Magic: the Gathering for a new guy?

[Relambrien]

So a lot of my friends play Magic and I've been interested in getting involved with it. They're all quite good, but none of them have been able to tell me how I should start playing. I'm moderately knowledgeable of the general format and rules of the game, and how the color system generally works. I'm wrapping my head around how the game's strategy works with regards to board control and win conditions, etc. I play fighting games competitively, so the concepts transfer over a bit.

That said, I'd like to learn more. How should a new player get started? I understand that the monetary investment alone would be quite high, but I think I'm okay on that front. My main question is how I go about learning what makes a good strategy and how to build a deck, and of course how one should think while playing the game and how to employ these strategies. Are there any good resources available? I haven't found much beyond the official website.

[T-Force]

I've only been playing for a year or so, but as for deck building, the best trick I've learned is to base a deck around a rare or a combination involving it. Or even multiple ones.
(Ex. I have a Grixis deck that features Nicol Bolas, but I also have a Death Baron with gives +1/+1 to Skeletons and other Zombies so I put in a lot of Zombies and Skeletons).
Not to mention, when in doubt, ask the Magic expert at the card shop you'd buy from what would be a good recent deck for beginners. I don't know what the general view is regarding intro packs, but I figure that if you tweak it enough you can still build something on your own with help.
As for other resources, I've just relied on my friends for tips on deck-building as well as building them. The aforementioned Grixis one was the first one I built on my own.

[chocobothief12]

When you're first starting out, just focus on a single color and work around that. You could try a type of speedy lock down deck, which is what I did as my first deck (all white kithkin deck with stalls and exiling spells.) What T-Force says is also true. If you have a favorite card, you can build around it and add things that play to that cards strengths, but also ones that cover its weaknesses. Another thing I was taught, was that when you're making a deck, it should have an equal ratio of 1/3rd creatures 1/3rd lands and 1/3rd miscellaneous spells. that way you have better shots at pulling what you need instead of having to end up discarding something you may need later just because you aren't pulling any lands to pay for your mana costs. Once you get the gist of it, you can start making dual color decks and eventually 3 color as well. It's really easy to pick up after a few games so hopefully this info helps you a bit.

[devonin]

I'd hesitate before describing moving from mono to two- to three-colour decks as actually progressing, or being a move you'd want to make. Most of the best competitive decks these days are two-coloured or mono-coloured, and it's a lot easier to stabilize a mana base in fewer colours.

Also, when it comes to deck construction, the important question is "How does the deck win" and then "What are all the ways I can make that happen as quickly and consistantly as possible" ?

In many cases, the 20/20/20 land/creature/spell principle ends up hindering rather than helping you. My housemate plays an -incredibly- strong blue/white control deck with 25 lands, and thinks it might even be a touch low. And it's pretty rare that I see any deck that actually splits creatures/spells equally. They tend to cant heavily towards one or the other depending on the mechanism of the deck.

[T-Force]

I've always lived by the philosophy of 24/12/24. Although that doesn't leave too much for spells. It all depends on what kind of deck you're making.

Also, I have a question. Do all decks HAVE to be 60 cards? Cause I have some decks with anywhere between 60 to 100 and I was wondering if I have to chop those numbers down.

[devonin]

The minimum is 60. The maximum is "Whatever number can still be comfortably and easily shuffled by one person with no assistance."

[chocobothief12]

I actually have a 75 card tri-colored artifact deck and I don't have any problems pulling what I need. I say it all depends on how much support you give your deck. If you are constantly preventing your opponent from making moves, then you don't need as many creatures.

[T-Force]

Thanks, Devonin.

Also, one of these days, I need to take apart all of my decks, gather every card I have and start building a load of decks.

[esupin]

Also go check out the Wizards forums - esp. Standard Deck Help and Standard Tournament Center (or Legacy, if that's what you're playing). There's a lot of deckbuilding discussions and you'll find stickied threads for the top tier decks you're bound to run into if you're going to play competitively. There are also YouTubers who record and commentate gameplay (on MTG Online): http://www.youtube.com/user/AuranAlchemist

[Dimitri13]

Originally Posted by devonin

The minimum is 60. The maximum is "Whatever number can still be comfortably and easily shuffled by one person with no assistance."

Battle of Wits.

[who_cares973]

Originally Posted by devonin

I'd hesitate before describing moving from mono to two- to three-colour decks as actually progressing, or being a move you'd want to make. Most of the best competitive decks these days are two-coloured or mono-coloured, and it's a lot easier to stabilize a mana base in fewer colours.

Also, when it comes to deck construction, the important question is "How does the deck win" and then "What are all the ways I can make that happen as quickly and consistantly as possible" ?

