Topic: new to magic. Black/White token deck suggestions?

Hey guys im new to magic and I was wondering if anyone has suggestions as to which boosters, starter decks, etc. are good for a player starting out.  I recently purchased a deck building toolkit and got good cards to start with but I am looking to amp up my deck with other cards as well. All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Last edited by jlass1991 (2013-04-02 02:10:21)

Re: new to magic. Black/White token deck suggestions?

Any of the Intro Packs is a great place to start.  You'll have something playable right from the start.  If you can afford to do so, pick up a couple different ones, so you can get a feel for how the different decks play.  Consider getting two that share one color, so you'll have more options for swapping cards between them.  For example, if you want to try Black/White, if you also pick up either Black/Blue or Red/White, you'll have the ability to pick from either to support the other.

Think about how you'd like your games to progress. Do you want to come on strong and fast (aggro)? Do you want to bide your time a bit and get powerful things out after turn three? Also, your title mentions B/W tokens--what kind of token creatures would you prefer? Humans? Spirits? Rats? Something else? You have a lot of directions you can go.  White has a lot of human token generation, with buffs to pump them up (e.g., Intangible Virtue).  There are also white spirits.  In black, you have Ogre Slumlord and his affinity for rats, and Pack Rat itself.

In reality, I just recommend that you start pulling some things together, get some friends together, and start playing.  You'll get a feel for what works, and what doesn't.  That will go a long way toward helping you refine what you'd like to do.

Welcome to the world of Magic: the Gathering!

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Black and Blue--not just for bruises anymore.

Re: new to magic. Black/White token deck suggestions?

Well, a bit more info is needed.

1. What format are you playing?
2. Do you have the deck posted in it's current build?
3. What sort of budget are you looking to work with, and how much do you already have invested.

Presuming you're looking to play Standard, I would say that a few packs of Innistrad would be a good start (a booster box is better if it's in your price range), as there are a good number of choice rares in the set.  However, it cycles out of Standard in the fall, so you may want to stick with the current block and just get the stuff you need from the previous block as singles.

Anyway, I would generally suggest not buying more than two booster boxes of any particular set, and would likely lean closer to a single one, filling in gaps by buying singles.  The reason is that a single box should get you a playset of every common in the set, give or take.  Two boxes will net roughly a playset of every uncommon, and between the two you'll have at least one of most of the rares/mythics.  Also, buying packs for specific cards is a waste of money...although it's fun to gamble on what you might get out of it, at the same time the odds of pulling any specific card in a set is fairly slim.

So yeah, if you can elaborate on the numbered points a bit, a bit more help may come along smile

Re: new to magic. Black/White token deck suggestions?

Im playing standard format and as of right now ill list my deck
12-swamp land cards
12-plains land cards
1-intangible virtue
1-vampire nighthawk
1-glorious charge
1-duty bound dead
1-knight of glory
1-angelic wall
4-shielded passage
1-stony silence
1- midnight haunting
1-killing wave
3-vile rebirth
1-victim of night
4-murder
2-gather the townfolk
1-rebuke
4-pacifism
1-knight watch
1-fiend hunter
2-captains call
1-elgaud inquisator
1-blood reckoning
1-cathedral sanctifier
1-angels mercy
1-show of valor
1-makrov patrician
1-ghoulcallers chant

Total of 64 cards as of now. Im just starting out so I really don't want to invest too much at once but so far I have bought a starter box and a gatecrash two player deck pack.Looking to invest not too much but enough to make it a small hobby. I probably sound like a noob so I apologize ahead of time for it.

Thanks in advance

Re: new to magic. Black/White token deck suggestions?

You'll find your deck will be more consistent (and, imo, more fun to play) if you reduce the variety and try to run 3x or 4x of fewer spells.  Since you're just starting out, you may not have those full playsets (4x), but it is something to keep in mind as you crack packs or trade for other cards.  Work to identify the cards you really like (the ones that work really well), and as you pick more of them up, start swapping them in for other cards that are not working as well.

On the converse, also think about the cards that never see play, either because they require too much mana or because the games you are playing go too fast for you to get them out consistently.  You'll want to pull those cards and swap in things that you can use (or use earlier in the game).

Good luck!

Profile - Wishlist - Tradelist

Black and Blue--not just for bruises anymore.

Re: new to magic. Black/White token deck suggestions?

We all started somewhere man.  Hell, when I started I had a pack of Prophecy and two packs of Scourge, which my friends ended up adding some commons to in order to piece together a crappy deck, and I just sorta learned from there.

Anyway, I'm far from a Standard expert (mainly play Legacy, although I'd like to build a Standard deck or two), so I can't advise on much specifically, but generally speaking, play a few games, figure out what works in the deck and what doesn't.  From there, trim it down a bit.  Add extra copies of the cards that work, and remove the ones that don't really do much.  Basic stuff, but easy to overlook.  Having more than one copy of a card that helps will allow you to draw the card more often, thus getting it played more often.  Aside from that, I may come up with something, but not before someone else comes up with something better tongue

Re: new to magic. Black/White token deck suggestions?

If you're playing at FNM or something even semi competitive then you definitely want to refine your deck some more.  Include 4 ofs like the others said. 

Go to websites like the ones below to research how other people are playing the W/B decks and compare yours.  There's nothing wrong with "net decking" a list until you get comfortable with the cards and the format.  I would recommend it actually.  The people that play these decks already do the testing for you.  The decks work you just have to learn to play them correctly. Some of the cards will be expensive but don't get over whelmed by the value.  Buy and trade for them as you can, or find cheaper substitutes until you can get everything you need.

    General lists

    http://www.starcitygames.com/pages/decklists/

      B/W list - 2nd place in Cincinnati

      http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdat … ckID=53092

        General Strategy

        http://www.gatheringmagic.com/

        Look up videos of matches played on youtube or streams on twitch.

        Re: new to magic. Black/White token deck suggestions?

        Going to a local shop here tonight. They are having a draft but pretty much just going to look on and see how it works and talk to players about it. Possibly picking up a few booster packs while I am there and see where it goes from there.

        Thanks for the helpful tips!

        Re: new to magic. Black/White token deck suggestions?

        GL, drafting is a great way to get into the game.  You still get to "play" magic and it doesn't have the associated costs of diving into standard headfirst.

        Re: new to magic. Black/White token deck suggestions?

        Went to the shop here. Although I didnt draft o picked up a few gatecrash boosters and got some decent pulls for deck building.  Next week hope to join in on the Draft was kind of scared that being a noob and joining in the Draft wouldn't be a good idea, guess my nerves got in front of me.

        As always thanks for the help and encouragement everyone.