Magic: The Beginning
June 17, 2020 5:46 PM Subscribe
Hi, AskMe. :) I've always had a casual interest in Magic: THe Gathering, but now have found myself curious enough to start diving in. It is perhaps a poor time to do so both because of the current plague and because, well, I'm not really sure how much actual trading/collecting of cars I'll be able to do.
I'm just wondering what resources y'all might recommend for starting out? I'm starting from essentially zero, I know the very basic rules but it's all kind of theoretical. I have a computerized version of the game which is reasonably accessible in Forge, and access to WIzard's official card database.
I'm slightly overwhelmed by all the options. I know a lot of the fun of the game is in deck building, but I'm also presuming there are starter decks of some sort supplied to get newbies oriented. This is all complicated by the fact I'm totally blind and thus don't have a great way to play with other humans in person, even if CoVid weren't a factor.
I'm more or less at the "Ooh, shiny!" stage of understanding things. The Forge app has, well, a ton of options to choose from only some of which I understand, and since the game has been around forever it seems like lots of insider knowledge is expected past a certain point.
I'd appreciate any tips you might be able to offer.
I'm just wondering what resources y'all might recommend for starting out? I'm starting from essentially zero, I know the very basic rules but it's all kind of theoretical. I have a computerized version of the game which is reasonably accessible in Forge, and access to WIzard's official card database.
I'm slightly overwhelmed by all the options. I know a lot of the fun of the game is in deck building, but I'm also presuming there are starter decks of some sort supplied to get newbies oriented. This is all complicated by the fact I'm totally blind and thus don't have a great way to play with other humans in person, even if CoVid weren't a factor.
I'm more or less at the "Ooh, shiny!" stage of understanding things. The Forge app has, well, a ton of options to choose from only some of which I understand, and since the game has been around forever it seems like lots of insider knowledge is expected past a certain point.
I'd appreciate any tips you might be able to offer.
Best answer: Don't let being blind stop you from playing in person (when things are safer!). There's precedent for it, and you'll just have to explain to your local shop or playgroup your needed accommodations, and it's all good.
The current online client is MTG Arena. It has recent cards, and a good system to use it in a free to play way. I unfortunately have no idea if it's programmed to be accessible, and a quick google search doesn't say one way or the other.
An older digital client is Magic the Gathering Online. It is pay to play like paper magic however, no free mode. It has more cards programmed in, but my guess is that it doesn't have any accessibility mode.
As for the game itself, it's easiest to learn by playing some games against somebody who already knows how to play, starting with simplified decks. Learn the basic turn order (untap, upkeep, draw, main, combat, main, end of turn), and how casting spells, and combat generally works. Then layer on triggers, the stack, targeting rules, and so on as you get deeper and more complex. Don't try and take it all in at once. The full rulebook is truly absurd in its detail and length.
In paper, shops give out little 60 card welcome decks, which fit the description for extremely simple decks to learn with. Decklists are available. Pick any two colors, mix the 30 cards of each, and you have a workable beginner deck.
You'll quickly expand to more interesting decks like the prebuilt ones that wizards sells, or maybe explore other formats like commander (a multiplayer game where everybody's deck contains a 'commander', and 99 different one-of cards. The most popular casual format by far).
Don't fall into the belief you need to spend much money to play. As long as you have the same power level of decks as whoever you're playing against, magic is a ton of fun. Super junk vs. super junk is great, as is high level powerful decks vs other tournament decks. It just gets unfun when mismatches happen.
posted by cschneid at 6:53 PM on June 17, 2020 [2 favorites]
The current online client is MTG Arena. It has recent cards, and a good system to use it in a free to play way. I unfortunately have no idea if it's programmed to be accessible, and a quick google search doesn't say one way or the other.
An older digital client is Magic the Gathering Online. It is pay to play like paper magic however, no free mode. It has more cards programmed in, but my guess is that it doesn't have any accessibility mode.
As for the game itself, it's easiest to learn by playing some games against somebody who already knows how to play, starting with simplified decks. Learn the basic turn order (untap, upkeep, draw, main, combat, main, end of turn), and how casting spells, and combat generally works. Then layer on triggers, the stack, targeting rules, and so on as you get deeper and more complex. Don't try and take it all in at once. The full rulebook is truly absurd in its detail and length.
In paper, shops give out little 60 card welcome decks, which fit the description for extremely simple decks to learn with. Decklists are available. Pick any two colors, mix the 30 cards of each, and you have a workable beginner deck.
You'll quickly expand to more interesting decks like the prebuilt ones that wizards sells, or maybe explore other formats like commander (a multiplayer game where everybody's deck contains a 'commander', and 99 different one-of cards. The most popular casual format by far).
