Hi, I'm just starting to learn how to play MTG on the d/l so I can surprise my husband.
I had my first lesson with a few friends of mine last weekend so I've grasped the basics, and I just started playing Magic 2015 on my phone, but since I'm trying to surprise him, I have to hide my phone anytime he walks by and thats starting to look a little sketchy...
Any websites or videos you can recommend to a novice trying to self-educate? I realize irl practice duels are probably the way to go, but I only see my magic-playing friends once or twice a month, and I'm crap at keeping secrets, so the sooner I can get the hang of this, the better. I'd really appreciate it!
First, this is great to hear. Its always nice to see new peple playing and this seems like a pretty good reason to get into the game
Duels of the Planeswalkers is probably the best, but you mentioned you are already using that. This site is pretty decent at helping, but it is usually best to have an idea in mind or have specific questions/scenarios you want help with.
You could check out some YouTube videos for some instruction. The Professor at Tolarian Community College has a couple videos tailored to newer players. You could also check out Saffron Olive on YouTube and MTGGoldfish. I personally like him and his gameplay videos are entertaining. He does deck techs that explain certain decks and why certain choices were made for the decks. Since his videos are meant to be entertaining rather than instructional, it is possible you won't get all you want out of them, but they could help with learning some aspects of the game.
You mentioned you have been practicing and learning. Is there anything specific you are having issues or questions on?
Thanks WizardMN
I guess at the moment I'm looking for basic strategy tips.
When I practiced with my friends they gave me their best deck and pretty much told me how to play it, so I ended up in a pretty powerful position and spent most of the time watching them attack each other, but at least I learned how to read the cards and how the turns/rounds function.
I finished the tutorials on Duels of the Planes walkers and built a green/black deck but I've lost an embarrassing number of duels to the first (deck/boss?) of Innistrad and I still haven't beat it... I suppose it's because I don't have any cards that have reach or flying and that opponent was able to whittle me down using crows and zombie armies.
I think I'll check out some of the channels you mentioned and see if that helps C:
Yeah, strategy is going to take a while to really get the hang of. While I applaud your friends' efforts, handing off a competitive deck to a new player often leads to overwhelming situations so good on you for sticking with it. This is why Duels is so good for learning; it is generally lower powered so while you have choices in what happens, you aren't trying to figure out the deck in the middle of playing it.
I haven't played Duels in a while so I don't remember all the cards in black and green that you start with. When playing, just try not to focus too much on your opponent's creatures. For example, don't waste removal on the first creature you see. If you know they play fliers and their first creature is a 2/2 that doesn't fly, don't think you have to immediately cast Go for the Throat it to save yourself life if you don't have a blocker yet. Take a couple points of damage and try to get out a blocker and kill it that way. At some point, you can then try to pressure them back so they have to make inefficient blocks just to save themselves from dying.
Regarding playing removal on the first creature; this is one thing I often see newer players do. They get a card in hand and then use it on the first thing they can when it doesn't make sense. Counterspells and Removal are big for this kind of thing and I will often see a player destroy something innocuous when in reality, the Reaper from the Abyss coming down in a couple turns is what they should be using it on. Now, this plays into the strategy of when to use stuff as if you are at 1 life, you might need to Go for the Throat that Rotting Rats so you don't die.
Speaking of being at 1 life; don't put too much emphasis on your life total. Don't ignore it, but many newer players will start seeing their life total dwindle from 20 to 18 to 16 and make rash decisions to save themselves when they don't need to. Just remember; its not "Oh no, I am only at 1 life". Instead, its "My opponent left me at 1 life; the fool!" In other words, it doesn't matter what life you have at the end of the game as long as you have at least 1 and your opponent is at 0.
Ha, you are absolutely right. I am definitely guilty of using whatever active creatures I have to attack any low level creatures my opponent casts. I'll be sure to switch it up and try a long-term strategy instead
Also, I am still learning the lingo so feel free to correct me know if my terminology is way off. In the past I've used incorrect or made-up terms when asking my husband about the game just to mess with him, but now that I'm learning for real I'd like to at least sound like a serious player so that this doesn't come off as some kind of joke!
Well, with that being said, I did notice something in your last post:
Ha, you are absolutely right. I am definitely guilty of using whatever active creatures I have to attack any low level creatures my opponent casts.
