Magic the Gathering Arena

[spectre]

I have fond memories of Magick. These cards look very interesting. So is this Arena game worth it?

It boils down to this:
Do you want to play mostly standard (there are cards outside standard, but support for historic is kinda out there. As it is, the game is standard-centric, although other modes like pauper and artisan pop up from time to time. There is also Brawl.)?
Do you want to play competitively (you need a competitive mindset so that you can win games and earn shit to play with. Casual play doesn't have a lot of support, best thing you can do here is hook up with a bunch of guys on discord and play direct challenge)?

It plays like magic, with a bunch of (imo) unnecessary bells and whistles. Dunno where you're coming from, but if you want something like Shandalar, this isn't it.
Standard is easy to get burned out on. The F2P model isn't bad. It's possible to blow cash on it, but still, much cheaper than the paper thing.
It takes a bit of dedication, but you can get several top tier decks without spending a dime, though as with all the f2p online things, there is some grind involved.
Also, expect to see plenty of people who were playing since closed beta and have full collections. The game gives a bit of training wheel time to new players, but they will come off.

 

[spectre]

Regarding Theros Draft, I did a binge until I ran out of gems and I was having a surprising amount of fun.
It's possible to go rare-greedy, cause I managed a 7:2 run with UW fliers with no rares. Most valuable combo was Commanding Presence on a Sunmane Pegasus. There's plenty of stuff
to keep it safe from removal, Mirror Shield is obviously the best with permanent hexproof. Overall, white is pretty self-reliant in Theros, I got a few Revoke Existence,
and there always was something relevant to remove.

I was mostly exploring this color pair, a lot of folks say blue is underpowered, but it works great as a secondary color. Thirst for Meaning is excellent draw. At the worst, you can always discard two lands.
Alirion, Enraptures is a great value card. Shimmerwing Chimera can also act as a nice engine for re-using Starlit Mantles, you can even re-use Dreadful Apathies with it.

I've seen people playing a lot of aggressive 2/1s, 3/1s and 4/1s, so be prepared for it. Don't skimp on the 2 and 3 drops. For example, stuff like Nyxborn Courser can deal with the lot quite effectively.
For the same reason, there's a bunch of "sleeper hit" cards like Mogis's Favor. The set has a lot of exile effects going on (Underworld Fires, Incendiary Oracle, Elspeth's Nightmare), so pack a few
because there will always be something with Escape.

Haven't played a lot with other colors, but in red, definitely watch out for Iroas' Blessing. In green, I had a fun romp with Nessian Boar. You have plenty of trample sources in the set,
and a lot of cards are begging to get them.

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

I have fond memories of Magick. These cards look very interesting. So is this Arena game worth it?

One big problem is that the game is standard focused and rewards winning which results in basically everybody playing exact copies of one of the top 3 decks currently in standard, so you'll be playing against the same cards in probably 99% of games and those interesting cards that you quoted are unplayable if you want to ever win a game or get rewards to buy packs etc...

Limited is also in the game but costs either quite a bit of gold (which you get by winning games in standard) or gems ($$$) to play.

The game's still fun and worth it for me but I'm constantly getting pissed off that non-hyper-competitive play is totally unsupported. I always love draft though, but you can only do that so often because of the paywall.

 

[anvi]

Yeah I don't know if I would recommend it or not, it depends what you like and don't like. The ZOMG MUST WIN! thing is really shitty. Nobody plays for fun or wants to try fun combos or anything, because you only get new cards by winning, so winning becomes like an arms race. Someone wins a tournament with some brutal genius deck, and the same day everyone in Arena is playing that deck. And it means everyone else then needs to get some other brutal genius deck just to stand a chance. In the end, everyone is playing tournament decks, which is not fun for me because they are all so focused on winning in 3 turns. It also means most games you are playing against the exact same deck you played against 1000 times before.

That said, I made some decks that are my own idea and managed to climb the ranks and earn decent rewards. It is super satisfying to beat these douchy brutal tournament decks, but it is also frustrating to lose against them which happens a lot too. But new sets help keep the game fresh, you have a lot of samey decks for a while but then everything changes with a new set, so that really helps. It also isn't too bad price wise. I gave up on MTG:Online because it was really expensive if you like lots of decks. This game isn't a lot better, but it is cheaper to the point that I feel like it is not a big con. You can get by without spending any money, but I ended up caving in and spending a bunch of money because I was so hooked and so tired of losing with the same small batch of crappy cards. I don't like spending money but I've been playing the game a lot so it was kinda worth it. Also once you reach a point that you have an ok selection of cards, it means you can make lots of different decks. Like I have most black cards so I can make mono black, but I've got some ok white and blue cards so I can make black/white decks and black/blue decks too. Even a black/white/blue is ok now although I am short a few important ones.

