Hey guys,
Sorry if I ramble. I’ll try to make this as short as I can!
Been playing kitchen table casual magic off and on since Onslaught. Only building “flavor” decks and never anything that could be considered efficient. Never been to FNM or anything like that. I’ve recently dusted off my old cards and started playing with my girlfriend. Now I’m thinking about going to something like FNM.
I don’t think standard is for me. I want to be able to use my old cards and don’t want to have to invest in cards that will rotate out. But I wouldn’t mind investing in a budget modern deck and trying out the format.
There are a few local game stores in my area, but I think the only one that holds modern events is channelfireball Game Center. I went in to check it out and buy some lands for my casual decks at home. I was amazed, overwhelmed and indimidated. The place is huge and it seems like they take magic very seriously! I asked if they had the lands I needed and they told me they have EVERY card in standard available plus more. The staff was really nice and let me look through the catalogs of cards they had. It felt like I was at the “Mecca” for cometitive mtg
I was just looking for some advice..
Could this be a good place for a complete beginner/casual like me to start? Or should I look for somewhere on a smaller scale? I don’t mind losing at all, but can I still learn and have fun at a place like this with a budget low-tier deck? Is the modern format less beginner friendly than standard?
Sorry again for the long post. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
I actually don't think Modern is less beginner friendly than standard in the sense that it's just as easy/difficult to start winning in Modern as it is in Standard. Additionally, there's a lot more variety in modern and you can learn a lot quicker.
However, modern is much more expensive than standard; and you're very limited in what you can play unless you have a lot of money to drop immediately.
Recommendations:
- No matter what, I'd recommend starting at a bigger store. Honestly, you tend to make more friends that way, not less. Smaller stores have a smaller chance of containing people you gel with well in my experience.
- I think modern is a better place to start building a collection than standard; the cards actually hold value (EX: a standard card like Wingmate Roc was 25 dollars at one point, whereas a Modern Card like Noble Hierarch is still more valuable than it was 5 years ago even after several reprints)
- If you do get into modern, I'd recommend trying to build up to a deck like Burn. It's been competitive for years now with relatively few changes, and importantly it has cheap substitute cards that you can play before you want to splash out for Goblin Guides (Look up Budget Burn for cheaper versions).
I agree with Stille_Nacht.
I would suggest also to look for menfolks decks. Menfolks deck usually not too expensive and competitive. Nikachu has a lot of YouTube content about this deck.
I think because of the diversity of the modern format it's likely a little more beginner friendly than Standard is. I've seen people come into a modern local tournament and do rather well with some strange decks but it's very rare that I see that in standard. The only downside of modern over standard, in my opinion, is the sheer amount of available cards available. But with your previous experience, I think that will be less of an issue. And admittedly, it's a pretty easy hurdle to get over if you decide to play semi-regularly.
My advice is to take sideboards really seriously, and be fully aware of the nature and power of current competitive decks. Homebrews exist, but for the most part, if you're facing Living End or Jund or Tron or Titan Amulet, you'll want to know exactly what you're in for. May decks can win out of nowhere (and pretty fast), so must be ready to predict and estimate what your opponent is trying to do. Often, they will try to bait out removal or counterspells, or bluff, then win once the coast is clear. I mean, standard decks can do that kind of thing too, but Modern takes it to a whole new level. Information is power!
Back to sideboards. I believe that your sideboard must be ready to deal with broad strategies such as winning counterspell wars, nerfing a graveyard, slowing down burn, destroying troublesome lands, and shutting down activited abilities. Grafdiffer's Cage, Relic of Progenitus, Ghost Quarter, Tectonic Edge, Pithing Needle, Chalice of the Void, and Blast Zone can be put into any deck's sideboard. Then cards like Dispel, Fulminator Mage, Slaughter Games, Rakdos Charm, Ancient Grudge, Kataki War's Wage, Spell Snare, Kor Firewalker, and many more can hit particular decks and effects just fine. Even if your opponent crushes you suddenly in turn four during the first game, that doesn't have to be the case for games 2 and 3! I urge you to pay close attention to what kinds of cards each color can contribute to sideboards, and see what kind of cards or strategies they are designed to counter (literally, in some cases).
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
EDH/Commander
UBR Sedris RG Omnath, Locus of Rage UB The Scarab God RUG Maelstrom Wanderer WU Dragonlord Ojutai
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Sorry if I ramble. I’ll try to make this as short as I can!
Been playing kitchen table casual magic off and on since Onslaught. Only building “flavor” decks and never anything that could be considered efficient. Never been to FNM or anything like that. I’ve recently dusted off my old cards and started playing with my girlfriend. Now I’m thinking about going to something like FNM.
I don’t think standard is for me. I want to be able to use my old cards and don’t want to have to invest in cards that will rotate out. But I wouldn’t mind investing in a budget modern deck and trying out the format.
There are a few local game stores in my area, but I think the only one that holds modern events is channelfireball Game Center. I went in to check it out and buy some lands for my casual decks at home. I was amazed, overwhelmed and indimidated. The place is huge and it seems like they take magic very seriously! I asked if they had the lands I needed and they told me they have EVERY card in standard available plus more. The staff was really nice and let me look through the catalogs of cards they had. It felt like I was at the “Mecca” for cometitive mtg
I was just looking for some advice..
Could this be a good place for a complete beginner/casual like me to start? Or should I look for somewhere on a smaller scale? I don’t mind losing at all, but can I still learn and have fun at a place like this with a budget low-tier deck? Is the modern format less beginner friendly than standard?
Sorry again for the long post. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
However, modern is much more expensive than standard; and you're very limited in what you can play unless you have a lot of money to drop immediately.
Recommendations:
- No matter what, I'd recommend starting at a bigger store. Honestly, you tend to make more friends that way, not less. Smaller stores have a smaller chance of containing people you gel with well in my experience.
- I think modern is a better place to start building a collection than standard; the cards actually hold value (EX: a standard card like Wingmate Roc was 25 dollars at one point, whereas a Modern Card like Noble Hierarch is still more valuable than it was 5 years ago even after several reprints)
- If you do get into modern, I'd recommend trying to build up to a deck like Burn. It's been competitive for years now with relatively few changes, and importantly it has cheap substitute cards that you can play before you want to splash out for Goblin Guides (Look up Budget Burn for cheaper versions).
UWUW ControlUW
UGWSpiritsUGW
GHardened ScalesG
WGRUKiki PodWGRU [RIP]
I would suggest also to look for menfolks decks. Menfolks deck usually not too expensive and competitive. Nikachu has a lot of YouTube content about this deck.
UR Faeries Modern
Back to sideboards. I believe that your sideboard must be ready to deal with broad strategies such as winning counterspell wars, nerfing a graveyard, slowing down burn, destroying troublesome lands, and shutting down activited abilities. Grafdiffer's Cage, Relic of Progenitus, Ghost Quarter, Tectonic Edge, Pithing Needle, Chalice of the Void, and Blast Zone can be put into any deck's sideboard. Then cards like Dispel, Fulminator Mage, Slaughter Games, Rakdos Charm, Ancient Grudge, Kataki War's Wage, Spell Snare, Kor Firewalker, and many more can hit particular decks and effects just fine. Even if your opponent crushes you suddenly in turn four during the first game, that doesn't have to be the case for games 2 and 3! I urge you to pay close attention to what kinds of cards each color can contribute to sideboards, and see what kind of cards or strategies they are designed to counter (literally, in some cases).
UBR Sedris
RG Omnath, Locus of Rage
UB The Scarab God
RUG Maelstrom Wanderer
WU Dragonlord Ojutai