So a friend and I are thinking about getting into MTG as a casual winter hobby, but we have very little idea what we're doing. We've both played the game before with friends, but neither of us own cards. What is the best way to get into the game while remaining relatively current. Should I buy the Core 2019 bundle that comes with 10 packs and the required accessories? If we both got one of these, would we be able to play effectively? Would it be better to buy boosters from other sets?
Essentially looking for recommendations on how you would go about buying MTG cards as a brand new player. I don't want to just buy individual cards, as I find part of the fun will be opening packs. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
if you're just planning on playing casually, then starting with the core set 2019 bundle should probably be a good start as they come with 10 packs and the lands that should help you start off. Depending on what your budget is and how you want to play, you can upgrade from there, either by getting more packs or by buying singles (which you said you don't really wanna do). Core set 2019 I believe rotates out of standard in the fall of this year so they'll be in standard for a while, if you wanna stick with standard or branch out to other formats depending how you choose to play.
Thanks for the Reply! Do boosters from other sets (ravnica, dominaria) still count towards "standard", or are those classed in a different game type? I don't really have a budget, this could be something I get heavy into, or something I barely use. It will depend how much fun I'm having with it!
For the sake of argument, If I had $200 to spend on cards today how would you break it down!
Standard is one of the premier formats (maybe the premier format) for competitive play. However, it's not something you need to worry about playing casually. But what it means is more or less "cards from the last two years"; an exact rotation schedule can be found easily online.
For the sake of argument, If I had $200 to spend on cards today how would you break it down!
I would buy $200 in singles but that's because I already have decks I would like to upgrade.
You seem to want to crack packs specifically. So as I said I'd buy the Game Night box set (MSRP $40) and then buy a booster box ($100) and two bundles ($30 each) for Guilds of Ravnica and/or Ravnica Allegiance once you'd learned how to play. Ravnica is very popular and fun, and imho these sets will allow you to build interesting decks with differing strategies.
Click here to see the current expansions/sets that are standard legal, Guilds of Ravnica being the latest, with Ixalan being the next one to rotate out.
There are a lot of variables that go into it. If you know already what deck you want to build then buying singles is always the most cost-effective way. Although you don't want to buy singles, it's still a great method to acquire the deck you want without gambling on packs.
The downside to buying singles is that you won't have much of a collection - I learned that when I played a while back but was on a budget. You could spend $200-300 on a top tier competitive deck (yes they cost that much and even more) then there's budget decks that are around... I'd say ~$100ish, but then that's all you really have. Just an expensive deck.
It all comes down to how much are you willing to spend? If you don't mind investing your money towards this hobby then buy a booster box. I buy two boxes every expansion/set. That's 72 packs, ~1,000 cards at a total of around ~$2.50 a pack. $180 - $200 every 3 months.
If you're budgeting, I think bundles are awesome for returning players because they get lands, a life counter, 10 packs and boom for around $30-45 you and your friend can start playing/trading and making your own decks right out the bundle! Bundles are also sturdy and durable enough to hold your cards inside!
I'm sure others have more valuable insight and experience than me. My advice? Grab a bundle of Guilds of Ravnica and have right at it! Comes with everything you'll need to start playing at a budget.
Just buy a couple budget MTG decks from the decklists available online. Should be able to get a couple viable standard decks for under $200. Play with those for a few months until you decide if you want to invest more money in the hobby. Sucks spending money on random stuff and have decks that don't work but also don't want to shell out $400 for a single deck. That gets old especially for new players.
Card Kingdom, the online retailer, has some neato battle decks for like 10 bucks you can use to test the waters and see if you like playing. You can also improve on those with some pack purchases.
do you like the idea of having a big disorganised pile of cards on a table, and you/your friends crafting your own decks out of it?
or: do you want an 'out of the box' experience, where you and your friends pick a deck and just battle, switching around decks and maybe tweaking them later?
whichever one you choose will change what you want to buy.
free-form style: Booster boxes! complete common/uncommon sets from ebay (this one is fun. online sellers collect up playsets of every uncommon/common card in a set and sell them in a big bulk pile. They are very cheap. Most of the value in MTG is condensed in the rares)
commander: https://magic.wizards.com/en/content/commander-format
commander is one of the most popular ways to play mtg, it's not usually competitive, it's played for fun. it can be 1v1 or multiplayer and the levels of customisation around your favourite character are endless. You'll find plenty of resources out there to help you find your way in the format because it's so popular.
