Went in to our local game store and bought my son (14) a couple of the starter decks of Oath of the Gatewatch. I found the people and employees to be very nice. One of them sat down with us for about an hour and taught us the basics. We've been playing at home now for about a week (He's actually pretty good at the game and keeps beating me) and now he is interested in going back to FNM at the store. My question is would he just get demolished showing up with the basic deck playing the people that come in? We are both obviously pretty new to the game and just playing with experienced people would make it more fun and resolve alot of questions we have when we play as well as learn the lingo, tips, strategy, etc.
It really depends on the patrons of your game store. Some like it casual, and some like it competitive. What I typically notice is that right after a new set is released, people tend to skew towards more competitive because they want to win packs of the new set. But, the last few weeks leading up to rotation, people tend to experiment a great deal more than usual with homebrews (primarily because they're tired of having played with and against the same decks for so long).
My store also has a "Brewsday Tuesday" where people are encouraged to bring ultra-casual/experimental homebrew decks. You might see if your store has something similar to that if you find FNM too cutthroat.
Went in to our local game store and bought my son (14) a couple of the starter decks of Oath of the Gatewatch. I found the people and employees to be very nice. One of them sat down with us for about an hour and taught us the basics. We've been playing at home now for about a week (He's actually pretty good at the game and keeps beating me) and now he is interested in going back to FNM at the store. My question is would he just get demolished showing up with the basic deck playing the people that come in? We are both obviously pretty new to the game and just playing with experienced people would make it more fun and resolve alot of questions we have when we play as well as learn the lingo, tips, strategy, etc.
Welcome to Magic and the forums
When you say "starter decks" are you talking about the Intro Packs that are pre-built decks with a booster pack inside? If so, those decks are typically fairly under powered when compared to constructed decks people bring to FNM. They can give your son a chance to play in FNM but it will be an uphill battle to win. Since Magic is a game of variance, there is a good possibility your son will still be able to win a few games here and there though.
I think playing in FNM helps with a number of things as long as he doesn't go to FNM with the expectation of winning. I know this is kind of a defeatist attitude out of the gate, but for where you two are with the game, it is best to approach FNM as an opportunity to learn about the game and get better at playing to ensure that he doesn't quit due to discouragement from not winning. Based on your last sentence, it looks like that is exactly how you seem to be approaching this which is great.
As your son plays, and sees other cards, he can determine if there are other cards he may want to pick up to put into his deck and over time can power up his deck. As this happens, and while he learns a few intricacies of the rules and the game, wins will become more frequent.
A few things about Magic in general:
You will find that the most cost-efficient way to build a deck is to buy singles. Trying to get certain cards out of booster packs will cost more than just buying that card. Keep this in mind as you and your son want to update your decks with better/different cards.
Know the differences in formats. There are 3 main constructed formats: Standard, Modern, and Legacy. I won't go into too much detail here since there is information elsewhere on the forums, but know that Standard (which is what you have been playing so far) only includes cards from the latest 3 blocks so every 6 months some cards from your decks may become ineligible to be used in tournaments that is running the Standard format.
Lastly, one thing that can come up since your son is new is the people he plays against. As much as many of us don't like it, some people are horrible to play against. Some people feel that newer or younger players can be pushed around or they won't like playing against a "janky" deck (or don't like losing against it). Most people are great and I have only met 1 or 2 people that have these bad attitudes, but I want to point out that it is the exception.
This isn't meant to be an indictment of your LGS players, or Magic players in general, but it is something to keep in mind so you and your son don't become disillusioned with FNM. I have seen a couple stories on here where a player goes to the first event and meet a terrible opponent and then never go again. Shake it off if this happens (or report it to the Tournament Organizer if it is warranted) but keep plugging away and make it fun for yourselves.
I do think it might be best to try to booster draft tournament; only because some of there tournament constructed decks were playtested and heavily invested and it might discourage you and your son in the tournament scene.
A booster draft tournament would cost between 10 to 15 dollars (depends on the card shop) and your son will keep all the cards (unless they are playing for rares as the prize - most of the time they are playing for store credit).
