Deck Builder’s Toolkit

My uncle and I ordered ourselves an MTG Deck Builder’s Toolkit, as we both felt we needed to refresh our card collections.

So what do you get in it?

* 100 Basic Land
* 125 semi-randomized cards suitable for building several different Magic decks
* Four 15-card booster packs from a variety of recent Magic: The Gathering sets
* Full-art reusable card storage box
* Deck builder's guide with tips about building the best Magic decks
* Magic "learn to play" guide

Due to the semi- randomized packs of cards, we did get quite a few of the same cards, having said that is doesn’t necessarily mean we will build decks that are too similar; as you know all players have different styles and approaches to deck design. (Also, the four booster packs will help change the direction your deck building will go. You may even find that you got cards to improve your already exciting decks).

If you’ve been playing MTG for years like I have, then the “learn to play” guide isn’t needed; you might even feel the same with the “Deck builders guide”, but reading through the guide may remind you of things long forgotten or spark off a winning idea.

There are 6 steps to follow when building your deck, all of which I agree with strongly but DO NOT follow religiously, mainly because it all boils down to where your ideas take you. These 6 steps to a seemingly flawless deck are:

                Step 1: Sort your cards.

                Step 2: Find you key cards.

                Step 3: Explore your options.

                Step 4: Focus your deck.

                Step 5: Add your lands.

                Step 6: Play and refine your deck.

The guide simply gives you suggestions for Deck Themes; the main reason for the cards being semi-randomized is that with the cards you get, you can build every one of the suggestions. These are:

                Red Burn

                White Equipment

                Library Depletion

                Elves

                Mana Ramp

                Blue-White Fliers

                Vampires

                Black Discard

                Battle Cry

                Green-White Auras

                Metal craft

Upon first opening my “toolkit”, I was disappointed to say the least. But once I’d started actually making decks using other cards I own, I realised the toolkit had giving me a very useful boost, one which I had needed for my stagnating collection. I would recommend one to anyone who wants to give a new lease of life to decks and new cards, but don’t know where to start.

I can also see why this would be a very good pack to buy as a new player; you are given the cards to make suggested decks, it tells you the steps to take and gives you what might be your first booster packs.

I would only ever buy one from the time frame in which it was released as you would inevitably end up with a lot of the same cards. When the next one comes out I have a strong feeling I might be tempted to buy it...