I would consider myself an expert on mtg. I have memorized a lot of format staples across all formats, and popular decks in different formats. I can also recall from memory the order each expansion came in, as well as notable cards from older formats. I even know a thing or two about the story. However, I never even touched a magic card before.
I'm 14, and my parents aren't really the spendy type, (I only get new "fun" stuff during birthday and Christmas) so getting into this game, not to mention having to continually buy new cards, is out of the question (My parents don't even know I'm into this game, or what this game is). I don't even know if there's any LGS near me. So like I always do when I'm interested in something but can't get it, I learn as much about it as I can. At this point, I would say I know more factual info than the average player. However, due to my lack of play experience, I have a hard time evaluating stuff on my own. I'm not completely clueless when it comes to playing, since I watch lots of people play online, but I definitely won't say I'm good at playing the game.
Due to a combination of not having access to the game, yet being extremely interested in it, I found myself quickly obsessed with custom card creation as my main joy from this game (I've spent all my time since I was registered at the custom card creation sub). I guess it's partly because I'm a imaginative person, but also because making custom cards is fun and easy even with no play experience, since it's mostly factual. Unfortunately, I've found myself having a hard time judging the power level and rarities of my custom cards, due to my lack of experience.
So yeah, hi.
(My english teachers would jump out the window if they found out I could actually write this much about such a trivial subject. Sigh... if only I could transfer my online writing skills to my real life writing skills...)
There is always Magic the Gathering Online, Cockatrice, and Duel of the Planeswalkers to play. Anyways, there are multiple ways to enjoy MAgic, including its rich lore, trading, playing in Limited or Constructed and the various formats within those.
Are you parents against MtG, or do you feel they would not be receptive to you playing and buying cards?
They're not exactly "against" mtg (I haven't told them about the game, but they aren't against me playing Scrolls (a digital CCG)) I just don't think they will be happy about the whole spending situation. I mean, they give me a one time purchase during special of occasions, and playing one deck for ~6 months doesn't look appealing. Not to mention having no one to play with.
MTGO also requires purchases, and duels is way too limiting. Dunno what Cockatrice is though.
You're right about MTGO and duels requiring purchases, as well as duels being kind of limited. However, duels and MTGO only cost $10 to start and without expanding from there you can actually have a good amount of fun with it. You can always try duels out for free if you haven't already. New MTGO accounts come with "new player points" that allow you to participate in four new player sealed limited tournaments. What could be good for you is to save up some money for upcoming pre-releases (roughly $25) and participate in your LGS pre-release sealed limited tournament. You'll be able to pick up some cards and play IRL. My LGS usually does sealed limited tournaments for 20 on game days, also. This would give you months at a time to save up the money to participate. Just some ideas.
I actually have a lot of money saved up in my bank account from over a year of delivering newspapers. The trouble is, 1: I need some way to take the money out of my account. 2: I need to get my parents to drive me to a LGS that may or may not be of reasonable driving distance away. 3: Needing a credit card for online purchases.
Also, I'm not a big fan of sealed. Having to work with bad pulls is just depressing.
Good points i didn't even think of. You sound fiscally responsible. If you don't let it get away from you, maybe your parents wouldn't have a problem with you attending. Obviously I don't know your parents, however, and only you can make that call.
To comment on sealed, bad pulls can be depressing, but everybody has them in sealed format. It's about what you can do working with what you got. You get six booster packs. Chances are you can finagle something. Worse comes to worst, you'll be 16 soon and can hopefully drive around then. I got some of my friends who didn't play into magic, including my girlfriend, and we just slowly learned to play together. Try and entice them to play. You'll learn a lot playing with folks that you can't pick up just watching. Good luck with everything!
