Magic Online: Difference between revisions

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==Online-only==
==Online-only==
Several Magic Online sets and cards are not available in paper ''Magic''
Several Magic Online sets and cards are not available in paper ''Magic''.
===Sets===
==Sets==
All cards from [[core set]]s after [[7th Edition]] and [[expansion]]s after [[Mirage]] are fully featured in Magic Online. For cards prior than that and some non-regular sets after Magic Online's launch (like [[Conspiracy]]), they are featured in Magic Online exclusive sets instead.
 
Core sets and Expansion are sold until the set is [[rotation|rotated]] out from [[Standard]] in Magic Online. Magic Online exclusive set are sold in selected time basis. However, older sets may be sold and given out from [[limited]] events.
 
Current Magic Online Exclusive Sets:
*[[Masters Edition]]
*[[Masters Edition]]
*[[Masters Edition II]]
*[[Masters Edition II]]
* [[Commander Theme Decks]]
*[[Commander Theme Decks]]
*[[Masters Edition III]]
*[[Masters Edition III]]
*[[Momir Basic|Momir Basic Event Deck]]
*[[Momir Basic|Momir Basic Event Deck]]
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* '''Gleemox'''
* '''Gleemox'''
A Magic Online-only [[promo card]] that was given away with the announcement of the [[Gleemax#Gleemax.com|Gleemax project]]. They were distributed on Magic Online by [[Gleemax]]. The card only exists on Magic Online. It doesn't show up in [[gatherer]] because it's not a real-world card. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/arcana/1736|Ask Wizards: Gleemox and Elves of Deep Shadow|[[Magic Arcana]]|December 09, 2008}}</ref>
A Magic Online-only [[promo card]] that was given away with the announcement of the [[Gleemax#Gleemax.com|Gleemax project]]. They were distributed on Magic Online by [[Gleemax]]. The card only exists on Magic Online. It doesn't show up in [[gatherer]] because it's not a real-world card. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/arcana/1736|Ask Wizards: Gleemox and Elves of Deep Shadow|[[Magic Arcana]]|December 09, 2008}}</ref>
==Avatars==
==Avatars==
Avatars are graphical representations of the player's persona or character. Avatar cards were used in [[casual]] [[Vanguard]] format games. You added one of them to your deck before play, and at the start of the game, the avatar card from your deck started in play for you and applies the modifications listed on it. Starting with ''[[Zendikar]]'', [[rules text]] and [[hand size]]/[[life]] total modifications for vanguard avatars was discontinued. You may continue to play the vanguard format with previously avatars. Both old and new avatars can still be used to represent you in-game. <ref>[http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/tcg/article.aspx?x=magic/magiconline/vanguard Magic Online Vanguard]</ref>
Avatars are graphical representations of the player's persona or character. Avatar cards were used in [[casual]] [[Vanguard]] format games. You added one of them to your deck before play, and at the start of the game, the avatar card from your deck started in play for you and applies the modifications listed on it. Starting with ''[[Zendikar]]'', [[rules text]] and [[hand size]]/[[life]] total modifications for vanguard avatars was discontinued. You may continue to play the vanguard format with previously avatars. Both old and new avatars can still be used to represent you in-game. <ref>[http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/tcg/article.aspx?x=magic/magiconline/vanguard Magic Online Vanguard]</ref>

Revision as of 08:10, 5 November 2014

Magic Online (abbreviated MOL, previously Magic: The Gathering Online, MTGO, or MODO[note 1]) is the official means of playing Magic: The Gathering over the Internet. Wizards of the Coast launched it in 2002 with the release of Invasion and has since added each new set to its server as well. This causes Magic Online to have slightly different formats than paper Magic. [1] [2]

Magic Online requires digital cards. [3] They are sold in booster packs just like in stores. [4]

MTGO booster

The existence of online magic has resulted in several new types of formats like the Pauper Deck Challenge.

Online-only

Several Magic Online sets and cards are not available in paper Magic.

Sets

All cards from core sets after 7th Edition and expansions after Mirage are fully featured in Magic Online. For cards prior than that and some non-regular sets after Magic Online's launch (like Conspiracy), they are featured in Magic Online exclusive sets instead.

Core sets and Expansion are sold until the set is rotated out from Standard in Magic Online. Magic Online exclusive set are sold in selected time basis. However, older sets may be sold and given out from limited events.

Current Magic Online Exclusive Sets:

Card

  • Gleemox

A Magic Online-only promo card that was given away with the announcement of the Gleemax project. They were distributed on Magic Online by Gleemax. The card only exists on Magic Online. It doesn't show up in gatherer because it's not a real-world card. [5]

Avatars

Avatars are graphical representations of the player's persona or character. Avatar cards were used in casual Vanguard format games. You added one of them to your deck before play, and at the start of the game, the avatar card from your deck started in play for you and applies the modifications listed on it. Starting with Zendikar, rules text and hand size/life total modifications for vanguard avatars was discontinued. You may continue to play the vanguard format with previously avatars. Both old and new avatars can still be used to represent you in-game. [6]

DCI-Sanctioned Tournaments

  • Freeform: all sets and cards are allowed. Regular deckbuilding rules are relaxed.
  • Classic: all sets and cards are allowed. Normal deckbuilding rules do apply.
  • Prismatic: each deck must contain at least 250 cards, including at least 20 cards of each color.
  • Singleton: with the exception of basic land cards, a player’s combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than one of any individual card.
  • Tribal Wars: emphasizes creature combat: one-third of every deck must be of a single creature type.
  • Momir Basic: based on the “Momir Vig” Vanguard avatar.

Community Cup

The Magic Online Community Cup is a yearly invitation-only tournament, first held in 2009, in which a group of Wizards of the Coast compete against a group of eight or twelve Magic players selected via a voting system in Magic Online.

Issues and controversies

Invasion block shortage

As Invasion block was one of the first sets released on Magic Online, cards of the block are in short supply as the user base was very small at the time.

Judgment spoiler

Due to a mistake, the entirety of Judgment was spoiled via Magic Online when the set was released in the Software too early. This has led to the release of Sets on Magic Online to be several weeks after the release of the physical product.

Instability and removal of premier events

In November of 2013, after suffering a tournament loss by experiencing technical issues on Magic Online, Magic Pro Tour Hall of Fame member Brian Kibler aired his frustration in an article on StarCityGames entitled "The Magic Online Championship Series should not exist".[7] As this server instability and the inability to restore Magic Online Tournaments to certain states have been a longstanding issue, this led to the suspension several types of high profile types of events[8] which have been slowly phased back in since.[9]

In July, 2014, a new client was launched. [10]. The MOCS and Magic Online PTQ were subsequently resumed on September, along with backup plans due to server issues (The suspended MOCS' replacement events were played between regular MOCS reasons)

Notes

  1. short for "Magic Online with Digital Objects"

References

  1. Clayton Kroh (December 16, 2013). "Magic Online 101". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. Mike Turian (December 16, 2013). "Balancing Act". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. John Doyle (February 25, 2002). "Security and Stability". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. Mark Rosewater (August 05, 2013). "Twenty Things That Were Going To Kill Magic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. Magic Arcana (December 09, 2008). "Ask Wizards: Gleemox and Elves of Deep Shadow". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. Magic Online Vanguard
  7. Brian Kibler (November 11, 2013.) "The Magic Online Championship Series Should Not Exist", StarcityGames.
  8. Worth Wollpert (Wednesday, November 13, 2013). "Changes to Magic Online Events". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. Worth Wollpert (Tuesday, November 26, 2013). "Magic Online Update". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. Template:NewRef

External Links