MTG: Arena

  • Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!



    Go here and give us your nominations!
    Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Give us your worst ones!

Whidon

Blackwing Lair Raider
1,880
2,906
SO i've been poking around this thread for a while now but i still have the same question.

How exactly does this differ from mtgo? idk, i read he first half dozen pages on this thread and a bunch more and still have no clue what exactly the premise here is.

I haven't played magic in 15 years now but i absolutely loved the mtgo:beta. Made me an infinitely better player and kept me occupied basically my entire junior year of high school. Something like that. Where you can play online with competitive decks for free, or well thats probably not happening. But at least play without paying insane money?

i still don't understand what a planewalker card is.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user

Rime

<Donor>
2,638
1,612
MTG:A has less cards (only Ixlan onwards - they are adding more as they come out), significantly better UI/Coding, no trading/dust system (Wildcard system somewhat makes up for it - but is still rough), you can somewhat F2P it, and Arena has more focused (or limited, as you will) game modes.
 

Rime

<Donor>
2,638
1,612
MTG:O = EverQuest.
MTG:A = World of Warcraft.

Easiest comparison I can come up with.

MTG:O has more depth (due to the amount of cards/game modes), but MTG:A is significantly more open to new players, sleeker, and more aimed at user retention.
 

Chysamere

FF14 Free Company Master
<WoW Guild Officer>
3,489
3,200
20190427_153948.jpg


Seems good
 
  • 1RAGE
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 users

Harshaw

Throbbing Member
24,296
123,781
MTG:O = EverQuest.
MTG:A = World of Warcraft.

Easiest comparison I can come up with.

MTG:O has more depth (due to the amount of cards/game modes), but MTG:A is significantly more open to new players, sleeker, and more aimed at user retention.


Yeah I tried MTGO but it wasn't user friendly and so much shit I was lost. MTG:A I picked up pretty easy and it sucked me in. I don't mind the "standard" gameplay as I know it's gonna open up at a later time. I'll at least have cards and junk when that happens now.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user

Rime

<Donor>
2,638
1,612
No idea how I got as far as I did into Gold. Unlikely to make Platinum... can hardly get a win, let alone the five-six in a row needed to advance. Netdecks everywhere.

Out of the 17 games I have played (Won 3, lost 11), I have seen THREE 'original' decks. One was an Amass Deck, one was a Krenko/Goblin Aggro, one was a Golgari Graveyard deck. (Aware neither of them is 'original' - just that they are outside of the same three-four deck META that MTG:A has)
 
Last edited:

Whidon

Blackwing Lair Raider
1,880
2,906
MTG:O = EverQuest.
MTG:A = World of Warcraft.

Easiest comparison I can come up with.

MTG:O has more depth (due to the amount of cards/game modes), but MTG:A is significantly more open to new players, sleeker, and more aimed at user retention.

OK, maybe a better way to express one thing i am trying to figure out. How expensive would it be to be competitive in Type II, or w/e the equivalent in mtg nowadays? Compared to MTGO and real cards?

I don't doubt MTGO sucks compared to modern games. But man it was a revelation and 1000x better to using that program we used to scrim with friends online sideboard or something was the name? Either way i super enjoyed the MTGO beta as having an endless pool of opponents at my level, a bit above, or a bit below. All with access to any card anyone wanted available to them. No doubt this was the biggest factor in letting me progress from a sub 1800 constructed player to one threatening 2100 in about half a year.

But the price's (At least back then they wanted same price for physical cards) just killed it for me and I've always had this sorta dream of a reasonably priced mtgo..
 

Rime

<Donor>
2,638
1,612
I mean, cheapest physical standard deck would be a goblin aggro one... they run like $40-60? Better ones run around $120-150, upwards of $300.

MTG:O is going to be cheaper than physical magic is, by a big factor. Cards are significantly cheaper (on average) there than they are in print.

MTG:A is the cheapest option, but like me, you are going to run into issues around High-Gold/Platinum, with Diamond/Mythic likely being out of reach without lots of $ being dumped into it. Not being able to buy specific cards (only craft them with Wildcards - Mythic wildcards are very, very slow to acquire) will be the biggest hurdle and prevent you from making popular/super tight decks without breaking the wallet.

If you want the 'real' experience, it would go Physical, MTG:O, MTG:A.
 

Mahes

Bronze Baronet of the Realm
5,242
6,261
To me, the major difference is that lack of trade. I dislike that MTGA did not incorporate this feature. It is my largest gripe. As others have said, if you have a viable choice, then physical is the way to go. I play Arena because my work schedule is very physical prohibitive.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user

Kiroy

Marine Biologist
<Bronze Donator>
35,324
102,349
OK, maybe a better way to express one thing i am trying to figure out. How expensive would it be to be competitive in Type II, or w/e the equivalent in mtg nowadays? Compared to MTGO and real cards?

I don't doubt MTGO sucks compared to modern games. But man it was a revelation and 1000x better to using that program we used to scrim with friends online sideboard or something was the name? Either way i super enjoyed the MTGO beta as having an endless pool of opponents at my level, a bit above, or a bit below. All with access to any card anyone wanted available to them. No doubt this was the biggest factor in letting me progress from a sub 1800 constructed player to one threatening 2100 in about half a year.

