Magic: The Gathering And How I Got Pulled Back In

Let’s take a trip to MagicCon 2025 and how it pulled me right back into the fun of Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering, that seminal work by Dr. Richard Garfield had a major impact on my life. A high school buddy introduced me to the game around Unlimited Edition, and we would regularly trade Arabian Nights and Antiquities cards. I loved Legends and The Dark, but around Fallen Empires, I started to get disillusioned. I had gotten into Type 2 tournaments, introduced numerous friends to the game, and watched as stores around Warrensburg; Missouri began running tournaments. I dreamed of the Pro-tour which started up in 1996, but just couldn’t afford to make a trek out to a major tournament.

Eventually, as with most things, life was too cost prohibitive to keep going, I traded in my Magic cards for Legends of the 5 Rings, which I enjoyed because at that time there was a strong running narrative, multiple ways to win and you could use any of the cards from the myriad of expansions they released. Until that, too, had to fall to the wayside for life.

 

 

Over the years, I would pick up a pack here, a play deck there. Sometimes I would open them, but a lot of times they would just sit in a box with all the other card games I had picked up and half-heartedly played over the years. Other hobbies took up the attention and resources available, and so I never really considered going back.

Last year, I convinced my wife to buy into Lorcana. We like some of the Disney IPs, and it would be a return to competitive card play, something she had only dabbled at in college. Two weddings, rescuing a dog, and buying a house later, we found that we were now two sets behind, and our energy toward Lorcana fizzled, so we decided to put it down. Then we took a trip to MagicCon 2025.

 

 

One of the advantages of Las Vegas is that everyone and everything comes through, and this includes hobby activities. With a free Sunday and mild curiosity about what the Magic scene was like, we ventured down to the convention center and ran around seeing all the enthusiasts with their backpacks stuffed with cards, playmats, and card sleeves. It also helped that Final Fantasy was the newest set out, not a game franchise I played, but one my wife was well acquainted with and had vested joy in. So, after sitting down with MagiKids, who were willing to teach my wife to play again and sweetened the pot with a few free packs to start that itch, we moved through the artist area where I had the opportunity to finally meet Crystal Sully, an amazing artist who has done work not only for Magic: The Gathering, but also for Dungeons & Dragons. She was offering special blacklight modifications to cards with her work, such as Dragonlord Ojutai, which was so neat to see in person.

A picture with a replica of the Buster Sword from Final Fantasy and a check on the outstanding cost of Commander Decks, and we made our way out, my head already swimming with thoughts of what kind of cards I still had left from my early days and the things I had picked up. Initially, I pitched it to my wife that we would get into Pauper, a playstyle where all the cards in your 60-card deck are common rarity. I thought, let’s keep it cheaper, and we could just ease into things. Cue the ominous music and the thrilling montage of hours of watching YouTube content and numerous devoured articles regarding a hobby I had walked away from nearly 30 years ago.

 

 

Twenty-six days later, we have built five Commander decks, bought four “Pre-Cons,” and have played a handful of games and spent a few hours pawing through boxes of cards at our FLGS (friendly local game store). I have nearly completely abandoned Pauper, as I have learned that it’s a bit more competitive than I had considered, and I think casual Commander is just more our speed these days. Sitting down with friends, wheeling and dealing as we try to see if we can pull off our victory conditions, is just the right amount of investment we need right now. As I explore this rekindled hobby through other reviews, for now I have found that nostalgia of my early twenties and the community of engaged and dedicated players who really help to illustrate “the Gathering” aspect of Magic: The Gathering.