About Magic
Magic: The Gathering blends collectible cards, strategic deckbuilding, and imaginative worlds into a game that can be as casual or competitive as you want it to be.
The foundations
Magic: The Gathering is a trading card game in which each player brings a deck of spells, creatures, artifacts, and lands to the table. You play as a powerful spellcaster, using mana from lands to cast cards and outmaneuver your opponents.
Most games begin with each player drawing seven cards. You take turns playing lands, casting spells, attacking, and responding to what other players do. In a typical two-player game, the first player to reduce their opponent from 20 life to 0 wins—though some cards and formats create different paths to victory.
The depth comes from choice. Thousands of cards can be combined in countless ways, and Magic’s five colors each express a different philosophy and style of play.
Meet the five colorsWays to play
A format is a shared set of deckbuilding and gameplay rules. It determines which cards you can use, how many go in your deck, and how many people usually play.
Multiplayer • Casual
Build a 100-card deck around one legendary creature. Except for basic lands, every card is unique. Usually played with four people, Commander is social, expressive, and full of surprising interactions.
Rotating • Competitive
Build a deck from recent Magic sets. Because older releases rotate out, Standard changes regularly and offers an approachable card pool for organized play and MTG Arena.
Open packs • Build on site
Limited formats ask you to build from newly opened booster packs instead of bringing a finished deck. Draft rewards card evaluation and adaptability; Sealed is a relaxed way to experience a new set.
Nonrotating • Constructed
These competitive formats use larger pools of cards that do not rotate. Pioneer reaches back to 2012; Modern reaches further, creating distinct strategies and powerful long-term decks.
Your guide through the game
You do not need to learn every card or rule before you begin. Mulligan Mage organizes the essentials into clear paths so you can move from curiosity to your first confident game.
Compare MTG Arena and tabletop play, learn the basic flow of a turn, and choose the easiest first step for you.
Getting startedExplore the values, strengths, and signature strategies of white, blue, black, red, and green.
Explore the colorsUse practical card ratios and the Commander deck architect to turn an idea, budget, and power goal into a playable plan.
Build a deckUnderstand the social side of Magic and find ways to connect with local stores, events, and other players.
Find your tableReady when you are
Choose the path that matches where you are today. The rest of the game will unfold one turn at a time.
Start learning