This article was originally published in NAG The Annual 2023 and is now available online for the first time.
While some details may have changed since its original publication, all information was accurate at the time of writing.
Magic: The Gathering, one of the oldest and most beloved trading card games in history, has only become more complex and engaging in the decades since its initial release.
At its core, Magic: The Gathering remains built upon a simple and easy to understand foundation that has remained unchanged.
For those looking to embark on a journey into the world of Magic: The Gathering, there are multiple formats to explore, and we’ve introduced some of the most popular ones below.
Magic: The Gathering Game Formats
Pioneer:
Pioneer is a non-rotating format that includes cards from Return to Ravnica onwards, offering a diverse and rich deck-building experience.
Modern:
Embracing cards from Eighth Edition onwards, Modern provides players with a vast card pool for crafting powerful and strategic decks.
Legacy:
Legacy, a non-rotating format encompassing cards from all Magic sets, invites players to explore a wide array of intricate and potent deck possibilities.
Vintage:
Vintage allows cards from all sets but restricts some powerful cards, creating intense and competitive gameplay with iconic and rare spells.
Draft:
In Draft, players select cards from booster packs in a rotating fashion, testing their adaptability and on-the-fly deck-building skills.
Sealed:
Sealed is a limited format where players construct decks from a fixed number of booster packs, adding an element of surprise and strategy.
Commander:
Commander, a multiplayer format featuring 100-card singleton decks led by legendary creatures, encourages social interactions and epic multiplayer battles.
Each of these formats has its own unique card pool that players can utilise.
Standard, the first type of game you will learn, has the most limited card selection. It’s also the only rotating format, with older sets and cards periodically becoming unavailable as new ones are released.
In Magic: The Gathering, decks consist of a minimum of 60 cards, with tournament decks including a 15-card sideboard.
Some cards can increase the deck size if specific conditions are met.
When assembling a deck, including a mix of land, spell, and creature cards is essential. Depending on the format, roughly one-third of your deck should consist of land cards.
Additionally, there’s a four-card rule, which means that unless stated on the card, you are limited to four copies of any single card in your deck, excluding basic land types.
Magic: The Gathering games are typically played as the best of three. To begin, both players roll a die to determine who goes first.
Once decided, the decks are shuffled, and each player starts with 20 health, with the objective of reducing their opponent’s life to zero.
You Want To Go Commander
The most popular format in Magic: The Gathering, and the one most enjoyed by players, is Commander.
It challenges players to showcase their deck-building skills and offers a more casual format that allows for diverse play-styles and endless possibilities.
Commander also boasts the largest card pool of any format.
Commander plays similarly to other Magic: The Gathering formats, with up to four players facing off, each with a deck of precisely 100 unique cards, including the Commander.
To qualify as a commander, a card must either be a legendary creature or specify that it can serve as your Commander.
Furthermore, the Commander will always be either a creature or a Planeswalker.
Another crucial distinction is that Commander decks must adhere to the colour identity of their commander, meaning the commander determines which colour cards can be included.
Best Ways To Get Started
If you’re interested in starting to play Magic: The Gathering, there are multiple approaches to consider.
If you want to try the game without spending money, you can visit Magic: The Gathering Arena, where you can play for free online and unlock more cards as you progress.
Alternatively, you can visit your local board game shop and purchase a Starter Deck, which includes everything a new player needs to begin their journey.
Lastly, it’s important to remember that if you want to play Standard, you’ll need to create a 60-card deck.
If you’re intrigued by Commander, you’ll require a deck consisting of 100 unique cards.
Did You Know
Magic: The Gathering cards are categorised into various rarities, and collectors often seek out the most valuable ones.
In a recent crossover event with The Lord of the Rings, a highly rare 1/1 card emerged featuring the iconic “One Ring.”
To emphasise its rarity, there’s only one of these cards in existence, and it has commanded an astonishing price tag of well over $1 million.
This article was first published in NAG Magazine The Annual 2023. If you want to get your hands on the latest NAG Magazine, you can follow the link here.
