Best way to start deck building?
Asked by nani75185 14 years ago
I have been teaching more players to learn how to play recently. Currently I have at least 5 decks I've built floating around with my friends. So in your opinion what is the best way to learn how to play and learn about Magic? I will admit i started with four boosters and some basic land, and had a rainbow deck. So how would you tell a newcomer how to get a deck?
What I do is I teach them using my decks. Once they get the general concept down I help them build a simple deck, usually with cards I have or if they want to spend the money on a started deck. Once they have their own deck to use I try to teach them strategy like waiting until then end of your opponents turn to use a Pulse of the Grid for example, that way you're not tapped out during their turn so they think you might have a Counterspell .
September 20, 2010 12:35 p.m.
Hmm. Honestly, I would point towards the core set stuff, Have a few pre-built decks ready, and then show them how to play the game, and sit back and watch as they make their own decks later on if they decide that they like the game enough to spend some cash on it. Of course, I would use the spare commons and uncommons to help the newbie out if they are willing to spend the time (and money) deckbuilding. but it's a question more so on how that person breaks into the game and also how quickly they pick up the basic's.
By basics, there are the cards, and how those cards interact on their turns.
Once they get their heads around that, I then move onto the trickier stuff such as instants and how they interact on this thing called a 'stack'.
then after that, I go into the whole thing about mana curve, colour, and how they interact with the game.
By then usually if a person gets this far they would have picked up enough to start making their own choices, and deckbuilding for that person becomes a much easier thing to acheive. All I do is provide pointers and suggestions :)
September 20, 2010 1:08 p.m.
When I first got started (which was actually very recently) I watched a game between two of my friends. I got a feel for the game and how to play it from them, and then went out and bought the $20 Deckbuilder's Toolkit. From there, I was explained basic ideas of how decks should be built, looked at what I had, and built a deck from there, with the help of my friends. If I could use cards they weren't using, they were given to me on the condition that I'd get em back.
That's how I started playing, worked pretty well IMO.
September 20, 2010 3:30 p.m.
nammertime says... #5
squire1 nailed it. You gotta teach how to play before teaching how to build.
My teaching order:
Teach card types and color concepts.
Explain timing (the gist of turn order and priority).
Play simple decks. Preconstructed ones work, but I'd just construct even simpler ones.
Show basics of mana curve.
Help construct a simple deck (using whatever method).
Play your simple deck vs. their simple deck.
Show off one of your awesome decks, haha.
That's about it. I'm pretty sure any person who's gone through these steps and has shown themselves capable during each one of them can then learn to just build on their own (there's obviously a learning process and such, but you know, they're on their way).
September 20, 2010 8:07 p.m.
DeckBuilder345 says... #6
Yeah you have to play a few games with them in order to give them a feel for how this thing works, and why they should pick up the game. For this process either use decks you have or get some duel decks.
As to the deck building process. A deckbuilders tool kit could be a good idea. Duel decks are also tend to be a decent start place. But truly you have to find out what kind of player they are before you help them build a deck.
So i like the idea of doing a sealed deck building competition between you and them, and help them learn deck building that way by showing them things to consider. Then they can supplement what they build w/ that deckbuilders toolkit if they like it or go in a different direction. The toolkit suggests several different archetypes that can be build with the cards in it so that can be a real nice little sheet to look at to give them some ideas. But you have to figure out what color / colors they like, or mechanics they enjoy before you can really help them build a deck.
September 20, 2010 8:21 p.m.
Is this a topic that would make a good article series. Like a how to for true newbs (by this I mean players who have been playing for like a week or have never played and want to learn). I mean a new player will never read the comprehensive rules and understand them.
September 21, 2010 12:12 p.m.
SupremeAlliesCommander says... #8
I agree with much of what has been written already, but I'll add a few ideas.
- Teaching them the rules is nice, and necessary, but more important than that is developing a passion for the game. If they enjoy the game, they will work on their own to learn the details.
