a.k.a. Magic the Gathering is rad and you should play it

Magic the Gathering is so much fun, and one of the things I spend a whole lot of time on, which might come as a surprise to most people who know me outside of that context. I think more people would like it if they were open to trying it, but I also understand why people are hesitant to try it because of the reputation it has gotten due to gatekeepy nerds who need a shower, or whatever. It can also feel super overwhelming at first, but quickly becomes much less daunting once one learns the basics.

I started playing because of my partner Brin, who helped me realize a whole lot of trans people play Magic, and most people who play, cis or trans, are real sweethearts. She also helped me realize you can play for free online using tools like cockatrice or untap. You just upload a decklist, connect with your friends, and go.

It wasn't love at first sight, though. The first time we tried to play was through a 4-person commander game on untap. I will say, I don't think this is the best way for a beginner to play. It was a lot to keep up with, the cards were real small, and I was perplexed as to how people just understood what a card did from hearing it. 4 person games, online or in paper, are a bit like throwing a newbie in the deep end. I didn't touch the game for a while after that.

A year later, we were in Chicago and stopped into a little comics shop. They had a $10 pack of two starter decks. Just basic 60-card decks meant to introduce someone to the basics of Magic. We bought the pack and started playing, and I was, to my surprise, hooked. I loved the strategy required, I loved thinking up optimal plays, and it brought out something really competitive in me.

I also happened to get in at the exact right time, right before the release of Bloomburrow, which featured Redwall-esque characters: mice, raccoons, rats, birds, and more! It is so dang cute. I loved the set so much that I even made a Bloomburrow Set Cube.

We soon went from playing with starter decks to playing commander online, and I loved it. I got my first commander precon (Desert Bloom, from Outlaws of Thunder Junction). In updating the deck with new cards, I realized you can play for free in paper too, through the magic of Proxies. My experience with and supplies for printing and bookmaking made proxying a breeze, and I enjoyed the experience of getting to select my favorite art for each card. I also learned soon after about Magic Set Editor, a program that lets you input your own choice of art onto custom cards. This was especially exciting when making my Gornog, The Red Reaper deck.

I love deckbuilding, I love meeting up once a week to play with friends, I love the process of printing and trimming my own cards.

One day, I would like to make linocut tokens.