Beginner guide
How to Start Playing Magic: The Gathering
Magic can look complicated from the outside, but the first game is simple: build a deck, take turns, and try to bring your opponent's life to zero. This guide covers only what a complete beginner needs.
What Magic is and how you win
Magic: The Gathering is a collectible trading card game you can play with friends, in person or online. Each player brings their own deck and takes turns playing cards.
You win by reducing your opponent's life total to zero. In a normal two-player game each player starts at 20 life, draws a seven-card opening hand, and may take a mulligan if they do not like that hand. The player who goes first skips their first draw.
What a deck is
A deck is the stack of cards you play with. In constructed play the rules require at least 60 cards, and you can use no more than four copies of any card with the same name, except basic lands, which you can use as many of as you like.
Cards have a colour. Magic has five colours: white, blue, black, red and green. Beginners usually build around one or two, because it keeps the deck easy to understand.
The main card types
- Lands make mana, the energy you spend on spells. You tap a land to get the colour of mana shown on the card. Lands are not spells, and you may play one land per turn for free.
- Creatures, artifacts and enchantments are permanents. Once you cast them they stay on the battlefield.
- Instants and sorceries have a one-time effect, then go to the graveyard.
A spell's cost is shown in the top-right corner of the card, and you pay it with mana from your lands.
What a turn looks like
A turn has five phases, always in the same order:
- Beginning: untap your cards and draw a card.
- First main phase: play a land and cast spells you can afford.
- Combat: choose creatures to attack with. Your opponent can block with untapped creatures. Unblocked attackers damage the player.
- Second main phase: cast more spells, if you still have mana.
- End step: damage wears off creatures and end-of-turn effects happen.
What to buy first
Start with a ready-to-play or starter-style product made for new players. It gives you a usable deck and the basics in one box, so you can play right away instead of building from loose cards.
Booster packs are the other main product type: sealed packs of random cards. They are fun to open and are used in the Draft format, but they are a poor first purchase for learning, because random cards rarely make a balanced deck.
The publisher keeps a Product Guide on its website that explains which products suit new players. Check it for what is current, and visit a local game store, which can also point you to events.
Rarities and the card number
Every Magic card has a rarity: common, uncommon, rare or mythic rare. Rarity tells you how often a card appears in booster packs, and it is only one factor in what a card is worth.
Cards also belong to a set, shown by an expansion symbol and a set code. A card's number within its set is printed in the small text along the bottom edge of modern cards. Set plus number points to one exact card, which matters when you want to look up a version later.
Formats in one section
A format is a set of rules for how you build a deck and who plays. The publisher lists many; these are the ones to know first.
- Standard: a two-player format where you build with the latest sets. The main deck is at least 60 cards, with an optional 15-card sideboard. Older sets rotate out, so check the official page for what is legal now.
- Commander: you pick a legendary creature to lead a 100-card deck, usually in games with three to five players.
- Booster Draft: you open packs as you play and build a deck of at least 40 cards from what you get, with two to eight players.
Others the publisher names include Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, Vintage, Pauper and Sealed Deck.
Where to learn, free
The best way to learn is to have a friend teach you, or to ask at a local game store. The publisher's website has a free how-to-play page covering setup, phases and combat.
For free digital play, the publisher offers Magic: The Gathering Arena. It is free to download, runs on PC, Mac, Android and iOS, and starts you with a tutorial. Playing a few tutorial games first makes real games with real cards much easier.
There is also a full Comprehensive Rules document, but the publisher says it is a reference for specific questions and is not meant to be read from start to finish.
Cards you already own
Many people start with a pile of cards from a friend or a box in the attic. First, sort them by set and number so you know exactly what you have.
The free U.C.M app can scan a card with your phone camera, identify the exact version and show current price information, so you do not have to type names by hand. For more on versions, read card variants explained.
Keep the cards you want to play in sleeves, and store the rest in a box or binder away from water and sunlight.
The fast way: scan it
Open U.C.M, point your phone at a card or a sealed product and it looks for the exact print and shows the official picture and today's market price. It is free to download, and the free plan includes 3 scans per week.
Questions
How many cards do I need to play Magic?
For constructed play the rules require a deck of at least 60 cards, with no more than four copies of any card sharing a name, except basic lands. Some formats differ: Commander uses a 100-card deck, and Booster Draft decks are at least 40 cards.
What are the five colours in Magic?
The five colours are white, blue, black, red and green. Most cards belong to one colour, and lands make the matching colour of mana. Beginners often start with a deck built around one or two colours to keep things simple.
Is there a free way to try Magic before buying cards?
Yes. The publisher offers Magic: The Gathering Arena for free on PC, Mac, Android and iOS, with a built-in tutorial. It is a good way to learn how turns, mana and combat work before you spend anything on physical cards.
Should I start with booster packs or a starter product?
A ready-to-play or starter-style product is usually easier, because it gives you a working deck right away. Booster packs hold random cards and are better once you know the game or want to try Draft. The publisher's Product Guide explains the options.
What does the U.C.M app do for Magic cards?
U.C.M is a free app that scans a card with your phone camera, identifies it and shows price information for that version. It helps you work out what you own and keep track of it, so you can decide which cards to play and which to keep.
Official sources and further reading
We checked this guide against the publisher's own pages. Rules and products change, so always confirm the details there.
More collector guides
Card names and images belong to their owners. U.C.M is an independent app and is not affiliated with any card game publisher or grading company. General information, not financial advice.