It’s a great time to be an Avatar fan, with so much new content being released! We got the live action Netflix adaptation, there’s a new movie (The Legend of Aang) coming soon, and the franchise is about to make its debut in the legendary trading card game, Magic the Gathering.
If you want to try it out yourself, but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place. Below you’ll find how to begin playing this iconic (yet complex) card game. The whole guide is fitted for someone who is an ATLA fan — it’ll provide ways to explore the game however you’d like be it in-dept or just to have some fun with the new Avatar cards.
Learning the Game
So, the first step is to learn the game. You have a couple of options here, as you can either learn the game online or in-person.
Online
Magic has two digital clients. Magic Online, which is the older one, and its age really shows. On the flip side, there’s Magic Arena, a much more modern client, and great for beginners.
Once you open the client for the first time, you get started right away with an amazing tutorial, which will teach you all the basic rules quickly.
Thus, Arena is by far the best way to learn the game on your own. (Plus it’s free-to-play.) However, it can be more fun if another player teaches you with actual cards.
In-Person
If you’ve got a friend who already plays the game, just ask them to teach you — we Magic players are always excited to have another person to play the game with.
But what if you don’t know anyone who plays Magic? Well, then it’s time to contact your local game store. You can find all that host Magic events with the Wizards’ Store Locator.
Most stores host events to teach new players, and occasionally even offer freebies to beginners, such as Welcome decks. Additionally, there’s probably a regular group of Magic players in the store, who’ll be happy to show you the ropes if you ask.
However, there’s also a way to learn the game on your own, without a digital client and with Avatar cards. That possible due to this brand-new product:
Avatar Beginner’s Box: Best Product to Start With
As the name suggests, this is a product aimed for beginners. What’s awesome is that it really succeeds at that for multiple reasons.
First great thing is its low price. With MSRP of around $30, it’s the cheapest MTG Avatar product. This gives you a way to try the game, and
Second, the game comes with a unique rules book that guides you through your first game of Magic. You learn as you play the game, which is a great way to learn.
Third, the contents enable great game play, and can be used as a self-contained board game. This can be the only Magic product you ever buy, and can be used for your game nights.
Contents
Each Avatar Beginner’s Box comes with the same 10 half-decks. You shuffle two of these together, you opponent does the same, and you’re ready to play. It’s possible to mix-and-match these however you prefer which offers a lot of replayability.
Two of these are pre-shuffled in order to provide a guided first game. In these two decks you’ll find none other than Aang and Zuko.
You can find out more about Avatar Beginner’s Box contents here.
Other Avatar Products
There are a lot of other Avatar MTG products, but you really need just the Beginner’s Box to get the taste for the game and figure whether you like it or not.
Here’s an overview of the other options, if that’s something you’d be interested in:
- Play boosters (Boosters with a random assortment of cards, 1 guaranteed rare per booster. These can be used to draft.)
- Jumpstart boosters (Similar to the Beginners’ Box boosters, but potentially containing more valuable and powerful cards.)
- Collector Boosters (The priciest boosters, with 5 rares per pack. All cards are in foil or use alternate-art.)
- Regular Bundle (Contains 9 Play boosters, some basic lands, and accessories.)
- Commander’s Bundle (Similar to regular version, but with Collector booster, and better promo cards.)
- Scene Boxes (Comes with 6 exclusive cards that create a picture when aligned. A few Play boosters are also included.)
Conclusion
Hopefully, you no know how to start with the amazing game that is Magic the Gathering. If you’re on the fence on whether to try it or not — I personally can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s been going strong for more than 30 years for a reason. Plus, now it’s got a bunch of your favorite characters in it.
Anyhow, you can learn more about Avatar set here. If you have some questions about how to start, or anything else related to the game, leave a comment below, I’ll get back to you ASAP.