Overall, kinda worth it for me. Game pisses me off a lot of the time but I enjoy it too so it is mostly worth playing. And the good news is you can just get it for free and start playing and it gives you a big batch of cards once you play a bunch of games. It seems like a lot, but is miles off having a good selection. Yet it is enough that you can make at least 1 good strong deck, so you can at least start playing the game properly and see if you like it.

 

[Deleted Member 22431]

One big problem is that the game is standard focused and rewards winning which results in basically everybody playing exact copies of one of the top 3 decks currently in standard, so you'll be playing against the same cards in probably 99% of games and those interesting cards that you quoted are unplayable if you want to ever win a game or get rewards to buy packs etc...

Limited is also in the game but costs either quite a bit of gold (which you get by winning games in standard) or gems ($$$) to play.

In other words, some people find the killing combos earlier and everything is expensive. Just like the physical game, but worse because you can't smell the cards. I will pass.

 

[anvi]

Not being able to hold the cards bothers a lot of people. I don't really care, but I guess it is kinda perverse to spend a lot of money on something that only exists inside an app. The game is kinda generous in some ways though. I mean, I ended up spending quite a lot of money but only because I was impatient. And also because I spent all my freebies on stuff that turned out to be bad choices. Still, it was way cheaper than paper magic or magic online. And if you do things a bit differently you can play it for free and still have fun.

The only thing that really bothers me about MTG is that the devs are stuck in an arms race with themselves. They have to keep selling cards so each new set is more powerful than the last one to make people rush out and buy the latest overpowered thing. And the next set needs to be even crazier. So by now, even in Standard format, I sometimes lose on turn 3. Not because I suck or my deck sucks, just because that's how it is. It used to be that it took 5 turns to get a basic 4/4 creature out. Now you can easily make a deck that has 1 creature hitting for 16 damage on turn 4. With luck you can end the game on turn 3. Even if I have a spell to kill the creature on turn 3, they just need a counterspell or a card which makes it indestructible, and I am dead before I get a second chance.

That's just how the game is now. I always thought they should change starting life to 30 or 40 instead but nobody agrees with me I miss playing 2 Headed Giant with my irl buddy, that was the most fun I had in MTG.

 

[Jason Liang]

if you mean from ABUR basically Magic history is making creatures better and better and spells and lands worse and worse

That's why in Vintage and Legacy you play spells from 25 years ago with creatures from 2019

Lightning Bolt and Swords to Plowshares have still not been surpassed. Brainstorm, considered the iconic card of Legacy, I opened in my first starter deck (Ice Age starter).

And the eternal formats are still defined by lands printed in the first 5 years - Bazaar, Workshop, Library of Alexandria, Strip Mine, Factory, Wasteland

 

[anvi]

Yeah, I think making creatures and lands better and better is the CCG equivalent of RPGs dumbing down tactical party based combat into 1 character action hack n slash. I remember starting to despair about the game when the tribal creatures started getting insane. Merfolk got pretty ridiculous at one point but there was one I think called Allies where you just play like 5 creatures and each one becomes huge and gives each other flying, trample, first strike, etc. It is so hurr durr. And they always manage to release a set that is even more over the top. I remember that Emrakul that had protection from almost everything, 15/15 flying, cant be countered, and makes you exile several permanents when it attacks. And of course people were sneaking out on turn 3 or whatever.

I actually like uber cards but I think they need to be more careful about looking at a format as a whole. They must know that when "All that Glitters" already exists, then they go and add a million 1 mana artifacts and enchantments and even creatures that are enchantments, it is destined to end up with turn 3 winning shenanigans with hexproof and indestructible. Imo that's like a waste of MTG.

 

[Jason Liang]

the problem mostly exists in standard. Meanwhile vintage is the healthiest it's ever been

 

[anvi]

Really? I haven't played Vintage for ages. I love the billion cards to choose from but again I didn't like getting blasted to death by a Charbelcher or something on turn 2. But if Standard is gonna be like that then I should maybe play some Vintage again.

 

[Jason Liang]

Watch the North American Vintage Championships from a few months ago. Looks like a blast (I don't mean Charbelcher).

 

[lobsterfrogman]

Some decks are such fucking lameness. Like that Rakdos one which starts with Fervant Champion, uses Drill Bit or something to make you discard too, then Rotting Regisaur on turn 3, and attacks with Embercleave on it for 16 damage next turn. I don't get why people even play if that's what they are going to do. Press 1234 to win the game.

Emrakul that had protection from almost everything, 15/15 flying, cant be countered, and makes you exile several permanents when it attacks. And of course people were sneaking out on turn 3 or whatever.

Aggro bad, combo bad. You want to play control mirrors all day? From what I read it seems you have problem with games ending too fast, so maybe try some underpowered formats like limited?

