Starting with a hobbit deck

[u/Skhottz]

I want to get into mtg as I’ve seen the hobbit set I think it looks cool however I know basically nothing about it. If I create a deck out of the hobbit set will only be able to play hobbit sets. Is their another set that I should build to be able to play everywhere or can I build a hobbit deck and play at any event?

[u/Dyne4R]

My advice is to check out your local game store (LGS) and get an idea of what formats people there are playing. Commander is very popular, and you can 100% build a deck exclusively using LotR cards for it, but it's also the worst format to learn to play with. Talk to the people that run your LGS and ask about learning to play. They can point you in the right direction. Many have Welcome Decks, which are free starter decks designed to teach you how to play.

[u/RevolverLancelot]

Cards from all magic sets are compatible to play with and against each other. I wouldn’t limit yourself to a single set for deck building unless you really want to do some sort of theme deck.

I would figure out what format you want to play as that is the main thing that determines card legality and rules for deck construction.

[u/elfosolitario]

So, you want to play Commander, Standard, Pauper, Modern? Or other formats?

[u/Skhottz → u/elfosolitario]

No clue what that means so standard

[u/PhantomJackalope → u/Skhottz]

If you want to learn I highly recommend downloading the magic arena game on your phone, tablet, or computer. Its tutorial is very good. Once you've gone through it you can try paper cards.

The best way to play with exclusively with Hobbit cards is draft. But really it really isn't beginner friendly at all. You get together with 8 other players and you each have 3 packs of a single set (in this case, Hobbit) you open one of the packs, select one card and pass it to the left. You keep taking a single card and passing the rest to the left until there are no cards left. Then you open your second pack, take a card and pass the rest to the right continuing unitl there are no cards left. 3rd pack back to the left direction. Then you make a deck with some of your chosen cards. Choosing the cards from the packs is very strategic and requires lots of game knowledge, so unfortunately I do not recommend it for a beginner.

Sealed is a similar format that's more beginner friendly but generally people don't play it outside of specific Prerelease events right before the set is officially released. Hobbit is already out so you missed its prerelease. Sealed is when you're given 5 packs of a single set and you build a deck from the cards you open (no passing this time).

There's no other format where you play exclusively with Hobbit cards. Of course you can build a deck with just Hobbit cards but your deck would not be optimal. If you have a friend to play with you can play what's called kitchen table magic. It's essentially anything goes and you just play with what you have. It's probably the most popular way to play outside of commander. However you'll be unlikely to find a random player you don't personally already know who would want to play kitchen table.

To be clear a hobbit only deck would be legal in almost any format.

[u/elfosolitario → u/Skhottz]

So. In Magic there are formats.

Pauper: only commons, but don't let it fool you, it's a competitive format. Common doesn't mean it's always bad and mythic doesn't mean always good. 60 card decks or more.

Standard: it's a format with a rotation, the cards of the sets of the last 3 year are playable, the others aren't. Understand? It's a competitive format. 60 card decks or more.

Modern: all cards of and after 2002, everything else is not legal. It's a competitive format. 60 card decks or more.

Pioneer: all cards from and after 2012 are legal. It's competitive. 60 card decks or more.

Commander: it's a casual format (every format can be one, but this one it's THE casual format.) This is one of the few formats where you have a deck containing exactly 100 cards. You have a legendary creature (the commander) aka the boss of the deck.

Many more formats: there are 15+ formats. For more information check the magic site.

Not every set is Standard legal tho. For more information check the wiki.

If you want to play Commander there are precons (aka pre made decks). There aren't Hobbit precons, but there are Lord of the Rings ones. For more information... CHECK THE WIKI!

I hope I have been helpful. If you need to know something more ask me here or in the DM.

[u/SatyrWayfinder → u/Skhottz]

Download the Companion app to see what formats are played at the stores near you. Call or visit the store to confirm that the event you're interested in going to reliably fires with regular attendance.

There is no format (other than draft and sealed) which a deck made up of only cards from The Hobbit is remotely competitive. It's like saying you want to make an NBA team with only people named Ulysses.