Magic: The Gathering

Words: 1074
Pages: 5

You come home from school, or work, and all you would like to do is relax. Unfortunately for you all of your friends are out playing this new card game called Magic: The Gathering(MTG). Yet you desperately want to hang out with them but when it comes to MTG you are completely clueless. Worry no more, as this essay will serve as a guide into the world’s most popular trading card game. In MTG, as well as any other trading card game the most important parts are the cards you play the game with. The basic premise of MTG is that you are a wizard who casts spells(cards) against another opponent. Cards in MTG are split into three main categories which are: land, magic, and creature cards. There are also two different categories called artifacts, …show more content…
The most important card on the playing field is the land card. A land can represent either one or more of the five colors present in the game (blue,black,red,white,and green). Lands are important because they represent ‘mana’ which is just a resource used to play other cards. Next on the list are the creature cards which are included in every deck. Creature cards are your main way to deal damage to the other player. After the creature cards there is the category of magic cards, which in itself has three subcategories. These three subcategories are called sorceries, instants, and enchantments. All of these cards are very straightforward. The main difference between them is when you can play them, and how long they stay in the game. sorceries and enchantments can only be played in your main phase(A set time during your turn that will be talked about later.), while instants can be played at any time. Sorceries and instants always have an effect on the board, which after it plays out they are discarded. …show more content…
This is done by performing attacks against them with creatures and magic cards.. At the start of the combat phase you may declare as many attacks as you have creatures on the board. After you declare your attack your opponent has the choice of whether or not they wish to block. Blocking is when a creature you control steps up and takes damage instead of you. This sequence ties into something that is called the stack. The stack is just the order that actions occur in a term. The stack keeps going until the first declared action is resolved. Damage dealt is calculated in a very simple way; each creature has two numbers on it that represent its power(damage possible) and toughness(damage it can take). When a creature’s toughness is reduced to zero it is put in the graveyard. Note that at the start of your next turn your creature’s toughness is restored when you untap it. One more thing to take notice of is that a creature can never attack or block on the turn it is played on as it has “summoning sickness.” Summoning sickness only persists for one turn.This is the basic premise of creature combat in MTG. There are times when creature’s behave slightly differently due to their own special abilities, or any spell cards that are played or in effect. Combat in MTG can be very tricky and overwhelming to beginners but as long as you read the cards you play, and resolve the stack you will do