But the price's (At least back then they wanted same price for physical cards) just killed it for me and I've always had this sorta dream of a reasonably priced mtgo..

it's much cheaper than any other way to play mtg

if you grind out all your gold and some gems, like my previous post, you can have a full playset for like 100~ bucks every expansion
 

fanaskin

Well known agitator
<Silver Donator>
55,942
138,364
3 Stitcher's Supplier (M19) 121
2 Vizier of the Scorpion (WAR) 111
4 Lazotep Reaver (WAR) 96
2 Liliana, Untouched by Death (M19) 106
3 Dreadmalkin (WAR) 87
8 Island (RIX) 193
4 Death Baron (M19) 90
1 Liliana, Dreadhorde General (WAR) 97
4 Doomed Dissenter (M19) 93
16 Swamp (RIX) 194
4 Graveyard Marshal (M19) 99
2 Dreadhorde Invasion (WAR) 86
2 Aven Eternal (WAR) 42
4 Vicious Offering (DAR) 110
3 Gleaming Overseer (WAR) 198

there's alot of different cool things you can do with zombies.dec
 
Last edited:

Rime

<Donor>
2,638
1,612
If you are trying to complete sets, it is for sure. I would probably say MTG:O is cheaper for making 'competitive' standard decks, unless you get very lucky with Wildcards.
 

Moogalak

<Gold Donor>
949
1,673
Thanks to Mist Mist and others for turning me onto the ferox. This one has been streaky, but so so worth when they Thought Erasure the ferox! Thinkin about swapping in some kraul's for the U.

4 Nullhide Ferox (GRN) 138
7 Mountain (WAR) 260
3 Ghalta, Primal Hunger (RIX) 130
4 Zhur-Taa Goblin (RNA) 215
4 Llanowar Elves (DAR) 168
4 Steel Leaf Champion (DAR) 182
3 Domri, Anarch of Bolas (WAR) 191
9 Forest (WAR) 264
3 Rhythm of the Wild (RNA) 201
3 Thud (M19) 163
4 Gruul Spellbreaker (RNA) 179
4 Colossal Majesty (M19) 173
4 Rootbound Crag (XLN) 256
4 Stomping Ground (RNA) 259
 

Rime

<Donor>
2,638
1,612
My biggest 'bitch' about the game right now is that the Draft modes are... A) Too expensive. B) Not matched to the price of gems.

Sealed WAR is 2000 Gems. Closest gem packages are 1600 for $10 or 3400 for $20.

I wish they would do it even, but I suppose that is the whole point.
 

Sterling

El Presidente
13,092
8,067
OK, maybe a better way to express one thing i am trying to figure out. How expensive would it be to be competitive in Type II, or w/e the equivalent in mtg nowadays? Compared to MTGO and real cards?

I don't doubt MTGO sucks compared to modern games. But man it was a revelation and 1000x better to using that program we used to scrim with friends online sideboard or something was the name? Either way i super enjoyed the MTGO beta as having an endless pool of opponents at my level, a bit above, or a bit below. All with access to any card anyone wanted available to them. No doubt this was the biggest factor in letting me progress from a sub 1800 constructed player to one threatening 2100 in about half a year.

But the price's (At least back then they wanted same price for physical cards) just killed it for me and I've always had this sorta dream of a reasonably priced mtgo..
MTG:Arena has a much higher return and much better for freerolling than MTGO ever was. As a thing I specifically have put 0 dollars into arena and just used codes and got diamond constructed, mythic limited the first month and mythic constructed this second month while not playing much ranked limited but i could certainly make mythic again if i wanted to. If you're a 2k+ elo rated player you'd have no issue doing something similar.
 

Ukerric

Bearded Ape
<Silver Donator>
8,311
10,289
My biggest 'bitch' about the game right now is that the Draft modes are... A) Too expensive. B) Not matched to the price of gems.

Sealed WAR is 2000 Gems. Closest gem packages are 1600 for $10 or 3400 for $20.

I wish they would do it even, but I suppose that is the whole point.
It's a classic psych microtransaction move. If you have "some" premium currency remaining, it's easier to break out the CC to buy the "remaining" ones to get your item than if you just purchase the item.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user

Mahes

Bronze Baronet of the Realm
5,242
6,261
My biggest 'bitch' about the game right now is that the Draft modes are... A) Too expensive. B) Not matched to the price of gems.

Sealed WAR is 2000 Gems. Closest gem packages are 1600 for $10 or 3400 for $20.

I wish they would do it even, but I suppose that is the whole point.

Not going to touch the first draft. 1500 Gems with a 4 pack guarantee is bad enough but then factor in the 2 loss and out rule. That is a HUGE pass for me. The limited format has a land issue with the shuffler. When I physical draft, I run 16 lands. It has its moments but for the most part I get what I need for mana. In Arena, I run 15 lands and I still get land flooded on multiple occasions. My friend has the same problem so I know it is just not me. The shuffler is doing something but I find it hard to believe that pure random is the program that is running. With that being the case, I am not going for any mode that is a 2 loss and out mode.
 
  • 1Like
Reactions: 1 user

Ukerric

Bearded Ape
<Silver Donator>
8,311
10,289
It's Unity. In theory, it should take them a day at most to make a build on Mac, iOS or Android.

The thing that will probably prevent them from doing an iOS version is the store policies of Apple: any microtransaction within the iOS version of MTGA would have to be thru the apple store, with apple taking 30%. Android would be easy, but people would constantly ask why no iOS. I still have no idea why they haven't built a Mac version yet.