Magic Academy: Learn to Play and Deck Building – Lorwyn
Magic Academy: Learn to Play and Deck Building – Lorwyn
Scheduling: evergreen, available all season and beyond; use the Magic Academy: Learn to Play or Deck Building templates
Format: New Player Event
Rules Enforcement Level: Casual
Pairing method: Player List Only
Promotional material support:
Learn-to-play brochures and pocket reference cards
Sticker sheet
Welcome Decks (EN only; 10 Welcome Decks for WPN stores, 20 Welcome Decks for WPN Premium stores)
Use remaining past Magic Academy gift-with-purchase promos
Please use remaining gift-with-purchase promos from past sets. Promos should only be distributed during Magic Academy events when players purchase one of the new 60-Card Theme Decks, a Starter Kit, a Beginner Box, or six Play Booster packs (the Play Boosters players use in Deck Building qualify).
Players must enroll using a Wizards Account to qualify to keep promotional materials; guest account entries are not eligible.
All promos and promotional materials are available while supplies last. For complete promo details, refer to the Promo Usage & Policies hub.
What Is Magic Academy?
Magic Academy is a beginner-friendly event series that teaches new players how to play Magic: The Gathering. Through guided sessions participants get hands-on experience with support from staff or mentors in a fun, low-pressure environment.
How to Run Magic Academy Events
These instructions combine the best practices for running both Learn to Play and Deck Building events in the Magic Academy series. Be sure to follow the appropriate steps based on the type of event you are hosting.
1. Register Players
Direct players to create a Wizards Account at https://myaccounts.wizards.com/ if they don’t already have one. Only players registered with a Wizards Account qualify to keep physical event materials.
Use the "New to Magic? Start Here" poster QR code (in the downloadable marketing materials) to make account setup easier.
Encourage players to download the Magic Companion app, which helps with event sign-up and tracking life totals.
2. Show the Introductory Video
Set the stage by showing the relevant Magic Academy video on a screen in your play space, or provide players with the link to watch on their mobile devices:
These videos provide context and easy instructions that help simplify teaching and give them confidence to jump in.
3. Identify Staff or Mentor Support
Ensure knowledgeable store staff or seasoned players who are happy to help new players are available to:
Answer rules questions
Provide encouragement
Assist with deck building (for Deck Building events) and gameplay
4. Setup and Distribute Event Materials
Give out appropriate materials to players depending on the event.
For Learn to Play:
If using the Beginner Box for the demo:
Set up the guided Beginner Box learn-to-play experience with the included printed guides for the new player.
If using Welcome Decks for the demo, distribute to the new player:
1 Welcome Deck
Learn-to-play brochure
Pocket reference card
For Deck Building
Distribute to the new player:
6 Play Boosters
1 gift-with-purchase promo (while supplies last)
Learn-to-play brochure
Pocket reference card
5. Guide the Activity
For Learn to Play
If using the Beginner Box for the demo:
Run the guided learn-to-play experience according to the Beginner Box instructions.
Then, continue play with decks from the Beginner Box.
Give the player a Welcome Deck for participating in Magic Academy (for Wizards Account registered players and while supplies last while supplies last)
If using Welcome Decks for the demo:
Have players open their Welcome Deck and choose one of the monocolored half decks.
Pair players up for their first casual match.
Once players have played a game or two, suggest shuffling in the other half deck to experience multicolor Magic.
Give players their Welcome Deck for participating in Magic Academy (for Wizards Account registered players and while supplies last).
For Deck Building
Instruct players to open their Play Boosters and review their cards.
Guide them through building their 40-card deck.
Pair players up for their first casual match and encourage them to share their decks with each other before playing to keep the conversation going—this experience is about learning and having fun more than winning!
6. Encourage Continued Play
At the end of the Magic Academy event:
Help players find additional opponents if they want to keep playing casually.
Share your event calendar and invite them back for their next event such as Friday Night Magic or Prerelease.
Next Steps for Your New Magic Players
This is just the beginning of your players' Magic journey—let them know they're welcome to continue it at your store by suggesting other new-player friendly events such as Friday Night Magic, Prerelease, and Two-Headed Giant Commander Night.
Consider introducing players to the 60-Card Theme Decks as a next step after Magic Academy. New with Lorwyn Eclipsed, these Standard-legal decks feature two fan-favorite themes—Pirates and Angels—and are ready to play right out of the box. They're great for helping new players transition into regular Magic matches, whether with friends at home or in your store. Even better, purchasing a 60-Card Theme Deck qualifies them to receive the Magic Academy promo card!
Schedule and Promote Your Events
You can now schedule Magic Academy events in Wizards EventLink. We recommend scheduling at least one Learn to Play and Deck Building event ahead of each season, but they may also be scheduled as needed for walk-in demos.
Simplify player registration by displaying the Wizards EventLink QR codes at your store.
Boost your event visibility with available marketing resources, including Lorwyn Eclipsed digital marketing assets.
WPN stores in the US, Canada, Guam, and Puerto Rico can also purchase customizable materials from the WPN Marketing Portal, and WPN Premium stores in these regions have a $300 seasonal promotional marketing credit for the Lorwyn Eclipsed season.