Drafting is fun. He would sit at a table with other's and they will all open a booster pack, they will select one card and pass the booster pack to the next player. The best is that all players are allowed to play with the cards they drafted. Sure there is lots of play strategies on how to draft and you can check out the threads here.
Most card shops love drafting because it allows players to buy booster packs! And even if you lose you may come out as a winner by drafting an awesome card!
>When you say "starter decks" are you talking about the Intro Packs that are pre-built decks with a booster pack inside?
Yes, that's what we bought. We got 2 Intro Packs and the store gave us some supplement cards from a third.
I agree that if we go with the idea of learning and not expecting a competitive match. He had a good time playing the employees that just used cards from his Intro packs. That would be a nice to find some players willing to play that way because we learned a ton from that session that would have taken us ages to learn on our own.
One of the better and more fun ways to get your feet wet is with Pre-Releases (if you're unfamiliar with them, here's a basic description ). Note: The next one is 'Shadows of Innistrad' - April 2/3.
From personal experience, I would recommend starting with Constructed events (like Standard) or Sealed, not draft.
Constructed & Sealed are generally 'swiss' tournaments where win-or-lose you get to play every round. The majority of draft tournaments are single elimination, so your amount of 'playtime' can be quite a bit less.
I have 2 boys that both started playing when they were about 10-11 years old, respectively (they're 14 and 18 now). The first time I took my oldest was to a draft since I enjoy drafting. It was a mistake and he didn't have much fun. When you draft it really helps to have a decent knowledge of the cards and their interactions (which he didn't). He played one round, lost, was done, and was bummed. The next time I took him was to a Pre-Release and he enjoyed that a lot more. He gained more experience, got to know more people, got more cards, and had a great time. As he progressed he played Standard and Commander generally. With Standard he was able to flex his competitive muscles and with Commander he enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere. I learned from that and when my youngest was old enough I started him with Pre-Releases and the Standard FNMs. Now, he plays just about any format available.
So like the others, I would highly recommend talking to your LGS and getting more info from them. They sound like they assist new players pretty well (which all LGSs should of course).
As far as what to buy, yea, singles are the best way once you have a good feeling of what you like to play and you have more focus. If you're just starting off though, there's nothing like buying a box of your latest set and busting them open (especially if you don't have a lot of cards currently). Of course you can use those packs and make up sealed or draft decks at home, which I do with my boys. I'll buy a box (maybe two) and we'll have fun with them. It's a great way to learn the limited formats. After that I'll normally buy singles or get packs in drafts.
I can only speak from experience at my FNM here in Milwaukee. When I or my friends have a undeveloped deck (be it because of card availability or poor choices), we still have a great time. For round 1, you play games against a random opponent. If you win 2 out of 3, you play your next around against someone who also won. If you lose, you play against someone who also lost round 1. This continues with round 3 and beyond.
The end result is that at our FNM, as the rounds pass, my likely opponents match my deck's level. By the last round, it is likely someone with two losses will face a very winnable match.
I encourage you and your son to go together. Have fun, get to know your opponents a little, and you will make some friends. A great way to follow a game is to ask about their deck, and for their opinions on your deck. Who knows, you might end up with some great trades and good deck improvements!
I have a small,and I mean small,store.There the new and young players are usually treated exceptionally well, once they start to get the hang of it ill toss some singles at them that will help them play,and I keep some superior decks under the counter for when they wanna try to play with "the big boys".They love every second and I'm sure your kid win or lose will love it.
Second, YouTube has a MASSIVE collection of videos on Magic. Try phrases like "mtg deck tech" to see how different deck types function.
Third, I second the suggestion to attend sealed "limited" events, like booster drafts and sealed deck tournaments. Great way to learn and pick up useful cards (don't just take the rare every time, take the most useful card to you but obviously keep the rare if it is a money card!)
Most importantly, have fun and never let a bad experience influence you. Brush it off and keep swinging your sword... oh god did I just quote the pirate?
