Magic:The Gathering

hey, anyone here plays magic:the gathering (the card game)? i wanna start playing that so i wanna get some suggestions from you guys (if you play the game). my friend told me that black cards are real cool so i have my mind set on that type but i wanna hear other types of decks, their advantages and disadvantages and how to win games.

 

Black does some nice damage and other nasty effects but often at the cost of your own creatures/life etc.
White is mostly healing iirc
Green has big creatures and ways to buff them up to be even stronger
Blue is about controling the field and having the game go the way YOU want it
Red is mostly direct damage spells with no drawbacks

That's the general idea and I only played the game for a short time so might have messed something.

Ah well, here's some more info from wikipedia:

    * White (Plains) is the color of order, healing, organization, purity, balance, law, justice, community, righteousness, and light (although not necessarily good). White's strengths lie in protecting its creatures, healing and/or preventing damage, summoning many efficient small creatures (rather than large individual creatures), imposing restrictions on players, removing enchantments, and the ability to "equalize" the playing field. White's weaknesses include its difficulty in proactively and permanently removing the opponent's creatures, its inability to change game plans, and the fact that many of its most powerful spells affect all players equally.

    * Blue (Island) is the color of knowledge, illusion, reason, dreams, ingenuity, manipulation, and trickery, as well as the classical elements of air and water. Blue's cards are best at letting a player draw additional cards, stealing control of opposing permanents, returning permanents to their owner's hands (informally called "bouncing"), and countering (canceling) spells to prevent them from having effect. Blue's creatures tend to be "tricky" and precise; they often have weaker base statistics than other colors, but commonly have evasive abilities such as flying. Blue's weaknesses include having only limited ways of dealing with opposing threats once they have entered play, a fairly weak set of creatures, and a lack of ways to increase its mana production.

    * Black (Swamp) is the color of death, darkness, despair, plague, selfishness, ambition, greed, corruption, and amorality (although not necessarily "evil"). Black cards are best at eliminating creatures, making players discard cards from their hand, and raising creatures from the graveyard. Black is a very flexible color in many ways; which is reflected in being able to cast many unusual out-of-color effects. Black also tends to sacrifice resources, however, such as creatures, life, or cards in hand, to achieve these goals. Black's main weaknesses are its tendency to hurt itself in order to gain an advantage, an almost complete inability to destroy enchantments and artifacts, and difficulties in removing other black creatures directly from the field (though this third restriction has been lightened in recent years).[15]

    * Red (Mountain) is the color of chaos, destruction, war, passion, and fury, as well as lightning and the classical element of fire. Red shares an association with the classical element of earth with the color green; red has an affinity for the nonliving aspects of earth (rock and stone) while green is focused on the organic aspects.[16] Red is one of the best colors for destroying opposing lands and artifacts, trading long-term resources for short-term power, and playing spells that deal damage to creatures or players (colloquially, "burn" or "direct damage"). Red also has the vast majority of cards that involve random chance. Red shares the trickery theme with blue and can temporarily steal opponents' creatures or divert their spells. Red's weaknesses include its inability to destroy enchantments, the random or self-destructive nature of many of its spells, and its generally weak late-game play.

    * Green (Forest) is the color of life, nature, growth, instinct, and interdependence. Green creatures tend to have the strongest base statistics in the game, and many green cards further increase those. Green also excels at destroying artifacts and enchantments, increasing a player's life total, and increasing mana-production capabilities. However, green has difficulty removing opposing creatures from play outside of combat, and it lacks damaging or controlling spells; nearly all of its strategies are creature-based. Furthermore, green has a distinct shortage of flying creatures.


150 minerals awarded for this reply.. and a power up.. of course.

 

hey thanks. this helps a lot.

from the looks of it, i'm beginning to like the blue cards coz i really like manipulating players.

but can a certain type of card have a weakness for another type and vice versa?

 

Ok.. beside the colors.. you gotta know that if you want to play effectively.. you have to forget everything related to roleplay.. not playing a card because it's an evil creature and you want to play with like.. idk.. elves.. is a bad idea..

when you make your deck.. you gotta forget the name of the card.. the illustration of the card... all that reminds should be what the card does... this might be very simple.. but some bad players can't understand this.

Now.. you gotta know that there are 3 (maybe more.. I'm outdated) formats.. and it's only for marketing and playability reasons.

