Spells, strange creatures, probability
and statistics are the ingredients
for a typical afternoon
playing Magic: The Gathering.
Steven Lacoste formed We
Draft Tortoise Formation, a local
group of Magic participants open
to those interested in playing
Magic.
“It’s like a perfect mixture
of chess and [Dungeons and
Dragons],” Lacoste said. “It’s all
about knowing how your opponent’s
going to play and how
you’re going to play. It’s cut
throat.”
Junior psychology major Beth
Johnson said some of the players
from WDTF have traveled
to Van’s Comic Shop in Jackson
to play with other Magic fans in
tournaments.
“We’re trying to get it started
here so we don’t have to travel as
far,” Johnson said.
Some of the group members
have also played in Atlanta,
Birmingham and Kentucky,
Lacoste said.
Currently the group tries to
play every other Saturday at the
MSU Barnes & Noble. Assistant
manager of MSU Barnes & Noble
Cecy Brooks loves having Magic
games played in the bookstore.
“Actually I have been trying
to get more groups to meet here,”
she said.
Johnson said tournament seating
has been adequately supplied
in the bookstore with an average
of 10 people meeting to play.
Magic has several ways to be
played. The two methods used
by the group are drafting and
constructed decks. Both methods
start players with 20 life points
and the winner is the last person
with life left.
Drafting play begins with three
closed booster packs of Magic
cards per person. Lacoste said this
is the main method the group
uses.
“I bring everything you need to
play; you just bring your money,”
he said. “[Players] pay me $15
and if I get eight people to do that
it pays for a booster box.”
Players open the first pack of
cards, look through them for one
they want and pass it to the player
next to them. This happens again
with the second and third packs
of cards.
This process of picking cards
creates a deck for each player.
This is where the probability
and statistics aspects of the game
really come alive, said Lacoste.
“That’s the generic way to
do it,” Lacoste said. “In Magic,
you’re building a deck to beat the
other person.”
In constructed deck play, Magic
players use their own decks they
have worked to create.
“We’re working on getting a
sanctioned tournament,” Lacoste
said. “[That] allows people to be
rated online.”
Magic is played by people of all
skill levels and ages, but the cards
place an age limit of 13.
Johnson said children younger
than 13 years old do play the
game, but Magic is a complicated
game.
“It’s harder to focus when you’re
not older,” she said. “I was watching
[my friends] play once, and I
was flabbergasted confused. They
tried to explain it to me, and I
said I’m just going to have to sit
in the driver’s seat to learn.”
The tournaments can place
beginners against veterans, but
typically people will end up playing
others on their level.
Sophomore computer engineering
major Andrew Neal, said
he has played since eighth grade.
“I played on the bus with my
buddy. It was tough. We had a
little system [for playing],” he
said.
Neal said Magic is a way for
friends to get together and have
some fun.
“You never really quit playing
[once you start],” Neal said. “You
just put the cards in the closet
and all it takes it for one friend to
say, ‘Hey, do you remember that
game Magic?'”
To play in a Magic tournament,
e-mail Steven Lacoste at
[email protected].