 

[Uncreation]

I remember that Emrakul that had protection from almost everything, 15/15 flying, cant be countered, and makes you exile several permanents when it attacks. And of course people were sneaking out on turn 3 or whatever.

You can do that in Modern, but that's not really a top deck at the moment. And it never dominated the format, it was just another deck among many others, with good and bad match-ups.

 

[anvi]

Some decks are such fucking lameness. Like that Rakdos one which starts with Fervant Champion, uses Drill Bit or something to make you discard too, then Rotting Regisaur on turn 3, and attacks with Embercleave on it for 16 damage next turn. I don't get why people even play if that's what they are going to do. Press 1234 to win the game.

Emrakul that had protection from almost everything, 15/15 flying, cant be countered, and makes you exile several permanents when it attacks. And of course people were sneaking out on turn 3 or whatever.

Aggro bad, combo bad. You want to play control mirrors all day? From what I read it seems you have problem with games ending too fast, so maybe try some underpowered formats like limited?

I don't mind aggro, as long as it doesn't win before my board wipe shows up

I remember that Emrakul that had protection from almost everything, 15/15 flying, cant be countered, and makes you exile several permanents when it attacks. And of course people were sneaking out on turn 3 or whatever.

You can do that in Modern, but that's not really a top deck at the moment. And it never dominated the format, it was just another deck among many others, with good and bad match-ups.

Yeah but in standard it was pretty wtf. I used to keep one in my deck to break mill decks.

 

[illuknisaa]

"I don't mind aggro as long as it loses"

 

[Jason Liang]

I don't mind control as long as I draw enough freebooters to yank all the boardwipes

(actually muh pirates destroyed control)

the problem with depending on boardwipes to save you is that you're fucked against control if your wipe gets discarded/ exiled/ countered.

Yeah but in standard it was pretty wtf. I used to keep one in my deck to break mill decks.

Solidarity mills you THROUGH Emrakul

(when Emrakul's trigger is on the stack, you just cast another mill effect to mill the rest of the library, and then cast Blu Sun's Zenith for the win. Emrakul's trigger never gets to resolve)

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[anvi]

I don't mind control as long as I draw enough freebooters to yank all the boardwipes

(actually muh pirates destroyed control)

the problem with depending on boardwipes to save you is that you're fucked against control if your wipe gets discarded/ exiled/ countered.

Yeah but in standard it was pretty wtf. I used to keep one in my deck to break mill decks.

Solidarity mills you THROUGH Emrakul

(when Emrakul's trigger is on the stack, you just cast another mill effect to mill the rest of the library, and then cast Blu Sun's Zenith for the win. Emrakul's trigger never gets to resolve)

I never saw that sort of power in standard for mill, except for the Painter's Servant combo. I think the only one that used to mill past my eldrazi was Extirpate which could exile it from the gy as it was on the stack.

 

[Jason Liang]

actually something like Rest in Peace/ Helm of Obedience skirts Emrakul completely since Emrakul never even hits the graveyard, straight to exile.

 

[Dawkinsfan69]

how r u guyz already done with drafts? Are you poor or live in a basement?

I saved 100k gold and need to brace myself for marathon to go through it. Also it appears that mastery gives draft tokens which is quite cool

I only had like 45k because I uninstalled for around 2 months after eldraine came out and I literally just marathon drafted over the weekend. I also had something like 10k gems from prior drafts and spent those all on sealed and trad draft the previous weekend lol... Sealed is a really good way to get rares fast if you have gems laying around.

100k gold is gonna take a while to get through have fun with that

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Can't remember if anyone brought this up in here since it's relatively old news, but I'll mention it again since I saw my email for it again.

https://magic.gg/events/magic-world-championship-xxvi

Go there, slap in the email you use for MTGA, pick some nerd. Worst case scenario you get a sleeve and a rare ICR. Best case scenario you get an obnoxious pet to send your opponents into an uncontrollable rage with alongside 6 rare ICRs.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[new fucking guy]

I picked kanister cause I like his stream and he promised irl ygo battles

 

[Uncreation]

I don't mind aggro, as long as it doesn't win before my board wipe shows up

Lol, in other words:

"I don't mind aggro as long as it loses"

Yeah but in standard it was pretty wtf. I used to keep one in my deck to break mill decks.

I don't remember any deck putting the 15 mana Emrakul in play on turn 3 in standard.

Can't remember if anyone brought this up in here since it's relatively old news, but I'll mention it again since I saw my email for it again.

https://magic.gg/events/magic-world-championship-xxvi

Go there, slap in the email you use for MTGA, pick some nerd. Worst case scenario you get a sleeve and a rare ICR. Best case scenario you get an obnoxious pet to send your opponents into an uncontrollable rage with alongside 6 rare ICRs.

Cool, thanks! I'm thinking about picking Levy just because i kinda like the guy.