Type 1: all cards are allowed, with some restriction (some cards are restricted, you can only use 1 instead of 4 because they simply kick ass

ex: P9 (Power Nine) (the P9 is a group of 9 cards that totally kick ass... it's made of the P6 + the 3 Blues..)

the P6 is Black Lotus + 5 moxes and the 3 Blues are Ancestral Recalls, Time Walk and TimeTwister

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Nine

Now that you understand that some cards totally kick ass, time to tell you a bit more about Type 1.5

Type 1.5 is just like the Type 1 but most of the cards that are restricted in Type 1 are banned in Type 1.5.. this is mostly because Type 1 costs a shitload to play while Type 1.5 is a bit more affordable.. only super pros and mathematic maniacs play the Type 1..

Some cards are very good and used to be allowed with 4 copies (Dark Ritual) are now restricted in Type 1.5... and are allowed in Type 1 .. Dark Ritual in Type 1 isn't as strong as it is in Type 1.5

and now.. what you are probably going to play:

Type 2.. this is what everyone plays.. it's for the new players and those who don't wanna pay a shitload (well they will still pay a shitload if they want the best card of the type) It's a type that only contains the two lastest blocks.

a block is a group of 3 sets, the first set of the block usualy has the most cards about 350ish if I remember corectly.. and it's followed by 2 smallers sets of about 150ish cards...

The Type 2 is always defined by the 2 lasts blocks + the last "Xth Edition"

The Xth Editions:

The first "batch" of mtg ever was called Alpha and it was created in 1993, then came the Beta, which was pretty much the same thing as the Alpha.. but it's much easier to find (even if it stills super rare, dude think about it.. it's like 15 years old.. )

Then came the Unlimited edition.. which is like Beta but with less good cards.. and then.. Revised which is even crappier than Unlimited... those 2 are refered as the 3rd Edition.

then came the 4th edition in 1995.. and the 5th edition was very new when I started to play.. in 1997...

Now we are at.. what.. 10th or 11th? I don't know.. anyway.. these editions are always remakes of some classics such as Bird of Paradise (which was an Alpha, Beta, Unlimited, Revised and Forth edition card.. but wasn't made in the fifth (right? I'm not sure) nor in the sixth and it finally came back in.. the 7th I think...

So this lastest edition is always allowed in the Type 2.

Since I randomly bash stuff on my keyboard.. I'll recapetulate what Type 2 is:

you are only allowed to play with the lastest "Edition" and the 2 lastest blocks. There are some restricted cards (just like in Type 1 and Type 1.5).

Now here's why it's all marketing.. suppose you have a Type 2 deck.. but a new block is coming.. the new block will make the first of the 2 blocks allowed in the old Type 2 to be out of the Type 2.. making your deck Type 1.5..

what happens with your new Type 1.5 deck? it's pure shit unless you buy some more cards to make it viable.. so you'll most likely kill your deck to make a new Type 2 deck.. the cards that you paid a shitload for when they were in Type 2 now worth almost nothing because they are out of Type 2 and they suck in Type 1.5 and Type 1 (they are some exceptions: aka Fact or Fiction, an insane blue card that became restricted in Type 1 as well)

So basicly, everytime there's a new block, you gotta make a new deck..

that kind of stuff won't happen if you play Type 1.. but in Type 1 you might pay over 500bucks for a card..

I would have much more to say.. but maybe in another post..

about your deck.. Of course playing only 1 color is easier.. but it's usualy weaker.

The less colors you play, the easier it is to play your cards
The more colors you play, the harder it is, but you have much more choice..

usually, 2 colors is the best... in Type one, due to the moxes, Black Lotus and the dual lands, most of the decks (the good ones) will play 5 colors... which, in my opinion, greatly add to how interesting the game is.

 

I have a plains cleric creature type deck, nearly all of my creatures have the ability to prevent damage, using this I outlast any opposition and wait to get one of my two "doubtless ones" which gain + 1/1 for each other cleric in play, including the opponents, then I buff them up with artifacts and win.

As for some tips I really don't know what to tell you, for my plains deck you have to have patients and not get mad at the inability to deal damage.

So really it could be a large part of how you want to play.


edit at jbl: its a good thing I havent encountered wrath of god then, the guys i play with don't have that good of cards and mine aren't that good either compared to others

 

I miss magic, I haven't found anyone to play with since I've moved away to college...

Anyways, It seems you have friends that play. This is good. Ask them to teach you and play with their decks for a while. After playing with their stuff you will have a good idea of what each color is capable of and which best fits your style. You should also get a good idea of deck construction. Then, you have an idea of which color you want and if you want to keep playing. Nothing sucks more than someone new to the game running out and getting a bunch of cards just to figure out they got all the wrong ones or they don't wanna play

 

Wrath of God.

 

i tried getting into magic but it's just too confusing. Too much stat's, i didn't even know what has life and attack power and whatnot.

