If one thing can be said about Magic: the Gathering, it’s that it’s a complicated game. I remember when I first got into Magic, and it felt like I was learning rocket science or something.
I spent hours watching YouTube videos explaining how to play and reading articles intended for beginners. It still took me seemingly an exhaustive amount of time to get the hang of.
That’s exactly why I want to make things easier for you if you’re a beginner. If you’re not sure where to begin, we’ll be suggesting the best MTG sets for new players, as well as answering some basic beginning buyer FAQs.
Best MTG Sets for Beginners
M19
Let’s start by saying you’re going to see a lot of recent core sets on this list. Core sets are naturally excellent for beginners, and M19 is no exception. (If you’re reading this article in the future, consider looking for even more recent core sets.)
Beyond being beginner-friendly, though, this one is a great pick for anyone who loves dragons. It includes Nicol Bolas, the Ravager, one of the most powerful Bolas cards ever printed…and it flips into a planeswalker.
Furthermore, the set included other elder dragons cards, which made it especially popular. Grab it if you or your friends would be interested in building dragon-themed decks.
Pros:
- Includes one of the most powerful Nicol Bolas cards.
- Strong dragon theme throughout the set.
- It can be much more affordable than older sets.
Cons:
- One of the most popular cards from the set, Nexus of Fate, was only available as a Buy-a-Box promo, which resulted in it becoming extremely expensive.
Are you into vampires? Why not check out our list of the best MTG sets for vampires?
M20
We’re following up one core set with the one immediately after: M20. This set, among many other things, could be called “the Chandra set” for sure, given that it features multiple Chandra planeswalkers in it. She made it onto our list of hottest planeswalkers in MTG, so if you’re interested in her, be sure to grab a box of M20.
What we really liked about it is that it included multi-colored cards and legendary creatures, which are both things you don’t always see a lot in core sets. For that reason, you could argue that it’s a bit more complicated than others. However, we also think that this is what could make it a great set if you’re a beginner looking to get into Commander.
Pros:
- Perfect set for Chandra fans, since it features her prominently in the art.
- Includes multi-colored lands and legendary creatures, so you can use it to make some of your first Commander decks.
- Has some very powerful cards individually, like Field of the Dead.
Cons:
- The presence of multi-colored cards could make it more complicated for beginners.
- It hasn’t held its value financially very well.
M21
At the time of writing this post (November 2020), M21 was the most recent core set to come out. That’s exactly why we included it on this list – since it’s more recent, it will be much easier to get your hands on than previous sets.
If Chandra was the star of the previous set, then Teferi is the lead role in this one. Not only is he on the box, but there are three alternate art versions of the Teferi, Master of Time card in it.
More recent sets also tend to be more affordable. This could be a great option for you to grab if you’re on a budget.
Pros:
- Features Teferi prominently, so be sure to get this set if you’re a fan.
- May be easier to find than older sets.
- Introduces a few new card types, including Dogs (which were previously most closely represented by Hounds).
- An overall very unique core set.
Cons:
- The Temple lands, despite taking up rare slots that could go to better cards, are surprisingly weak.
Jumpstart
Jumpstart is, without a doubt, the most interesting set on this list. The idea behind it is that you could take any two booster packs and make them a 40-card deck, kind of like making a draft deck.
If building a deck is something you’re nervous about, this is the perfect set for you. You don’t really need to make a deck from scratch – you can just take any two boosters and combine them.
There are also some really powerful cards in this set. If you get into the game and keep playing for years, there is always the chance you’ll pull a strong card you could use to play in an eternal (non-rotating) format.
Pros:
- You don’t need to build a deck if you get a box of this set.
- There are some very strong cards printed in Jumpstart.
- The packs each reflect fun themes that make playing entertaining. (It also leads to some odd combinations!)
Cons:
- Because there are powerful cards in the set, it can be expensive to purchase a box.
- There are no foil cards in the set.