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The younger guys in my store prefer the sealed rather than the draft because they feel that they can't tell yet what is "good" if it's not a rare "gold" card.with the six packs you get what you get.And I agree that just the experience itself,especially for someone so young,even if overwhelming is something they would LOVE.Its an experience in itself,the social interaction that comes from FNM is worth it whether they play or not.I would advise any parent to take there to FNM just for the vibe. It's quite exciting at times!lol.
Intro decks will leave you completely unprepared for an FNM tournament. To really be competitive you have to spend a few hundred dollars. Practice is completely overrated in standard, multiple times I've shown up at a tournament with a new deck and no practice and placed in top 4. Two weeks ago I got third place with an elves deck I never even shuffled before the tournament.
If you want to actually compete in a tournament on the cheap just draft. Money has no influence on the draft format, you'll both get to build your collection and get firsthand experience with the new cards, learn whats good and what's not. Can also practice with draft simulators online.
If you want to play standard I would recommend either a Black/White Allies deck or a Black/Green Elves deck with 4 Collected Company. Both the decks are extremely cheap, think about $50 each, and will give you a good shot at winning some games. Even a tight mono-red deck has a great chance against these slow 4 color decks. That Battle for Zendikar event deck was very strong relatively and only cost $20, it's an excellent place to start instead of gathering the individual cards you need.
I would not concern yourself with legacy or modern as they are both extremely expensive formats to get into from scratch and much more competitive.
Commander is SUPPOSE to be a casual format though reading these commander articles recently yall take it way too seriously. There's some fun pre-constructed commander decks that were released recently and you don't really have to worry about winning or losing or staying competitive if a healthy commander group exists at the cardshop. I played commander years ago and hated it because the playgroup took it way too seriously with outrageous combo decks. The group I play in now is relaxing and casual and you can actually enjoy the game instead of competing.
Wow, thank you everyone for all the info. I'll need to sort through and process (and Google) what you guys are saying because I see alot of good info in everyone's post.
Went in to our local game store and bought my son (14) a couple of the starter decks of Oath of the Gatewatch. I found the people and employees to be very nice. One of them sat down with us for about an hour and taught us the basics. We've been playing at home now for about a week (He's actually pretty good at the game and keeps beating me) and now he is interested in going back to FNM at the store. My question is would he just get demolished showing up with the basic deck playing the people that come in? We are both obviously pretty new to the game and just playing with experienced people would make it more fun and resolve alot of questions we have when we play a well as learn the lingo, tips, strategy, etc.
You should ask your store if they charge any money to play FNM. If they don't then there is no downside to going and getting some tournament experience, even if he does get demolished.
As he learns the game, he can begin putting together more competitive decks. It's perfectly feasible to make a cheap deck that can win some games. It's not going to win enough to win the whole thing, but if he can he can still have fun when he's winning less than 50%, then you should go for it. In my first FNM, I brought this mono-red deck made out of 1 rize of the eldrazi draft deck and 1 M11 draft deck. I was playing cards like fire servant and lava axe. I beat someone playing turbolands in a match. I eventually evolved into a kiln fiend deck which was very fast and brutal, but was still less than $10 to buy the cards.
As I am relatively new player in experience, I think that the best thing you guys can do is to find a few friends who know how to play or want to play and practice with them (this is what I did). While doing this, I had been looking at the sets in rotation and exploring some of the colors I like and seeing what cards work well together. Also, I would create some faux decks online to have some people analyze them for help.
I am trying to get better at making decks. I have had trouble creating more competitive decks as I only really build with the cards I have. I dont have that many value cards, in function or expense. I (almost) never play at FNM type events so its not like im playing against $2k decks. If I do usally play at one, Its a draft or limited game. Any advice on building decks is greatly supported! DMs are appreciated.
Thank you!
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Your new to magic so don't complicate it by trying to decide BEFORE you go one a deck build.In my store when I new guy comes in I spend HOURS helping them play there deck during there matches and I literally give cards away a they play to help the deck they have.And then I pull out my under twenty decks and let them pick a flavor to try.By the end of a single night I can have that kid playing something that can win for the few bucks.So I strongly encourage you to take him because there are many people there that will go out of there way to help your son.Its not just a game,its a social community,they become family almost.
