Amusing players for almost two decades, Magic, The Gathering (MTG) is a trading card game. It was considered to be the first trading card game. Players buy cards to make customized decks to create a strategic match, according to their liking. With its popularity still on the rise, what do you need to know as a beginner to enter into the realm of MTG? If you are a proud owner or looking to buy MTG Sets? Here is an article you need to read. You will get an outline of the basics of Magic: The gathering. Read on to know how to get started and its basic rules.
What Exactly Is Magic: The Gathering?
Made by designer Richard Garfield, Wizards of the Coast released this collectible card game in 1993. Typically, two players play this game, and these players compete against each other to defeat them by spending mana to play spells, creatures, and other abilities and items.
The players can customize each deck before the battle. According to the format, the players can choose cards from their library and the legal pool of expansion and sets. Over the years, over 20,000 MTG cards have been released.
Players do epic battles with a host of fantasy creatures, heroes, and gods.
Is It An Easy Game To Learn?
Anyone can understand the basic rules once they play a few matches. MTG has a wide range of starter sets that guides one through the game. As a beginner, you can begin with simple spells and creatures, then move on to more complex MTG cards. You can use Pre-made card sets before you start making your deck.
Where To Play Magic, The Gathering?
You can play Magic the Gathering in different locations, and you can find that through the official Wizards of the Coast locator. It lets you know which shops are running MTG events, and Friday Night Magic is run every week in stores and venues worldwide.
You can enjoy the game in these gatherings and brush up your understanding of the rules with experienced players. Some of the staff at the venue might also help you learn the game.
What is needed to play Magic: The Gathering?
As a beginner, you can start playing MTG for free. Many stores might offer you welcome cards with a 60 card sample deck. Each deck corresponds to one of the five magic elements. You can find them at your local store or the Magic: The Gathering Arena to get free cards while you play MTG matches.
A starter deck is essential to learn how to play MTG on the tabletop. This will have everything you need in the beginning. It will have a couple of d20 dice. These dice are a way of tracking life, and you lose when it's wiped. You will get tokens as the game goes into more advanced stages. Some of these tokens come in sets, and D6 dice can also be used as tokens.
How Many Cards Are Needed to Play Magic: The Gathering?
One needs 60 cards, with four of any kind of card covering all kinds. In the Magic: The Gathering Arena and in events, one needs a minimum of 60 cards and a 15 cards sideboard that you can switch between the matches. However, in a limited event like the booster draft, you will require only 40 cards. The Magic: The Gathering Commander sets are more advanced decks featuring 100 cards circled one big card.
Magic: The Gathering, How to play
Begin with imagining that you are the grand battle commander. Your frontlines are your creatures. The monsters will defend you on the table as they take the damage on your behalf, and creatures will do so too. You will also have an array of artifacts, enchantments, spells, and more—a colored energy, land, or mana powers everything.
You will have to kill your opponent player(s). You will have 20 health points at the beginning that will be tracked by 20-sided dice. Each of you will have a 60 card deck. However, this number can change according to the format you are playing. This deck can be made up of a color theme or 'land' - red, white, black, blue, and green. A more advanced MTG deck can comprise any color combination. Both of you must draw a hand of seven random cards at the beginning. If the starting hand looks bad, you can discard the hand by taking a 'Mulligan' and drawing a new set of six cards. After the hands are decided, you can continue to draw cards with every round.
Lands, creatures, and spells are the basic cards in the MTG set. Advanced sets have mighty wizards known as planes walkers who have their health pool and special abilities. You will need to lay land cards down at the beginning of every turn to power anything you require. The card's power will decide the amount of mana it will need to run. Some cards might also require multiple mana, sometimes in specific colors. Games usually start in small units and gradually progress when players lay down dragons and mythical horrors.
You can summon any monster or spell by tapping your mana. A tapped card is turned 90 degrees, and each card can be 'tapped' only once. You can also 'tap' spells and creatures.
Ending Thoughts
In conclusion, you draw random cards from the deck, lay down the mana, and decide how to utilize that mana.
With progress, you will slowly learn to build your MTG decks. Magic: The Gathering is a mix of luck, tactics, and strategy. You will have to focus on building a superior deck. You can get your MTG sets from the top online store Troll And Toad and enter into this fantastical realm that marries social gaming with artwork and themes. This website has a wide collection of complete sets, singles, and booster boxes. Get started today to build your magical universe.
Published by Sarah Jones