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thinking about getting into Magic: The Gathering but I have no clue where to start

A

adamy

Banned
hi. I'm thinking of picking up a new hobby and thought magic: the gathering might be fun. I've had an interest for quite some time but have been reluctant to get into it because I figured due to my age (I'm in my 30s) it might be too late to start as I've noticed a lot of younger peoples playing in competitions at my local comic stores.

so I guess my question is, if I am looking to get into it, how/where do I start? any recommendations on how to learn the game and pick up the basics? am I too old to get into this? what is the learning curve? thanks in advance!
 
A

AkumaNiko

Member
adamy said:
hi. I'm thinking of picking up a new hobby and thought magic: the gathering might be fun. I've had an interest for quite some time but have been reluctant to get into it because I figured due to my age (I'm in my 30s) it might be too late to start as I've noticed a lot of younger peoples playing in competitions at my local comic stores.

so I guess my question is, if I am looking to get into it, how/where do I start? any recommendations on how to learn the game and pick up the basics? am I too old to get into this? what is the learning curve? thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

if you want to learn/pick up the basics, play the ipad/iphone/android version
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
The games on Mobile and Steam are worth checking out, and give a good starting point into how the game's mechanics work.
 
M

Modest Mauser

Member
Magic Duels on Steam/mobile can teach you the rules and is free. Head into a local game shop and ask if they have demo decks. Try drafting with your friends, where you each buy a few booster packs and pass around cards and battle with whatever you pulled.
 
A

Adaren

Member
+1 for Magic Duels. It's free, has good tutorials, a decent amount of single player content, and great visualizations for some of the more abstract aspects of the game. It's a great way to build the confidence to play in person.

Also, if/when you earn gold in Magic Duels, I'd recommend spending it on Amonkhet packs. It's the latest set and the one that most players are playing right now, so familiarizing yourself with it will help you be comfortable at in-person Magic events!
 
Z

zelas

Member
I never played Magic until those Duels of the Planeswalker games came out. They're good for teaching you the flow of matches and understanding the basics of what each elements does.
 
S

super-famicom

Member
I don't play, but there is a an official Magic OT thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1357520

For beginners, the OT recommends trying out Magic Duels:
GETTING STARTED
If you're a beginner, feel free to come in. Us regulars can get a bit technical with card evaluations and use a lot of jargon, and many of us will loudly proclaim that a cool-looking card is junk, or say that a lame-looking card is really powerful, so ask us if you want an explanation.

To see what a game is like, check out Geek and Sundry's Spellslinger series (now discontinued), where Day[9] battled various geek celebrities, often losing, using simple and easy to follow decks.

To get started, check out the official page. Basically:
* It's recommended that new players play Magic Duels (thread). It's a great way to learn the game on your own, and it's free!
* After that point, the act of deck building can be intimidating, so it's recommended that you try out a preconstructed deck and customize it with other cards you get, before you start making your own from scratch. Planeswalker Decks are preconstructed decks that come with four unique new cards, including a new Planeswalker card. If you have a friend to play with, there are also Duel Decks that provide two decks for a game right out of the box, but are a bit more complicated.
* To get your physical collection started, buy a Deck Builder's Toolkit, which includes not just a starting collection of cards (including a lot of lands), but also some booster packs and a good box to store cards in. The Holiday Gift Box provides an even larger starting collection and better storage.
* The different play formats can be found here. The most popular formats where you start out with no deck and have to make them from scratch (Limited) are Draft and Sealed. The most popular formats where you bring a 60-card deck ahead of time (Constructed) are Standard, Modern, and Legacy. Casual play has no restrictions other than what your friends decide. Once your skill advances, another popular way to play Magic casually is Commander.
* While game stores will often hold Magic events at other times, every store that has Magic events will have Friday Night Magic. There, you will be able to find other players in your area to both have matches with and trade with. Find game stores here. And to get started participating in your local game store (LGS) scene, attend an open house or prerelease event!
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S

#sorrynotsorry

Member
My advice is to not play. Not for any of the reasons you listed, but because staying current on a competitive level is insanely expensive. It's just not worth it (and I wish it was).
 
F

Firemind

Member
#sorrynotsorry said:
My advice is to not play. Not for any of the reasons you listed, but because staying current on a competitive level is insanely expensive. It's just not worth it (and I wish it was).
Click to expand...
The best format is limited anyway which doesn't require a huge investment. I say try out the latest set Amonkhet and see if you like it.
 
A

Ashodin

Member
#sorrynotsorry said:
My advice is to not play. Not for any of the reasons you listed, but because staying current on a competitive level is insanely expensive. It's just not worth it (and I wish it was).
Click to expand...
Yes and no. Currently any deck that can reliably compete will have some money you can drop on it, but you don't need to.
 
E

Emarv

Member
#sorrynotsorry said:
My advice is to not play. Not for any of the reasons you listed, but because staying current on a competitive level is insanely expensive. It's just not worth it (and I wish it was).
Click to expand...
But he can still draft and have a good time. Most stores draft a couple times a week and you can slowly build a collection like that until you feel comfortable moving to Standard play.
 