Don't fall into the belief you need to spend much money to play. As long as you have the same power level of decks as whoever you're playing against, magic is a ton of fun. Super junk vs. super junk is great, as is high level powerful decks vs other tournament decks. It just gets unfun when mismatches happen.
posted by cschneid at 6:53 PM on June 17, 2020 [2 favorites]
If you are into collecting more than into playing, some dollar stores sell packs from much older decks. Presumably it is remaindered stock from long ago. The cards in those decks would not be any good for playing with, I suppose, but if you want to lay your hands on some cards really cheaply those would be fun - especially if you are likely to branch out into doing things like collecting themes such as dragons or weather, instead of competitive decks. They would also give you some cards to practice setting up decks with. Depending on where you live that could be an easy way of laying hands on the cards without having to find a gaming store. They also sell them at Walmart, of course, so they should be easy enough to track down.
posted by Jane the Brown at 7:02 PM on June 17, 2020
posted by Jane the Brown at 7:02 PM on June 17, 2020
Best answer: There's some information on accessibility options for in-person MTG on this reddit thread (they talk about one person who put braille on the card sleeves).
Currently, most online Magic is happening on MTG: Arena, which is not screen-reader accessible as far as I can tell. Cockatrice is potentially an option you could look into.
MTG releases a Core Set every year along with several expansions. This year's core set is coming out at the beginning of July. Core sets are a great place to get into the game - they tend to have fewer strange rule interactions and super-powered combos than the other expansions do.
There are a lot of different formats that govern which cards are legal at any given time - Standard uses cards from the last two years, other formats go back further.
posted by Jeanne at 7:03 PM on June 17, 2020
Currently, most online Magic is happening on MTG: Arena, which is not screen-reader accessible as far as I can tell. Cockatrice is potentially an option you could look into.
MTG releases a Core Set every year along with several expansions. This year's core set is coming out at the beginning of July. Core sets are a great place to get into the game - they tend to have fewer strange rule interactions and super-powered combos than the other expansions do.
There are a lot of different formats that govern which cards are legal at any given time - Standard uses cards from the last two years, other formats go back further.
posted by Jeanne at 7:03 PM on June 17, 2020
I am a total beginner too, but I went to an in-person Magic for Beginners session a local games shop organised once. They gave everyone a starter deck, and taught the rules, and then you could all just play against each other, and against some more advanced people who would give tips. It was fun. I'm sure something like this could be adapted for you, e.g. having a friend with you who could quietly tell you what your cards are (we played open hands at first anyway to practice, so it wouldn't even have to be quiet).
If you don't have a game shop like that nearby, or want to get started before COVID ends, you could also just buy a couple of random starter decks (many come in pairs), and practice with a friend. Again, playing open hands is helpful at first anyway, so your friend could tell you what cards you have. And/or you could get someone to help you assemble a digital version of the same deck in your software of choice, and play with that.
I bought one of those double starter decks a few years ago and played with it for a while and then I sold it on ebay for like five times what I paid, which I still don't really understand how that happened.
posted by lollusc at 7:11 PM on June 17, 2020
If you don't have a game shop like that nearby, or want to get started before COVID ends, you could also just buy a couple of random starter decks (many come in pairs), and practice with a friend. Again, playing open hands is helpful at first anyway, so your friend could tell you what cards you have. And/or you could get someone to help you assemble a digital version of the same deck in your software of choice, and play with that.
I bought one of those double starter decks a few years ago and played with it for a while and then I sold it on ebay for like five times what I paid, which I still don't really understand how that happened.
posted by lollusc at 7:11 PM on June 17, 2020
My oldest kid is very into MTG; he's been trying very hard for years now to get me to play the steam game so that I at least learn how to play. He says it's an excellent way to learn and get familiar with a lot of the cards and play styles, without making the cost investment. (I've been interested since friends played when it began, and never made the effort. Now, my stalling is a combo of stubbornness + I don't want to end up liking it and spending $$ on it, lol.)
posted by stormyteal at 8:14 PM on June 17, 2020
posted by stormyteal at 8:14 PM on June 17, 2020
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The blurb at the top indicates that those decks won't be available until either June 29 or July 12 depending on whether it's a Planeswalker deck or a Spellslinger deck respectively. I don't really know but I imagine it's possible they may include cards that aren't released until then (and therefore those cards might not yet be available in Forge).
edit: oops nevermind the page linked is from last year, so you should be good to go.
posted by juv3nal at 6:13 PM on June 17, 2020