The Beginner's Tavern
Getting started with Magic: The Gathering
New to Magic? Here you’ll find everything you need to get started. Whether you want to learn the rules, play right away with a friend, or build your first deck: choose where you want to begin below.
How would you like to start?
Choose what appeals to you most. You don't have to learn everything at once and can always explore a different path later.
I want to learn how to play
Learn how cards, turns, and attacks work. The beginner's guide will help you step-by-step on your way to your first game.
Learn the basics
I want to play right away
Start with a ready-to-play deck. Choose a starter product to play together, without having to build a deck yourself first.
View ready-to-play decks
I want to build a deck myself
Discover which cards work well together and build your own deck. The Starter Collection gives you cards to get started.
View the Starter Collection
I want to play Commander
Play with friends at one table. Discover which ready-to-play Commander decks are suitable for your first games.
Find your first Commander deck
I want to collect cards
Collect cards based on their illustrations, themes, or rarity. Discover which boosters suit your preferences.
Discover the different boosters
Our recommendations for your first step
A small, carefully curated selection. Not a hundred options, but the products I know work well for a beginner.
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Best first choiceFoundations: Beginner Box
€24,95
The fastest way to learn Magic. Two decks are ready with step-by-step instructions for your first game, after which you combine the ten packs into ever-new decks. You don't need anything else.
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Ideal for 2 playersTemporarily sold outFinal Fantasy: Starter Kit
€17,95
Two ready-to-play decks balanced against each other. Open the box, shuffle, and play. Choose these if you’ve already seen the rules and just want to get started.
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Building decks yourselfFoundations: Starter Collection
€49,95
Over 350 cards from all five colors, intended for building your own decks. This is the logical next step after the Beginner Box: no more fixed decks, but building blocks to experiment with.
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Getting started with CommanderTemporarily sold outStarter Commander Deck: Token Triumph
€34,95
A complete white-green Commander deck, ready to play right out of the box. The plan is simple: creatures make tokens, tokens get bigger, you win. Exactly the kind of deck you can just sit down and play without needing an explanation.
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Just fun to openBloomburrow - Play Booster
€5,99
Fifteen cards from a recent set, for when you primarily want to see what's inside. A great way to discover which colors and cards appeal to you before you start on a deck.
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What do you really need?
Sleeves
Highly recommended once you start playing with your own cards. They keep your cards clean and uniform on the back.
Deck box
Useful for protecting your deck and keeping it neat, especially when you take it to game night. Not a must, but it would be a shame to have loose cards sliding around in your bag held together by a rubber band.
Playmat
Pure comfort: cards slide more smoothly across it and it protects your table. Not a necessity to play, but nice if you frequently play at the table at home.
Binder
Especially relevant if you are collecting or trading.
Your next steps as a Magic player
In the SpellArmory Academy, I explain step-by-step how Magic works. Follow them in this order and you will understand what the game is all about within a few evenings.
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Learn the basics
How does Magic: The Gathering work?
The complete beginner's guide: turns, lands, creatures and how to win.
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Understand the language
MTG glossary
All terms and keywords that you encounter on cards and at the table.
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Discover your playstyle
MTG Deck Archetypes Explained
Aggro, control, combo: which playstyle suits you?
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Choose your format
Commander (EDH) explained
The most popular Magic format, and why almost everyone eventually ends up playing it.
Where I look and read myself
Magic has a huge community that creates free tutorials. These are the places I end up using myself, and I recommend them to you as well. None of these parties have any affiliation with SpellArmory.
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EDHREC
Look up any commander and see which cards players include in them most often. The fastest starting point if you want to upgrade a precon.
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Moxfield
Here you can build and store your decks online. You will also find thousands of complete decklists from other players to borrow from.
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The Command Zone
Weekly podcast and YouTube channel about Commander. Strong in deckbuilding and in explaining why things work.
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Scryfall
The card database. Look up any card with all versions, prices, and oracle text.
Long time since you last played?
Magic has changed, but you don’t have to start over. The basics are still familiar — in this guide, we’ll bring you up to speed on Commander, boosters, Universes Beyond, and the most important rule changes.
Frequently asked questions for beginners
What is the difference between a Beginner Box and a Starter Kit?
A Beginner Box is primarily intended for learning Magic step-by-step and includes extra explanations and various ways to practice with cards. A Starter Kit is more about playing right away: you get two complete, ready-to-play decks that you can use to start a game together immediately. Are you completely new to it? Then a Beginner Box is usually the most guided start. Do you mainly want to play together? Then choose a Starter Kit.
Can I just play Magic with two people?
Yes. The normal way to learn Magic is actually one-on-one. With two complete decks, you basically have everything you need to start. Formats like Commander are specifically intended for multiple players, but you certainly don't have to start with those.
Can I start with Commander as a beginner?
That is possible. Commander is social and very popular, but a deck contains 100 cards and more different card interactions can take place at the same time. A beginner-friendly Commander precon makes that step a lot easier. If you want to learn the basics at your own pace first, a Starter Kit or Beginner Box is simpler.
Can I use cards from different Magic sets together?
Yes, but it depends on the format you're playing. In casual Magic, you can often combine cards quite freely. Official formats like Standard, Modern, and Commander each have their own rules about which cards are permitted. For your first few games, you don't need to worry about that if you are playing with pre-constructed decks.
Do I need boosters to play Magic?
No. A booster contains individual random cards and is not a complete deck. To play, you need a playable deck. Boosters are primarily fun for discovering new cards, collecting, or expanding your collection later on.
What if my friend already has a deck?
Then you mainly need your own deck that fits roughly the same skill level and format. Ask which format your friend plays before you buy anything. If they play Commander, for example, then choose a Commander deck. For regular one-on-one games, a Starter Kit or Theme Deck can be a simple first step.
Ready to pull up a chair in the Tavern?
You don't have to buy everything at once. Choose a starter product that fits how you want to play Magic, or send me a message if you're unsure.
