MTG @mtgzone.com robotsheepboy @lemmy.world 1y ago

key cards a beginner should know

I'm very new to mtg and have only been playing arena a little, but I've ordered some physical decks. I was wondering if there were some famous cards that a beginner should know? For any reason really, gameplay, lore, etc.

Thanks in advance!

PS. is there anything like the Reddit bot that fetches the cards here?

15 comments

Lightning Bolt, Counterspell, Swords to Plowshares, Cultivate, Dark Ritual
- Probably the card design categories as well, since if you know a lot of the categories you know what strategies to expect, or even build.
  
  Things like
  
  Removal - spells and abilities that get rid of permanents you don't like
  
  Board wipes - cards that clear the board of all creatures (including your own), and sometimes other permanents too.
  
  Ramp - cards that get your more mana than you're usually "supposed" to have at a stage in the game.
  
  Card Draw - spells or abilities with the magic words "draw a card", or something similar
  
  Looting - spells and abilities that discard a number of cards and draw a number of cards.
  
  Wheels - spells that discard your entire hand and draw a number of number of cards.
  
  Cantrips - a minor effect with the words "draw a card" tacked onto it.
  
  Xerox spells - 1-2 mana Cantrips with the only effect being some library manipulation + "draw a card". Usually blue.
  
  Counters - spells and abilities with the magic words "counter target spell", sometimes with a condition for the counter. Usually blue.
  
  Beaters - big creatures
  
  Mill cards - cards that put the top card(s) of someone's libraries into your graveyard.
  
  Reanimators - cards that drag a creature from a graveyard to the battlefield
  
  Clones - cards that enter as a copy of something
  
  Tribal - cards that care about creature types, like goblins, angels, etc.
  
  Burn - spells and abilities that directly damage your opponents. Usually red.
  
  Stax - cards that interfere with the normal plans of both you and each of your opponents, hopefully your opponents a lot more
  
  Tutors - spells and abilities that search for a specific card in your library
  
  Fog effects - spells and abilities that prevent all damage for a turn, usually from creatures.
  
  Any I'm missing?
  
  So I asked for something like this a week ago on Reddit and just got downvoted and told it didn't exist (but I knew it must!) So thank you very much, if I could upvote you more than once I would!
  
  Other categories I can think of would be "Looting" and "Rummaging", which are cards with the effects "draw a card, then discard a card" or "discard a card, then draw a card" respectively, and "flicker/blink" which exiles a card and then brings it back either immediately or at the end of turn. Also possibly "eggs", cheap artifacts, often 1 mana, that you crack for an effect.
Like @[email protected] said it’s definitely dependent on what format you want to play given just how massive the card pool is!

A couple other lists that might help though:

Iconic Masters was a set with a lot of well known/famous cards from MTG’a history: https://scryfall.com/sets/ima?as=grid&order=set

MTG Goldfish has lists of the most popular cards in each format: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/format-staples/standard

There are a bunch of cards that have been reprinted since the early days that are definitely common and iconic. For new players, cards like Llanowar Elves, Counterspell, Swords to Plowshares, Lightning Bolt, Dark Ritual, Duress, Giant Growth, Brainstorm, Serra Angel, etc are all classics.
- Oh cool, thanks I'll definitely take a look at those links, much appreciated
I believe someone is working on a bot that fetches cards but it isn't up and running yet.

As for iconic/famous cards it does depend on what format you are interested it. Andrew's comment had some cards that are very well known and from early in the game's history. There are also the power 9 or P9 that are some of the strongest and most expensive cards in the game. It includes Black Lotus which is arguably the best card ever printed. Later on in Modern and Legacy you have cards that defined the format like Snapcaster Mage, Liliana of the Veil, Dark Confidant (also called Bob), and Tarmogoyf. Sakura Tribe Elder (Steve for short) for a long time was a commander staple. Delver of Secrets is still a card in legacy that has a whole archetype named after it.
- That's cool, thank you!
I guess what cards you want really depend on format. But if you just talking about some iconic cards that are not on the reserved list you got lightning bolt and counter spell for sure
This link will show you all cards in the game sorted by their popularity in the EDH/Commander Format. It's doesn't break it down by other formats but I think it's a good start.

https://scryfall.com/search?q=power>-10+sort%3Aedhrec&unique=cards&as=grid&order=name
- That's very cool, thanks
Counterspell

Lightning Bolt

Shivan Dragon

Sun Titan

Rampant Growth

Path to Exile

Armageddon

Delver of Secrets

Dark Confidant

Omnath, Locus of Mana

Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
Welcome to Magic!

You can look up jargon words on this wiki.
STORM CROW

oh and sol ring and command tower if you play commander I guess

15 comments