Magic The Gathering

[AnimePriest]

Hi, I don't know if there has already been a thread about this but, i recently learned to play Magic the Gathering and i really liked it. but a lot of Christians say it's evil and stuff and i was wondering if you all can give me your opinions. I also play duel masters which as far as story lines and stuff i like a lot better it's my favorite card game but it was also created by the creators of magic. basically what i want to know is, is Magic the Gathering bad. I think it's cool to use your imagination it's like your in another world that's what i do with duel masters, i don't know anything about the Magic the Gathering story line yet so i can't say anything. ok i'm tired of typing please HELP!!!!!

[uc pseudonym]

I would say that, by large, Magic is only a card game form of entertainment. It is not inherently evil, any more than most forms of entertainment.

On the other hand, you certainly shouldn't take theological values from your entertainment. There are plenty of angel cards in White, and while most of them are decent cards, they certainly don't do justice to real angels. Likewise, Wrath of God vaguely respects His power (though not with the Indestructible trait, now), but is really referring to a polytheistic worldview and is not at all Christian.

Some of the cards involving sorcery do look vaguely occult. Not much more than many other things, and I do not recall anything that was explicit.

While I think mature Christians could play the game without difficulty, I would not recommend it to my younger siblings in Christ, primarily because of the sometimes brutal images on the cards.

[Yojimbo]

People picking and choosing again it's no more evil than anime, TV, music, and movies. Which are all inherently not evil of course.

[Heart of Sword]

I'm not going to post much because I smell another flame war coming, but I don't play it and refuse to...for reasons that are identical to why I don't play Yu-Gi-Oh or Duel Masters.

[skynes]

I personally think YuGiOh is worse than MTG. I know most of the cards from the last half dozen sets and there is very little/nothing in relation to the occult. Neither symbols or names.

I play practically every kind of MTG deck there is (except control cause I havent managed to make a good one yet). and to me it's nothing but a more random game of chess.

YuGiOh on the other hand has a whole set of ritual magic cards and Destiny Board (which is a ouija board)

On the other hand, you certainly shouldn't take theological values from your entertainment.

Absolutely. It's a game based in a fictional world with fictional characters. None of it is intended to have any theological value. It would be possible to play the game without any names or pictures or flavor text or story. Those things are added just to give it a bit of dimension.


As for the MTG story. For most of the games existance it has taken place on a world called Domaria, each set has had a story of a different Warlord or race or whatever trying to conquer it while a bunch of good guys try and stop it.
The recent set Mirrodin, DarkSteel and Fifth Dawn have a totally different story.
It's on a world called Mirrodin, an artificially built world. This psycho called Memnarch is obsessed with cleansing the world from flesh and leaving it all metal so he sends his armies to wipe out every race on the world (Goblins, Elves, Humans, Cat ppl), an Elf named Glissa is determined to find out what the secret of Mirrodin is (It's hollow and artificially built) and to stop Memnarch.

The stories are pretty much a good vs evil fantasy novel. They don't go into depth on what magic is or how it works or how to do it.

[Fireproof]

On the other hand, you certainly shouldn't take theological values from your entertainment.

True. Very True.
I'm a big fan of the card game, and I see no problem with it. It's only a game. Mind you, it may be the root anti-social behavior in those pre-disposed for it to do so, but that's rare anyways.
The problems begin when people begin to compare it to real life occult practices. In the fantasy world of Magic: The Gathering, magic is a force, like gravity or light, not a dangerous cult religion.
Some woudl say that the game is demonic, but there are a total of two cards invol;ving demons in print. Two. to my dismay, the game's creator has confirmed that decoms will be included in later sets, but he strongly stated that in the world of his game, demons would be completely seperate from real life.

[Zane]

[Jester]

Its kinda like Pokemon cards in a way cause you try to beat the other guys cards, and you get now "pokemon" by haviong more land etc.
What the other guys said is true, its the stratigic-ness of the game which I liked, and just look at it as a game of "Risk" or something, Fantasy roleplay.

