Do we need a new beginner product?
The Kitchen Table forum
Posted on March 20, 2021, 6:45 p.m. by shadow63
Magic doesn't really have a product that a new player can grab off the shelf and start jamming out games right away. We had planeswalker decks but wotc canceled them and theres no longer deck builders tool kits either. So if someone wants to get into magic what can they buy? They can't buy theme boosters and play with them without getting land from somewhere. We have the annual challanger decks but those are probably too complex for brand new players. We have the new commander decks but it starting off with edh just seems like itd confuse a new player. Sorry if I'm rambling but What are your thoughts on this?
Not everyone starts playing the game at an lgs or has an lgs that they could start at
March 20, 2021 8:43 p.m.
I think there's space for a full starter set, something like Portal 4 (but it probably wouldn't be called that). The original Portal had weird terminology (intercept? "Any one" instead of target? Fake instants?), and Portal Three Kingdoms introduced a new ability that only showed up there (horsemanship). So those sets weren't great for actually learning the game.
If there was a simplified reprint-only set, using a couple evergreen abilities for each color, some standard effects like Cancel , Shock , Doom Blade , that sort of thing, I think that would help. Basically a super-streamlined Core Set as a non-Standard product. Rares and mythic rares would be more "splashy".
Actually, it might be best to release the full set as a package, with multiples of each common and uncommon. I think there's a couple games that do that.
March 20, 2021 11:26 p.m.
Hardhitta7 says... #6
Yeah my “LGS” is 1.5 hours away, I started with a deck builders tool kit and some boosters from Walmart. Then I quit for a while and my friend and I got back into it with the Nissa vs Ob Nixilis duel deck. I’m assuming they don’t make those anymore either?
I wasn’t aware that they didn’t make toolkits anymore. I haven’t bought sealed product in along time. Why did they quit making them? Did they say?
March 20, 2021 11:29 p.m.
jconeil1988 says... #7
It seems every year they are putting out those starter clash/duel/whatever you want to call them, Last year was the one with Vito and their "King Kong" card. The one before that had Sephara and a red Legendary dragon.... actually... that was M20 and Ikoria so. Did they announce they were stopping those?
March 21, 2021 10:36 a.m.
FormOverFunction says... #8
My secret hope is that, as is the cycle of the world, they start making the old style “starter decks” that were something like four of each land, a few artifacts, and some number of cards for each color. This was such a fun way to make sealed tournaments easy while giving a brand new player a pretty clear entry point without forcing them into one sort of deck or another. The pendulum swings, meet the new boss same as the old boss, the wheel weaves as the wheel wills, etc. so maybe they’ll come back. It seemed like a common-sense way to start being a magic player...but that could be because that’s how I started.
March 21, 2021 2:28 p.m.
jconeil1988 I forgot all about those and it seems everyone else did too. But they are not really available they showed up for a short time after ikoria released and kind of dissapeared. Not sure if that was due to covid but they where probably printed and packaged pre covid. They would be a solid option if they where available. Maybe wotc should make 2 if them a year
March 21, 2021 2:53 p.m.
Jump Start definitely seems to be a good option for a solution. The issue with Intro Packs, Planeswalker decks and Deck Builder's Toolkits is they are ONLY of interest to new players so LGS will either underestimate demand and not have enough stock or get stuck with them after the set rotates. Seeing as they have contained two boosters since Magic 2013 and my old LGS owner would incessantly point out "Those are meant for new players" when I bought them (sorry Phil of GI Games), I would think the margins are not amazing to begin with so that sucks. They will sell once they become worth it for the boosters+land but at that point the store owners is probably loosing money on them :/
JumpStart had wide appeal and genuinely fun gameplay as they lack the jank that Intro/Planeswalker had/have. There were a whole load of legendaries and Commander-appropriate Rares for "possibly the most popular format" and the decks themselves are ideal for kitchen-table.
The counter argument is that they're not Standard legal. Wizards have always been strict on making sure all cards in a new player product are standard legal but I think that is an unnecessary restriction. The solution JumpStart found of all the Core Set cards having that logo and all the non-standard reprints have the JumpStart logo makes things clear enough. Even taking out all the non-standard cards, I think you could make a Standard deck more powerful than a Planeswalker deck with maybe 3 Jump Start packs and two boosters. And as stated before Standard isn't even the most popular format. There is a certain kind of person that, when starting something new, wants to take it "seriously" from the outset/A.S.A.P but I think they're in the minority.
I for one would welcome a Jump Start set every year. As a Limited player I would go to every Jump Start release event at my store, jam two packs together and have some fun. 2HG with fours packs would be cool too!
March 24, 2021 4:51 a.m. Edited.
My issue with jump start is it leaves players with a 40 card deck. So it puts bew players in akward spot
Balaam__ says... #2
My local game store hands out prebuilt starter decks to new players. They have a name, but I forget what they’re called. I believe they’re only 30 cards each or something. Anyway, not sure if that fits the bill but it is an official WotC thing.
March 20, 2021 7:06 p.m. Edited.