New Page 1

The Portbury knights guide to :-

What is it?

The most addictive game ever. Played with collectable trading cards, set against an ever changing fantasy backdrop, this game is responsible for more relationship breakdowns than Dan Mchugh. (Look up ‘Disaster’ in the dictionary if you don’t know him)

Why should I play it?

Because you’ll regret it on your deathbed if you don’t. This game seriously has the best game play and the most watertight set of rules currently known to mankind.

So it’s good then?

Magic has many advantages in addition to addictive game play. It suits every type of player and occasion; great for multiplayer, ready made for tournament play, and perfect when you have a spare 20 minutes to fill. There’s no setting up, packing away, or lugging heavy miniatures around with you. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it, and as competitive or as casual as you want it. There are practically endless combinations of cards, so it has excellent replay value, no two games will ever be the same. And it’s really popular, so wherever you go, you will find fellow players.

Who is responsible for this wondrous miracle?

God. Possibly. The devoted chaps at Wizards of the Coast (owned by Hasbro [indirectly owned by God]) invest an enormous amount of resources into the game’s development. The company has a really good relationship with its customers, operating a reward scheme to give players rare and limited edition cards free of charge, based on the number of events they attend. The company also actively seeks and listens to the feedback of the players, and always keeps players informed about decisions affecting the game and the direction in which it is going via the excellent website: www.magicthegathering.com.

Ah, a website. With a store to flog you stuff no doubt?

Actually no. The website is a massively useful resource, with a fully searchable card database to allow you to theme your decks, and a random hand generator that allows you to assess likely draw patterns with a prospective deck. World and local rankings can be filtered and examined; there is a full list of up coming tournaments and reports from previous tournaments. There are lists of popular decks and combos, so you can see what the pros are doing. There are features on artwork and the background narrative, for those who enjoy the creative side. Plus there are development insights, previews, sneak-peeks, rules commentary, play tactics, and even an ‘ask wizards’ feature whereby the company will answer any question or criticism you may have. And not an online store in sight.

So how do you get hold of the merchandise?

The best way is through your local comic book or games shop. In the Portbury area, that means Forbidden Planet, Travelling Man or Area 51 in Bristol, and also the odd toy or hobby shop (like Toymaster in Clevedon). Buying from online sites or off ebay is also a good way to obtain cards.

And what would one purchase were one interested?

Starter sets, containing two decks, full rules, and a step-by-step walkthrough are available for around £10. That’s all you need to play. From there, you can buy extra booster packs, one at a time or 36 at a time (!) or you can buy cards individually from traders online. The best way to get into it is pick up around 10 packs or so, find some cards you like and go from there. The packs contain random cards, so you will find it expensive to collect all the cards, especially the rare and valuable ones.

Expensive? But you said it could be played very cheaply?

Fret not my tight-fisted friend. (Dave Ley plays it. Look up ‘Millionaire’ in your dictionary) This is where the trade element comes in. If you trade for the cards you actually want or need for your decks, the game can be very inexpensive. Decks can be assembled cheaply and easily through trading with others. Also, the basic bits you need to started (basic land and common cards) are 10 to a penny and most gaming groups will be able to donate a huge amount of these cards to a newcomer either free of charge or for next to nothing.

So I don’t have to collect all the cards?

Absolutely not. In fact there is very little point from a gaming perspective. Due to the sheer amount of cards released, you will have insufficient time to construct decks with all of them in. Given that around 650 new cards are released a year, it would be unfeasible to do this whilst holding down meaningful employment and maintaining well-adjusted family life. Whilst obviously it is possible and avid collectors do spend huge amounts of time and money amassing vast collections, the majority of players trade with a limited number of cards in order to assemble a small number of decks that suit their style.

Style? So there is room for creative expression?

There certainly is. In fact it is one of the game’s major selling points. Wizards design cards for 3 target audiences. The first is the tournament gamer who likes to win. Wizards R&D call him Spike, and they give him powerful, tournament worthy cards. The second is Timmy, a casual gamer or a noob, who likes to use big monsters and enormous spells, and the third is Jonny. Jonny is a player who likes to express himself through deck creation, either by making weird and wonderful combos of cards that use unique ways to achieve victory, or by theming his decks, for example to a certain creature type (e.g. elves, goblins, zombies). Thus there is plenty of room for a player to indulge his or her creative side.

