# Magic: The Gathering

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 1993
- **BGG Rating**: 7.6
- **BGG Rank**: #168
- **Players**: 2-6 (Best with: 2)
- **Duration**: 20 min
- **Weight**: 3.28 / 5
- **Designers**: Richard Garfield
- **Artists**: Dave Allsop, James Allen (I), Miao Aili, Randis Albion, Rob Alexander, Victor Adame
- **Publishers**: Wizards of the Coast, Keyword Fights
- **Categories**: Card Game, Collectible Components, Fantasy, Fighting
- **Mechanics**: Betting and Bluffing, Closed Drafting, Deck Construction, Hand Management, Income, Interrupts, Player Elimination, Tags, Take That

## Verdict
If you're looking for a game with unparalleled strategic depth and a rich history, Magic: The Gathering is a must-play. It's the original collectible card game that set the standard for an entire genre.
Deep strategic gameplay and deck construction
Vast fantasy universe and lore
Endless replayability with new cards
Strong community and competitive scene
High initial cost for collecting cards
Steep learning curve for new players
Can be time-consuming to keep up
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

## Description
Magic: The Gathering, launched in 1993, is the grandfather of collectible card games (CCGs) and quickly became a global phenomenon. Created by mathematician Richard Garfield and published by Wizards of the Coast, it introduced an innovative concept that blends the excitement of collecting cards, like trading cards, with the strategic depth of games like chess, all set in a vast fantasy universe. In the game, you take on the role of a Planeswalker, a powerful wizard who duels against others to achieve glory, knowledge, or conquest. Your deck is your arsenal, containing spells and creatures you summon to fight by your side.

The main goal is to reduce your opponent's 20 life points to zero, or fulfill another specific win condition. Deck construction is a crucial step and happens even before the game begins. With over 25,000 different cards (and counting!), the possibilities are almost endless. Cards are divided into lands, which generate mana (the magical energy to cast spells), and spells, which require a certain amount of mana to be used. Some cards, such as creatures, artifacts, and enchantments, remain on the battlefield, continuously impacting the game, while others have a unique and immediate effect.

During the game, you randomly draw cards each turn and decide how to use your spells. While this introduces an element of luck, the strategy lies in how you manage your hand and interact with your opponent's plays. The rules are rich in detail, including the intricate 'stack' system for reactive plays, which ensures complex tactical decisions each turn. Although traditionally a two-player duel, Magic offers various casual and competitive formats that allow more people to participate. Formats like Standard, Modern, and Legacy define which card sets are allowed, while the popular Commander, usually for four players, challenges players to build a unique 100-card deck with a legendary commander and special rules, fostering epic matches full of twists and turns. The card illustrations, by renowned artists, are a spectacle in themselves and an attraction for collectors.

## How to Play
Objective of the Game
Welcome, Planeswalker! Get ready to dive into the epic world of **Magic: The Gathering**, where you'll battle your friends by **casting spells** and **summoning angels, dragons, and monsters**. Your ultimate goal? To be the **last mage standing**! Each player starts with **20 life**, and the game ends when you successfully bring your opponent's life total down to **0**. It's a thrilling duel of wits and strategy!

Preparation (Setup)
Before you unleash your mighty spells, let's get the battlefield ready:

    Gather your arsenal: You'll need **one other player**, **two decks of 40 cards** (or 60 for experts), and a way to **track life** (like **dice** or pen & paper).
    Each player shuffles their **library** (deck) and draws a hidden **hand of 7 cards**.
    Randomly determine who goes first. The player who starts won't draw a card on their very first turn.
    If your initial hand has 0, 1, 6, or 7 **lands**, you can reshuffle and draw a new hand (this is usually for fun games, not competitive ones).


The Turn of Play
Players take turns alternating, always following these six crucial phases:

1. Untap Phase
First things first, you'll **untap** all your **permanents** (cards in play) by turning them upright. This refreshes them for your current turn. Any "upkeep" effects referenced on some cards happen right after untapping.

2. Draw Phase
Draw a card from your **library**. Remember, if you're the player who started the game, you skip drawing on your very first turn.

3. Main Phase 1
This is where the magic starts! You can **play one land** for free this turn. **Lands** are essential because they produce **mana**, which you use to **cast spells**. Non-land cards are called **spells**. To produce **mana** with a **land**, you **tap** it (turn it sideways). Tapping indicates it's been used this turn and can't be used again. You can use **lands** to make **mana** as soon as you play them. Just remember, **mana** doesn't carry over between phases, so use it or lose it!
Let's talk about **casting spells**: The **mana cost** of a spell is in its top right corner (lands don't have one, they're free!). Spells often have both colored and colorless (any color) costs. For example, a **mana cost** of 2B means 2 **mana** of any color + 1 black **mana**. You'd need a total of 3 **mana**, with at least one being black. You could cast this with 1 Island and 2 Swamps, or even with 3 Swamps!
Here's a quick rundown of basic **lands** and the **mana** they produce:

    **Plains** make white **mana**.
    **Islands** make blue **mana**.
    **Swamps** make black **mana**.
    **Mountains** make red **mana**.
    **Forests** produce green **mana**.