as above, I'd say the commander decks are probably the best bang for your buck overall, for a new player wanting an experience that will grow with you and won't get old. They introduce you to a fun casual format where you get to pick your favourite character and build around them, and also the decks come with some very nice (and quite valuable) cards. Some of the cards are kinda wonky and commander games can get long and complex, but as a 'suit you can grow into' I think the preconstructed commander decks are way up there at the top of the pile.
caveat: don't buy the most recent edition of commander decks. Buy any of the older ones. A quick google will indicate which ones are the newest (to avoid). Simple reason is that the latest decks are a little more expensive and include less 'good stuff' in terms of the cards. Any of the older editions (there's been a few now) will provide you with a lot of interesting options and choices.
hope that helps.
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Modern: G Tron, Vannifar, Jund, Druid/Vizier combo, Humans, Eldrazi Stompy (Serum Powder), Amulet, Grishoalbrand, Breach Titan, Turns, Eternal Command, As Foretold Living End, Elves, Cheerios, RUG Scapeshift
If you want to have fun opening boosters and making decks, maybe just buy 6 packs each (mixed sets or just one of the current sets, Ravnica and Dominaria are fine choices) and make a deck this way. If you can go to a LGS, maybe they can offer free basic lands (or just ask for the free newbie decks). You could save a bit and buy a booster box and have 3 sealed pools for 2 players. If this isn't an option, get either a bundle or a toolkit for both players and start from there (after that basic lands will accumulate real fast).
If the opening pack experience isn't that important, maybe just buy a precon product. I think Planechase is a fine product for its price. Commander is probably the best one. Although 2018 edition is pretty dismal in terms of card selection, they are fine for new players and because they weren't well received, they are probably pretty cheap to get compared to older years. Still some of the past good ones are still cheap, so get these first. Some of the newer ones like Explorers of Ixalan and Game Night are OKish, but they are very shallow.
If you wanna stay current with Standard, I think as newcomer, I would just draft and try to learn from there. Other players can help you in your journey. Keeping up with Standard is pretty expensive in the long run. It looks less daunting in the short term, but it's a big money sinker. You can do it smart and at cost at least. However, you need a lot of knowledge and drafting may be the best way to pick up it while getting a collection. From there you may jump to constructed when you feel more comfortable.
Anyway, I would not go all-in at first. Just start slow. I know some people who sank into MTG very deep at start and it didn't stick after a semester. One just spent a bunch of money and had to resell with very little recoup. Just start small and smart. Also, buying single cards as a new player fells bad, not right, or downright dirt, but it's the smart thing to do in the long run. Still it's also something that requires experience, specially Standard. It's an art by itself.
If you are really comfortable with this hobby antics. You can go deeper and see what you really want with this hobby. Like collecting or play more competitively (or both) or just stay at kitchen table MTG. Buying/Trading/Selling MTG is by itself a hobby as well which requires honing and patience.
Also, when starting some accessories like sleeves and playmats aren't really necessary per se, but if you think you gonna stay with the game, I think they are essential to the play experience and to keep your cards neat for a long time. Card storage is also very important and having a system to keep up your collection organize can be a time saver later on. Keeping your cards in a shoe box is fine at first, but you will need a clear way to organize your cards.
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So a friend and I are thinking about getting into MTG as a casual winter hobby, but we have very little idea what we're doing. We've both played the game before with friends, but neither of us own cards. What is the best way to get into the game while remaining relatively current. Should I buy the Core 2019 bundle that comes with 10 packs and the required accessories? If we both got one of these, would we be able to play effectively? Would it be better to buy boosters from other sets?
Essentially looking for recommendations on how you would go about buying MTG cards as a brand new player. I don't want to just buy individual cards, as I find part of the fun will be opening packs. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers
Chameleon
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
For the sake of argument, If I had $200 to spend on cards today how would you break it down!
You seem to want to crack packs specifically. So as I said I'd buy the Game Night box set (MSRP $40) and then buy a booster box ($100) and two bundles ($30 each) for Guilds of Ravnica and/or Ravnica Allegiance once you'd learned how to play. Ravnica is very popular and fun, and imho these sets will allow you to build interesting decks with differing strategies.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
There are a lot of variables that go into it. If you know already what deck you want to build then buying singles is always the most cost-effective way. Although you don't want to buy singles, it's still a great method to acquire the deck you want without gambling on packs.
