What to actually buy when you're new to Magic: The Gathering, without wasting money on the wrong products.
Magic: The Gathering has been publishing products for 30+ years and the options are genuinely overwhelming. This guide cuts through the noise: here's exactly what to buy as a new player, in order of priority, with no wasted money. Not sure how to play yet? Read our MTG beginner's guide first.
Best first purchase | 2 players
Two ready-to-play 60-card decks designed to teach Magic's fundamentals. One deck is blue/white (control style), one red/green (aggro style). Play both sides to understand different strategies. The Starter Kit is updated with each new set, it's genuinely the best $15 you can spend if you want to know whether Magic is for you.
Best for multiplayer groups | 3-5 players
Commander is the most popular Magic format, multiplayer, 100-card singleton decks, anything-goes card pool. Precon Commander decks are ready to play out of the box, fully legal for Commander play, and themed around a specific strategy. Wizards releases new precons with every major set. Buy one that fits your style (aggressive, controlling, combo) and you're set for immediate group play.
Best for collectors | Any
If you want to crack packs and build a collection, Set Boosters are the best value per pack. Each pack is designed for maximum excitement, more rare slots, more interesting cards, guaranteed foil. A full box is 30 packs. Note: random packs are not an efficient way to build competitive decks. Buy booster boxes for fun and collection-building, not deck-building.
Essential accessory
Magic cards can be worth anywhere from cents to hundreds of dollars. Sleeve every card you care about. Dragon Shield and Ultra Pro are the standard brands, Dragon Shield for premium feel, Ultra Pro for budget. You need 100 sleeves per 100-card Commander deck. Buy before you play.
Keep your deck organized
A proper deck box protects your sleeved cards during transport and storage. Ultra Pro, BCW, and Ultimate Guard all make solid boxes. If you're playing Commander, get a 100+ card capacity box. If you're playing 60-card formats, a standard deck box works fine.
Start: Starter Kit ($15), learn the game. Then: Commander precon (~$45) for multiplayer with friends. Then: Sleeves and a deck box. Only then consider booster packs or singles. New players who skip straight to random packs are almost always disappointed.