Following a lengthy and successful beta period, Magic: The Gathering Arena has officially launched today for the PC and is hands down the best place for new players to dip their toes into the complex game that first released in 1993. Reading the instructions for how to play the game when one is completely unfamiliar with the genre of Trading / Collectable Card (TCG and CCG) games can be daunting, but Arena simplifies everything for new users with an option to be more hands on once comfortable with the rules.
When first playing Arena on PC, a player is provided with a basic tutorial where they play a series of controlled matches that work to present the main points of the game, including Lands management, card types, the makeup of a turn, and of course, how to attain victory. From there however it unleashes a player into the wide world of Magic: The Gathering. Players receive several standard decks and earn more as they keep playing.
As a player begins to unlock more premade decks, they may notice that some are not as well made as others. For this, the best resource is to check out one of the many streamers of the game, for they are an outstanding source of knowledge. Connagh “Merchant” Hawkins is one of the best, and his video below is a testament to his knowledge and commitment to the ongoing development of the player base for Magic: The Gathering Arena. In this video, Merchant provides an in-depth analysis of all the starter decks, and new players can learn so much from this longtime player.
From there one can play in a variety of modes to earn rewards or simply compete. Daily quests and a new system akin to the popular Battle Pass we see in many games today provide ways to acquire more packs and individual cards. From there, players craft or unpack cards to create new deck archetypes.
In terms of cost, there truly is no such thing as an inexpensive TCG or CCG. Magic: The Gathering Arena, Hearthstone, Gwent, The Elder Scrolls: Legends, and others all offer a way to earn a limited amount of resources as a free-to-play-player, but not much. To be competitive and have access to a broad range of cards, a player should expect to open their wallets and spend some money. With that said, all of these games are far cheaper than playing Magic: The Gathering with real cards, known as “paper” magic.
However, a casual player can still compete with other new players. Without spending money, players can usually craft one or two solid decks so long as they are not heavy on cards of Mythic Rarity, which are the most difficult and expensive to obtain. Streamers like Merchant and other often post videos demonstrating that even budget decks can perform well, and there is no reason not to get into the game as a free-to-play player.
In addition, there are often codes provides to be redeemed in the game client for free packs, special cards, and sometimes entire decks. Right now players are preparing for the Throne of Eldraine expansion to launch, and the following five codes can be used by all players to receive items in-game:
- nKL-p4hQ-5sx
- gjU-nKEG-RSL
- BZG-ke3H-2mk
- tQM-vrtv-n4T
- CYe-97xd-oB2
Source: magic.wizards.com