Her? Hold on, this is a fantasy game we’re talking about right? What are women doing playing it?

Actually the game is more popular with the better half of our species than wargames or other activities of that ilk. Magic is still predominantly played by males, but a lot of girls play, especially in casual groups.

You mentioned a competitive side?

Magic tournaments are extremely popular. They are a great way to meet new players, learn new tricks, and to get together with like-minded people and trade or discuss decks. You get a world ranking which is fun for comparing with your mates and you get loads of free rare and collectable cards for taking part too.

I’m scared! If I’m a noob and go to a tournament, I’ll get blown away!

Unlikely. Magic tournaments are very casual below pro level, and you have to have built up quite a rating to qualify for those. Tournaments have 2 formats: Limited and constructed. Constructed involves building the best deck you can out of a certain set of cards (any released within the last two years, for example) and triumphing over like minded individuals. You get a sideboard too, which gives you an amount of leeway to change your deck between games, in case you come up against a deck that yours struggles against. Limited is the most popular format. This involves being given a small amount of cards (usually 5 boosters) on the day and trying to build the best deck you can out of it. This levels the playing field a little, as a good player could open a pile of rubbish in his boosters. Limited is also great for the casual tournament player, as there is no preparation involved and nothing to take along, you just turn up!

Sounds awesome! Where and when are these tournaments?

Well, firstly we hold regular competitions at Portbury Knights and the game is played every week without fail by the diehards. Also in the Portbury area, there’s currently one a week at Area 51 on a Thursday evening. A similar weekly format operates in Yeovil and possibly still Taunton, although I am unsure. There is usually an extra, larger tournament once a month on a Saturday or Sunday at Area 51. The best tournaments to go to are pre-releases, which happen either 3 or 4 times a year, depending on the amount of expansions released that year. These tournaments are ultra-casual and very well attended, as they are about showcasing the new cards, so many casual and bit players come along to take a peek at the new set. There are also a number of tournaments that take place abroad. These are great fun if you have the time as they allow travel and experience of new cultures. Although these are mainly professional and invitation only, there is an open international circuit attended by many amateurs. There are around 50 Professional qualifying tournaments in the UK each year. If you win one of these, you’re on the professional tour!

Professional Tour? That sounds more like golf or tennis than trading cards!

True. But magic is so popular and so well backed that a successful pro-tour has operated for over 10 years. Wizards puts up large cash prize funds for each tournament and there is a small circle of people who make an entire living out of playing on the pro-tour.

No way!

Oh yes. What started as a cheap way to fill up 20 minutes at the end of a gaming session could become a lifelong career!

One step at a time, eh?

Yes, of course. No need to get ahead of ourselves. But that is the beauty of magic. It can be enjoyed by anybody at any level of competition or investment. Play with some cards donated by a friend, or go and re-mortgage the house. Play for 20 minutes, or 20 days straight. It’s up to you. Therein lies the beauty of magic and the reason for its tremendous success; its mass appeal.

But there’s no models! I want to play with toy soldiers!

Magic’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. While it saves so much time and money on buying, cleaning, assembling, painting, and transporting models and terrain, it loses the aspect of creation that figures provide. This is somewhat compensated for in that the creation of decks is very individual, and each deck is practically unique.

What about background and narrative? I want to run a campaign!

Alas, you have pinpointed Magic’s only other weakness, a lack of narrative. Magic is usually set in a different fantasy world each year, with new narrative and characters. Whilst this makes it extremely diverse and keeps it fresh, it does suffer from a lack of continuity or inspiration in the background. If you’re looking to recreate the epic last stand of an orc warlord (or some other such narrative-driven escapade) then magic isn’t going to be first choice.

Still, a game can’t have everything, right? Nothing’s perfect?

No, but magic comes pretty darn close!

So tell me about this addictive gameplay that you’ve spent four pages hyping up?