Eh, please don't compare it to pokemon, the games are incredibally different, pokemon limits you to a large amount of creatures played easily, but limited to how much energy you can play per turn. The only trick is the find the most effective balance and damage per energy you can get. Magic has MANY playstyles and types that you can play with, many of them are effective, it's not just attacking back and forth.

Duel masters is only a kiddied down version of Magic put out by the same company, and the playstyle is a lot closer to pokemon but with some more complicated twists that were brought about from Magic. With a different story of course.

As for the story, each set has 3 or so books to go along with it. Some sets are in the same world, some aren't. I think the Onslaught cycle has been the only one to touch religion in some way (An angel character clashes with some sort of artificial evil character if I remember, the immense powers combine and somehow fuse to create Karona, the book directly labels it as a false god.)

The majority of the stories are little more than standard fantasy fiction and sometimes mixed with science fiction. The game itself I play once in a while, but not very often due to money issues, and some things that I don't like about recent card traits, ie: indestructable.

Other than the exception of black colored decks using many undead creatures and whatnot, I don't have any real problem with the game (I just play one of the 4 other colors ). Fireproof and pseudonym kinda nailed it on the head as to how it relates to it's own story and how that relates to how we consider things.

[Mr. Rogers]

i used to play magic, but i got rid of all my cards because i didnt feel right playing it anymore

[skynes]

(An angel character clashes with some sort of artificial evil character if I remember, the immense powers combine and somehow fuse to create Karona, the book directly labels it as a false god.)

Ixidor a wizard, his wife was killed in a pit fight by a being called 'Phage the Untouchable', Phage is actually the sister of a druid called Kamahl. She became corrupted with some virus or something and became Phage.

Ixidor went loco. He then found nw that hes loco that his sculpting creations (he can sculpt reality) take on full life. He created a powerful being to fight Phage and avenge his wife. that being was called Akroma, the angel of wrath.

Phage and Akroma were at war. Ixidor wanted Phage killed. Kamahl desparately hunted for a way to return Phage to normal.

I'm not so sure about the next bit. There's this powerful device called the Mirari. It's original purpose is an information gatherer for a Golem, 2 weapons were made using parts of it. Akroma had one, Phage had the other. When these weapons struck each other Akroma and Phage fused into Karona the false god.

I don't know what happened then. I presume Karona got his/her/its butt kicked.

black colored decks using many undead creatures

Each colour was given a kind of personality trait to fit all the cards into. Black was given death and destruction, appropriate for the colour.
As such most demons, horrors, zombies and other 'evil' stereotype of cards were put in black. Likewise most of the 'good' stereotypes were put into White.

The demon cards don't bother me. Firstly because the picture looks nothing like what demons are. It shows demons as ugly flying things with horns, whereas they're actually angels. Also when you play a demon card it's likely to do as much damage to you as to your opponent! Kinda shows that messing with them is suicidal

but there are a total of two cards involving demons in print.

Eh, not quite. I can think of half a dozen at least. There's usually only one or two a set max, with usually an equal amount of angels. Demons rarely get reprinted in later sets, although piles of reprinted angel cards are included in every Core set.

------------------------

Its kinda like Pokemon cards

Very very tiny comparisson. Magic is waaay more complex (which is why I gave up Pokemon to play Magic, and won't play YuGiOh or Duel Masters).

i used to play magic, but i got rid of all my cards because i didnt feel right playing it anymore

I won't argue with that. I commend you for following your convictions.

[uc pseudonym]

I will merely state here that there is nothing wrong with discussing the game and its ramifications as a Christian, as long as the discussion does not become theological, denominational or vicious. Such would probably cause the locking of an otherwise potentially fruitful thread.

[AnimePriest]

I would like to thank you all for sheeding light on my confusion, i really did like the game and the story line seems cool but i don't even know where to begin for that if any of you who play magic could please tell me where to start learning about the story line i would really appreciate it. once again i would like to thank you all very much. PS I"M MAD BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND A STARTER DECK ANYWHERE!!!!!!!!
AHHHHH!!!!!!! !!LOL!!

