How to Start Playing Magic The Gathering - A Beginners Guide To The Game
- Craftorb
- Dec 24, 2025
- 15 min read
Magic The Gathering (MTG) has been around since 1993, and in 2025 it’s thriving more than ever with new players, dynamic formats, free digital play, and a huge global community. But if you’re standing on the outside looking in, maybe confused by all the cards, formats, and mechanics, it can feel overwhelming.
This article breaks it all down for you, in a friendly and thorough way, so you can confidently start playing (or teaching others).
We’ll cover:
Let’s dive in and figure out How to start playing Magic the gathering.
1. How Do I Start Playing Magic The Gathering
a) MTG Arena - Your Digital Training Wheel
One of the best ways to learn by doing is through Magic: The Gathering Arena, the official free digital platform for MTG that runs on PC and mobile.
Why it’s great for new players:
It teaches you the rules slowly - Arena automates a lot of the rules interactions, so you don’t have to memorize everything at once.
You get free decks that teach strategy - as you complete quests and win games, you unlock cards and decks that let you grow into better play.
You can play casual matches before ever touching competitive modes.
Because Arena handles the stack, triggers, timing windows, and combat resolution for you, it’s an excellent first step for beginners who want to feel the game instead of just reading text.
Arena isn’t just for beginners, even top players test decks there, but for people learning the game, it’s invaluable.
b) Real Cards - Starting Products That Teach You
If you prefer physical Magic cards and in‑person play, there are specific products designed for beginners:
Jumpstart Packs
Jumpstart is great because:
You take two themed packs (like Nature, Dragons, Artifacts, etc.)
Shuffle them together
Add lands
Boom - you have a playable deck immediately
No deck building knowledge required. It’s fast, fun, and great for learning card synergy.
Many stores run Jumpstart events, and it’s a fun social way to learn.
Theme Boosters & Starter Kits
Some products are structured to help you learn:
Theme Boosters focus on card types and combos
Starter Kits include preconstructed decks and rule guides
These are ideal for new players, especially in tabletop groups.
Local Game Stores Are Your Best Friends
Ask your local game store (LGS) about:
Learn‑to‑Play nights
Beginner tournaments
Free demo nights
Most stores are welcoming to new players, and the community support can help you learn fast.
2. What exactly is a MTG Deck?
When people say “build a deck” in Magic, they mean a carefully sized stack of cards designed to work together consistently. The size isn’t arbitrary, it’s one of the biggest reasons a deck feels smooth or frustrating.
The Two “Normal” Deck Sizes You’ll See
60-card decks
Used in Standard, Modern, Pioneer, Legacy, and most casual kitchen-table games.
Minimum size: 60 cards
Typical build: exactly 60 (not more)
Why: smaller decks draw key cards more often
A classic 60-card deck usually looks like:
24 lands
36 nonland cards (creatures, spells, etc.)
100-card decks
Used in Commander (EDH)
Exactly 100 cards
Only 1 copy of each card (except basic lands)
Built around a legendary Commander that shapes the whole strategy
Commander trades consistency for variety and big moments. That’s the point of the format.
Why Deck Size Is Fixed
Magic is a probability game at heart. The more cards you add, the harder it becomes to draw what you need.
Fewer cards = higher chance to draw your best spells
More cards = diluted draws and uneven games
That’s why competitive formats stick to the minimum. A 65-card deck might feel harmless, but it quietly sabotages itself.
Consistency: The Secret Sauce Beginners Miss
Most early frustration comes from inconsistency, not bad card choices.
Mana screw
You don’t draw enough lands.Usually caused by running too few.
Mana flood
You draw lands nonstop.Often caused by running too many or lacking card draw.
That 24 lands in a 60-card deck rule exists because it works for most strategies. Aggro decks shave a bit. Control decks add a bit. But it’s a proven baseline.
The “4 Copies Max” Rule (and Why It Matters)
In most 60-card formats:
You can run up to 4 copies of any card (besides basic lands)
This rule encourages consistency on purpose:
If a card is central to your plan, you want to see it often
Running 1 copy of everything feels creative, but plays wildly uneven
New players often build “one-of” decks and wonder why nothing lines up. The game rewards repetition.
Commander flips this rule on its head, which is why it feels so different.
