Standard League Kickoff and What You Need To Know
The start of the new Standard Season has started and players are getting ready to bring their best to the table. Bringing back 1V1 competitive Magic to the spotlight. Here is a little guide to help you get started.
If you never heard of Standard League, you should check out our article from a few weeks back here.
Who is the Standard League For?
Standard by nature is a 1V1 competitive format designed using cards from the latest couple of sets. This means cards are more accessible, compared to other constructed formats which use older cards as far as Magic The Gathering was founded. Newer players are also more familiar with the cards as they usually have joined a draft or set prereleases since they have gotten into Magic.
Standard also provides a great deck building experience as you can experiment with different strategies based on the meta (most popular decks). Whether you want to build something to counter the meta or keep up with the pace. And as new cards are being released into Standard, you can quickly upgrade your deck using cards from newer sets.
Things to consider when playing Standard
If you want to find out what is happening in Magic Standard, there are a bunch of content and resources you can look into.
Best websites to look into:
MTGGoldfish
MTG Decks
Standard also has a place for players with a budget & do not want to break the bank. You can always check out the best budget decks out there such as mono color decks that do not need you to get the multi-colored lands. (Which usually is the most expensive cards because they offer more power)
Before you go buying the cards online, check out with the store and the magic community if they have the cards you want. It's easier for you to do a deal locally then ordering cards from international websites. (Also cost a lot more)
The professor also made some excellent videos about how to build deck strategies that will help
Standard naturally works well with booster drafts & sealed
We always encourage new players to try out limited (drafting and/or playing 6-pack sealed events). As it helps you become a better deck builder and gives you the setting to trying out cards from the set. Off course you could just cut to the chase and build a Standard deck using online resources (net decking) but limited offers you so much more. Such as playing cards you would usually not be able to & slowly building up your collection.
"Limited is buying booster packs & playing with them with a chance to win more booster packs" - Magic Judge. Ali AlWatani
You are part of the community
If you are a newer player, you might be thinking you aren't good enough to compete in Standard or Limited Tournaments. That is OK! We are happy to take a look at your deck and give your tips on how to improve. We were all "noobs" at one time and most of us became better because we got help from the older players. Ask in the WhatsApp group or during your hangouts at Howayte for guidance or if you are looking for a card somebody might have extras of.
What Magic The Gathering sets are Legal in Standard 2022?
As of right now, Zendikar Rising, Kaldhiem, Strixhaven: School of Mages, Adventures in the forgotten realms, Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, Innistrad: Crimson Vow, Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty and Streets of New Cappena are all legal standard sets till the third quarter of 2022. (Before the last Standard Set is Released)