Over the weekend, I finally played Magic: The Gathering. This is something I’ve been hoping to do for a while, but never found the opportunity to do so. With the release of the Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy set this week, my interest was at a fever pitch. For the last two weeks, I tried in vain to secure anything ahead of launch. But as we approached launch, I learned about Pre-Release Events for MTG. It not only got me my first Final Fantasy cards, but I also got to play the game.
Learning what Pre-Releases are
Something Wizards of the Coast does for all their new sets is to allow local game stores to host events. At these events, stores will sell pre-release kits that contain content for the new series. In most kits, you’ll get six Play Booster Packs, a randomized special card, and a spindown die. This is all packed in a themed box you can also use to store your cards.
Some stores sell these packs that you can take home; they are usually meant for in-store events. At these events, players will get to play against others using the new decks. On top of that, you’ll also be able to buy the new stuff or pick up any pre-orders you may have.
For the Final Fantasy set, stores have sold out of everything. I looked at a few nearby game shops in my area, and everything was gone before I even realized stuff was on sale. Because I’m inexperienced in this aspect of TCGs, I didn’t realize that these events are for core fans. They get customers into LGSs, and it helps garner more interest around the sets.
An Overwhelming Experience
With my massive interest in Final Fantasy, I wanted to take full advantage of these events. I ended up buying entries into two events held at two nearby game stores. One on Saturday afternoon and the other on Sunday morning. At the same time, this would be the first time I played Magic against people in person. It was also the first time I got to play a Sealed Event.
Sealed Events use the Pre-Release Packs to create decks to play against other players. You’ll open your six booster packs and with the cards you get, build something to play with. For most people, this is their first chance to play with the new cards. While it should feel like a level playing field, experienced players will play well. It’s also a great chance to see what you like to play with in case you become interested in playing in future MTG events.
You play Standard format Magic with 60 cards, but Sealed Events only use 40. Because you have limited cards, this makes it a bit easier on you. For those familiar with magic, that means you’re aiming to have 23 playable cards with 17 land cards. Land cards serve as your way to case those playable cards, so it’s good to have something around a 60/40 split. They also recommend building decks with two colors in mind.
Much to learn about Magic: The Gathering
With that strategy in mind, it’s time to build your deck. You’re given 50 minutes to open all your packs and to start devising your plan. Inside the Box, they contain a handy reference guide that tells you the basics. It highlights the types of cards you need and teaches you to follow a mana curve. This allows for a better chance to play cards on every turn. Unfortunately, they don’t go into the details around how cards function.
If you have no prior knowledge of the importance of different card types, it can get a bit frustrating. 50 minutes isn’t a lot of time to go through all your cards and to grasp what works best. There is a blog post by WOTG that highlights the new cards, but it doesn’t cover everything. The whole point of MTG is to learn through experience. But for a new player, there isn’t enough time.
I did try my best to familiarize myself with the set. Leading up to my first Event, I was watching as much MTG content as I could on YouTube to learn. I found some great videos, and they helped to some degree, but I still ended up making mistakes. While I managed to build decks around two colors based on the best cards I thought I had, I lacked creatures. I was so focused on following the mana curve that I didn’t check to ensure I had the right cards.
Winless, but learned a lot along the way
In both events, I finished with a record of 0-3-0. I don’t know if it’s the location or the time of day, but the first event had a small turnout. Even with few in attendance, I am certain that I was the least experienced of the group. There are some tell-tale signs of experience and my lack of the basics, such as a lack of a placemat or card sleeves.
The second day was much larger. This time, there were 80 attendees. For a Sunday morning event, the store opened early to accommodate the event. They definitely could have managed to fit in more people. This is one of the larger and more popular game stores in the city, so I should have expected a larger crowd.
On both days, my opponents were very friendly. When they learned that I was new to the game, I could sense their relief and joy in what would be an easy win. On the first day, I got to play against someone who worked at the store. I was glad to face off against them. They won the match in what felt like 10 minutes. But, afterwards, they took the time to look through my cards and to give some suggestions.
Not the best for newcomers, but far from a bad experience
In fact, on both days, my opponents were always willing to chat after the match to give me pointers. The suggestions helped in later matches. Yes, I still lost, but I played a lot better. On Sunday, one of my opponents went through my collection and made a bold suggestion.
Because of the quality of my cards, I had a better shot playing with three colors instead of two. Yes, it’s a lot tougher because you have to hope for the right land cards to draw mana. But, because I was lacking in creature cards, I needed a third color to give me more options to play characters.
Both events offered bonus packs to winners. The more you won, the more packs you earned. It’s a nice incentive to keep people at the event, but it favors experienced players. There is no way for the organizers to group experienced players with newcomers. It’s not clear if the match-making takes wins and losses, or if it’s random. You’re only playing three matches, so it’s tough to make it a fair system for all.
This won’t be the last of me with MTG – Final Fantasy
Magic: The Gathering is an expensive hobby. In Canada, we pay a premium because of Tariffs. Everything around this set is double in price in comparison to USD. None of the higher-value packs match the exchange rate. The Collector Boosters are 39.99 MSRP in the US. Those same packs retail for around 84-90 dollars here, twice the price.
Yet, I am still very interested in this set. I tried all day on Monday to get anything from the Secret Lair Final Fantasy Set. By the time I finally got to my turn, there was only one item remaining. When I looked at how much it would cost with shipping, customs, and the exchange rate, it wasn’t worth the effort.
I did manage to get two Collector Boosters for only 80 dollars each. I lucked out with it, and two cards alone in the packs I got are worth over 190 dollars. So, from a value perspective, I got my money’s worth. I also bought the Starter Set, which includes the same cards to use in MTG: Arena. That way, I can play those decks in the game and unlock some goodies.
On top of that, I do plan on attending a few more MTG Events during the set’s run. My local game store is hosting Friday Night Magic – Chocobo Race Booster Draft. This is a format like the Pre-Release Events. In this mode, you pick one card from a pack and pass it to the player beside you. Everyone gets one card until the pack runs out. This is a series that will run for a few weeks, and they have rewards for your participation. I stand a better chance of winning something along the way.
More Magic: The Gathering is in my future
On top of the Final Fantasy set, I’d like to get into more Magic: The Gathering. I don’t know too many people who play MTG, but I hope I can make new friends at these events. Heck, I’d love to teach some of my wife’s students the game in the future and host events for them. At the very least, I’ll be spending more time playing MTG: Arena.
