Magic and Gathering Cards Every New Player Should Know Before Building Their First Deck
Building your first deck? Exciting. Also a bit chaotic, if we are being real. There are thousands of Magic and Gathering Cards out there, and picking the right ones without any guidance is like walking into a library and being told to find one specific book with no title, no author, nothing.
We have been there. Most players have. Here is what actually matters.
Start Here: Know Your Card Types
This is the part most guides rush through. Do not rush through it.
Every Magic and Gathering Card belongs to a type. Each type does something different in your deck. Miss this foundation and deck-building gets confusing fast.
The seven types to know:
- Lands: Produce mana. No mana, no cards played. Simple as that.
- Creatures: They fight. They block. They win you games.
- Instants: Playable anytime. At any time, even when an opponent takes their turn. Sneaky and useful.
- Sorceries: Large effects only on your turn.
- Enchantments: Wait and continue to do things.
- Artefacts: Tools, equipment, support cards.
- Planeswalkers: Powerful allies with repeating abilities.
Spend time here before anything else. Genuinely. It saves a lot of confusion later.
Cards That Actually Matter When Starting Out
- Basic Lands
Forests. Plains. Islands. Mountains. Swamps. These five are the backbone of every Gathering Card Deck. Pick one or two colours for your first build. Three or more colours cause mana problems that will frustrate you before the game even gets going.
- Removal Spells
Cards that get rid of threats. New players skip these. Big mistake, honestly. One well-timed removal spell can flip a game that looked completely lost. Keep some in every deck.
- Card Draw
Running low on cards in hand is one of the quickest ways to fall behind. A few card draw spells keep things moving. They keep options open. Worth including always.
- Creatures With Upside
A 2/2 creature for two mana that also draws a card when it enters the battlefield? That is two effects for one card. We call that value. Look for creatures that do more than just sit there with stats. They make decks stronger without taking extra slots.
Why Testing with Proxies Is Actually Brilliant
Here is something most beginner guides completely ignore.
Before spending money on real singles, testing a full Gathering Card Deck with proxies is one of the sharpest decisions a new player can make. No financial pressure, no regret after buying the wrong cards.
Proxy Printers carries over 101,000 Magic and Gathering Cards as premium proxies, printed on quality card stock right in the US. What we like about it:
- Test entire decks before committing any real budget
- Try expensive or rare cards without the cost
- Experiment with strategies freely, change direction anytime
- Free shipping on orders over $45
It shifts the focus from worrying about money to actually learning the game. That matters a lot more than people realise when starting.
Practical Tips Before Building Anything
Keep these close:
- 60 cards total. Not 65, not 70. Sixty.
- Start with 24 lands. Adjust slightly based on how expensive your spells are.
- One or two colours only, at first. Consistency beats variety early on.
- Add at least 8 to 10 interaction spells like removal or counters.
- Run three or four copies of good cards rather than one copy of twenty different ones.
Build Smart, Learn Fast, Play Better
Every skilled player started right where we are now. Curious. A little lost. Figuring it out card by card.
The ones who improve fastest are not necessarily the most talented. They prepare. They test decks before spending. They understand the basics properly before chasing complex strategies.
Knowing your card types, keeping your Gathering Card Deck consistent, and using quality proxies from Proxy Printers to test before buying real cards are three habits that genuinely change how quickly the game clicks.
Build something. Play it properly. Learn what works. Then build something better.
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