While the confusing mix of products and legalities may suggest otherwise, MTG Foundations is very much a set for beginners. In fact, it may be the best entry point to Magic we’ve ever seen. It encompasses everything great about the core Magic IP, and features cards that are neither too simple nor too complex.
If you’re looking to get a friend into the game, there’s never been a better time than now. To that end, Wizards has set up a range of new events to teach new players the basics. These events fall under the Magic Academy umbrella, and you can get a very nice promo card for taking part in them. Even if you’re not a beginner, the promo may be spicy enough to catch your interest.
What Are Magic Academy Events?
Before we look at this fabled promo, let’s break down what exactly Magic Academy events are. These were actually announced last week in an article by Wizards. With the constant stream of spoilers going on, however, there’s a good chance you missed it.
Basically, Magic Academy events are intended to teach new players how to play the game. They come in two types: Learn to Play, and Deckbuilding. Both types will be held at your local game store, though a date window hasn’t been specified by Wizards as of yet. It’s possible that these events will run throughout Foundations’ five-year lifespan, or that they only stick around for a few weeks at the start. The best way to find out for sure is to contact your LGS directly.
Learn to Play events do exactly what they say on the tin. These are aimed at brand-new players and teach them the basics of the game through simple matches with Welcome Decks. Deck Building events are, essentially, an introduction to Sealed. With help from a Gavin Verhey video on the subject, players will build 40-card decks from a pool of six Play Boosters. These are, naturally, more advanced than Learn to Play events and are intended as the next step for new players after those.
While these events are mostly for those new to the game, there are incentives for experienced players too. Bringing a new player along and helping them during the event can earn you an exclusive Ajani Community Tutor pin, for example. You can also grab the exclusive Magic Academy promo card, too.
A Pricey Promo Card
- Mana Value: 11
- Rarity: Promo
- Stats: 11/11
- Card Text: Trample, Indestructible. If Darksteel Colossus would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, reveal Darksteel Colossus and shuffle it into its owner’s library instead.
This promo is a borderless foil Darksteel Colossus, and it’s an absolute doozy. Colossus is a bit of a legendary card among new players. It has incredible stats and resilience, but it’s also incredibly hard to cast fairly. Even in Commander, there’s no guarantee you’ll get to 11 mana. This makes it both a fun challenge and a huge payoff for new players to sink their teeth into. For that reason, it’s an ideal choice for a beginner event promo.
Interestingly, it’s also quite an expensive card too. Copies currently sell for around $7.50-10, which is impressive considering the card only really sees Commander play. It will now be legal in Standard thanks to a reprint in Foundations, however, so it could broaden its horizons soon. It can’t slot into Reanimator decks thanks to that pesky final line of text, but it plays nicely with artifact synergies. Aetherdrift is looking like an artifact-heavy set, so it may well shine once that hits.
To get your hands on this promo, you need to purchase “any intro product” during a Magic Academy event. According to the announcement article, this includes Starter Kits, Beginner Boxes, Starter Collections, and 6+ Play Boosters from a set. At $30, the Beginner Box is the most affordable option here. You’ll likely get more value out of the Play Boosters or Starter Collection if you’re an experienced player, however.
If you’re thinking of grabbing some Foundations product anyway, consider helping out your LGS during Magic Academy to grab a tasty Darksteel Colossus at the same time. It’s the kind of Commander staple that will age like fine wine in such a fancy printing.