The Big Takeaway
A deck isn’t a pile of cool cards. It’s a probability engine.
60-card decks aim for reliability
100-card decks aim for variety
Land counts and copy limits exist to make decks function
Once this clicks, that classic beginner question - “Why does my deck never work?” -suddenly has clear, fixable answers.
Mana Curve - Deck building Basics
One of the most important things new players often miss is the mana curve. This is the balance of low-cost, mid-cost, and high-cost spells in your deck. A good curve ensures you can play cards on every turn without getting stuck with expensive cards too early or running out of impactful plays later.
Quick guideline for a 60-card deck:
1–2 mana: 8–10 spells
3 mana: 10–12 spells
4–5 mana: 10–12 spells
6+ mana: 4–6 spells
Balancing your curve keeps games smooth, helps you consistently use your mana, and avoids feeling stuck or powerless.
3. Colors of The Magic Pie
If deck size teaches you how Magic works, the color pie teaches you why it works.
Every color in Magic has a philosophy. It believes certain things, excels at specific tools, and intentionally lacks others. Those limits aren’t accidents, they’re what make the game balanced and interesting.
Once you understand this, a ton of confusion disappears.
The Five Colors at a Glance
Each color answers the question: How do I win, and what am I willing to give up to do it?
White - Order, Protection, Balance
What white wants to do
Build armies
Protect creatures
Keep the game fair and structured
Strengths
Small creature swarms
Removal that exiles or taxes
Life gain
Board wipes
Weaknesses
Limited card draw
Little direct damage
Plays poorly from behind
Why white feels this way
White believes in rules and equality. It doesn’t get flashy card advantage because planning and cooperation are its strengths.
“Why can’t my white deck counter spells?”Because stopping ideas before they happen is not white’s philosophy.
Blue - Knowledge, Control, Precision
What blue wants to do
Control the pace of the game
Gain information and options
Win through inevitability
Strengths
Card draw
Counterspells
Bounce effects
Manipulating libraries
Weaknesses
Weak creature removal
Reliance on timing
Often slow to close games
Why Blue Stands Apart
Blue focuses on anticipation and control. Instead of reacting after a threat hits the battlefield, blue interacts on the stack, shaping the game before problems fully form.
Black - Power at Any Cost
What black wants to do
Trade resources aggressively
Kill anything that gets in the way
Win through inevitability or recursion
Strengths
Creature destruction
Discard
Graveyard recursion
Efficient card draw (with costs)
Weaknesses
Life loss
Limited answers to artifacts/enchantments
Risk-heavy gameplay
Why black feels ruthless
Black believes everything is a resource, including life and creatures. It’s flexible, but it makes you pay.
Red - Speed, Fire & Explosion
What red wants to do
End games quickly
Apply constant pressure
Turn momentum into victory
Strengths
Direct damage
Haste creatures
Cheap, aggressive spells
Temporary bursts of power
Weaknesses
Long-term card advantage
Defense
Late-game staying power
Why Red feels the burn
Red lives for action and excitement. It plays fast, creating bursts of damage, big swings, and dramatic moments. Every card is meant to make an immediate impact, turning your plays into bold, memorable turns.
Green - Growth, Creatures, Momentum
What green wants to do
Play big creatures
Generate extra mana
Overwhelm opponents naturally
Strengths
Mana ramp
Large creatures
Trample and combat dominance
Fixing lands
Weaknesses
Stack interaction
Creature reliance
Limited answers to flyers or spells
Why green gets lands and monsters
Green believes power should come from nature. It doesn’t counter spells, it outgrows them.
Why Colors Feel So Different to Play
Each color solves problems in its own way:
Blue prevents
Black destroys
White restricts
Red races
Green overwhelms
No color gets all the tools. That’s the point.
Why This Matters More Than It Seems
Understanding the color pie:
Helps you choose decks that match your personality
Explains why some effects simply don’t exist in certain colors
Makes card balance feel logical instead of arbitrary
Prevents frustration when a color “can’t do a thing”
If a deck feels wrong, it’s often a color mismatch, not a skill issue.
Common Deck Archetypes
Aggro: Fast, low-cost creatures that attack early
Control: Slower decks that disrupt opponents and win in the late game
Combo: Decks built around a specific interaction or win condition
Midrange: Balanced decks that adapt to both early and late game
Matching your color choice with an archetype helps you focus your strategy and enjoy the game more.