Bad pulls are bad, but building playable decks out of bad pulls is what makes a successful limited player, well successful
Welcome to MTGS. If you have yet to figure out cockatrice, I suggest you start there. MTGO is fine for limited practice, but I have never used it for constructive play. Paper magic is simply a better investment and I enjoy it much more. Cockatrice allows you to test infinite deck ideas, and when you find one you are ready to play then you slowly start picking up the pieces in paper. Hardly anyone starts playing this game by dumping 300-400 into a tier one standard deck. My suggestion would be play in all pre-release events at an LGS and draft as often a possible. Eventually you will get good at drafting and your 12 dollar investment could really start yielding you a fair amount of standard playable cards to use or trade. eq. First place at my LGS usually pays 10-12 booster packs depending on number of entrants. Including the three boosters you opened during the event, that could be 15 boosters for 12 bucks! This game can and will cost you as much money as you want it to, but don't think this game isn't acceptable because you can't obtain expensive cards. There is a format for everyone...
Also, I just checked the LGS finder on Wizard's website. Apparently the closest store is right beside the next closest city.
Again, I have just never been a fan of sealed. I prefer constructed (and even limited) much more since I have more control over my deck. I've had experience with other online CCGs with a draft mode (Hearthstone), and what I found out is, although drafting the deck was fun, playing the deck was just tedious. I've watched MTGO drafts online before, and the same thing also seems to apply for me for that.
And about trying to get friends into magic? I actually need friends in order for that to work.
I will check out Cockatrice though.
EDIT: I have just downloaded and is starting up Cockatrice. Let's hope this works.
EDIT2: got Cockatrice to work. So I guess its kinda like Pokemon Showdown, but for mtg.
EDIT3: Holy crap is this program good. Apparently I'm not too bad piloting esper control in standard either. Guess ~8 months of watching channelfireball on youtube did pay off.
EDIT4: Thanks to some friendly users, I've finally gotten used to the program. And yeah, it's good. Surprisingly for me, I didn't really notice that much of a "different experience" when compared to watching the game. Maybe I'm already that good? Well, I definitely still need to learn when to counter and what to take when it comes to dig/anticipate/Oujutai/scry. Still making constant oversight misplays too. Thanks for recommending it to me.
Well, after a few days of Cockatrice, I think I'm getting a good hold of playing this game, so I don't think the thread title is accurate anymore. I'll have to change that later. Despite not having played the game before, I'm actually having quite some success with the decks I ripped of the internet. I think that watching magic online for ~8 months really prepped me for actually playing the game.
So yeah, thanks for recommending it to me.
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I'm 14, and my parents aren't really the spendy type, (I only get new "fun" stuff during birthday and Christmas) so getting into this game, not to mention having to continually buy new cards, is out of the question (My parents don't even know I'm into this game, or what this game is). I don't even know if there's any LGS near me. So like I always do when I'm interested in something but can't get it, I learn as much about it as I can. At this point, I would say I know more factual info than the average player. However, due to my lack of play experience, I have a hard time evaluating stuff on my own. I'm not completely clueless when it comes to playing, since I watch lots of people play online, but I definitely won't say I'm good at playing the game.
Due to a combination of not having access to the game, yet being extremely interested in it, I found myself quickly obsessed with custom card creation as my main joy from this game (I've spent all my time since I was registered at the custom card creation sub). I guess it's partly because I'm a imaginative person, but also because making custom cards is fun and easy even with no play experience, since it's mostly factual. Unfortunately, I've found myself having a hard time judging the power level and rarities of my custom cards, due to my lack of experience.
So yeah, hi.
(My english teachers would jump out the window if they found out I could actually write this much about such a trivial subject. Sigh... if only I could transfer my online writing skills to my real life writing skills...)
EDIT: But not anymore! See post #12.
Well, no friends that play magic.
There is always Magic the Gathering Online, Cockatrice, and Duel of the Planeswalkers to play. Anyways, there are multiple ways to enjoy MAgic, including its rich lore, trading, playing in Limited or Constructed and the various formats within those.
Are you parents against MtG, or do you feel they would not be receptive to you playing and buying cards?
MTGO also requires purchases, and duels is way too limiting. Dunno what Cockatrice is though.
