Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering is the world's first and most strategically deep trading card game. Players take on the role of Planeswalkers - powerful mages who summon creatures, cast spells, and battle across the multiverse.

With over 30 years of history and 25,000+ unique cards, Magic offers infinite deck-building possibilities and a constantly evolving metagame. From casual kitchen table games to professional esports, Magic has something for everyone.

Objective: Reduce your opponent's life total from 20 to 0, or make them draw from an empty library.

Deck Requirements: Minimum 60 cards (no maximum). Maximum 4 copies of any card except basic lands. Constructed formats have additional restrictions.

Setup: Each player starts at 20 life. Shuffle your library (deck) and draw an opening hand of 7 cards. You may mulligan (shuffle and draw 1 fewer card) if unsatisfied. Decide who goes first randomly.

The Stack: When you cast spells or activate abilities, they go on "the stack" - both players can respond before anything resolves. Last in, first out.

Each turn has these phases:

1. Beginning Phase: Untap all your tapped permanents, draw 1 card (skip on first turn if going first)
2. Pre-Combat Main Phase: Play 1 land, cast spells, activate abilities
3. Combat Phase: Declare attackers, opponent declares blockers, damage resolves
4. Post-Combat Main Phase: Play more spells and activate abilities
5. End Phase: Resolve "end of turn" effects, discard down to 7 cards if needed

Your opponent can cast instant spells and activate abilities during your turn (except untap step).

Card Types: Lands (produce mana), Creatures (attack and block), Instants (cast anytime), Sorceries (cast on your turn), Enchantments (ongoing effects), Artifacts (colorless permanents), Planeswalkers (powerful allies).

The Five Colors:

• White: Order, healing, small creatures, removal. Mana symbol: Plains
• Blue: Control, card draw, counterspells, flying. Mana symbol: Island
• Black: Death, sacrifice, removal, card advantage. Mana symbol: Swamp
• Red: Chaos, direct damage, haste, aggressive creatures. Mana symbol: Mountain
• Green: Nature, big creatures, mana ramp, growth. Mana symbol: Forest

You can combine colors in your deck, but mana management becomes more complex.

Victory conditions in Magic:

1. Life Total: Reduce opponent to 0 life (or below) through creature damage, direct damage spells, or life loss effects
2. Library: Make opponent draw from an empty library (called "milling")
3. Alternative Win Cons: Some cards say "you win the game" if conditions are met
4. Concession: Opponent can concede at any time

Strategy Tip: Magic rewards both proactive (building board presence) and reactive (controlling opponent) strategies. Find your playstyle!