Article written by GlitterTail.
What Is Magic: The Gathering?
Magic: The Gathering is a collectible trading card game previously owned by Wizards of the Coast, but has now been taken over by Hasbro. Playing the game requires players to build a card collection and play with the cards they have collected by making a deck. Standard play is 60 cards and decks will contain things like lands, spells, and creatures.
Players start with 20 life each, and the object of the game is to reduce the other player(s) life count to 0 before they drop yours to 0. There are a few other different win conditions, but they will not be covered in this piece.
How To Access MTG:
There are three main ways in which you can access and play Magic: The Gathering.
Paper Magic
Paper Magic: The Gathering is the traditional and original way to play Magic. That is to say, playing with traditional printed paper cards. To do this, you will need to visit your local hobby shop and build your collection manually. Then you will need to find people to play with. Your best bet for this is events such as Friday Night Magic.
Magic: The Gathering Arena
Magic: The Gathering Arena is an online format with digital cards. These cards are the same as their paper counterparts (unless you’re playing a specific mode in Arena known as Alchemy). It is the most accessible and most popular way to play Magic: The Gathering.
Magic: The Gathering Online
If you’re into alternative formats that are older but are not the typical standard play (Vintage, Legacy, Modern, Pioneer, and Pauper) the Magic: The Gathering Online is for you.
Which To Choose?
If you want to jump in and play right now, with little to no cost, I would recommend Magic: The Gathering Arena. If you’re willing to spend some cash and want some fun in-person experiences, though, check out your local hobby shop for paper Magic!
The Colours of Mana:
There are five main colours of mana; Red, Blue, Green, Black and White.
Red
Red is my favourite colour to play. It’s fast-paced and punchy, with a focus on dealing a lot of damage.
Blue
Blue is my least favourite colour to play because it is on the slower end and requires patience. This colour is about controlling the situation and countering opponent spells.
Green
If you love creatures, then Green is for you. Green is all about getting lots of creatures and making them BIG.
Black
Black is the colour of death and the undead. These decks are riddled with nasty removal spells, and it may even have players using their own life counts as a resource.
White
White is the opposite of Black. Their decks are filled with spells and abilities that allow you to gain life back, quick and punchy humans and angels.
Colourless
Finally, there is one other colour of mana that is a little special. Colourless mana is generated by any of the other colours of mana or their own special sources. Common colourless cards are artifacts that take a variety of forms.