I’m afraid I’ve gone on too long already. You’ll have to join in, get to Portbury Knights this Friday and give it a go. (Go on, don’t be shy)

Written by Chris Roberts



The Portbury knights guide to :- What is it? The most addictive game ever. Played with collectable trading cards, set against an ever changing fantasy backdrop, this game is responsible for more relationship breakdowns than Dan Mchugh. (Look up ‘Disaster’ in the dictionary if you don’t know him) Why should I play it? Because you’ll regret it on your deathbed if you don’t. This game seriously has the best game play and the most watertight set of rules currently known to mankind. So it’s good then? Magic has many advantages in addition to addictive game play. It suits every type of player and occasion; great for multiplayer, ready made for tournament play, and perfect when you have a spare 20 minutes to fill. There’s no setting up, packing away, or lugging heavy miniatures around with you. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it, and as competitive or as casual as you want it. There are practically endless combinations of cards, so it has excellent replay value, no two games will ever be the same. And it’s really popular, so wherever you go, you will find fellow players. Who is responsible for this wondrous miracle? God. Possibly. The devoted chaps at Wizards of the Coast (owned by Hasbro [indirectly owned by God]) invest an enormous amount of resources into the game’s development. The company has a really good relationship with its customers, operating a reward scheme to give players rare and limited edition cards free of charge, based on the number of events they attend. The company also actively seeks and listens to the feedback of the players, and always keeps players informed about decisions affecting the game and the direction in which it is going via the excellent website: www.magicthegathering.com. Ah, a website. With a store to flog you stuff no doubt? Actually no. The website is a massively useful resource, with a fully searchable card database to allow you to theme your decks, and a random hand generator that allows you to assess likely draw patterns with a prospective deck. World and local rankings can be filtered and examined; there is a full list of up coming tournaments and reports from previous tournaments. There are lists of popular decks and combos, so you can see what the pros are doing. There are features on artwork and the background narrative, for those who enjoy the creative side. Plus there are development insights, previews, sneak-peeks, rules commentary, play tactics, and even an ‘ask wizards’ feature whereby the company will answer any question or criticism you may have. And not an online store in sight. So how do you get hold of the merchandise? The best way is through your local comic book or games shop. In the Portbury area, that means Forbidden Planet, Travelling Man or Area 51 in Bristol, and also the odd toy or hobby shop (like Toymaster in Clevedon). Buying from online sites or off ebay is also a good way to obtain cards. And what would one purchase were one interested? Starter sets, containing two decks, full rules, and a step-by-step walkthrough are available for around £10. That’s all you need to play. From there, you can buy extra booster packs, one at a time or 36 at a time (!) or you can buy cards individually from traders online. The best way to get into it is pick up around 10 packs or so, find some cards you like and go from there. The packs contain random cards, so you will find it expensive to collect all the cards, especially the rare and valuable ones. Expensive? But you said it could be played very cheaply? Fret not my tight-fisted friend. (Dave Ley plays it. Look up ‘Millionaire’ in your dictionary) This is where the trade element comes in. If you trade for the cards you actually want or need for your decks, the game can be very inexpensive. Decks can be assembled cheaply and easily through trading with others. Also, the basic bits you need to started (basic land and common cards) are 10 to a penny and most gaming groups will be able to donate a huge amount of these cards to a newcomer either free of charge or for next to nothing. So I don’t have to collect all the cards? Absolutely not. In fact there is very little point from a gaming perspective. Due to the sheer amount of cards released, you will have insufficient time to construct decks with all of them in. Given that around 650 new cards are released a year, it would be unfeasible to do this whilst holding down meaningful employment and maintaining well-adjusted family life. Whilst obviously it is possible and avid collectors do spend huge amounts of time and money amassing vast collections, the majority of players trade with a limited number of cards in order to assemble a small number of decks that suit their style. Style? So there is room for creative expression? There certainly is. In fact it is one of the game’s major selling points. Wizards design cards for 3 target audiences. The first is the tournament gamer who likes to win. Wizards R&D call him Spike, and they give him powerful, tournament worthy cards. The second is Timmy, a casual gamer or a noob, who likes to use big monsters and enormous spells, and the third is Jonny. Jonny is a player who