Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a strategy card game where players embody powerful planeswalkers. They summon creatures, cast spells, and battle each other in a test of wits and skill. The goal is to reduce your opponent’s life total from 20 to 0, all while managing resources and making strategic decisions.

In this article, we’ll explain the essential rules of Magic, focusing on the phases of a turn and the critical concept of mana.



How Mana Works

Mana is the magical energy you need to play cards in Magic: The Gathering. It is generated by lands, which are a special type of card. Without mana, you can’t summon creatures or cast spells, so lands are essential to your strategy.

Each type of mana is tied to one of Magic’s five colors:

• White mana: Produced by Plains, representing order and protection.
• Blue mana: Comes from Islands, symbolizing knowledge and control.
• Black mana: Generated by Swamps, embodying ambition and sacrifice.
• Red mana: Flows from Mountains, representing chaos and aggression.
• Green mana: Comes from Forests, symbolizing nature and growth.

At the start of the game, you’ll want to play lands during your turn to ensure you have enough mana to cast your cards. For example, a creature card might cost one green mana and two generic mana, meaning you need to tap a Forest and two additional lands of any type to play it.

Want to know more about card types? Check this article