C

Cipher Peon

Banned
Having got into Magic recently enough to know how hard it is to get into, you have my condolences, but fear not! I managed to teach a few people the game and I have a few tips:

1. I'd highly recommend learning it with someone else interested in learning over having someone with years of experience teaching you. The latter isn't bad, but from my experience they don't remember the new user experience and neglect to teach some of the stuff that's very unintuitive about the game or handwave questions (Also many like the "tough love" approach by destroying you with novelty decks or decks that are bad for regular players but not newbies while teaching you mechanics). Learning with someone else means you have encouragement and both of you can keep on top of each other.

2. Go locate your game store (a simple search on the MTG website can tell you ones near you!) and ask for sample decks. They're bad, but they're really simple to learn, have what you need, and more importantly they're FREE

3. Attend events! Tell everyone you're new and if you meet the right people, they'll treat you gently :>

4. Listen to the Drive to Work podcast, especially the earlier ones where they go over the basics. Honestly I hated the game while I was learning but hearing the design decisions that went into the game and why they got there pushed me over the edge into appreciating the brilliance of design. Doesn't hurt that Mark Rosewater is a genius.

If there's anything else you have questions about, please feel free to ask! I've gotten my best friend and girlfriend into Magic and it's been wonderful.

As for what tripped me up the most about Magic, which also trips up people learning the game is that you can't choose the targets when attacking with your creatures. It's... really weird and the least intuitive thing in the universe, but the design behind it makes sense when you spend time with it.
 
F

Firemind

Member
Cipher Peon said:
As for what tripped me up the most about Magic, which also trips up people learning the game is that you can't choose the targets when attacking with your creatures. It's... really weird and the least intuitive thing in the universe, but the design behind it makes sense when you spend time with it.
Click to expand...
When the game was released, the idea was that the players play as powerful wizards called Planeswalkers that could summon creatures to attack the other player. Nowadays they make Planeswalkers into actual cards so its origin is a bit muddled to newer players.
 
D

DrArchon

Member
I know for Amonkhet (the most recent set) they had a day set up at local game stores specifically for people just getting into Magic, where you'd be able to play against new players and learn from veterans how the game works.

I'd assume they'll have another one of those days with the release of the next new set, Hour of Devastation, which is sometime in July. If you can't bear to wait that long or can't find someone to tutor you, I'd say that Magic Duels is the best choice.
 
S

StrategyFan

Member
try sealed. then draft

everyone's on a level playing field and you only have to know about a handful of mechanics and a few hundred cards instead of thousands
 
D

DrArchon

Member
StrategyFan said:
try sealed. then draft

everyone's on a level playing field and you only have to know about a handful of mechanics and a few hundred cards instead of thousands
Click to expand...

Don't forget it's fucking cheap. I can show up at my LGS and join draft for $12 and get 3 solid games out of it plus the chance to win more packs at the end. I can't even think about doing well in standard without dropping close to $100 on a deck.
 
T

Transhuman

Unconfirmed Member
adamy said:
what? gaming stores will give me "sample decks" for free??? what do they get out of this? am I missing something?



what does this mean

anyways, thanks for the advice everyone! lots of good info!
Click to expand...

Sealed and draft are both "Limited" formats which means that your deck is somewhat random. Sealed is pretty straightforward you open 6 boosters, and you use those 90 cards to make a 40 card deck. This site generates a random pool of cards so you can get a sense for what you might open in Sealed.

Draft is slightly different. You sit at a table of 6-10 people (generally 8) then you open a booster and pick a card and pass the rest of the cards to your left. Everyone does that until there's no cards left, then you do the same thing with a second booster (passing right this time) and third booster (passing left). This site give you a pretty good simulated experience of draft.
 
S

#sorrynotsorry

Member
Emarv said:
But he can still draft and have a good time. Most stores draft a couple times a week and you can slowly build a collection like that until you feel comfortable moving to Standard play.
Click to expand...

So $50 a month to slowly build toward standard? And keeping in mind that he'll be completely non-competitive when he gets there, assuming he ever does, and will have to spend more at that point.

MtG is $1000+ a year easy. More if you get into it.

MtG is an amazing game. But it's not worth it. Don't start OP.

Username1198 said:
Probably a dumb question, but is Magic like Gwent? I'm kinda interested as well/
Click to expand...

They both have cards. The similarities end there. They are nothing alike.
 
Pilgrimzero

Pilgrimzero

Member
Pick up a couple of the latest starter decks and try it out. If you like it buy more packs.

I just bought the new Amonket black/green starter yesterday.

