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Magic: The Gathering, usually shortened to Magic or MTG, is a collectible trading card game. Players build decks, use land cards to produce mana, cast spells and summon creatures, and try to defeat their opponents. Wizards of the Coast, the game’s publisher, describes it in its beginner guide as a game “where players summon incredible creatures and cast powerful spells to defeat their foes.” The game can be played with physical cards at a table, on a digital platform, or through webcam-based play, and its formats set the rules for how a particular game is built and played.
The core idea of a basic game
Each player brings a deck, shuffles it, and draws a seven-card opening hand. A player may take a mulligan, which means shuffling the hand back and drawing a new one under the rules Wizards describes for its introductory game. Players track their life totals, and in the basic one-on-one example the goal is to reduce the opponent’s life to zero.
Lands are the source of the game’s resources. A player generally plays one land per turn, and each land produces mana. Mana pays the costs of spells and abilities. Creatures, artifacts and enchantments stay on the battlefield once they resolve, while instants and sorceries go to the graveyard after they resolve.
How a turn is structured
Wizards’ beginner guide presents each turn as a sequence of phases. The order is:
#1 Best Overall
- Includes a mix of AT LEAST 25 Rares/Uncommons which is half of the cards.
- Absolutely NO... Basic lands, Foreign, or silver/gold bordered cards.
- Some may contain Foils or Mythics but not all.
- Sets can range from Beta to the current Magic the Gathering set.
- Mint/Excellent condition only.
- Beginning phase. Effects that trigger at the start of the turn resolve here.
- First main phase. The active player can play a land and cast spells.
- Combat phase. The attacking player chooses which creatures attack, and the defending player can assign blockers.
- Second main phase. The active player can again play spells and abilities that were not used earlier in the turn.
- End step. Effects that trigger at the end of the turn resolve, and the turn passes.
In combat, creatures deal damage equal to their power, and a creature whose damage at least equals its toughness dies. This is a simplified picture. Wizards says that its Comprehensive Rules are a reference document, not a tutorial: “It is NOT meant to be read beginning to end; instead it’s meant to be consulted when specific rules questions come into play.” Corner cases, timing details and card interactions belong in that document, not in a first read.
Five colors and a collectible card pool
Magic is described by Wizards as a collectible trading card game. Its five colors represent different philosophies and playstyles, and deck construction usually revolves around choosing which colors to play. Because the card pool changes as new sets are released, players buy, trade or open packs to build their collections, and a card’s usefulness depends on which formats it is legal in.
Rank #2
- LEARN THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF MAGIC—Your Magic: The Gathering journey begins with a friend beside you! Play your first game in a guided battle of Aang versus Zuko. Choose your side and send your forces to your opponent while learning essential gameplay lessons
- GUIDED LEARN-TO-PLAY EXPERIENCE—Start by playing a tutorial game with two 20-card decks, each with a step-by-step guide booklet that will walk you through your first game
- CREATE THEMED DECKS—Once you’ve conquered the basics, master the remaining elements by combining any two of the eight 20-card half-decks into a full 40-card Avatar: The Last Airbender-themed deck; mix and match to try different combos!
- EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAY—This Beginner Box includes everything you and a friend need to play, including 2 Playboards that will show you where to place your cards, 2 Spindowns to track your life totals, and 1 Rules Reference booklet to answer any questions you have along the way
- WELCOME TO THE GATHERING—Magic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy, gorgeous art, fantastical stories, and a thriving fan community all together into a card game experience like no other
Ways to play
- Tabletop play with physical cards. This requires a deck of physical cards and a play space. It is the form most people picture when they hear the name.
- MTG Arena. Wizards offers this as a digital way to learn and play the game.
- SpellTable. This supports webcam games, so players can take part with physical cards without being in the same room.
Wizards presents these as different ways to experience the same game. The choice determines whether you need physical cards, but the basic turn structure and goal remain the same.
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Formats change the rules you play by
A format specifies things such as player count, which cards are permitted, and how a deck is constructed. Wizards’ formats hub lists formats for tabletop and digital play and describes formats as different ways to enjoy Magic. The two formats below are examples, not a complete list.
Rank #3
- Duplicate-free assortment of 25 random Rare cards.
- May contain Foils, Mythic Rares, or Planeswalkers.
- (No card pictured is guaranteed.)
| Feature | Standard | Commander |
|---|---|---|
| Player count | Two-player constructed format, per Wizards’ format page | Multiplayer format |
| Deck construction | Minimum 60-card main deck, with an optional sideboard of up to 15 cards | 99-card deck plus a commander; singleton except for basic lands |
| Card pool | Rotating pool of recently released sets; Wizards describes an annual rotation after the year’s first premier set prerelease | Not stated as a rotating pool on the page reviewed |
| Starting life | Not stated on the page reviewed | 40 in multiplayer, per Wizards’ Commander format page |
| Color limits | Not stated on the page reviewed | Deck colors are constrained by the commander’s color identity |
Standard is designed around a current card pool that rotates over time. Commander is built around a legendary creature or artifact that leads the deck. Wizards’ Commander page puts it this way: “The Commander format is all about picking your hero and building a deck around them.” Before you build or buy for either format, check the current set legality on the official format page, because that list can change.
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Wizards’ product guide names several products for newcomers and multiplayer players:
Rank #4
- Condition:New: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item -
- 1 Magic the Gathering MTG Cards Lot w/ Rares and Foils INSTANT COLLECTION !!!
- Brand:Wizards of the Coast MPN:215236245 Recommended Age Range:6+ Country/Region of Manufacture:United States Year:215 Gender:Boys & Girls Character Family:Magic the Gathering
- A balanced array of colors every time guaranteed. Nearly equal Blue, Black, Green, Red and White Magic cards plus multi-colored cards, artifacts and non-basic lands. Cards will be near mint condition or better, All Authentic Wizards of the Coast Magic: the Gathering Cards.
- Magic: The Gathering Foundations Beginner Box. Wizards says the Foundations beginner experience includes guided deck experiences, a reference booklet, playmats and bonus decks for playing with a friend. Contents, language and availability change, so confirm the current listing before you buy.
- Starter Kit. Wizards lists this as a product for learning to play.
- Commander decks. These are preconstructed products for multiplayer games. A Commander deck suits players who want that format, but it is not a substitute for an introductory two-player set.
For set-specific releases, Wizards’ buyer’s guide for the Reality Fracture release names local game stores, TCGplayer and Amazon as sales channels. Those channels were listed for that release and may not apply to every product.
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What is and is not established
The official Wizards pages describe what Magic is, how a basic game is structured and how formats work. They do not publish a player count, sales figure or market size in the material reviewed, so this article does not offer one. The pages reviewed were accessed in early October 2026, and rules, format legality, product contents and retailer stock may change after that date.
The game’s core learning path is simple: understand the turn phases, learn how lands and mana pay for spells, and then pick a format that fits your group size and the kind of game you want.
Quick Recap
The Bottom Line
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