The next major expansion to Magic: The Gathering is almost here. The Core Set for 2019 introduces a number of new cards that offer new players a great way to get into Magic or returning players a chance to enjoy it if they haven't played in a few years. Even better, this is the first year there is a Planeswalker deck for each of the five different colors.
Chris Tulach, Brand Lead for Core Set 2019 at Wizards of the Coast, spoke with Newsweek about the new set, why the company is releasing so many Planeswalker decks and provided two exclusive blue cards from the upcoming Core Set 2019.
"Core Set 2019 is designed as a first stop on your Magic journey," Tulach said about the number of Planeswalker decks for the set. "Players are first learning about the colors of Magic, and we needed to provide these new players with ways to get excited to play their favorite color as their first purchase."
Tulach says the goal for new players is to attend one of the many Open House events or conventions leading up to the Core Set 2019 release. Players new and old will receive a Welcome Deck at these events that gives a small taste of what Core Set 2019 has to offer. From there, players can buy a full-sized deck of their favorite Welcome Deck color (red, blue, white, black and green.) "All five colors need to be represented for this to happen," he said.
If you talk to Magic players, you'll find everyone has their favorite colors to use in decks. As to why this is, Tulach says it mostly comes down to play style. "Some people really like the style of a color, and others like the gameplay of it," he said. "For example, I really like the story of red and blue together – the tension between action and planning, feeling and thinking."
For Tulach, he's all about control. "When I play, something like blue and black is more my style, because I really like to feel like I'm in control and have ways to respond to my opponent," he said.
While Core Set 2019 doesn't have a traditional story arc like previous sets, there is still some lore to be found. "One of the highlights of the set is learning a little bit more about Nicol Bolas, one of Magic's greatest villains," Tulach said. "There are a few cards in the set that delve into his past and more will be available as part of Magic Story this month."
Tulach isn't sure if future releases will include five Planeswalker decks at launch, and said a lot depends on fan reception. Regardless, he's excited for fans to play Core Set 2019. "I really think this set shows the potential of Magic's multiverse in terms of where we've been and where we are now," he said. "There's so much to love no matter what your relationship is with the game. I think this set will be memorable for new players and rekindle some of those early Magic memories for veterans."
So what do you think? What color Planeswalker deck are you most interested in for Core Set 2019? Do either of those two card reveals have you hyped? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
