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Comment by ragnese | Hacker News Reader

Off topic, but I recently looked in to playing MtG again because my son expressed interest. But, I was a bit taken aback by how different the environment is. I last played when they still had numbered "base sets", e.g., "9th Edition", and then rotating "blocks" of three smaller-but-more-advanced sets.

I was assuming I would go in and buy a couple of starter decks from the most recent numbered "edition" to start teaching him, but it appears that they don't do this anymore, and everything I saw was focused around the "Commander" format, which has even more mechanics and rules. The game was already complex enough that I was worried about teaching it to someone new (Plus, the commander mechanic didn't appeal to me, personally, anyway).

Is there no longer the concept of a "simple base set" with just the basic mechanics? Or is everything just theme-heavy sets now?

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They still do core sets (every Summer, IIRC) that fulfill those basic edition sets. Lately, they've been set in external intellectual properties. Last year's was Lord of the Rings. Might sound bad, but the D&D set rekindled magic in my game group.

They had a Jumpstart product, where you could buy two half-decks and mix them together. But it looks like the last printing of that was 2022.

If you don't mind spending the time, you could just craft a starter deck on paper or find a list online, and then order the individual cards from a website. As long as you avoid the must-have cards for competitive players, it'll be cheap.

They don't do core sets any more.

You are right that they currently don't create core sets any more. I wouldn't be surprised if they change their mind /again/ in the future.

I recently got into it with my son. I bought an arena starter kit from Amazon and it came with two 60-card decks, which seemed to work pretty well in play against each other. I bought another one long – same result. No focus on the commander format at all. I would suggest that route.

As someone mentioned - the "Arena Starter Kits" worked for us as an intro to the game.

The basic rules around commander aren't particularly additionally taxing beyond that. (This is your special card that you can play every time. When it dies it goes back to its special spot and it gets more expensive each time you cast it). What I like about the commander format (in the few pre-constructed decks I've bought over the last few years) - they can really lean into a theme/strategy more - and the commander really guides you in how to play this deck.

Start with those arena kits - they are cheap and handle the rules. But if your son sees a commander deck that resonates with him (in theme or mechanics) -- I'd recommend giving it a shot.

Magic has changed drastically the last few years. I tried to get back into it and the best set I found was Jump Start 2022.

Alternatively, Star Wars Unlimited just released their first set. The starter set has two balanced decks (Vader vs Luke) with some staple cards that can be used in a bunch of different decks with boosters. Gameplay is Magic-esque, but smoothed out (no land issues since any card can be turned into a resource, no instants/stack shenanigans, and actions pass back and forth so constant engagement).

There's a free to play version at https://www.forcetable.net/swu using the starter decks.

Play premodern. In addition to having the best gameplay, the card pool is closed so you don't have to worry about acquiring new cards.

https://premodernmagic.com

Fun fact, Commander was a fan-made format that WotC eventually adopted and made official. It existed (even under that name despite what people online say now) in the mid/late 2000s when I learned of it during college.

Indeed, things have changed about a year ago.

Here is a small blogpost by WotC: https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/revitalizing...

I’ve been playing with my son, but using my shoebox full of old cards, many with an “IV” logo so must have been around 4e that I was playing back in the day.

The game is complex, but a good intellectual challenge for a bright 6yo reader.

Probably VI; 4th edition didn't have a set symbol.

Right.

Also, FWIW, 5th edition also didn't have a set symbol, but the "Visions" set was released at around the same time and had a "V" symbol... (I only realized how confusing it was after 27 years lol...

Alpha beta unlimited revised Arabian nights 4th edition ice age mirage etc etc. I'm sure that's all wrong but I used to know it by heart. I keep my cards in old motherboard boxes !

You could also consider games which have the mechanics of MtG without being collectible, such as Epic. It still has plenty of depth.

Isn't there a free starter deck you can get from game stores?

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