likes to express himself through deck creation, either by making weird and wonderful combos of cards that use unique ways to achieve victory, or by theming his decks, for example to a certain creature type (e.g. elves, goblins, zombies). Thus there is plenty of room for a player to indulge his or her creative side. Her? Hold on, this is a fantasy game we’re talking about right? What are women doing playing it? Actually the game is more popular with the better half of our species than wargames or other activities of that ilk. Magic is still predominantly played by males, but a lot of girls play, especially in casual groups. You mentioned a competitive side? Magic tournaments are extremely popular. They are a great way to meet new players, learn new tricks, and to get together with like-minded people and trade or discuss decks. You get a world ranking which is fun for comparing with your mates and you get loads of free rare and collectable cards for taking part too. I’m scared! If I’m a noob and go to a tournament, I’ll get blown away! Unlikely. Magic tournaments are very casual below pro level, and you have to have built up quite a rating to qualify for those. Tournaments have 2 formats: Limited and constructed. Constructed involves building the best deck you can out of a certain set of cards (any released within the last two years, for example) and triumphing over like minded individuals. You get a sideboard too, which gives you an amount of leeway to change your deck between games, in case you come up against a deck that yours struggles against. Limited is the most popular format. This involves being given a small amount of cards (usually 5 boosters) on the day and trying to build the best deck you can out of it. This levels the playing field a little, as a good player could open a pile of rubbish in his boosters. Limited is also great for the casual tournament player, as there is no preparation involved and nothing to take along, you just turn up! Sounds awesome! Where and when are these tournaments? Well, firstly we hold regular competitions at Portbury Knights and the game is played every week without fail by the diehards. Also in the Portbury area, there’s currently one a week at Area 51 on a Thursday evening. A similar weekly format operates in Yeovil and possibly still Taunton, although I am unsure. There is usually an extra, larger tournament once a month on a Saturday or Sunday at Area 51. The best tournaments to go to are pre-releases, which happen either 3 or 4 times a year, depending on the amount of expansions released that year. These tournaments are ultra-casual and very well attended, as they are about showcasing the new cards, so many casual and bit players come along to take a peek at the new set. There are also a number of tournaments that take place abroad. These are great fun if you have the time as they allow travel and experience of new cultures. Although these are mainly professional and invitation only, there is an open international circuit attended by many amateurs. There are around 50 Professional qualifying tournaments in the UK each year. If you win one of these, you’re on the professional tour! Professional Tour? That sounds more like golf or tennis than trading cards! True. But magic is so popular and so well backed that a successful pro-tour has operated for over 10 years. Wizards puts up large cash prize funds for each tournament and there is a small circle of people who make an entire living out of playing on the pro-tour. No way! Oh yes. What started as a cheap way to fill up 20 minutes at the end of a gaming session could become a lifelong career! One step at a time, eh? Yes, of course. No need to get ahead of ourselves. But that is the beauty of magic. It can be enjoyed by anybody at any level of competition or investment. Play with some cards donated by a friend, or go and re-mortgage the house. Play for 20 minutes, or 20 days straight. It’s up to you. Therein lies the beauty of magic and the reason for its tremendous success; its mass appeal. But there’s no models! I want to play with toy soldiers! Magic’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. While it saves so much time and money on buying, cleaning, assembling, painting, and transporting models and terrain, it loses the aspect of creation that figures provide. This is somewhat compensated for in that the creation of decks is very individual, and each deck is practically unique. What about background and narrative? I want to run a campaign! Alas, you have pinpointed Magic’s only other weakness, a lack of narrative. Magic is usually set in a different fantasy world each year, with new narrative and characters. Whilst this makes it extremely diverse and keeps it fresh, it does suffer from a lack of continuity or inspiration in the background. If you’re looking to recreate the epic last stand of an orc warlord (or some other such narrative-driven escapade) then magic isn’t going to be first choice. Still, a game can’t have everything, right? Nothing’s perfect? No, but magic comes pretty darn close! So tell me about this addictive gameplay that you’ve spent four pages hyping up? I’m afraid I’ve gone on too long already. You’ll have to join in, get to Portbury Knights this Friday and give it a go. (Go on, don’t be shy) Written by Chris Roberts