3x Chromatic Sphere
4x Chromatic Star
4x Expedition Map
2x Relic of Progenitus
Creature (7)
1x Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
2x Spellskite
1x Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
3x Wurmcoil Engine
Enchantment (3)
3x Oblivion Ring
Land (20)
1x Eye of Ugin
2x Forest
1x Ghost Quarter
4x Grove of the Burnwillows
4x Urza's Mine
4x Urza's Power Plant
4x Urza's Tower
4x Karn Liberated
2x Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
Sorcery (11)
4x Ancient Stirrings
3x Pyroclasm
4x Sylvan Scrying
1x Batterskull
2x Relic of Progenitus
3x Leyline of Sanctity
2x Nature's Claim
3x Rending Volley
3x Firespout
1x Vandalblast
Also, I'm not a big fan of sealed. Having to work with bad pulls is just depressing.
To comment on sealed, bad pulls can be depressing, but everybody has them in sealed format. It's about what you can do working with what you got. You get six booster packs. Chances are you can finagle something. Worse comes to worst, you'll be 16 soon and can hopefully drive around then. I got some of my friends who didn't play into magic, including my girlfriend, and we just slowly learned to play together. Try and entice them to play. You'll learn a lot playing with folks that you can't pick up just watching. Good luck with everything!
3x Chromatic Sphere
4x Chromatic Star
4x Expedition Map
2x Relic of Progenitus
Creature (7)
1x Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
2x Spellskite
1x Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
3x Wurmcoil Engine
Enchantment (3)
3x Oblivion Ring
Land (20)
1x Eye of Ugin
2x Forest
1x Ghost Quarter
4x Grove of the Burnwillows
4x Urza's Mine
4x Urza's Power Plant
4x Urza's Tower
4x Karn Liberated
2x Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
Sorcery (11)
4x Ancient Stirrings
3x Pyroclasm
4x Sylvan Scrying
1x Batterskull
2x Relic of Progenitus
3x Leyline of Sanctity
2x Nature's Claim
3x Rending Volley
3x Firespout
1x Vandalblast
Welcome to MTGS. If you have yet to figure out cockatrice, I suggest you start there. MTGO is fine for limited practice, but I have never used it for constructive play. Paper magic is simply a better investment and I enjoy it much more. Cockatrice allows you to test infinite deck ideas, and when you find one you are ready to play then you slowly start picking up the pieces in paper. Hardly anyone starts playing this game by dumping 300-400 into a tier one standard deck. My suggestion would be play in all pre-release events at an LGS and draft as often a possible. Eventually you will get good at drafting and your 12 dollar investment could really start yielding you a fair amount of standard playable cards to use or trade. eq. First place at my LGS usually pays 10-12 booster packs depending on number of entrants. Including the three boosters you opened during the event, that could be 15 boosters for 12 bucks! This game can and will cost you as much money as you want it to, but don't think this game isn't acceptable because you can't obtain expensive cards. There is a format for everyone...
BUGShardless SultaiBUG
Modern
URSplinter TwinUR
BWGAbzan MidrangeBWG
Standard
URWJeskai TokensURW
Also, I just checked the LGS finder on Wizard's website. Apparently the closest store is right beside the next closest city.
Again, I have just never been a fan of sealed. I prefer constructed (and even limited) much more since I have more control over my deck. I've had experience with other online CCGs with a draft mode (Hearthstone), and what I found out is, although drafting the deck was fun, playing the deck was just tedious. I've watched MTGO drafts online before, and the same thing also seems to apply for me for that.
And about trying to get friends into magic? I actually need friends in order for that to work.
I will check out Cockatrice though.
EDIT: I have just downloaded and is starting up Cockatrice. Let's hope this works.
EDIT2: got Cockatrice to work. So I guess its kinda like Pokemon Showdown, but for mtg.
EDIT3: Holy crap is this program good. Apparently I'm not too bad piloting esper control in standard either. Guess ~8 months of watching channelfireball on youtube did pay off.
EDIT4: Thanks to some friendly users, I've finally gotten used to the program. And yeah, it's good. Surprisingly for me, I didn't really notice that much of a "different experience" when compared to watching the game. Maybe I'm already that good? Well, I definitely still need to learn when to counter and what to take when it comes to dig/anticipate/Oujutai/scry. Still making constant oversight misplays too. Thanks for recommending it to me.
So yeah, thanks for recommending it to me.