I am not sure if this is just me misunderstanding what you are saying, but you don't attack creatures in Magic. Instead, you attack players (or Planeswalkers) and the person you are attacking chooses whether or not block your creatures with theirs. Of course, if you are talking about targeting their creatures with removal {like the aforementioned Go for the Throat) then you don't "attack" creatures with spells like this. You "target" them to deal damage or destroy them.
Ah I see.
I don't have a lot of spells or instants that target my opponent, so I meant to say that I was attacking the player and getting my own creatures wiped out early in the game, without having any sort of long-term plan.
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Hi, I'm just starting to learn how to play MTG on the d/l so I can surprise my husband.
I had my first lesson with a few friends of mine last weekend so I've grasped the basics, and I just started playing Magic 2015 on my phone, but since I'm trying to surprise him, I have to hide my phone anytime he walks by and thats starting to look a little sketchy...
Any websites or videos you can recommend to a novice trying to self-educate? I realize irl practice duels are probably the way to go, but I only see my magic-playing friends once or twice a month, and I'm crap at keeping secrets, so the sooner I can get the hang of this, the better. I'd really appreciate it!
Duels of the Planeswalkers is probably the best, but you mentioned you are already using that. This site is pretty decent at helping, but it is usually best to have an idea in mind or have specific questions/scenarios you want help with.
You could check out some YouTube videos for some instruction. The Professor at Tolarian Community College has a couple videos tailored to newer players. You could also check out Saffron Olive on YouTube and MTGGoldfish. I personally like him and his gameplay videos are entertaining. He does deck techs that explain certain decks and why certain choices were made for the decks. Since his videos are meant to be entertaining rather than instructional, it is possible you won't get all you want out of them, but they could help with learning some aspects of the game.
You mentioned you have been practicing and learning. Is there anything specific you are having issues or questions on?
I guess at the moment I'm looking for basic strategy tips.
When I practiced with my friends they gave me their best deck and pretty much told me how to play it, so I ended up in a pretty powerful position and spent most of the time watching them attack each other, but at least I learned how to read the cards and how the turns/rounds function.
I finished the tutorials on Duels of the Planes walkers and built a green/black deck but I've lost an embarrassing number of duels to the first (deck/boss?) of Innistrad and I still haven't beat it... I suppose it's because I don't have any cards that have reach or flying and that opponent was able to whittle me down using crows and zombie armies.
I think I'll check out some of the channels you mentioned and see if that helps C:
I haven't played Duels in a while so I don't remember all the cards in black and green that you start with. When playing, just try not to focus too much on your opponent's creatures. For example, don't waste removal on the first creature you see. If you know they play fliers and their first creature is a 2/2 that doesn't fly, don't think you have to immediately cast Go for the Throat it to save yourself life if you don't have a blocker yet. Take a couple points of damage and try to get out a blocker and kill it that way. At some point, you can then try to pressure them back so they have to make inefficient blocks just to save themselves from dying.
Regarding playing removal on the first creature; this is one thing I often see newer players do. They get a card in hand and then use it on the first thing they can when it doesn't make sense. Counterspells and Removal are big for this kind of thing and I will often see a player destroy something innocuous when in reality, the Reaper from the Abyss coming down in a couple turns is what they should be using it on. Now, this plays into the strategy of when to use stuff as if you are at 1 life, you might need to Go for the Throat that Rotting Rats so you don't die.
Speaking of being at 1 life; don't put too much emphasis on your life total. Don't ignore it, but many newer players will start seeing their life total dwindle from 20 to 18 to 16 and make rash decisions to save themselves when they don't need to. Just remember; its not "Oh no, I am only at 1 life". Instead, its "My opponent left me at 1 life; the fool!" In other words, it doesn't matter what life you have at the end of the game as long as you have at least 1 and your opponent is at 0.
Also, I am still learning the lingo so feel free to correct me know if my terminology is way off. In the past I've used incorrect or made-up terms when asking my husband about the game just to mess with him, but now that I'm learning for real I'd like to at least sound like a serious player so that this doesn't come off as some kind of joke!
I am not sure if this is just me misunderstanding what you are saying, but you don't attack creatures in Magic. Instead, you attack players (or Planeswalkers) and the person you are attacking chooses whether or not block your creatures with theirs. Of course, if you are talking about targeting their creatures with removal {like the aforementioned Go for the Throat) then you don't "attack" creatures with spells like this. You "target" them to deal damage or destroy them.
I don't have a lot of spells or instants that target my opponent, so I meant to say that I was attacking the player and getting my own creatures wiped out early in the game, without having any sort of long-term plan.