There are a ton of Magic: The Gathering products available for veterans and new players, ranging from game materials to playing cards.
Choosing the best Magic: The Gathering gift can be difficult. With over two decades worth of products and multiple gaming formats, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and ripped off.
Here are the best MTG gifts a friend or loved one would want for the 2019 holidays.Â
Standard booster pack box sets
Standard is a popular competitive format that rotates out every year. A set in Standard is valid for two years, with the oldest sets rotating out each fall. There are five Standard sets from 2018 and 2019 that are legal: Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance, War of the Spark, Core Set 2020, and the most recent Throne of Eldraine.Â
A Standard booster pack box set is typically priced around $30 and includes eight 15-card booster packs. If the individual being gifted doesn’t play Standard at their local game store or on a competitive level, these types of box sets may not be the right type of gift.Â
Holiday gift bundle
Wizards of the Coast offers an MTG holiday bundle. The gift edition includes eight booster packs from the Throne of Eldraine set and one Collector booster pack. It’s priced around $55 on Amazon. The differences between a holiday gift set and a Standard box set are a piece of artwork on thick paper and a Collectors booster pack.
A single ELD Collectors booster pack includes nine foil cards, four cards with an alternative-art frame, and at least two Rare or Mythic Rare cards. Purchasing the holiday bundle provides a savings of around $3 to $5 if a single Collector booster pack was purchased with the ELD box set.Â
Planeswalker decks
Planeswalker decks are ideal for any individual first starting off in the Standard format. Preconstructed decks are slightly on the weak side when compared to ones crafted by more experienced players, but they’re a great entry point for beginners. A Standard format planeswalker deck typically costs around $15 at Walmart or Amazon.
Don’t purchase the Oko, Thief of Crowns planeswalker deck as a gift, however. Oko was recently banned in the Standard format, essentially making the deck useless. The best legal Standard planeswalker decks are Chandra Core Set 2020, Jace War of the Spark, and Domri Ravnica Allegiance.Â
Preconstructed Commander deck
Commander has become one of the most popular formats in Magic. Most local game stores offer events at least once a week. Games are played in a casual multiplayer format, but can also be one-vs-one. And anyone can easily jump in and play with a preconstructed Commander deck from WotC.Â
In 2019, there were four Commander preconstructed decks released. Each one is priced around $50 at local game stores and on websites like Card Kingdom. Purchasing all four 2019 Commander decks on Amazon costs around $190.Â
Game Night set
The MTG Game Night set, designed for new Magic players, is a casual multiplayer format. It includes materials for up to five players and is ideal for a family or group of friends gathering around the kitchen table.
- Five 60-card decks
- Five spindown life counters
- Five life counter cardboard platforms
- Twenty +1/+1 cardboard life counters
- Fifteen double-sided tokens
- Five rules reference cards
- One Magic Game Night rulebook
The Game Night set is also a budget gift item, costing around $34 on Amazon. But unlike Commander, another casual format, the cards included in the Game Night set can’t be played in other Magic formats.
MTG Arena
MTG Arena is a free-to-play CCG. But there are plenty of booster packs and cosmetic purchases found in the MTGA store that will please any Magic player. On the high end, 45 Standard format booster packs cost $50 or 9,000 gems. But there are lower-priced options too, ranging from three to 15 packs ($5 to $20).
There are plenty of cosmetic card style bundles, some of which include avatars and a battle pass system. Typically, $20 worth of gems will cover one to several of these options.Â
Storage and card sleeves
Every Magic player has a need for storing cards and protecting their constructed decks. A local game store should have a healthy selection of card boxes, storage cases, and card sleeves.
The best MTG card sleeves in the $5 to $10 price range are Dragon Shield and Ultra Pro. For the more serious Magic players in your life who have an abundance of cards that need to be stored, the REP Gaming hardshell case is a top-of-the-line purchase.Â
Dice
Magic is a card game, but dice are an essential component in gameplay. Often used as counters and for keeping track of life points, MTG players love to collect dice. A D20 die is always an ideal gift, used for keeping track of life points.
But the best way to impress a Magic player is to buy an assorted variety. All local game stores will have dice for sale. Amazon also has a wide variety, priced from $8 to $40 depending on the amount and design.
Playmats
Playmats, like dice, are needed by all Magic and trading card players. Local game stores will carry a handful or more of playmats, typically priced around $15 to $20.Â
The artwork on a mat can be anything, ranging from anime to specific card art. Recent Magic artists that are favorited by the community include Zack Stella, Anthony Palumbo, Seb McKinnon, Sam Burley, and Jason Felix.
Single cards
The best holiday gift any Magic player can get is a specific card or copies of a card they need for a deck. Often known as singles, these cards can range from $1 to over $60 depending on rarity and popularity within a specific format.
Local card game stores are the best place to find singles in a variety of conditions. And if you’re purchasing online, be sure to avoid websites like Wish. Singles should only be purchased online from a reputable buyer and seller of Magic cards.
