So You Wanna Rule Magic: The Gathering? Here’s the Real Deal
Alright, let’s talk Magic. You’ve probably seen those colorful cards flying around—friends arguing over combat tricks, that one guy at the game store with a binder worth more than your phone. Here’s the thing: Magic: The Gathering (MTG) isn’t just a game. It’s like chess, poker, and a fantasy novel had a baby. And yeah, it’s been around since the ’90s, but trust me, it’s way more fun now.
Magic 101: What Even Is This Game?
Back in ’93, some math whiz named Richard Garfield invented this whole thing. Basically, you’re a wizard—a “Planeswalker”—throwing spells and monsters at another wizard. Sounds simple? Wait till you’re staring down a board full of dragons wondering where it all went wrong.
There’s a bunch of ways to play:
- Standard – The newbie-friendly competitive scene. Cards rotate out, so meta’s always fresh.
- Commander – The chaotic, beer-and-pretzels format. 100 unique cards, and the politics are half the fun.
- Draft – Crack packs and build on the fly. Great way to learn card evaluation fast.
Talk the Talk: Magic Lingo You Gotta Know
Before you get wrecked by some combo you don’t understand, here’s the vocab:
- Mana – Your gas money. Lands make it. No gas? No spells.
- Creatures – Your beatsticks. Also your blockers. Don’t forget to block.
- Instants vs Sorceries – Instants are like interrupting someone’s sentence. Sorceries? Wait your turn.
- Life Total – Starts at 20. Zero means you’re dead. Obvious, but you’d be surprised.
- Keywords – Flying means “I’m a bird, screw your ground guys.” Deathtouch? One touch and you’re toast.
How to Actually Play (Without Looking Like a Noob)
Turn Structure: It’s Not Just “Draw, Land, Go”
Here’s how a turn really breaks down:
- Untap: Wake up your sleeping cards. Pro tip: Untap before drawing. Learned that the hard way.
- Upkeep: Weird trigger step nobody uses till suddenly it matters.
- Draw: The best feeling? Topdecking exactly what you need. Worst? Drawing your seventh land in a row.
- Main Phase: Play lands, cast stuff. But lands first—another mistake I made for months.
- Combat: Swing with creatures! Or don’t. Bluffing is legal.
- Second Main: Cast more stuff or just pass. Your call.
- End Step: Where Instants live. And where your opponent kills your best creature. Every. Time.
Winning (Besides Just Attacking)
Most games end at 0 life, but there’s sneaky wins too:
- Mill: Make them run out of cards. Feels dirty but totally legal.
- Poison: 10 counters = instant loss. Niche but terrifying.
- Combos: Infinite loops that make judges sigh. Beautiful when you pull it off.
Building Your First Deck (Without Wasting Money)
The Bare Minimum Rules
- 60 cards – More = worse consistency. Math doesn’t lie.
- ~24 lands – Unless you’re playing aggro. Then maybe 22. But 24’s safer.
Pick Your Poison
- Aggro: Red deck wins. Turn creatures sideways fast.
- Control: Blue player energy. “No” is a complete sentence.
- Midrange – Goodstuff.dec. Value town, population: you.
- Combo – For people who like solving puzzles. Or annoying friends.
Starter Cards That Won’t Embarrass You
Grab these budget all-stars:
- Removal: “Murder” (kills anything), “Lightning Bolt” (classic burn).
- Creatures: “Llanowar Elves” (ramp is love), “Baneslayer Angel” (if you wanna feel fancy).
- Lands: “Command Tower” if you’re playing Commander. Otherwise basics work fine.
Where to Buy Cards (Without Getting Scammed)
- Local Game Stores – Support them or they disappear. Plus, they have draft nights.
- Online – TCGPlayer for singles, Cardmarket if you’re in Europe.
- Pro Tip – Boosters are lottery tickets. Buy singles for decks.
Getting Good (Or At Least Not Terrible)
- Play. A lot. Friday Night Magic is your friend.
- MTG Arena’s free and teaches basics. Kinda.
- Watch streamers. Not just the pros—find someone who explains their thought process.
Classic Newbie Mistakes
- Running too many 7-drops. You’ll be dead before casting them.
- Ignoring the mana curve. Two-drops matter more than you think.
- Forgetting triggers. We’ve all missed a +1/+1 counter and lost because of it.
Finding Your People
- Wizards’ store locator finds nearby events.
- Reddit’s r/MagicTCG is… something. Discord groups are better.
- Remember: It’s a game. Don’t be that salty player.
Final Thoughts
Magic’s overwhelming at first—like drinking from a firehose. But start with a preconstructed deck, lose a bunch, and slowly tweak. The community’s mostly awesome, and the game? It’s still the best cardboard crack out there. Now go forth and cast some spells. And maybe don’t attack into open mana your first few games.
Source: IGN – All Games