What Makes a Set Beginner-Friendly?
So, why did we choose a combination of mostly core sets and Jumpstart?
One thing we factored in is how easy it is to get a hold of the sets in question. Older sets can be more difficult to find not only because stores often won’t have them in stock but also because they tend to appreciate in value. This is why always looking for recent core sets is a good idea when you’re just getting into the game.
Another reason why we chose core sets is because most of them have reminder text. There are many different key words and abilities in Magic that have a huge impact on the game. It’s not going to be easy on you or any new players you’re introducing to the game if you have to stop and look up various words online, like Flash, for example.
Reminder text keeps you from having to do that. Cards with reminder text on them will have a brief description of what each ability the card has does.
Finally, we chose an abundance of core sets because they’re fairly basic. Keep in mind that basic doesn’t mean weak, it just means that the sets are simple.
Honorable Mentions
You don’t have to stick with entire booster boxes or even particular sets if you’re a beginner. While buying a booster box can simplify the process if you want to give your Magic collection a jumpstart, we feel there are a few other products worth considering:
- Deck builder’s toolkits
- Challenger decks
- Game Night
- MTG Card Bundles
We’ll discuss each of these in a bit more detail below.
Deck Builder’s Toolkits
If you’re on a budget and don’t want to invest in an entire box just yet, a Deck Builder’s Toolkit is a great pick. You’ll get a small number of booster packs and a set of over 100 individual cards. On top of that, you’ll get a pack of lands – essentially everything you need to build a couple decks.
Still don’t know where to begin? That’s okay, too, because the toolkits include these small rule books that help guide you through building a deck.
They also tend to be really affordable. For all you get in them, they are a good value.
Challenger Decks
If you liked the look of Jumpstart because of its easy “deckbuilding” design but are on a budget, Challenger Decks are a good alternative. They include decks that have been built for you and are suitable for the Standard format.
Each Challenger deck includes one pre-made 60-card main deck with a 15-card sideboard. They’re all themed around strategies that are competitive in Standard at their time of release. This means, of course, that they’re only legal in Standard until the format rotates to new cards.
In other words, you’ll need to get the newest Challenger boxes possible to be sure of their legality. However, you could certainly still get older ones if you’re playing an eternal format and just keep the cards for use in other decks or for casual play.
Game Night
Getting a Magic: the Gathering Game Night box is almost like buying a board game for MTG. Everything in them is self-contained right out of the box – you don’t need to get anything else.
In the box, you’ll get five pre-constructed decks, as well as life counters. Just choose the deck you want to take control of and start playing – it’s as simple as that.
Even if you’re not a beginner yourself, this is one of the easiest ways to introduce a group of newbies to the game. You won’t need to make decks for everyone because you’ll have a few pre-made ones already on hand.
Assorted Magic: the Gathering Card Bundles
Assorted Magic card bundles aren’t really official Wizards of the Coast merchandise, but you’ll often find them at local gaming stores or online. What we mean by “assorted” card bundles is bulk boxes of cards for an affordable price, usually because they don’t have anything particularly rare in them.
For instance, the one we’ve linked to above has 1,000 cards in. It includes 950 commons and uncommons; 25 rares; and 25 rares, foils, or promo cards.
You’re getting a lot for a decent price. Even if these cards are not incredibly rare or valuable, it gives your collection a nice boost and provides you plenty of cards to experiment with.
You can also consider getting one of these if you’re an experienced player looking to teach some new players. It’s inexpensive and gives you tons of cards to teach them deck-building skills with.
Beginner Buying FAQs
What do I need to buy to get into Magic?
If you do any searching online, you’ll find tons of products out there related to Magic: the Gathering. Unless you’re already familiar with the game, deciding what you actually need can seem impossible.
So assuming you’re a novice, what do you absolutely need to buy? Technically, aside from the cards, you don’t need anything. But there are some things that are nice to have, especially if you’re going to be expanding your collection.
