The Ten Easy and Efficient Ways to Playtest in Magic: the gathering

In every upcoming Magic: the Gathering tournament, it is best advised to practice your deck’s gameplay and sideboard so you can check on any changes on the build or remove any card components that are not effective and look only good on paper.

Playtesting in Magic: The Gathering can be both enjoyable and informative when done efficiently. Here are some easy and efficient ways to playtest:

  1. Online Platforms: There are various online platforms such as Magic: The Gathering Arena, Magic Online, and third-party platforms like Cockatrice or Untap.in that offer a digital environment for playing Magic. These platforms provide easy access to a wide range of cards and opponents, allowing you to playtest your deck against different strategies without the need for physical cards.
  2. Proxy Cards: If you want to test a physical deck but don’t have access to all the cards you need, you can create proxy cards. Print out the card images and sleeve them with other cards, making them indistinguishable from real cards. This way, you can playtest with your desired deck without investing in all the cards upfront.
  3. Play with Friends: Casual playtesting with friends or a playtesting group is a fantastic way to test your deck and exchange feedback. Organize playtesting sessions with friends who have diverse deck archetypes to simulate various matchups.
  4. Simulators and Deck Builders: Utilize online deck-building tools and simulators to build and test your deck virtually. Websites like TappedOut or MTGGoldfish offer deck-building capabilities and playtest simulations. You can iterate and refine your deck without having to physically assemble it.
  5. Limited Practice: For Limited formats like Draft and Sealed, you can practice with friends or in your local game store to improve your deck-building skills and gameplay strategies. This helps you become more proficient in assessing card choices and adapting to limited resources.
  6. Record and Analyze: Whenever you playtest, keep track of your games, especially your win-loss ratio, and specific details about each match. This data will help you identify trends, strengths, and weaknesses in your deck. Adjust your deck based on these findings.
  7. Tournament Practice: Join local or online MTG tournaments as a form of playtesting. Competitive environments will put your deck to the test and provide valuable experience. These events often have prizes and a diverse field of opponents.
  8. Use Testing Tools: Various apps and tools can assist in playtesting, such as mana curve calculators and opening hand simulators. These can help you evaluate your deck’s mana base and mulligan decisions more effectively.
  9. Practice Sideboarding: Sideboarding is a crucial aspect of competitive Magic. Practice sideboarding against various matchups to understand which cards to bring in and take out. This can be done with friends or through online testing platforms.
  10. Stay Informed: Keep up with the MTG community, metagame shifts, and tournament results. This information will guide your playtesting efforts, helping you prepare for prevalent deck archetypes.

Remember the take this as an important note: playtesting should be a continuous process to refine your deck and skills. The more you playtest, the better you’ll become at assessing card choices, understanding the metagame, and making strategic decisions during actual tournaments.