The store and its staff might be friendly, but trust me, FNM is a HIGHLY competitive environment. Enter at your peril - since people are paying money, they will be mercenary.
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My store also has a "Brewsday Tuesday" where people are encouraged to bring ultra-casual/experimental homebrew decks. You might see if your store has something similar to that if you find FNM too cutthroat.
When you say "starter decks" are you talking about the Intro Packs that are pre-built decks with a booster pack inside? If so, those decks are typically fairly under powered when compared to constructed decks people bring to FNM. They can give your son a chance to play in FNM but it will be an uphill battle to win. Since Magic is a game of variance, there is a good possibility your son will still be able to win a few games here and there though.
I think playing in FNM helps with a number of things as long as he doesn't go to FNM with the expectation of winning. I know this is kind of a defeatist attitude out of the gate, but for where you two are with the game, it is best to approach FNM as an opportunity to learn about the game and get better at playing to ensure that he doesn't quit due to discouragement from not winning. Based on your last sentence, it looks like that is exactly how you seem to be approaching this which is great.
As your son plays, and sees other cards, he can determine if there are other cards he may want to pick up to put into his deck and over time can power up his deck. As this happens, and while he learns a few intricacies of the rules and the game, wins will become more frequent.
A few things about Magic in general:
You will find that the most cost-efficient way to build a deck is to buy singles. Trying to get certain cards out of booster packs will cost more than just buying that card. Keep this in mind as you and your son want to update your decks with better/different cards.
Know the differences in formats. There are 3 main constructed formats: Standard, Modern, and Legacy. I won't go into too much detail here since there is information elsewhere on the forums, but know that Standard (which is what you have been playing so far) only includes cards from the latest 3 blocks so every 6 months some cards from your decks may become ineligible to be used in tournaments that is running the Standard format.
Lastly, one thing that can come up since your son is new is the people he plays against. As much as many of us don't like it, some people are horrible to play against. Some people feel that newer or younger players can be pushed around or they won't like playing against a "janky" deck (or don't like losing against it). Most people are great and I have only met 1 or 2 people that have these bad attitudes, but I want to point out that it is the exception.
This isn't meant to be an indictment of your LGS players, or Magic players in general, but it is something to keep in mind so you and your son don't become disillusioned with FNM. I have seen a couple stories on here where a player goes to the first event and meet a terrible opponent and then never go again. Shake it off if this happens (or report it to the Tournament Organizer if it is warranted) but keep plugging away and make it fun for yourselves.
A booster draft tournament would cost between 10 to 15 dollars (depends on the card shop) and your son will keep all the cards (unless they are playing for rares as the prize - most of the time they are playing for store credit).
Drafting is fun. He would sit at a table with other's and they will all open a booster pack, they will select one card and pass the booster pack to the next player. The best is that all players are allowed to play with the cards they drafted. Sure there is lots of play strategies on how to draft and you can check out the threads here.
Most card shops love drafting because it allows players to buy booster packs! And even if you lose you may come out as a winner by drafting an awesome card!
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>When you say "starter decks" are you talking about the Intro Packs that are pre-built decks with a booster pack inside?
Yes, that's what we bought. We got 2 Intro Packs and the store gave us some supplement cards from a third.
I agree that if we go with the idea of learning and not expecting a competitive match. He had a good time playing the employees that just used cards from his Intro packs. That would be a nice to find some players willing to play that way because we learned a ton from that session that would have taken us ages to learn on our own.
From personal experience, I would recommend starting with Constructed events (like Standard) or Sealed, not draft.
Constructed & Sealed are generally 'swiss' tournaments where win-or-lose you get to play every round. The majority of draft tournaments are single elimination, so your amount of 'playtime' can be quite a bit less.