Cool set, love the theme
 
S

StrategyFan

Member
adamy said:
what does this mean
Click to expand...

what was said above is correct

i recommend starting with sealed because draft will be much harder until you get familiar with the cards and how games of limited play

but both of them are essentially fair modes because nobody gets an advantage by having more powerful cards than what you have access to. you each will have access to the same pool of mostly commons/uncommon cards (anything without a gold or red pyramid symbol)

right now all the cards come from the same set. that means you don't need to know anything about MTG except what happens with about 250 cards, so it becomes a lot easier to figure out what is good/bad and what your opponent might or might not have

Username1198 said:
Probably a dumb question, but is Magic like Gwent? I'm kinda interested as well/
Click to expand...

gwent is one of the least similar ones

the scale is kind of like this:
hex: 95% similar
eternal: 70% similar
hearthstone: 50% similar
gwent: 5% similar
 
T

Takuhi

Member
adamy said:
what? gaming stores will give me "sample decks" for free??? what do they get out of this? am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Stores get the decks from Wizards of the Coasts for free, for the purpose of recruiting new members. Stores may also have a donation box of cards they give out for free (experienced players who have all the commons and uncommons may donate them after drafts, for example), so it doesn't hurt to ask about that too.

EDIT: Oh, also, don't worry about your age. I'm 40, I play every week at an FNM where the regulars include plenty of people my age and even a couple of retirees. The game's been around for 25 years, so there are a lot of old timers, although you may need to try a few game stores to find the places where the older folk play.
 
A

A Serious Man

Member
Magic is one of the best games ever designed. It created the TCG genre and has been going strong for almost 25 years. If you have friends or people in your area to play with, it's about as fun and addictive a hobby as you'll find.

It's also pretty expensive to play competitively. If you don't have a lot of cash to throw at it (at least $1k a year), I might hold off. Getting way into it and then not being able to put together the decks you want to build is not any fun.
 
S

SigmasonicX

Member
An important thing to consider before starting to invest in the game is if you have friends who play Magic or are also willing to start with you. If you do, then you can play casual games with decks that don't require a lot of money (until someone in your group inevitably escalates things). Otherwise, I would recommend playing a Limited format (Sealed and Draft, as mentioned) where you start out with no deck and have to make one out of cards you are given.

One thing I enjoy about Magic is that it has by far the most behind the scenes content of any game I've ever seen. The head designer not only publishes an article every week, but he also answers questions on Tumblr and Twitter very often, and he releases two 30-50 minute podcast episodes every week that he literally records on his drive to work, often while his children are still in the car. And he's very open about mistakes they made and how they intend to fix them, which is very refreshing. I mean, just look at Stage of Design 2016, where he absolutely lays into the Battle for Zendikar block, which by all metrics sold well but had a lot of design and development problems.
 
M

Murder

Member
I say go for it dude. As for age, I just started playing in September and I'm 32. The shop I go to has people of all ages--I'm not the oldest, or the youngest. Even still, once the cards hit the mat everyone is the same age cause you're all into the same thing, the game.

The best piece of advice I can give you for starting out, is to go to a pre-release. These events occur when a new set releases. Everyone gets 6 packs of the new set, you open those cards right then and there, and make a 40 card deck with just those cards. So, if you're a new player, you're essentially on "even" footing as everyone else as you can only play what you open.

Great way to get your feet wet and get a feel for the game. Then, after that, if you seem to really enjoy the game you can invest in your first Standard deck and start hitting up Friday Night Magic.
 
Pilgrimzero

Pilgrimzero

Member
Also, be aware you will get obliterated by advanced players.

Last time I tried the tourney scene with my new Black deck I put together I got my rear handed to me like it wasn't funny.

Also a thing to keep in mind if you plan to use old cards, to make sure they are still "in", as old stuff cycles out. My deck mentioned above ended up being illegal due to this, not that it mattered.
 
W

Wichu

Member
Something to keep in mind is that Magic and other similar games are only as expensive as you want them to be. Yes, competitive decks are expensive. No, tournaments are not the only way to play.

Most of my play is just chilling with friends once or twice a week. I have Commander, Pauper, and freeform decks depending on what I feel like. I put together a new casual deck just last week for about $20, and it's just as fun as the more expensive decks I own. Pauper decks are limited to commons only, so are usually around that price too; for Commander, the $35 preconstructed decks are actually really solid and give you a good base deck to upgrade over time.

If you don't want to spend a ton of money, I suggest asking players at your local store to see if anyone hosts a casual night. Maybe the store holds casual tournaments where you're not playing for prizes.

EDIT: As a new player, you'll probably lose a lot, especially if you try building your own decks before you have a good grasp of deckbuilding. Talk to people and get advice - most Magic players I know would be very happy to help someone out and even give them free cards to improve their deck. It's also a good idea to see if you can try out a more experienced player's deck for a couple of games - it's much easier to learn by playing a good deck than by playing against one. Actual game skill such as knowing when to use cards and how to play against certain decks comes with experience, but again, don't be afraid to ask for advice. For example, when you lose to a strategy you haven't seen before, ask your opponent afterwards about how it works, how to beat it, and any tips on your own play.
 
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