Life counters are always helpful. They’re available in a variety of formats, but most commonly as spin-down dice that you rotate to reflect your current life total.
Sleeves are also never a bad idea. Sleeves are plastic cases you slide over your cards to protect them from harm and to indicate that they’re all part of a deck. How many sleeves you need is up to you, but we recommend having enough to encase all your decks and any particularly valuable cards you’re storing. If you don’t like plain colors for your sleeves, there are plenty with art on them you can purchase to set your cards apart.
If you’re going to build a lot of decks, consider getting some deck boxes, too. As the name implies, you use them to store all the cards for a single deck in one convenient place. Like with sleeves, deck boxes are available in a variety of colors and patterns. If you dislike solid colors, look for deck boxes centered around your interests.
Some players also like having playmats. These are mats you rest your cards on while you’re playing. They look nice and protect your cards from coming into contact with dirty surfaces. However, you don’t need playmats to play a game, and there’s no reason you can’t just set your cards on the table if it’s clean. Like with other Magic accessories, playmats are available in a variety of patterns and colors.
What is the best MTG set to buy?
Because there are so many options out there, it’s kind of difficult to define one MTG set as “best” over all others. The “best” would depend specifically on what you’re looking to get out of the set.
If you like specific tribes, we’ve written quite a few posts about sets that are best for various creature types. We have a post about the best MTG sets for goblins, a post about the best MTG sets for knights, a post about the best MTG sets for elves, and a post about the best MTG sets for angels.
Looking for the most powerful MTG set of all time? That’s up for debate, but many would argue that Urza’s block and, of course, the first Magic sets printed are up there. The problem with these sets is that they’re old and rare, so good luck finding boosters for them. Boxes are virtually impossible to find, too.
What about the best sets to get for long-term value? Many people invest in Magic cards just like the stock market, after all. That’s another tough question to answer, but generally valuable sets are those that include very powerful or rare cards. Often, those qualities overlap. Worldwake is an excellent option, but it’s old, hard to find, and expensive.
At the end of the day, when it comes to the “best” MTG set to buy overall, we’d like to offer a simpler answer: the best set is the one that’s both affordable for you and fits in with your preferred themes. These are things you might not learn until you’ve gained some experience.
What MTG card should I buy first?
With all the cards available to players today, a common question beginners have is, which card should they buy first?
It’s easy to get confused when you’re first getting into something. In a nutshell, the answer to that question is that there isn’t one specific card you should buy before you buy any others.
Magic: the Gathering requires you to build whole decks of cards. You can’t exactly build a deck with a single card. Rather than getting one to start with, we recommend getting booster packs, boxes, or bundles initially to ensure you have enough to make a deck to play with.
How can I introduce new players to the game?
If you’re an experienced player looking to bring friends into the fold, you have a whole different set of challenges to consider. You could just make decks for all your friends to play with, assuming you have the cards and time to make beginner-friendly decks.
Don’t worry if that leaves you feeling overwhelmed, though. Game Night is an excellent way to introduce newcomers to the game because it’s self-contained and won’t require you to make decks. Just open the box, have your friends choose which deck they want, and start playing.
Another great option is to consider getting an assorted Magic card bundle. You’ll get hundreds of cards that aren’t valuable, so you won’t need to worry about them being damaged while your group attempts to build their first decks. This is perfect for newbies who are willing to get more in-depth and try deck-building right away.
Wrap Up
We understand as well as anyone that Magic: the Gathering can feel like looking at the entrance to a deep, endless labyrinth. Overwhelming doesn’t even begin to describe how it feels sometimes.
The old saying, however, is that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Magic can definitely be intimidating, but you’re not going to make any progress until you take that first small baby step into it.
If you asked us to recommend one set above all the others in this post in terms of best for beginners, we’d probably go with Jumpstart. It allows you to combine literally any two booster packs to make a 40-card deck. Short of just buying a pre-built deck, deck-building doesn’t get any easier.