Learn Magic: The Gathering one pixel at a time
Every card on this page is real, loaded live from Scryfall.
1 · The five colours & mana
Spells cost mana. You get it by tapping (turning sideways) lands. Each basic land makes one mana of its colour. You may play one land per turn. A cost like 3WW means "three mana of any colour plus two white".
2 · Anatomy of a card
Every Magic card is laid out the same way. Select a number to highlight that part of Serra Angel.
Select a part of the card to learn what it does.
3 · Card types
The type line tells you when you can play a card and what it does once it's out. Cards that stay on the battlefield are called permanents.
4 · A turn, step by step
Every turn follows the same order. Select a step, or use the arrow keys.
5 · Worked combat example
You attack with Colossal Dreadmaw (6/6, trample). Your opponent blocks with Grizzly Bears (2/2). What happens?
YOU
OPPONENT
Press NEXT to begin combat.
6 · Keyword glossary
Keywords are shorthand for common abilities. Learn these and you can read most creatures.
7 · Deckbuilding & formats
THE 60-CARD RECIPE
- 60 cards minimum (more just makes you less consistent).
- ~24 lands (40%). Fewer than 22 and you'll get stuck. More than 26 and you'll run out of spells.
- ~16 creatures, ~20 other spells.
- No more than 4 copies of any card except basic lands.
- Start with one or two colours.
- The mana curve is how many spells you have at each cost. Keep most at 2–3 mana so you can do something every turn.
MANA CURVE TOY
Add or remove spells at each cost. Mox will grade your curve.
FORMATS
| FORMAT | DECK | LIFE | GOOD FOR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 60+ cards, only recent sets, max 4 copies | 20 | Shops, events and MTG Arena. Changes as new sets come out. |
| Commander | Exactly 100 cards, one copy of each (except basic lands), led by a legendary creature | 40 | Casual games with 3–5 friends. The most popular way to play. |
| Draft | Open packs, pick one card at a time, pass the rest, build a 40-card deck (~17 lands) | 20 | Learning on an even footing. Nobody brings a deck. |
8 · Play & practise
RANDOM CARD
Draw a random real card from all of Magic's history.