The Ultimate Fantasy Magic: The Gathering set is right here, and there’s by no means been a extra good assemblage of Magic playing cards. The set options playing cards taken from each mainline Ultimate Fantasy title, together with the 2 MMOs, so there’s one thing for each era of Ultimate Fantasy lovers. And whereas Magic has featured different online game crossovers prior to now (howdy, Murderer’s Creed and Fallout!), with the way in which this set is constructed, from card mechanics to artwork, you’ll be able to inform this one is a developer favourite, positive to enchantment to the huge chunk of people that love each video games.
However what in the event you don’t inhabit the middle circle within the Venn diagram of Magic and Ultimate Fantasy lovers however are nonetheless thinking about experiencing this set for your self? Magic: The Gathering is an intimidating recreation, even in the event you’re a seasoned participant like myself. There are such a lot of methods you’ll be able to play, each in individual and on-line, that it may be overwhelming to determine the easiest way to leap in. So right here’s just a few ideas and methods to enjoying the Ultimate Fantasy Magic set.
Be warned, although: that is the best-selling set in Magic’s 30-plus-year historical past, and you’ll pay for the pleasure of this expertise — if you’ll find the product to pay for it in any respect.
Tips on how to play: bodily version
Through the years, the designers at Magic developer Wizards of the Coast have realized it may be intimidating as hell for a brand new participant trying to begin their planeswalking journey. To assist these new gamers alongside, Magic builders have created a line of merchandise known as Starter Kits. Every is a set of two 60-card decks that includes playing cards particularly designed for brand spanking new gamers and an instruction booklet that goes over the sport’s fundamental guidelines and cadence of play. Maintain one deck for your self, give one to a buddy, and be taught as you play collectively. For MTG x FF, the starter equipment options two decks themed round Ultimate Fantasy’s best rivalry: Sephiroth vs. Cloud.
These decks are a good introductory course to Magic. Cloud’s is themed round gear playing cards (suppose the Buster Sword or the Ultima Weapon), that are basically weapons you’ll be able to connect to your creatures to pump up their injury and hit exhausting. Sephiroth’s deck is all about him. Kill creatures (yours and your opponent’s) to make him as huge as doable. I performed each decks in opposition to the set’s designers and managed to beat them each, a monumental feat for any Magic participant. Nonetheless, if you wish to play them for your self, the Starter Package is at present offered out on Amazon, so your greatest wager to search out one is to hit up your native card store (recognized in the neighborhood as your LCS) to see if it has any in inventory. Wizards’ web site does characteristic a useful retailer locator in the event you don’t know the place your nearest LCS is.
There are additionally 4 Commander decks you should purchase and play, with each themed round a selected title within the sequence. Commander is the most well-liked format of Magic, however the guidelines are barely totally different from commonplace play, and matches can usually embody a couple of opponent. The Ultimate Fantasy Commander decks are beginner-friendly however costly, operating wherever from $80 to $130 when Commander decks in different units are less expensive.
Tips on how to play: on-line version
For those who don’t have any mates you’ll be able to beg, bribe, or beat into enjoying Magic with you, there may be one other, far simpler choice: the sport’s on-line model, Magic: The Gathering Enviornment. Enviornment is the easiest way to expertise the Ultimate Fantasy set as there’s no fear about inventory, it’s comparatively cheaper, and there are such a lot of other ways to play that in-person enjoying merely doesn’t accommodate. When you’ve made your account and downloaded the sport, you’ll be able to play by the sport’s tutorial, which I like to recommend to get your bearings. Not solely does it clarify find out how to play, however the coloration challenges additionally offer you a really feel for the playstyles of Magic’s 5 totally different colours.
Selecting your slice of the colour pie
Consider colours and coloration combos as characters in your favourite hero shooter. Every has totally different skills and favors a selected model of play. Blue and white heart on going over your opponents’ heads with flying creatures, whereas mono inexperienced (my favourite and the easiest way to play) favors huge, stompy creatures that run over your opponents’ defenses. The Ultimate Fantasy set makes it straightforward to discover a coloration or combo that works for you.
If you wish to get straight into the Ultimate Fantasy set, you’ll be able to merely skip the tutorial to unlock all of Enviornment’s many recreation modes and options, and it’ll nonetheless be there to strive in the event you ever want to return.
When you’re prepared, you’ve gotten plenty of choices accessible. You will get proper into the thick of issues and begin enjoying the sport’s constructed modes. For those who’ve by no means performed Magic earlier than, don’t do that. It’s costly, costing quite a lot of sources your account is not going to have except you purchase them within the recreation’s money store, and it’s exhausting. Making decks is troublesome; even I don’t prefer it that a lot in comparison with enjoying decks preassembled for me.
1/4
Your greatest, most economical choice is to play Jumpstart mode. In Jumpstart all of the exhausting work of creating a viable deck is finished for you. You’re introduced with plenty of archetypes: Daring, Mage, Chocobos, Tools, and extra. You may decide two of them based mostly on nothing greater than vibes and private desire, and the sport will robotically create a deck utilizing these two archetypes. Then you definitely play your deck in opposition to different Jumpstart decks and rack up the wins or the dear expertise that comes with dropping.
The beauty of Jumpstart is that it’s low-cost — a brand new account grants you sufficient foreign money to strive the mode thrice — and the playing cards you decide are yours to maintain. Do it sufficient instances and also you’ll ultimately have sufficient playing cards to instrument round with making your personal decks to check out within the recreation’s pleasant mode, Fast Begin. I’ve loved all of the totally different Jumpstart decks I’ve made, however in the event you actually wanna have some enjoyable, decide chocobos everytime you get the prospect. They’re creatures that get stronger everytime you play a land card (consider land just like the fuel that powers your deck’s engine) and have unimaginable synergy with different card sorts, resulting in a deck that will overwhelm your opponent.
Additionally, they’re chocobos! What could possibly be extra Ultimate Fantasy than chocobos?
In case you are a Ultimate Fantasy fan, I can not stress sufficient how a lot enjoyable its Magic set is. And in the event you’re intimidated by Magic’s problem, don’t be. There are such a lot of beginner-friendly methods to play, and there are such a lot of inexperienced persons making an attempt this set out for the primary time, that you simply’ll be in good firm. Plus, I’ve discovered the group is at all times blissful to assist newcomers. Once I performed at an in-person occasion, my first opponent had by no means picked up the sport earlier than. Over the course of our match I taught him the whole lot I knew as greatest I might, and earlier than the top, he beat me. Badly. I’ve by no means had extra enjoyable.
{content material}
Supply: {feed_title}