 

Nah, it's not THAT confusing, it takes maybe 20 mins to learn basics, maybe less.

btw. thanks for the powerup JBL

 

ah, i was a kid back then anyways. Although now that i have grown i'm not going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars just for another card game, like i did for pokemon. ah, the good ole' days.

 

Take this magic: the gathering test to see what color are you!
http://www.wizards.com/magic/playmagic/whatcolorareyou.asp

 

Thanks JBL. I actually read a very long post.

So the type 1 cards are the ones that're already old, right?

 

It is a really cool game. Too bad Wizards of the Coast can only think about making money.

 

i got 3 decks
an undead summoning and ressuricing deck
my elvish deck(at full strength i get 30 lives per turn)
my wizard deck(10 unstoppable monsters)

 

Type 1 cards are every cards that exists... however.. every time a new set comes out.. maybe 1 or 2 cards will be good enough to be used in type 1 because every type 1 deck uses the best cards and a deck is usualy 60 cards.. the best one will always include the power 9, and probably some other very strong and versatile cards such as yawgmoth's will, sol ring, mana drain, force of will, demonic tutor, etc.. but most of the time.. there's a card in every new set that is strong enough to be used in type 1.. I suggest you start with Type 2 because all the cards are very easy to find.. they really want you to play type 2.. however.. once there are new sets.. you might wanna start type 1.5..

I strongly suggest that you totally ignore the cards name and illustration.. forget "themes" forget a deck about "elven" or "goblins" or w/e.. just think of combos (I suggest you read about combo on websites)

if you want to be a good player, forget every role playing aspect of the game and aim for the numbers, the stats, the probability... as you can see.. there was a guy talking about his cleric deck and I answered by saying: Wrath of God..

Wrath of God is a white card that destroys every creatures in play (even yours) can you imagine how it totally rapes his deck that was based around cleric creatures?

now about the probability.. a deck that is going to play wrath of god will mostly going to play 4 of them.. out of 60 cards in the deck.. since it's a deck probably without any creatures (I'm thinking type 1 here) i will probably play a lot of blue cards as well (every time you read the color blue, you must understand that it allows you to draw a shitload of cards and counter your opponent's spell) and over that.. there are many cards in the game that allows you to search your deck for the card of your choice and put it in your hand... considering these, plus all the cards that I'll draw with possible draw cards.. + 4 wrath of gods in a 60 cards deck.. and considering he will need a a bunch of turns to cast all his creatures, it's more than highly probable that I get my wrath of god before or when I need it to totally waste his game.. for only 4 manas..

I'm saying all this because you asked me about weaknesses and stuff.. well.. in magic the gathering, there are a lot of super duper powerful cards that simply win games.. and that's why you need a lot of strategy to make a good deck..

If you read a lot about type 2 strategy on websites.. you'll manage to learn fast..

 

I can't believe I read all long posts. Hooray for me! ;D

Okay, although I'm a little confused, I will try to consult this thread as many times as possible if I need to. Thanks for your time, JBL.

 

JBL you say ignore the themes, but both elves and goblins got cool spells and units that are usefull when you have a goblin or elven deck. take goblin war strike for an instance it costs 1red and does 1 damage for every goblin in play to target player. or take wishmaker, 1 random 1 green, tap:gives 1 life for every elf in play , 1/1

i think it is pretty good to take race-specific decks(btw, my wizard deck is only wizard because almost all my good blue cards are wizard)

 

ijffdrie: I'm not saying playing elves in a deck is a bad thing (personally I don't have a friggen idea of what's in Type 2 right now but I'm 100% sure that elven can't do shit compared to what they used to do in ursa's saga's block)

i'm saying that the theme of the deck shouldnt be the main priority.. casting goblin war strike (never heard of that card before but, thx for telling me what it is.. is it an instant or a sorcery, probably a sorcery... 1 mana isn't enough to make it an instant.. and.. I bet it's a rare (or uncommon maybe) lol.. it would have been a common in "fallen empire"... Anyway, casting goblin war strike when you have many goblins in play is called a "combo" and first of all, you shouldn't aim your whole deck on a combo (I have a deck like this, it's pretty awesome, however, relying to only 1 combo makes you very vulnerable) now I know the goblin deck isn't only based on 1 single combo. but often... these themed deck relies on only playing cards related to their theme.. in a goblin deck I can imagine a shitload of goblins, the best of them.. and then.. those cards with synergies with red or goblin creatures... and probably goblin king if it still exists, a bunch of mountains and some direct damage instants to clear the way for the goblins.. Being all around a theme (that's what most mono-color decks do by the way) makes you vulnerable to many cards and that's not good... imagine a card that does "your opponent can't play any goblin related cards" imagine how that would screw up the goblin player.. (btw that would be an enchantement and, did you know that the only way to destroy and enchantement when you play mono-red is to use nevineral disk, which is a super radical global killing artifact? I had some in my red deck when I was noober.. and it did save my life a couple of times..) of course, that enchantement doesn't exists.. but in the game context, there are many cards that can do the same to a goblin deck..