- Start with a single card type. I recommend creatures. They're nice and easy to understand. Build two decks, preferably green and only about 20 cards tall. Use relatively simple cards like Llanowar Elves and Grizzly Bears . Include a few cards with abilities, like Deathtouch and Trample. Play against them using a similar deck. Include a simple fatty like Yavimaya Wurm in their deck. A Timmy card like this will build some of that passion. Play open-hand using a similar deck until they get the hang of creatures.
- Add more cards to each pile of 20. I'm thinking Sorceries and Enchantments. Overrun is good as are many of the recent umbras. Play again.
- Now add instants. The stack is a simple concept, but tricky to manipulate. Add cards like Giant Growth to the student's green deck, but this time switch your deck over to a preconstructed red deck. Use cards like Lightning Bolt plus a bunch of hasty creatures in your red deck. Bolt one of their creatures and let them use Giant Growth to save it. That's a simple stack lesson. Use the red deck to introduce a new color theme and new keywords.
- As you play these games, ask them which card is their favorite, least favorite, etc. This helps uncover how they see the cards working and can uncover misunderstandings about the mechanics.
Finally, cover color themes, review all the card types, and play using multicolored decks and different colors.
September 21, 2010 12:48 p.m.
1) EAT A BURGER 2) COME UP WITH AN IDEA 1 HOUR BEFORE FNM 3) GO 3-2
September 21, 2010 10:09 p.m.
nammertime says... #11
@squire1 : I think having any type of 'how to' article would help, so my answer is yes to your question.
September 22, 2010 2:17 a.m.
SpaceNinja says... #12
The best way used to be to build a green deck with a bunch of bears and other creatures with little or no ability text, add some Giant Growth s for when they are ready to learn about Instants, and just play with them.
Nowadays, the PC game Duels of the Planeswalkers is a great way to learn because it teaches them step order, and they can continue to learn at their own pace and come to you with questions.
The main problem with teaching Magic is that people try to show off by throwing too much information at the learner. "This 2/2 deals me two damage" and someone else says "unless you activate his Firebreathing ability" and someone else says "which means pay a red to get an extra point of power" and someone else says "and you can do that as often as you have mana for", and by this time the learner is like WTF I'm still unsure which is power and which is toughness.
Also what is fun is if you describe the flavor of each color, and they can pick which one colors they want to play based on that, so they feel a connection to the game right off. For instance if they say they like fire and brutality, you recommend red and green. If they say they like tricky spells and kill spells, you recommend blue and black. Then they will start to feel the flavor of the colors, which is half of the fun of the game - knowing which things each color does well and how it's flavorfully represented in the game world.
There are also all kinds of videos on Wizards.com and the internet with tutorials and whatnot. There should be no trouble finding material.
But teach them right! Teach them lessons like: If you play too many counterspells, you might get punched. :)
September 24, 2010 3:03 p.m.
i find it better not to teach how to deck build. i learned through trial and error. if a deck i built didnt work well in my mind, id scrap it or find a better way to build it. deck building isnt something u teach. it comes with time and playing experience. thts just my opinion.
squire1 says... Accepted answer #1
i think that there are two major skills your are debating with here: 1.) mechanics/rules and 2.) construction. They are not the same and in my opinion should not be taught at the same time because there are tons of perspectives and versions of both.
Whenever I have taught people how to play, I review with them the card typesfirst and basically what each one means. I then hand them a simple deck that I have. I explain how the card types apply. Then we play an open hand game, if it arises I explain synergies along the way, and make them announce each step to get used to it. We play through a couple of games non-open-handed.
If the person seems to get the game I offer to play them in a sealed deck game. At which point I help them build their deck, starting to show them the concepts of balance and synergy and mana curve. Deckbuilding is a much harder skill than playing, so I do it second.
Think about it this way, you can play using a great deck without being the best player. You can't build the best deck without being a great player. So learning how to play comes before trying to build a deck.
September 20, 2010 12:31 p.m.