The downside to buying singles is that you won't have much of a collection - I learned that when I played a while back but was on a budget. You could spend $200-300 on a top tier competitive deck (yes they cost that much and even more) then there's budget decks that are around... I'd say ~$100ish, but then that's all you really have. Just an expensive deck.
It all comes down to how much are you willing to spend? If you don't mind investing your money towards this hobby then buy a booster box. I buy two boxes every expansion/set. That's 72 packs, ~1,000 cards at a total of around ~$2.50 a pack. $180 - $200 every 3 months.
If you're budgeting, I think bundles are awesome for returning players because they get lands, a life counter, 10 packs and boom for around $30-45 you and your friend can start playing/trading and making your own decks right out the bundle! Bundles are also sturdy and durable enough to hold your cards inside!
I'm sure others have more valuable insight and experience than me. My advice? Grab a bundle of Guilds of Ravnica and have right at it! Comes with everything you'll need to start playing at a budget.
BGGRock
Modern
BRGJund
BBGRock
do you like the idea of having a big disorganised pile of cards on a table, and you/your friends crafting your own decks out of it?
or: do you want an 'out of the box' experience, where you and your friends pick a deck and just battle, switching around decks and maybe tweaking them later?
whichever one you choose will change what you want to buy.
free-form style: Booster boxes! complete common/uncommon sets from ebay (this one is fun. online sellers collect up playsets of every uncommon/common card in a set and sell them in a big bulk pile. They are very cheap. Most of the value in MTG is condensed in the rares)
out-of-the-box: preconstructed commander decks (my personal recommendation), 'duel decks' and cheap theme decks like these: https://www.cardkingdom.com/catalog/shop/battle-decks
commander: https://magic.wizards.com/en/content/commander-format
commander is one of the most popular ways to play mtg, it's not usually competitive, it's played for fun. it can be 1v1 or multiplayer and the levels of customisation around your favourite character are endless. You'll find plenty of resources out there to help you find your way in the format because it's so popular.
as above, I'd say the commander decks are probably the best bang for your buck overall, for a new player wanting an experience that will grow with you and won't get old. They introduce you to a fun casual format where you get to pick your favourite character and build around them, and also the decks come with some very nice (and quite valuable) cards. Some of the cards are kinda wonky and commander games can get long and complex, but as a 'suit you can grow into' I think the preconstructed commander decks are way up there at the top of the pile.
caveat: don't buy the most recent edition of commander decks. Buy any of the older ones. A quick google will indicate which ones are the newest (to avoid). Simple reason is that the latest decks are a little more expensive and include less 'good stuff' in terms of the cards. Any of the older editions (there's been a few now) will provide you with a lot of interesting options and choices.
hope that helps.
If the opening pack experience isn't that important, maybe just buy a precon product. I think Planechase is a fine product for its price. Commander is probably the best one. Although 2018 edition is pretty dismal in terms of card selection, they are fine for new players and because they weren't well received, they are probably pretty cheap to get compared to older years. Still some of the past good ones are still cheap, so get these first. Some of the newer ones like Explorers of Ixalan and Game Night are OKish, but they are very shallow.
If you wanna stay current with Standard, I think as newcomer, I would just draft and try to learn from there. Other players can help you in your journey. Keeping up with Standard is pretty expensive in the long run. It looks less daunting in the short term, but it's a big money sinker. You can do it smart and at cost at least. However, you need a lot of knowledge and drafting may be the best way to pick up it while getting a collection. From there you may jump to constructed when you feel more comfortable.
Anyway, I would not go all-in at first. Just start slow. I know some people who sank into MTG very deep at start and it didn't stick after a semester. One just spent a bunch of money and had to resell with very little recoup. Just start small and smart. Also, buying single cards as a new player fells bad, not right, or downright dirt, but it's the smart thing to do in the long run. Still it's also something that requires experience, specially Standard. It's an art by itself.
If you are really comfortable with this hobby antics. You can go deeper and see what you really want with this hobby. Like collecting or play more competitively (or both) or just stay at kitchen table MTG. Buying/Trading/Selling MTG is by itself a hobby as well which requires honing and patience.
Also, when starting some accessories like sleeves and playmats aren't really necessary per se, but if you think you gonna stay with the game, I think they are essential to the play experience and to keep your cards neat for a long time. Card storage is also very important and having a system to keep up your collection organize can be a time saver later on. Keeping your cards in a shoe box is fine at first, but you will need a clear way to organize your cards.