There are also different types of cards you'll encounter:

    Sorcery: These have an immediate effect when played and then go to the **graveyard** (discard pile).
    Creature: Your trusty allies! They can attack, protect you, and often have special abilities. Creatures have two numbers in the lower right corner (e.g., 2/3). The first is their **attack strength (power)**, and the second is their **toughness** (how much damage they can take in a single turn before dying). If a creature takes damage equal to or greater than its toughness, it dies. Creatures "heal" at the end of each turn, ignoring previous damage. Newly summoned creatures are "sick" for a turn and can't attack or tap, but they *can* block.
    Enchantment: These cards stay in play like creatures but cannot attack or block. They usually have powerful effects as long as they remain on the **battlefield**. Some are **Auras**, which attach to a single **permanent** and are destroyed if their target leaves the battlefield.
    Instant: Like sorceries, these have an immediate effect and are then discarded. The key difference? **Instants** can be played *anytime*, even during your opponent's turn, to surprise them!


4. Combat Phase
Time for battle! This phase has three steps:

    Declare attackers: You, the active player, choose which of your creatures will attack and **tap** them.
    Declare blockers: Your opponent, the defending player, chooses which of their untapped creatures will block your attackers. Tapped creatures cannot block. A creature can only block one attacker, but multiple blockers can team up on a single attacking creature. Blocked creatures don't deal damage to the player (even if the blocker dies). Creatures are never forced to attack or block.
    Deal combat damage: Unblocked creatures deal damage directly to the defending player. This is often how you win! Blockers and blocked creatures deal damage to each other. If an attacker is blocked by multiple creatures, it distributes its damage among them. For example, a 3/3 creature blocked by a 1/1 and a 2/2 could deal 1 damage to the 1/1 and 2 damage to the 2/2, killing both.


5. Main Phase 2
After combat, you still have an opportunity to play your one **land** for the turn (if you haven't already) and **cast more spells**.

6. End Turn
Indicate to your opponent that you're done. If you have more than 7 cards in your hand, you must **discard** down to 7.

Reacting: The Stack
**Instants** and activated abilities are special! You can use them *anytime*, even in response to your opponent's moves. When this happens, the last played card or ability resolves first – this is called "the **stack**" (last in, first out). You can even respond to responses! For example, if your opponent casts a spell to kill your creature, you could respond by sacrificing that creature to another ability, making it bigger before it dies. If a spell or ability has no valid targets when it tries to resolve, it is **countered**. You cannot respond to **land** plays or to combat damage (all damage is dealt immediately and simultaneously).

End of Game and Scoring
The game ends when a player's **life total** reaches **0**. That player loses, and their opponent wins! Simple as that – bring your opponent's life to zero, and victory is yours!

Tips for Winning
Becoming a Planeswalker takes practice, but here are a few tips to get you started:

    Manage Your Mana: **Lands** are your engine! Make sure you play a **land** every turn if possible to build up your **mana** base. Knowing when to hold **mana** for an **instant** or an activated ability on your opponent's turn can be a game-changer.
    Understand Creature Combat: Don't just attack blindly! Consider your creatures' **power** and **toughness**, and your opponent's potential blockers. Remember keywords like **Flying** (cannot be blocked by non-flying creatures) or **Trample** (excess damage goes to the player) to maximize your attacks. Using creatures with **Vigilance** allows them to attack and still be available to block!
    Surprise with Instants: Keep your opponent guessing! Holding an **Instant** in hand can create powerful plays, whether it's removing a key blocker during combat, boosting your own creature, or even saving one from a removal spell.

## FAQ
### How many players can play Magic: The Gathering?
Traditionally, Magic is a two-player duel, but there are several formats that allow 3, 4, or more participants, such as the popular Commander format.

### What is the average duration of a Magic game?
A standard game usually lasts between 20 and 40 minutes, but this can vary greatly depending on the format and the complexity of the decks involved. Commander games, for example, can extend for over an hour.

### Is Magic: The Gathering a complex game for beginners?
Yes, Magic has considerable strategic depth and many specific rules, which can make it a bit challenging for beginners. However, there are starter products and communities willing to help newcomers.

### Do I need to buy many cards to play Magic?
Not necessarily. There are pre-built products, such as starter decks and Planeswalker packs, that allow you to play immediately. Card collecting is an aspect of the hobby for those who delve deeper, but it's not mandatory to start.

### What are the different Magic formats?
Formats are sets of rules that define which cards can be used and how the game is structured. Standard uses the most recent sets, Modern allows a wider range, Legacy includes almost all cards, and Commander focuses on a 100-card deck with a legendary commander.

### Magic: The Gathering is a collectible card game. Does that mean the cards have value?
Yes, many Magic cards, especially the rarer or more powerful ones, can have significant monetary value in the secondary market. This adds an element of collecting and investment to the hobby.

### Who is Magic: The Gathering for?
Magic is ideal for players who love deep strategy, enjoy customizing their game experiences, appreciate interaction with other players, and are interested in a rich and constantly expanding fantasy universe. It's perfect for those seeking a cerebral challenge and an engaged community.

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