Insight
Magic isn’t really about finding the strongest color. It’s about finding the philosophy you enjoy playing. Once you internalise the color pie, deckbuilding stops feeling random and starts feeling intentional.
4. Keywords You’ll See in Almost Every Game
Magic cards look intimidating at first because of all the text, but a lot of that text repeats. These keywords show up constantly, across sets and formats. Once you know them, reading cards gets dramatically easier.
You don’t need deep rules knowledge here. You just need to know what they do and why they matter in combat.
Flying
What it does
Creatures with flying can only be blocked by other flying creatures (or ones that specifically say they can block flyers).
Why it matters
Flying turns combat into two battlefields: air and ground. Decks without flyers often lose to steady airborne damage they can’t interact with.
If your opponent has flyers and you don’t, the clock is already ticking.
Trample
What it does
When a creature with trample is blocked, excess damage carries over to the defending player.
Why it matters
Big creatures stop being stalled by small blockers. A 10/10 trampler doesn’t care about a 1/1 standing in front of it.
Lifelink
What it does
Damage dealt by the creature also gains you that much life.
Why it matters
Lifelink swings races hard. Attacking becomes defense, and blocking becomes risky for opponents. A single lifelink creature can completely flip a game’s momentum.
Deathtouch
What it does
Any amount of damage this creature deals to another creature destroys it.
Why it mattersSize stops mattering. A tiny creature can trade with the biggest monster on the board. Deathtouch changes blocking math and forces hesitation.
First Strike & Double Strike
First strike
Deals combat damage before regular damage.
Double strike
Deals damage twice: once during first strike damage, once during normal combat.
Why they matter
First strike lets creatures survive fights they otherwise wouldn’t. Double strike turns buffs into terrifying threats. These keywords reward timing and punish careless blocks.
Hexproof vs Shroud
Hexproof
Your opponents can’t target this creature
You still can
Shroud
Nobody can target it
Not even you
Why this matters
Hexproof is flexible and powerful. Shroud is safer but restrictive. Knowing the difference prevents misplays and frustration.
Insights
Keywords exist to make combat readable and repeatable. Once you recognize these:
Board states become easier to evaluate
Attacks and blocks feel intentional
Losses feel understandable instead of random
Card Advantage
Card advantage is a core concept: the more cards you can use effectively compared to your opponent, the better your chances of winning. Card draw, efficient trades, and knowing when to hold spells are all part of managing resources well.
5. Which Format Should I Play?
Magic has many formats, and choosing one depends on how you like to play. Each format has a unique feel and community.
Commander (EDH) — Social, Creative, Legendary
Uses 100-card singleton decks (no duplicates except basic lands)
You choose a Commander - a legendary creature that defines your deck’s color identity
Games are typically multiplayer (3–5 players)
Why players love it:
Big plays and big moments
Focus on legendary creatures and synergy
Less emphasis on competitive standard play
A deeply social and strategic format
Commander is one of the most popular formats worldwide, especially for casual and mid‑level players.
Standard - The Rotating Competitive Format
Standard only lets you play with cards from the most recent sets (e.g., the last couple years of sets).
Because older cards rotate out, Standard keeps the format fresh and beginner-friendly.
Standard is:
Good for learning deck building
Active at local stores and on MTG Arena
A great way to focus on current cards and strategies
Standard rewards creativity and understanding of new mechanics.
Modern & Legacy - Deep, Wide, and Powerful
These formats let you play with cards from almost the entire history of Magic, and that leads to powerful interactions and deep strategy.
Modern and Legacy are often:
More expensive
More intricate
More competitive
For newer players, these formats are an excellent challenge once you feel comfortable with basics.
Limited - Draft & Sealed
Not as broad as constructed play, but amazing for learning:
Draft: You pick cards from booster packs with others and build a deck on the spot
Sealed: You open a set number of packs and build a deck from them
Limited play teaches:
How to evaluate cards
Game flow
Deck construction under constraints
It’s a great step between beginner and competitive play.
