards you can't simply replace if something's wrong.
If you spot a defect, documenting it with photos immediately gives you the strongest position for any return or replacement request.
Sleeving the deck before its first shuffle protects every card from the moment you start playing. EVORETRO's Perfect Fit Sleeves give the whole 100-card deck a first layer of protection.
Once sleeved, EVORETRO's Plastic Deck Box gives the deck a proper home sized exactly for 100 cards.
Deciding upfront whether you're playing this deck or keeping it sealed avoids an accidental, irreversible choice made in the moment. Once cards are shuffled and played, the deck can't go back to being a fresh, unplayed collectible.
If you're genuinely torn, sleeving carefully and playing cautiously is the more reversible middle-ground choice.
Taking a few clear photos of the sealed box, then the full contents laid out, creates a useful record for insurance, resale documentation, or simply looking back on later. This takes only a few minutes alongside the verification step.
This record also helps if you ever need to prove condition for a future sale or trade.
If you're playing right away, deciding which of the two commanders to build around before your first game saves time at the table. Both remain legal within the same 99 nonland cards, so this decision doesn't require any deck modification.
Reading through the deck's included strategy guide, if provided, gives a useful head start on piloting either commander effectively.
Keeping your original order confirmation or receipt alongside your unboxing photos strengthens any future claim, whether for insurance, warranty, or resale documentation purposes. This is a small extra step worth taking during the same unboxing session.
Storing this documentation somewhere easy to retrieve later, rather than letting it get buried in an inbox, saves real hassle if you ever need it.
If you have friends who collect similarly, sharing photos or a quick video of your unboxing can be a fun way to connect over a shared interest, and sometimes surfaces useful tips from others who've already opened their own copy. This social element adds to the overall experience.
Community discussion around a specific drop often includes helpful details you might not have thought to check yourself.
There's no need to rush any part of this process on day one.
There's no rush to play the deck immediately after unboxing, taking a day or two to review the strategy guide and plan your approach is a completely reasonable choice. First impressions matter less than playing thoughtfully once you're ready.
Waiting until you have a full, relaxed game session available tends to make for a more enjoyable first experience with the deck.
Yes, immediately, to confirm nothing is missing or misprinted.
Yes, a quick check catches defects while return options are available.
Yes, it creates a useful record for insurance or resale later.
Yes, both remain legal within the same 99 nonland cards.
A quick check now protects a deck you can't simply reorder if something's off. Pick up EVORETRO's Perfect Fit Sleeves before your first shuffle.
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