Magic - Casual So.. I got sucked back into Magic.

[Woas]

I haven't played the game in ages. I swore the game off for awhile... it's a long story. A couple of friends who used to play started back into it and sure enough... as if it were a sign I found my cards the other day searching around the storage space.

Last set I was into was the one that introduced Morph creatures. I think it also had a set with only creature cards. Before that though I handed gotten new cards since about Mirage/Visions/Weatherlight sets.

I know 10th Edition is here and the game has changed in the past. I was wondering if someone could update me on what the latest and greatest has been. Is there anyway to catch up on these last 7 years? Or just jump right back in with 10th Edition...

[MerricB]

Actually, 10th edition is now a thing of the past. We're now talking about M10 - the abbreviation for "Magic 2010", the new core set that was released a month or so ago.

There are a few major changes in the game in the past year...

#1: Rarity. Instead of a standard set having (say) 121 rares, instead a standard set has about 50 rares and 15 mythic rares. (A mythic rare is roughly twice as rare as a normal rare, or you get one per eight packs. Either way).

This might sound stupid, but it actually works really well. Getting regular rares is a *lot* easier. Mythic rares are actually at the same rarity level as a rare in a 121 rare set...

#2: Core set rotation. There will be a new core set every year. "2010" is called that not because it was released in 2010, but because it will be available mostly in 2010. Core sets may have brand new cards, now.

OK, recent sets...
2007-8 was the year of Lorwynn and Shadowmoor - the first set was about tribal (creature types); the second set about colour, in particular cards that could be cast with your choice of two colours of mana. So, a 1/1 goblin that could be cast with one red or one green mana...

Ignore those sets. They're obsolete.

2008-9 was the year of Alara Block - this set was all about multicolour spells. Many spells were 3 colours, and made playing multicolour decks quite easy.

2009 will see the release of Zendikar in October, the next major set.

I'd advise getting only M10 until Zendikar comes out, especially if you're playing casually. M10 has a bunch of really nice cards.

The big new card type is the Planeswalker - allies you summon and have rather special effects if you can gain their loyalty!

Cheers!

[Woas]

And what's up with these fancy-pants colored artifacts?! Man why couldn't we of just ended it with Ice Age and called that a game?