Sideboards & Multi-Game Play
In formats like Standard or Modern, players often adjust their deck between games using a sideboard. This is a small set of extra cards (usually 15) that can be swapped in to counter specific opponents or strategies. Learning how to use a sideboard effectively comes with practice, but even beginners benefit from knowing it exists - it’s part of competitive play and tournament preparation.
6. New Mechanics
With each new set Magic often introduced new mechanics. The most recent expansion - Avatar: The Last Airbender stands out by introducing four new elemental mechanics: Airbend, Earthbend, Firebending, and Waterbend, each inspired by bending the elements in the show. Lets take a quick look at each.
🔹Airbend
What does it do?
Airbend is an action that exiles a permanent or spell. The exiled card’s owner can cast it from exile for two generic mana rather than its normal mana cost.
How it feels in play
When you Airbend a card, you’re essentially lifting it out of play and giving the owner an opportunity to bring it back cheaply later.
It’s a bit like a temporary blink effect at the cost of exiling it, and then recasting it at a reduced cost later.
This is great for protecting your own cards (e.g., saving a creature), disrupting your opponent by removing their threats temporarily, or replaying cards from exile for value.
Timing note
The card stays exiled until it’s cast. If it’s a token removed by Airbend, the token ceases to exist once it leaves the battlefield, so it can’t be recast
🌍 Earthbending
What does it do?
Earthbend is an action that turns a land you control into a 0/0 creature with haste and puts +1/+1 counters on it equal to the Earthbend value. When that land dies or is exiled, it returns to the battlefield tapped as a land.
How it feels in play
Earthbend lets you mobilize your mana base as attackers or blockers, your lands become creatures while still retaining their ability to tap for mana. That’s a huge game of resource utility.
Adding +1/+1 counters means your land creature actually has some bulk and can survive longer than a normal 0/0.
If it does die, you don’t lose the land forever - it comes right back, tapped and ready to use again.
Flavorful twist
Earthbend reflects the idea of using the land itself as part of your strategy, just like in the source material where earthbenders turn the terrain into a weapon or shield.
🔥 Firebending
What does it do?
Firebending is a triggered keyword ability. When a creature with Firebending 'x' attacks, you get 'x' red mana added to your mana pool until end of combat.
How it feels in play:
Firebending rewards aggressive play, attacking not only threatens your opponent but gives you raw mana to fuel additional spells or abilities during combat or shortly after.
Since this mana only lasts until end of combat, it creates exciting decisions: Do I use it now, or hold for post‑combat interaction?
Firebending plays into red’s identity, fast, risky mana acceleration that encourages bold plays and combat tricks.
💧 Waterbending
What does it do?
Waterbend is a keyword action used when you pay a cost that includes Waterbend. While paying that cost, you may tap untapped creatures or artifacts to help pay for the generic mana part of the Waterbend cost, similar to mechanics like convoke or improvise.
How it feels in play
Waterbend gives you flexibility by letting your board of creatures and artifacts contribute toward paying costs.
For players who like board synergy, this mechanic rewards you for building up a wide board or artifact support.
It can be especially fun in decks that generate tokens or have lots of small creatures you don’t mind tapping for value.
Strategic implications
Since Waterbend can reduce the mana cost of spells or abilities, you can get powerful effects more quickly or efficiently, especially if your board is wide or artifact heavy.
7. Technical Rules Questions - The Stuff Everyone Asks
Magic’s basic rules can feel intimidating, but once you break them down, they make intuitive sense. Here are some of the most common technical questions new players ask - and clear, friendly answers.
a) Turn Structure Explained
Each turn has distinct phases:
Beginning Phase
Untap
Upkeep
Draw
First Main Phase
Cast creatures, sorceries, enchantments
Combat Phase
Declare attackers
Declare blockers
Deal damage
Second Main Phase
Another chance to play spells
End Phase
Cleanup
Each stage has timing windows where players can cast instants or activate abilities. Arena does a great job of automating this for you.
b) Lands vs. Mana - What’s the Difference?
Lands are cards you play during your turn
Mana is the resource lands produce when you tap them
Colorless mana and colored mana are both used to pay costs on spells. If a card has {3}{G}{G}, you need three mana of any type plus two green mana.
You don’t play mana -you generate it by tapping lands (or mana rocks) and spend it on spells or abilities.
c) Combat - Blocking & Damage
Combat steps might look complicated, but here’s the core idea:
Declare Attacker Step: You choose which creatures attack.