however what If I play 2 colors (I'm being resonable, I would say, play type 5, 5 colors with Power 9, dual lands and all the kick ass cards.. then add a few ass kicking combos that make you win the game, turn 1 or 2)

back on topic, with 2 colors you have acces to 2 themes (because we all know that when you play Type 2, wizards of the coast wants you to use themes or else you can't do crap..) Try to select two completely different "themes" that still goes well together, that could contribute to each other.. and I don't mean play a wizard/goblin deck.. lol.. you could use a creature type theme and support it with some blue draw/counter or black discard.. you see what I mean?? with discard and counter.. you can stop your opponent from stoping your goblin army...

that's just an example..

now I would like to give you a good example of a noob killer deck of mine that had a major flaw..

my deck was based around this combo:

Tendrils of Agony: http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.asp?name=Tendrils of Agony
+
Cards that cost 0 or 1 mana.

The idea is that I get a shitload of mana really fast (could often deal with 10+ mana at turn 2) and I cast a shitload of crap that makes me draw a shitload of crap with this card:

http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.asp?name=skullclamp

I was playing 8 cards that for 1 black mana each gave me more mana (these were Dark Ritual (1 black mana for 3 black mana) and the Exodus version that gives 5 mana if I sacrifice a creature

about 8 lands.. didn't need more.

16 creatures that cost zero mana and are 0/1 (the 3 kobolds, 4 of them each + 4 ornitopters because they made my draw 2 cards with 2 skullclamp or made me draw cards and cast the exodus Dark Ritual that I told you about earlier) There were other creatures that I could have played.. I really tested a good bunch of them..

So.. I play creatures, I sacrifice them to draw cards, I cast mana cards, play more creatures, draw more, and finally play my Tendrils.

the other cards were the super powerful Type 1 cards to help me pwn:

http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.asp?name=yawgmoth's+will
http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.asp?name=necropotence
http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.asp?name=demonic+tutor
http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.asp?name=vampiric+tutor
http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.asp?name=sol+ring
http://www.wizards.com/magic/autocard.asp?name=mana+vault

you get the idea...

The first 2 cards are instant win for me because it makes me draw half of my deck and play it all in the same turn in order to draw the second half of the deck as well.. and then cast whatever I feel like casting..

my deck usually won by turn 1, 2 or 3.. which is pretty kick ass against a noob. but against anyone who knows how to play.. he simply counterspelled one of my key card (aka skullclamp) and I couldn't do shit.. also, he could have slowed me a bunch simply by countering a dark ritual.. I couldn't do shit against the average Type 1 deck that used blue cards in it.. over that, I didn't have the Power 9 (do you really think I'm going to play 1000$ for a single card and then buy other cards that cost like 500$?)

Anyway.. even if the deck is pretty kick ass.. it needs the combo cards to work.. suppose I had very bad luck and I couldn't get skullclamp nor my tutors fast enough.. I would simply waste turns.. this was his major weakness.. can't do shit until he gets skullclamp.

I still loved that deck.. the combo is simply too effective on noobs.. they just don't get it.. and since it uses weird cards (kobold) they think they aren't real cards or w/e.. lol

but it was themed.. too much.. it was around a single combo.. that was easily pwnable..

of course a better variante would have a been a 5 colors version of that deck.. but I couldn't afford the Power 9.

All that to tell you to go read stuff about strategy...

 

its a common just like wishmaker and i have card mostly from an old seazon. and the theme of the deck isnt my main priority, just the goal of it(my top life in a match was 500)(and i could do 20 unstoppable damage per turn).
every card in my decks is reasonable good on its own and astonsihing good in a combi(i got a combi with wich i can destroy every non-wall creature of the enemy in one turn)

 

Psst, its not Wishmaker, its Wellwisher.
But on the topic of magic. My best deck is a blue black type 1 deck that the two best cards are two Power Nine, Ancestral Recall and Time Walk. It doesn't have many other powerful type one cards, but still an overall solid deck.
I also have my own variation of white weenie, designed to be a bit more aggressive than most of them. It focuses on mostly small white creatures and then starts pumping them with glorious anthems and crusades. I can win against most decks with it unless I get REALLY unlucky or its a powerful type 1, though the people I play with are Type 1.5 players.

And Goblin War Strike (I think thats the name) is 1 red for a sorcery last I checked.