The enticing game Magic the Gathering is a casual and competitive Trading Card Game (TGC) game that was introduced more than 20 years ago and is enjoyed by casuals and collectors alike to this day. It is a very fun and addictive card game in which you have to destroy your opponents with massive creatures or eliminate them with a bunch of fake rocks (not joking). Players can construct their own custom deck and shuffle up and play with whomever, whenever. There is even a Magic the Gathering club at Sequoyah. The club consists of around 12 people and the head facilitator is none other than Ben Ede, a Magic the Gathering veteran, musical lover, and educator at Sequoyah School.
When asked what his favorite part about Magic was, Ede noted, “I like it because it’s a math game.” He further explained that he also loves how “it incorporates…folklore and universe building fantasy.” Ede is referring to the long storyline within Magic the Gathering’s history, which ranges “from knights to dragons, magic to betrayal.” When questioned about why Magic the Gathering is different from other tabletop games, he shared how he “never really liked games like poker and blackjack,” so he is pleased “to have a way to connect with people around a card table while also indulging in that crazy lore.” When faced with the question of whether or not Magic is a luck or strategy game, Ede stated, “if you go to war there is a strategy you go in with, but there is luck involved in winning the battle. A strategy helps to mitigate the luck factor.”
Just like most things in life, the beginning is always the hardest part. Once you learn the basics, it’s all smooth sailing from there. People aren’t going to laugh at you or make you feel bad just because you are a beginner. They want to help you, so that you can teach others and help them with their own Magic the Gathering journey. When people first start playing Magic the Gathering, they may feel overwhelmed or nervous. It’s reassuring to know that anyone can walk into their local game store to sit down and play with strangers or friends without any risk of humiliation. When you start playing Magic the Gathering, you enter a whole new community and make tons of new acquaintances. With new players routinely entering the great world of Magic, the player base is likely to continue growing.
Many new Magic the Gathering players struggle with learning all of the game’s terms and rules. This might seem like a reason to be turned away or even quit playing. However, to most players this concept brings a whole new level of strategy and planning to the game. With infinite possibilities, Magic can never be repetitive. There will always be a new card on the table and a new combo that goes in your deck. You will never see the same game of Magic played twice.
One of the most pleasurable parts of the game is the community and friends you can connect with. Whether you are a new player, just learning the ropes, or a Magic veteran who has been playing since 1993, you can walk into your local gaming store and sit down to play with strangers and still have a wonderful time. The people you will meet and the connections you will create are absolutely wonderful. The Magic the Gathering community hopes to see YOU playing soon.