In many cases, the 20/20/20 land/creature/spell principle ends up hindering rather than helping you. My housemate plays an -incredibly- strong blue/white control deck with 25 lands, and thinks it might even be a touch low. And it's pretty rare that I see any deck that actually splits creatures/spells equally. They tend to cant heavily towards one or the other depending on the mechanism of the deck.

i have to agree with this post. i dont think ive ever made a serious deck with more than two colours because like devonin said it gets pretty hard to draw what you need and in the end your card count gets stupid high.i use to play a with a 27/18/15 wurm deck which won me a school tourney

[devonin]

Originally Posted by Dimitri13

Battle of Wits.

Was quite successful in Standard/Extended for quite a while. 250 card deck in most cases.

[HoneyMelonCalibrator]

I always assumed Magic was just as easy to pick up and play as Poke'mon was. Apparently, I was wrong. I purchased a Magic deck years ago just for the hell of it. Maybe I should look into getting back into it.

[esupin]

Originally Posted by who_cares973

i have to agree with this post. i dont think ive ever made a serious deck with more than two colours because like devonin said it gets pretty hard to draw what you need and in the end your card count gets stupid high.i use to play a with a 27/18/15 wurm deck which won me a school tourney

If we're talking about Standard, I'm going to have to disagree. Jund was 3 colors and it was the deck to beat until most of its cards rotated out this fall - and Naya and Grixis were popular and well-performing 3 color decks as well. There were and still are plenty of dual and fetch lands to facilitate 3 colors in Standard, though post-rotation it's not as viable. For beginners it's a lot easier to stick with one or two colors.

[devonin]

Yeah, except that they were in standard with a block that was BUILT around 3-color decks.

Get rid of the obelisks and the shrines and the fetches, and 3-color ain't so hot anymore.

[Dimitri13]

Originally Posted by devonin

Was quite successful in Standard/Extended for quite a while. 250 card deck in most cases.

Yes I was just pointing out that in protectors, there's no way that it's a comfortably shuffled deck.

@OP: mtgsalvation was a great community back in the day (when I played about 5 years ago, not sure how it is now), but give it a look.

[esupin]

Originally Posted by devonin

Yeah, except that they were in standard with a block that was BUILT around 3-color decks.

Get rid of the obelisks and the shrines and the fetches, and 3-color ain't so hot anymore.

Which is why I said they're not viable post-rotation. I'm not disagreeing with you on that point.

You can also dl Magic Workstation, which will allow you to create and test your deck with other players online without buying the actual cards http://www.magicworkstation.com/

[igotrhythm]

Oh, so it's YVD for Magic.

The basic rule that Magic adheres to more so than any other TCG I can think of is as follows: Anything and everything can be responded to with the right spell or ability (unless it's split second, in which case you're boned). Thus, it's rarely in your best interest to tap all of your land past the early game. By the same token, this is not a game where you can snooze through a smart opponent's turn and hope to win.

I've only played in an official tournament once in 2005 (a booster draft...forget the set, but it had Shimian Specter in it) and got my ass handed to me, after which I pretty much forswore the game. I still remember that my first deck I built myself was a green/white centered around Armadillo Cloak. In modern parlance, it's a 1GW creature enchantment that gives +2/+2, trample and lifelink.

More than anything else, this was the game that prompted me to come up with the line "I know how to play, I just don't know how to win."

[rsr2]

What I did when I first played is to buy a Pre-Constructed deck. They are like $10-$12. Once you get that, you play it as much as possible. You can add cards as you go but the main thing to remember when building a deck is even though cards like Platinum Angel, Eternity Vessel. etc. may seem amazing, they actually cost way to much.

Also looking up decks online is great too. I remember when I was playing a really bad deck for my local Friday Night Magic and I actually had the lowest DCI rating (A tournament rating website that keeps track of game wins and losses and gives a rating based on performance) in Michigan for the longest time. Until one day I looked up a white Kithkin deck. I built it and I won a lot more games and rose my rating pretty high.

But the best was I can say to get better is to play a lot. Find a color that you enjoy and stick with it for a little bit until you start understanding other color combonations. I have been playing for competitively for 6 years and it is the best decision I made was to continue to play. Even though cards are expensive, it's still really fun and maybe I will see you at a Grand Prix or a Starcitygames tournament.

Also what Esupin said, MagicWorksation is amazing when it comes to deck building and playing online. It is a great tool to figure out what are the top decks in the format and how they play so you can have a better understanding what your opponent plays when you sit down for a tournament.

Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions about Magic.

[MrMagic5239]

My name is Magic, I'm the new guy.













Just kidding.