I have 2 boys that both started playing when they were about 10-11 years old, respectively (they're 14 and 18 now). The first time I took my oldest was to a draft since I enjoy drafting. It was a mistake and he didn't have much fun. When you draft it really helps to have a decent knowledge of the cards and their interactions (which he didn't). He played one round, lost, was done, and was bummed. The next time I took him was to a Pre-Release and he enjoyed that a lot more. He gained more experience, got to know more people, got more cards, and had a great time. As he progressed he played Standard and Commander generally. With Standard he was able to flex his competitive muscles and with Commander he enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere. I learned from that and when my youngest was old enough I started him with Pre-Releases and the Standard FNMs. Now, he plays just about any format available.
So like the others, I would highly recommend talking to your LGS and getting more info from them. They sound like they assist new players pretty well (which all LGSs should of course).
As far as what to buy, yea, singles are the best way once you have a good feeling of what you like to play and you have more focus. If you're just starting off though, there's nothing like buying a box of your latest set and busting them open (especially if you don't have a lot of cards currently). Of course you can use those packs and make up sealed or draft decks at home, which I do with my boys. I'll buy a box (maybe two) and we'll have fun with them. It's a great way to learn the limited formats. After that I'll normally buy singles or get packs in drafts.
Good luck and have fun.
The end result is that at our FNM, as the rounds pass, my likely opponents match my deck's level. By the last round, it is likely someone with two losses will face a very winnable match.
I encourage you and your son to go together. Have fun, get to know your opponents a little, and you will make some friends. A great way to follow a game is to ask about their deck, and for their opinions on your deck. Who knows, you might end up with some great trades and good deck improvements!
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First, here is a free training guide:
http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/level-one/level-one-full-course-2015-10-05
Second, YouTube has a MASSIVE collection of videos on Magic. Try phrases like "mtg deck tech" to see how different deck types function.
Third, I second the suggestion to attend sealed "limited" events, like booster drafts and sealed deck tournaments. Great way to learn and pick up useful cards (don't just take the rare every time, take the most useful card to you but obviously keep the rare if it is a money card!)
Most importantly, have fun and never let a bad experience influence you. Brush it off and keep swinging your sword... oh god did I just quote the pirate?
Active Player: 1994-1999, 2016-
Sign & Share Petition To Fix MTG: Arena's Economy: https://goo.gl/z8fop8
If you want to actually compete in a tournament on the cheap just draft. Money has no influence on the draft format, you'll both get to build your collection and get firsthand experience with the new cards, learn whats good and what's not. Can also practice with draft simulators online.
If you want to play standard I would recommend either a Black/White Allies deck or a Black/Green Elves deck with 4 Collected Company. Both the decks are extremely cheap, think about $50 each, and will give you a good shot at winning some games. Even a tight mono-red deck has a great chance against these slow 4 color decks. That Battle for Zendikar event deck was very strong relatively and only cost $20, it's an excellent place to start instead of gathering the individual cards you need.
I would not concern yourself with legacy or modern as they are both extremely expensive formats to get into from scratch and much more competitive.
Commander is SUPPOSE to be a casual format though reading these commander articles recently yall take it way too seriously. There's some fun pre-constructed commander decks that were released recently and you don't really have to worry about winning or losing or staying competitive if a healthy commander group exists at the cardshop. I played commander years ago and hated it because the playgroup took it way too seriously with outrageous combo decks. The group I play in now is relaxing and casual and you can actually enjoy the game instead of competing.
You should ask your store if they charge any money to play FNM. If they don't then there is no downside to going and getting some tournament experience, even if he does get demolished.
As he learns the game, he can begin putting together more competitive decks. It's perfectly feasible to make a cheap deck that can win some games. It's not going to win enough to win the whole thing, but if he can he can still have fun when he's winning less than 50%, then you should go for it. In my first FNM, I brought this mono-red deck made out of 1 rize of the eldrazi draft deck and 1 M11 draft deck. I was playing cards like fire servant and lava axe. I beat someone playing turbolands in a match. I eventually evolved into a kiln fiend deck which was very fast and brutal, but was still less than $10 to buy the cards.
Thank you!