MTG Basics
MTG Basics
MTG Level Up: Who’s the Beatdown? (The Ultimate Strategic Choice)
In our MTG Basics series, you learned how to read cards, navigate the phases of a turn, and manage the Stack. But knowing the...
MTG Basics
MTG The Hobbit Mechanics Explained: Storied, Recruit, Adventure & More
Magic: The Gathering | The Hobbit is built around a surprisingly clear idea: the cards are supposed to feel like an adventure unfolding on...
MTG Basics
MTG Basics: Magic Formats Explained (Standard, Commander, Draft, and Beyond)
When you walk into a local game store or open Magic: The Gathering Arena for the first time, you are immediately hit with a...
MTG Basics
MTG Basics: The Phases and Steps of a Turn
Magic: The Gathering is a game of rhythm. When you watch experienced players, their turns look fluid and automatic. They untap their cards, draw,...
MTG Basics
MTG Graveyard vs. Exile Explained: What’s the Difference?
In many card games, a discarded or destroyed card is simply finished for the rest of the game. Magic: The Gathering is much more...
MTG Basics
MTG Basics: The Ultimate Newbie Glossary (Slang and Keywords Explained)
When you sit down at a local game store or browse Magic: The Gathering discussions online, it can quickly feel like players are speaking...
MTG Basics
What Happens When a Player Loses in MTG? Multiplayer & Commander Rules
Eliminating a player in a two-player game of Magic: The Gathering is simple: the game is over. In Commander and other multiplayer formats, things...
MTG Basics
MTG Triggered vs. Activated Abilities Explained: How to Tell the Difference
Magic cards can have a lot of text, but figuring out what kind of ability you are reading is often much easier than understanding...
MTG Basics
MTG Protection Explained: How the DEBT Rule Actually Works
Protection is one of the oldest mechanics in Magic: The Gathering, but it is also one of the easiest to misunderstand. A creature with...
MTG Basics
MTG Tokens and Copies Explained: What Happens When They Leave the Battlefield?
Tokens are everywhere in modern Magic: Treasure tokens generate mana, creature tokens build entire armies, Clues draw cards, and copy effects can duplicate everything...
MTG Basics
MTG Damage vs. Loss of Life Explained: What’s the Difference?
At first glance, damage and loss of life look identical in Magic: The Gathering. Your opponent attacks for 5, your life total drops by...
MTG Basics
How Attacking and Blocking Work in MTG: Complete Combat Guide
Combat is one of the first parts of Magic: The Gathering that feels simple until you actually have to make a difficult attack. Which...
