Different Formats

[AstroGeek327]

I just started playing MTG a few months ago and have lacked the information to branch out to a format other than Standard. Can someone explain to me what kinds of cards I'll need for each format and some basic rules? Thank you in advance!

[cltrn81]

Modern you will want shock lands and fetch lands.  You can get by with the check lands like {glacial fortress}.  Depending on the build cards can be expensive like {tarmogoyf} or {Lilian of the veil}.  I think average decks are $350-$500 but can reach into $1500-$2000

Legacy demands much more money to be invested.  Mainly because you want the original dual lands like {underground sea} to be accompanied by the fetch lands.  There is also a lot of counter magic like {force of will} and {daze} which both can be cast when your opponent is tapped out of mana.  There are also lots of expensive cards like {umezawas jitte}, {Jace the mindsculptor}, {show and tell}, and plenty others.  Average is probable $2000 or more but can be cheaper if you are single color or not using original duals.

Vintage uses the power 9 and decks can cost $10,000 just cuz the power 9 is available.

[AstroGeek327]

Thank you! Unfortunately, being a broke high school student..... I appreciate the info, though, I am going to continue to look into this

[rarehuntertay]

This is also pauper, which is all commons. If a card has ever been printed as a common, it's good to go! (Unless it's on the ban list for pauper)
Peasant is similar, though you're allowed up to 5 uncommons.

[Cender]

Thank you! Unfortunately, being a broke high school student..... I appreciate the info, though, I am going to continue to look into this

I'd also recommend the fun of a repeatable format - make your own cube! You can always try and copy someone's list, but you can always think outside the box. I've made a really cheap cube full of $.30 rares and leftover commons/uncommons that's meant to be four person drafted for 1v1v1v1 free for all shenanigans, and we have great fun with it!

[AstroGeek327]

Wow, thanks to both of you!!! I had no idea there were so many things outside of standard x)

[Agrus Kos, Enforcer of Truth]

Too add on:
Commander is great, and you can get into it for anything between $25-1000. You can look at the pre constructed decks from Walmart (they come out every year, and there are bunch of different flavors), or you build a crazy deck with Alpha Dual lands, and {Gaea's Cradle}. Basically, you choose a legendary creature and build a deck that only contains colors with the mana symbols on the card (for example, {Kaalia of the Vast} and {Alesha, Who Smiles At Death} are both {R}{W}{B}). Your deck is 99 cards (only one of each card), and you can cast your commander from the Command Zone at any time, but it costs {2} more every time you cast it. (more info: http://mtgcommander.net/rules.php ).

Tiny Leaders is like Commander, but it is 49 cards plus your commander, and every card has to be converted mana cost 3 or less. It is also designed to be played 1v1 (as opposed to Commander which is either, but usually multiplayer). Really fun format, more info here: http://tinyleaders.blogspot.com/

Pauper EDH is also like EDH, but your commander is any uncommon (doesn't have to be legendary), and the rest of your deck is commons. This format is extremely cheap, and lots of fun.

To follow up cube: if you have a group of people who will draft with you, definitely consider it. You can build a cube from any where between $50 and $10,000, and it will last forever. For budget options, I would consider Pauper and Peasant (which I like better anyways, there are less "I win because I resolved this" cards). Just remember you are going to want to sleeve up the cube, and for simplicity's sake, basics, so you will need about $60 worth of sleeves (Channelfireball will sell 5 packs of KMC sleeves [400] at $30). The general rule of thumb for a cube is 90 cards per two people, with the most common size being 360, enough for 8 people, a normal draft pod, and you will probably want between 50-75 basics of each color. To build your cube, I recommend spreadsheets (I use Google's spreadsheets) and cubetutor.com . Here is an example: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/8059 It is my 450 Peasant cube (with {Chromanticore}), but keep in mind that my cube is EXTREMELY multicolor and land heavy. For the average pauper cube, look here: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/493

[AstroGeek327]

Too add on:
Commander is great, and you can get into it for anything between $25-1000. You can look at the pre constructed decks from Walmart (they come out every year, and there are bunch of different flavors), or you build a crazy deck with Alpha Dual lands, and {Gaea's Cradle}. Basically, you choose a legendary creature and build a deck that only contains colors with the mana symbols on the card (for example, {Kaalia of the Vast} and {Alesha, Who Smiles At Death} are both {R}{W}{B}). Your deck is 99 cards (only one of each card), and you can cast your commander from the Command Zone at any time, but it costs {2} more every time you cast it. (more info: http://mtgcommander.net/rules.php ).

Tiny Leaders is like Commander, but it is 49 cards plus your commander, and every card has to be converted mana cost 3 or less. It is also designed to be played 1v1 (as opposed to Commander which is either, but usually multiplayer). Really fun format, more info here: http://tinyleaders.blogspot.com/

Pauper EDH is also like EDH, but your commander is any uncommon (doesn't have to be legendary), and the rest of your deck is commons. This format is extremely cheap, and lots of fun.

To follow up cube: if you have a group of people who will draft with you, definitely consider it. You can build a cube from any where between $50 and $10,000, and it will last forever. For budget options, I would consider Pauper and Peasant (which I like better anyways, there are less "I win because I resolved this" cards). Just remember you are going to want to sleeve up the cube, and for simplicity's sake, basics, so you will need about $60 worth of sleeves (Channelfireball will sell 5 packs of KMC sleeves [400] at $30). The general rule of thumb for a cube is 90 cards per two people, with the most common size being 360, enough for 8 people, a normal draft pod, and you will probably want between 50-75 basics of each color. To build your cube, I recommend spreadsheets (I use Google's spreadsheets) and cubetutor.com . Here is an example: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/8059 It is my 450 Peasant cube (with {Chromanticore}), but keep in mind that my cube is EXTREMELY multicolor and land heavy. For the average pauper cube, look here: http://www.cubetutor.com/viewcube/493

This was so extremely helpful! Thank you! That cube looks awesome, btw