[Fireproof]

Well, most Target stores carry the 8th Edition starter decks and 8th Edition 2 player starter decks. (Note: 8th Edition is a great set to start with.) The 2 player starter packs are about $15, and the starter decks are about $9. The tow player starter pack has two 40 card decks, a booster adn detailed instructions, along with a CD of the game. The starter decks have only 40 cards, but they're a lot stronger than the decks in the starter pack. Or, if you like the game, but don't have any friends who play, you could play the online version. You still have to buy your cards like in real life, but they're's always someoen to play against. There is no monthly fee though. You just buy digital cards. The good things are that the cards are stored in a central server, so a computer crash on your side won't obliterate tehm, adn that if you collect a full set online you can get the peper versions by removing the whole set from your collection.

[skynes]

Unless you're really REALLY new to the game, don't bother with the starter decks. Just buy a standard theme deck and work from there. that's what I did. It isn't too hard to get the hang of, it's only a bit more complex than YuGiOh and Duel Masters.

For the story, but a Fat Pack. Fat Packs come with 6 boosters a book of the set, a D20 (dice with 20 sides, used for life) and a collectors book to keep track of what cards u have.

[Morluna]

I would agree with most of the posters here...it's not evil...although I can't say I've ever really played it, several of my friends do. It looks kinda fun, I've just never really played. I'm not a big card game person though anyway...

[gameoverblue]

I know this isn't a video game, but how many people here:

know what Magic the gathering is
know how to play it
play it casually
play it professionally

[Fireproof]

I play occasionally and visit the message boards for it on Wizards.com.

[Nate]

I've been around it, but I've never personally played it. I don't like to get involved in CCGs, mainly because I have craptastic luck, and I never get any of the uber-awesome rare cards. Plus, it costs money. And I don't have anyone to play with.

BTW, your avatar looks like Link Antilles' old one...I got confused. ^^;;

[K. Ayato]

I could really care less. I've seen people play it so many times in my early college years, it never interested me. Besides, I'm terrible at strategic card games.

[Tommy]

I`ve heard of it and there is a videogame of it if you didn`t know. I don`t see what the
point of it is, both videogame and card game

Where I`m from people who play Magic The Gathering, Final Fantasy,Dragon Ball Z, and Dungeons and Dragons are considered lifeless nerds. I just don`t tell them about FF stuff.

As for the videogame: Who would spend money to have a controller and watch blue cards flip arpund on a brown wall. Don`t plan on loosng my life to that stuff.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

i used to play... i sitll know how too... i do play casually... but in a professional manner (like i always count in mana burn... and if you must do everything in order, like untapping, etc)

[gameoverblue]

We magic the gathering players do not in any way defend the disaster known as Magic the Gathering battlefield x-box game. It's crappiness doesn't complement the card game.

[Tommy]

Really, I thougt it was for one of the older systems. Either way, I heard this card name has a spiritual influence but hey, i might be wrong. I just never met a person that has played that that wasn`t a Goth an/or a friendless nerd. I do try to reach out to them though, but they just wanna play Magic The Gathering. I just gave up....

EDIT: No offence to you guys though....eh....sorry. Just out of who i`ve personally viewed playing it.

[gameoverblue]

the only true nerds are the ones that can't admit they are a little nerdy.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

what about the one micropose made a while back?

[Tommy]

I think i`m a little nerdy myself. I mean i like Final Fantasy and games like Legend Of Dragoon?! It doesn`t exactly build up my rep.

[SilverFang]

yes I play. I have a red and White samurai deck, and a elf deck.

[S1lentOp]

I use to play the card game for a while. Then for some reason I lost interest. Although I still have all my cards so I might get back into it. As for the games, the only one I bought was Magic the Gathering: BattleGrounds. It's a pretty good game.

[Meza]

oh yah! Magic the gathering rocks me and my friends play all the time, although we probably suck compared to pros we like playing for fun.
my personnal fav color in it is red i like goblins and dragons , whats yours guys's?

[Meza]

sparten1056 -- yes I play. I have a red and White samurai deck, and a elf deck.

i have a black, white and red samurai deck too.
all to gether i have 4 or 5 decks because i dont always like my green so i take it apart.