How to Get Into Magic: The Gathering

Do you smell that? It’s the smell of excitement. Why is that? It’s because, in just a few days, our shelves will be blessed with Magic: The Gathering’s newest expansion, Kaldheim! This brand new card set is unlike any other before, pulling us into a world of Vikings and creatures of the Nordic mythos. The theme is so cool (pun intended) that even I, a 3-year clean MTG addict, have gotten back on the hype train. And now, before it leaves the station, I’m gonna try and help you pack your luggage. All aboard! It’s time to learn how to get into Magic: The Gathering.

Um… What is Magic: The Gathering?

Funny you ask, magical reader! Magic: The Gathering is a Trading Card Game, also known as a TCG. You buy cards in boosters, packs, or individually, then you round up those cards into a deck, with which you face up against other players. Each deck can be of a single color or any combination of colors, with each color having a specific playstyle. Not just that, but cards also have their unique abilities and art, and just to keep it fresh, new cards come out in sets every 3 months. The newest set? Kaldheim.

Great! What do I need to play?

Well, first, we’re going to need to set you up with some cards. If you’re not sure you want to play for the longterm, get yourself a Starter Kit. It provides 2 decks, one for you and one for your friend, and codes for MTG Arena, an online alternative. With it, you can fight against each other and test out the game. Then, the launch of a new set is the best moment to REALLY get into MTG because that’s when you can get access to Prerelease Packs, which are the best deal out there. They offer up plenty of cards, a spindown life token (we’ll get to life in a second), and a few other accessories. You might also want some 6-sided dice, as they are often used to help you keep track of things. From here on out, your wallet is at your mercy. Cards often reside in Boosters, small packets of 15 to 25 cards. These boosters have cards of varying rarities, so you might get lucky or you might get something you do not need. But there is also an alternative.

Buying Boosters until I find what I like seems like a chore. Can’t I just pick up and play something?

Yes, you can! You can buy ready-made beginner decks, known as Planeswalker decks or even Challenger decks, which are stronger, but a bit harder to play. You can also choose to play Commander, a special game mode where your deck has a leader and 99 other cards. Commander only requires you to buy one ready-made deck, which is often quite thematic and robust too. Either way, you’ll find that there’s a unique way to play created for any type of player you want to be.

I’ve picked up cards! Now I want to play, what do I do?

From here, things get a little more complicated. There are multiple game modes with multiple deck sizes and different allowed cards. As for the cards… there’s spells (both instant and sorceries), creatures, artifacts, lands and partridges in pear trees. There are actually no partridges, but you get the point. On a more straightforward note, the goal of the game is to reduce your opponent to 0 life points (the number with which they start is also different for each type of game). The game isn’t particularly easy. Instead of learning how to play Magic from a written article, we recommend you watch a video on it, as it’ll pass much quicker. The one we’ve posted below teaches the basics, but there is MUCH more to learn.

I’ve seen the video. What else should I know before I start?

Well, the only other thing for you to learn is the 5 colors of Magic, all of which are quite epic. First, there’s white, which focuses on defense, healing and groups of smaller, soldier-like creatures. Black comes right after, and it concentrates on sacrifices, leeching and resurrection, black magic stuff! Green is the forest’s color, with plants and nature growing large through connected roots, thus having mana enhancement cards and gigantic creatures. Blue puts out very few threats, instead using logic and technology, drawing cards quickly and countering all of your opponent’s moves. Last but not least, there is red. Red focuses on emotion and fire, with which you’ll try to burn your enemy as fast as possible and as aggressively as possible.

This seems a bit complicated. Is it worth it?

Listen, we know it isn’t effortless, but once you’ve gotten the hang of it, it is a surreal experience. Whether you make a deck of your own or pick up a ready-made deck from our store, the game has overwhelming possibility, paired with a mix of luck and strategy and a very passionate, very supportive community, not to mention the beautiful art and theme of the game. You take control of powerful creatures and perform reality-altering magics in a variety of different playstyles, provided by the different colors. Simply put, MTG is the king of all TCGs, testing your strategy with an element of luck in a fantasy world.

With that being said, we consider you just about ready to start your journey into the world of Magic: The Gathering. As we’ve previously said, we know there is quite a lot more to learn, but we are confident you can do it. Once the pandemic is over, you can even come along to The Guild Hall for advice from our team. But until then, you need to stock up on cards. And lastly, for all your card needs (and much more), be sure to check out our online shop.