Whether you’re a newcomer to the realm of collectible card games or a seasoned veteran, there’s an undeniable allure to immersing yourself in a fantastical world filled with epic battles, strategic manoeuvres and a whole host of formidable creatures. In an era dominated by online gaming, the traditional social aspect of gaming can often feel lost. However, Magic: The Gathering (also referred to as MTG or simply “Magic”) breathes new life into social gaming. There are regular weekly face-to-face events at local game stores and other venues across the country known as Friday Night Magic or Wednesday Night Magic. There are also highly competitive live MTG events across the UK, Europe and the USA. These national and international events allow you to engage in thrilling face-to-face battles with fellow strategists while also providing the opportunity to trade cards and explore a rich tapestry of colourful, enchanting characters, lands and spells.
What Makes Magic: The Gathering Special?
To categorise Magic: The Gathering as merely a collectible card game would be an understatement; it’s a vibrant, expansive universe unto itself. Within this universe, you’ll collect, trade, and duel with cards, aiming to ascend the ranks and establish yourself as a formidable force within your chosen realm. This is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey filled with endless possibilities for social interaction and strategic gameplay. You might simply want to compete with fellow players at weekly local events for the fun, social aspect of the game. Or, maybe you want to set your sights higher and play more competitively at national live MTG events. Or do both! The choice is yours but whatever your preferred method of playing your will have fun while also playing a truly challenging game.
Embark on Your Journey
As a Planeswalker (i.e. a powerful wizard), you’ll step into the shoes of a powerful wizard capable of harnessing the mystical energies of the lands around you. This mystical energy is known as mana. With this mana, you’ll cast powerful spells and summon awe-inspiring creatures to do battle on your behalf. Whether you prefer commanding dragons, summoning mighty warriors, or unleashing the fury of nature itself, your strategic prowess will be put to the test as you seek to outmanoeuvre and overpower your opponents.
But Magic: The Gathering isn’t just about creatures and spells; it’s also about strategy. Powerful cards alone won’t win a battle for you but a strong, well thought out strategy will. The strategic use of powerful spells that can turn the tide of battle in an instant, providing a thrilling and dynamic gameplay experience.
A Multiverse in Constant Flux
As a game, Magic: The Gathering continues to evolve from it’s original creation in 1993 by mathematician Richard Garfield as one of the first trading card games of its kind. It is published by Wizards of the Coast, who release new sets of cards on a regular basis. The exact frequency can vary, but on average, there are around four major Standard-legal sets released annually. Additionally, there are supplementary sets, such as Commander decks, as well as sets for other formats like Modern Horizons, which are released less frequently. The game is kept fresh and dynamic by regularly introducing new sets of cards. This approach offers players access to unique locales and creatures with each new set of cards. With every expansion, fresh strategies emerge, providing players with new tools and tactics to master as they strive for ultimate dominance in the world of MTG.
The Art of Magic
Every MTG strategy is a reflection of its wielder. With five distinct colours of magic to choose from, you can tailor your deck to suit your preferred playstyle:
- Green: Embrace the raw power of nature to overwhelm your foes with colossal beasts.
- Blue: Manipulate the fabric of reality itself, controlling your opponent’s every move with cunning precision.
- Black: Embrace the darker aspects of magic, wielding death and destruction as your most potent weapons.
- Red: Embrace chaos and aggression, raining down fire and fury upon your enemies.
- White: Champion purity and righteousness, protecting and empowering your allies with divine magic.
How will you play?
There are different ways to play MTG but they all require you to play an opponent. You can choose to play against just one person with a 60-card deck. Or, if you prefer, you can play a group game with a 100-card deck. By joining a face-to-face local event you can decide what is the best approach by talking to other players, especially those with a bit more experience than you.
The other option is to play the online version to gain some confidence if you are a beginner and the MTG Arena online version is perfect for this. Many players mix and match online and live play – just remember that one of the great things about Magic: The Gathering is the social aspect so get out to the friendly local events when you can.
Choosing your first deck
There are plenty of pre-built decks ready to play out of the box. Here are just some of them for various formats of the game like Commander, Standard or Challenger:
- Commander Legends
- Strixhaven Commander
- Strixhaven: School of Mages Planeswalker
- Throne of Eldraine Planeswalker
- Duel Decks: Elves vs. Inventors
- Duel Decks: Merfolk vs. Goblins
- Event Deck: Born of the Gods
- Event Deck: Theros
- Signature Spellbook: Chandra
- Signature Spellbook: Gideon
Ready to Take the Plunge?
Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro, there are plenty of opportunities to join the Magic: The Gathering community. They are a friendly bunch who welcome newcomers looking for a fun, exciting challenge in a sociable atmosphere. Dive into local events like Friday Night Magic at local game stores or Wednesday Night Magic for casual gameplay with friends. Wednesday Night Magic is sometimes held at licensed premises like bars or pubs so, depending on local licensing laws there will be age restrictions. In the UK 16 year olds are allowed on licensed premises only if accompanied by an adult (i.e. 18+ years old).
Of course, as we’ve already mentioned once you have developed some experience and strategy, you can test your skills in national tournaments across the UK, Europe and the USA. Ultimately, for the very best players, there are the World Championships to aim for. Remember, every epic journey begins with a single step. Where will yours take you?