Declare Blockers Step: Defending player chooses blockers.
Damage Step: Attacking and blocking creatures assign and deal damage based on power and toughness.
If multiple blockers block one attacker, the attacking player chooses damage order and assigns damage one blocker at a time.
Combat is often where triggers happen, things like lifelink, first strike, and deathtouch modify how damage resolves in specific ways.
d) Triggers and the Stack - What You Need to Know
One of the most common questions players ask is “What happens when multiple triggers go off at once?”
Here’s the simple rule:
Triggers go on the stack
They resolve top‑down (last added resolves first)
The order of placement is active player first, then non‑active player
Example: A creature enters the battlefield and triggers two abilities. If it’s your turn, you put your trigger on the stack first, then your opponent’s. Then your opponent’s resolves first.
Stack & Interaction Examples
Understanding the stack can feel tricky, but examples help:
You cast Shock targeting a creature.
Your opponent responds with Giant Growth.
You respond with Counterspell.
The stack resolves last in, first out: the Counterspell resolves first, then Giant Growth, then Shock if it hasn’t been countered. Watching or simulating these interactions in Arena or with friends can make them much easier to understand.
e) Casting Spells - What’s the Difference Between Casting and Playing?
This is a huge point of confusion for new players.
Casting a Spell = Paying costs and putting a spell onto the stack (instants, sorceries, creatures, etc.)
Playing a Card = Lands don’t use the stack, you just play them once per turn
You cast spells when you use mana and timing windows, like during your main phase (for non‑instants) or any time you have priority (for instants).
f) Responding to Spells - How Timing Windows Work
A frequent question is, Can I respond to spells I cast?
The short answer: Yes, but you pass priority after casting a spell unless you explicitly hold priority in casual games. In tournaments, priority normally passes when you finish your action.
After you cast a spell:
You pass priority
Opponent can respond with instants or abilities
If both players pass, that spell resolves
This timing rhythm - cast → pass → respond → pass → resolve — is fundamental to competitive and casual play.
g) Win Conditions
Most new players focus on attacking with creatures, but Magic has several ways to win:
Reduce your opponent’s life to 0.
Make them draw from an empty deck (mill).
Use specific card effects that create alternate win conditions.
Understanding your win condition keeps your plays intentional and helps you focus your strategy.
8. Tips for Learning, Improving, and Having Fun
Practice Some, Then Play Some More
Magic clicks through repetition. Digital play on Arena helps you internalise turn order, triggers, and timing without pressure, while in-person games build instinct and confidence. Switching between the two keeps learning fresh. Arena sharpens mechanics. Paper games sharpen decision-making, table awareness, and reading opponents. Both feed into each other beautifully.
Ask Questions in Communities
Magic players love talking about Magic. Reddit threads, Discord servers, and local game store groups are full of people who enjoy explaining rules interactions, sharing deck ideas, and celebrating clever plays. Asking a “basic” question often sparks great discussion, and you’ll usually get multiple perspectives. That variety helps concepts stick faster than reading rules alone.
Watch Plays & Tutorials
Watching real games adds context that text explanations can’t always provide. Seeing how the stack resolves, how players pass priority, or how triggers are ordered during combat helps everything feel intuitive. Streamers and YouTube creators often pause to explain choices, mistakes, and alternative lines, which turns entertainment into learning without feeling like homework.
Play with Friends
Magic shines brightest when shared. Casual games with friends remove pressure and make mistakes feel fun instead of frustrating. Laughing over misplays, celebrating unexpected topdecks, and learning together creates memories that keep you coming back. Teaching each other also reinforces understanding, because explaining a rule often locks it into your own brain.
Focus on Enjoyment, Not Perfection
Everyone misplays. Everyone forgets triggers. That’s part of the learning curve. Progress in Magic comes from curiosity and enjoyment, not flawless execution. When the game feels fun, learning happens naturally, and improvement follows right behind.
Your MTG Journey Starts Today
Magic thrives on creativity, strategy, and community. In 2025, you have more ways to play and learn than ever before, digital tools like MTG Arena, beginner products like Jumpstart, and welcoming in‑person communities at your local game store.
If your first game is on a screen or across a table, start small, learn a bit at a time, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Good luck!
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