Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Strategy”
We’ve been producing keyword ability primers for a couple months now on the CK Blog and on our YouTube channel. Our goal with this series has been to educate new and returning Magic players about the mechanics they’re most likely to run into while playing the game. But every now and then, we get a request from our audience that …
One of the best things about Magic: The Gathering is how interactive it can be. When you and your opponent and playing cards in response to one another, it really can feel like you’re two wizards locked in spell-casting battle. Thanks to cards like instants, you can react to anything your opponent does: counter their spells, destroy their creatures, or …
One of the first things new Magic: The Gathering players learn is that creatures can’t attack the turn they come into play. This rule is commonly referred to as “summoning sickness,” and it afflicts all creatures, from the tiniest insects to the mightiest beasts. Well, almost all creatures, that is! There’s one keyword ability in Magic that will allow your …
Most of the time, a game of Magic: The Gathering is a race to see who can deal 20 damage to another player the fastest. You add creatures to your board and attack with them as often as you can, hoping that you’ll be the one to deal the final blow. Sometimes, your plan works out, and you overwhelm your …
One of the most challenging questions facing new Magic: The Gathering players is when to attack with their creatures. Sure, you may be able to deal heaps of damage to your opponent this turn, but how far will their counter-attack set you back? Get too aggressive and you could easily throw away a game you would have won otherwise. Of …
New Magic: The Gathering players often gravitate to life-gain strategies. When you and your opponent are racing to deal damage as quickly as possible, getting ahead on life points just might give you the upper hand. But not all life-gain spells are created equal: spells that purely gain life – which don’t have any other effect on the board – …
With Double Masters coming this week, we wanted to give you a double-dose of Magic: The Gathering knowledge. Today, we’re covering two related keywords in Magic: first strike and double strike. What is First Strike? In order to understand how double strike damage works, you’ll have to understand how first strike damage works… first (heh). When you learned to play …
In our last article on hexproof, we talked about the importance of using board wipes to clear away troublesome creatures. But what if you’re the one playing creatures and you want to ensure they stick around? Your creatures just might need a new keyword: indestructible. What is Indestructible? Creatures with indestructible are impervious to any effects that normally destroy creatures, …
Jumpstart has arrived on MTG Arena, and it’s proven to be a fast and fun way for players of all levels to get some games in. For just 2,000 gold or 400 gems, you can jump into a queue, open two packs, and start playing! In the Jumpstart queue, you’ll choose each of your two packs from three possible options. …
Of all the evergreen mechanics in Magic: The Gathering, hexproof is perhaps the most polarizing. The keyword has only been around since 2011, but it’s spawned some incredibly powerful cards and archetypes. If you’d like to learn more about hexproof, we’re here to break it all down. What is Hexproof? A creature with hexproof can’t be the target of spells …
