Which product is right for me: A Magic the Gathering guide

Are you still relatively new to the Magic the Gathering card game? Or have you lost track of all the products available? No problem, here in this guide you’ll find everything you need to know to find the product that’s right for you. Have fun.

1. Booster Displays

Magic the Gathering Booster Displays are packed with individual Boosters. With this product you get most of the cards, but you can’t control which ones you get.

A Booster Display has the following contents:

– Usually 36 booster packs of the respective set

For whom?

Displays are suitable for existing players who want to acquire a large arsenal of cards. This will give you most of the cards in a set.

Displays are suitable for casual players, but are geared more towards gnawed Magic junkies like me xD.

With a display, I expect to own most of the cards in a set without being able to play with them directly.

2. Magic the Gathering Bundle/Fat Pack

A Bundle, formerly known as a Fat Pack, is a combination of several components.

This gives you Booster Packs and some extras. The contents of a Bundle are as follows:

– 10x Booster of the respective set

– A small card box

– A beautiful and robust cardboard sleeve

– 80 standard countries

– A health counter

– A map manual

For whom?

The Bundle is aimed at casual players who want to take part in every series or are looking for the best value for money.

An important component is the high-quality box. This is great for transporting cards or storing them. If you look at the product from a price/performance perspective, you get here for 33.90 (as of 14.02.2019): 10 Boosters, a high-quality cardboard box with beautiful artwork, a life point counter, a manual for collectors, enough countries for decks and a small box for storing cards. 10 Boosters cost CHF 30. For an added value of CHF 3.90, you get all these “goodies” here.

3. Magic the Gathering Planeswalker Decks

Planeswalker Decks are pre-built, ready-to-play decks that you can get started with straight away. As a rule, these are exactly 60 card decks with a key Planeswalker card. Planeswalker Decks have a strong synergy with the respective main Planeswalker. Such a deck contains:

– Foil Planeswalker

– 59 more cards

– 1-2 booster packs of the editon

– Strategy aid

– Introduction how to play Magic

For whom?

The Planeswalker Deck is, as probably already mentioned in the content description above, aimed at newer players or players who want balanced decks. Of course, the Premium Foil cards can also be a selling point.

The Boosters that you receive also allow you to pimp your deck a little.

Such decks are great as a basis and can be supplemented well with the enclosed Boosters or individual cards.

Planeswalker Decks also contain a few cards that are not found in the set. Exclusive cards that can only be found in such decks. The power level of the decks is rather lower middle class, with a lot of upside potential.

4. Magic the Gathering Commander Decks

Commander Decks are 100% pre-built decks with which you can get started right away. The game format is special here. The Commander format which is played with 100 different cards. The following is included in a Commander Deck:

– 1 oversized Premium Commander card

– a few substitute Commanders

– 10 double-sided token cards

– Deckbox

– Strategy aid

For whom?

Commander Decks are aimed more at players with basic experience. It is a different format, which is why it differs greatly from the “normal way of playing” with 60 cards. It is also more suitable for multiplayer.

For players who are interested in a slower Magic round and enjoy 0 double cards. Format lovers.

These decks usually contain many reprints from older editions and also new cards that can only be found in such decks. The power level of the decks is relatively high. They are designed in such a way that you don’t have to make any major changes to the deck structure. However, if you already have a larger arsenal of cards and experience, you can easily swap out some cards. The cards included here are often relatively valuable on the secondary market.

5. Magic the Gathering Duel Decks

Duel Decks consist of 2x 60 card decks of similar strength. As with all decks, these also have a strong synergy with the front card, as well as a predetermined deck strategy.

They are made to compete against each other. Duel Decks include:

– 2x 60 card decks of the two themes

– 2 Premium Foil cards in front

– Every 2 cards in the deck normally have new artwork

– Deck boxes

– Strategy aid

– 2 health counters

For whom?

Duel Decks are also aimed more at new players or someone who wants two pre-built balanced decks. If you enjoy 2 different themes that run through the whole deck, you should take a look at these products.

Don’t want to waste time and want to play with a buddy right away? Then this is the product for you. Duel Decks are, because they are 2 in 1, cheaper than 2 single decks. Definitely an added value. —> The Spellslinger Starter Kit also belongs in this category, although the focus there is more on newcomers.

6. Magic the Gathering Gift Box

The Gift Box is a niche product. It is not the contents that make it stand out, but the box itself is the selling point. This product contains:

– 5 Boosters of the Edtion

– Exclusive storage box with space for more than 2000 cards

– 20 countries of the edition

– 6 illustrated plastic divider inserts

– Sticker sheet for customizing the inserts

For whom?

I think this Gift Box is for everyone.

The box is very well and cleanly finished and fulfills its function as a storage box more than perfectly. It is also surprisingly robust.

If you are looking for a solution to store your cards, I recommend a box like this. You also get various useful tools for card storage and 5 booster packs. I think the price/performance ratio is very good. At present, Wizzards of the Coast, the manufacturer of the game, no longer seems to produce this type of product. The Gift Box has been replaced by the Gift Pack.

7. Magic the Gathering Deckbuilders Toolkit

The deck building box provides a basis for deck building. It contains:

– 125 conditionally randomized cards

– 4 Boosters from current editions

– 100 standard countries

– 1 deck building aid

– 1 rule reference card

For whom?

The Magic Deckbuilders Toolkit is ideal for Magic beginners and anyone who simply wants to have a good basis for playing Magic.

The 125 partly random cards are good cards for a base. The 4 Boosters are designed to expand the basic deck. The reusable and beautifully illustrated storage box also has enough space to store decks. A MUST HAVE for every newcomer to Magic.

8. other multiplayer formats

For all those who already play Magic and want a change from the “normal game”, there are numerous alternatives. The first place to start would be the Modern, Legacy, Commander etc. format.

However, if you are familiar with this and want a completely new gaming experience, you should take a closer look at one of the following games.