<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Solve the Equation" href="#" target="_blank">Solve the Equation</a> | Art by <a href="https://liesetiawan.com/">Lie Setiawan</a> Hello, everyone! I’m Levi from The Thought Vessel, and over the past few months I’ve found myself in a peculiar position: I’ve been surrounded by brand new players experiencing Magic: The Gathering for the very first time. With a background in education, I’ve been putting my teacher hat on to help them learn the ropes. Today we’re going to talk about how to teach your friends Magic: The Gathering; more specifically, Commander. We’ll look at how teaching usually happens, share some general tips, touch on a bit of educational theory, and then apply it directly to Commander to make the learning process smoother. Before we dive in, I want to acknowledge something upfront: I don’t think Commander is the best way to introduce someone to Magic. Four-player multiplayer introduces a lot of variables, politics, bigger decks, and many more moving parts to track. There’s more math, more hidden information, and a lot more to keep in your head. That can be overwhelming for a brand-new player. That said, Commander is the most popular way to play Magic today. It’s what gets the spotlight in content, it’s what players talk about on social media, and it’s the format most people want to try first. If someone’s excited about Commander and wants that to be their first step into Magic, it’s usually best to lean into that excitement rather than redirect them somewhere else. Meeting people where they are is one of the most important principles in teaching. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Monologue Tax"></div></div> <h2>How It’s Usually Done</h2> Most of the time, new players learn Magic at a Commander night. They show up with friends, borrow a deck, and have their hand held through the game by the table. If they’re lucky, one of their friends has a deck specifically designed for beginners, something straightforward and clear. That might be an unmodified precon, or a simple deck with a commander like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a>, where the game plan is basically “make Goblins, swing with Goblins.” This works fine at the moment, but there’s a catch: if they want to play again, they may not have access to the same deck or the same group of patient teachers. Every new game might mean a completely different deck with new mechanics and strategies to wrap their head around. That constant reset is exhausting, and a lot of potential players fall off right here. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Mob Boss"></div></div> Some people try to bridge the gap by starting with duel decks or small-scale 1v1 teaching decks before transitioning into Commander. That definitely helps, it removes a lot of the noise, but the leap from “simple Magic” to “a full multiplayer Commander pod” is still dramatic. Imagine learning to drive in an empty parking lot and then immediately being thrown into rush-hour traffic. That’s what it can feel like. Another common path is MTG Arena. Arena is great at teaching the basics, turn order, phases, sequencing, combat, but it also becomes a crutch. The digital client handles triggers, math, and even stack interactions automatically, which means a player can learn to “click buttons” without fully internalizing what’s happening. It’s like learning to cook with a meal kit service: you’re following instructions, but you don’t necessarily understand why the steps work. Arena also can remove the social element, which is a huge part of Commander. If a player’s only experience is digital, the leap into paper Commander can be even more intimidating. So how do we do better? That’s where educational theory comes in, and one of the best tools is Bloom’s Taxonomy. <h2>Bloom’s Taxonomy</h2> Bloom’s Taxonomy is a framework educators use to classify six levels of learning. Originally developed in 1965 and updated in 2001, it’s a hierarchy of skills that moves from simple recall to complex creativity. As a teacher, this was a tool that we would use to make sure we could meet educational standards and also assess how well the class had learned a concept. Teachers use Bloom’s Taxonomy worldwide, but it’s just as useful at a kitchen table as it is in a classroom. The six levels are: Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating. Each step builds on the one before it, and if you want to help someone learn Magic, especially Commander, this structure gives you a roadmap. <h3>Level 1: Remembering</h3> This is the very beginning: the first time a new player looks at a Magic card. At this stage, the only goal is to learn the basics: play lands, tap for mana, cast spells, attack, block, and move through phases. To teach this, I built five mono-colored sixty-card decks, each designed to show off its color’s identity in the simplest way possible. White has small creatures and lifegain, blue has counterspells and evasion, black has removal and life payment, red has burn and aggro, and green has ramp and big creatures. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lightning Bolt"></div></div> I’ll usually start with the color I think they’ll enjoy most: if they like big flashy plays, I hand them green; if they’re into clever tricks, blue might be a better fit. Then we play a couple of short games. Once they’re comfortable, I’ll let them “promote” a creature in the deck to be their commander and introduce the command zone. The goal isn’t to play perfectly balanced games, it’s to build confidence. Sometimes I’ll intentionally make suboptimal plays or let them sneak in a win to keep motivation high. Once they can recall the basics without constant prompting, we’re ready for the next level. <h3>Level 2: Understanding</h3> Now we shift from “what” to “why.” It’s not enough to know you can cast spells, you need to understand why you cast them when you do. This is where observation is powerful. I’ll have them watch a Commander game and encourage questions. Why did that player hold up two mana? Why did this player attack one opponent and not another? These are the questions that unlock understanding. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vedalken Orrery"></div></div> Content is also helpful here. Game Knights is a great teaching tool because of its production value, commentary, and accessibility. A personal favorite of mine for this is Episode 45 with Post Malone. Having a celebrity at the table helps bridge the gap for people who aren’t yet invested in the Magic community, and the game itself showcases a variety of strategies without being overly complex. Another trick I use is asking them to “narrate” their thought process when they play. For example: “I’m going to cast this creature now because I want to start pressuring the board” is a stronger learning moment than just slamming the card down. Narration forces them to connect cause and effect. <h3>Level 3: Applying</h3> At this stage, the new player needs a dedicated deck. How they get it doesn’t matter; it could be a precon, a borrowed build, or a gift, but consistency is key. Playing the same deck repeatedly builds familiarity, and familiarity breeds confidence. Consistency also lets them start recognizing patterns: “I always want to see this card early,” or “I lose when I keep hands without ramp and/or card draw.” These realizations only come when you play the same list multiple times, so players aren’t just blaming the deck for their shortcomings. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver"></div></div> The rest of the table can support this by playing straightforward decks as well. Kindred decks are perfect here: Zombies swarm, Elves ramp, Goblins flood the board. These archetypes make threat assessment clear, unlike more subtle strategies, like aristocrats or storm. Another thing that helps is letting the new player take extra time with sequencing. For example, if they forget to play their land first before casting something, pause and explain why the order matters. These little micro-lessons are what add up over time. By the time they’ve played a few games with their deck, most new players are naturally ready for the next level. <h3>Level 4: Analyzing</h3> Here the focus expands outward. It’s not just about your plan anymore, it’s about how your plan interacts with others. This is where new players start asking, “What is that deck trying to do?” Encourage open discussion at the table. Explain your plays, and ask others to do the same. If someone casts a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a>, don’t just say “resolve”, explain why it’s strong. If someone drops a board wipe, talk about how it resets the game and why it matters. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Orzhov Advokist"></div></div> Borrowing decks is also great here. Playing a different archetype broadens their perspective and helps them see the game from multiple angles. Another exercise I like is swapping decks: have the new player play against their own deck, piloted by someone more experienced. This gives them insight into both sides of the match-up. This is also the stage where politics and table talk start to click. A player might notice that if they swing at one opponent, they open themselves up to retaliation from another. Commander is as much about negotiation as it is about combat math, and learning to analyze those dynamics is crucial. <h3>Level 5: Evaluating</h3> This is where players start upgrading. They’ve played enough games to know what feels clunky or frustrating in their deck. Maybe it’s the tapped lands, maybe it’s the six-mana sorcery that always rots in their hand, or maybe it’s cards better suited to the alternate commander. Point them to resources like <a href="https://edhrec.com/">EDHREC</a>, <a href="https://archidekt.com/">Archidekt</a>, and <a href="https://scryfall.com/">Scryfall</a>. Encourage them to experiment, but resist the urge to take control. Early upgrades often make a deck worse, e.g., too many splashy haymakers, too little ramp, but those mistakes are valuable. Every misstep teaches ratios, synergy, and deckbuilding fundamentals better than a lecture ever could. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brainstorm"></div></div> I usually recommend one-for-one swaps at this stage. If they cut a clunky six-mana card, add a smoother six-mana card. That way the curve and ratios stay intact while still encouraging experimentation. This is also where conversations about budget come in. Some new players want to chase cards like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a> right away, while others prefer to keep things affordable. Talking about priorities, such as “Do you want your deck to be faster or more flavorful?” helps them make meaningful choices. <h3>Level 6: Creating</h3> This final level happens naturally. At some point, every new player finds a legendary creature or Universes Beyond character that sparks their imagination. Suddenly, they’re not just playing Magic, they’re brewing up Magic. <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Post, Son of Rich"></div></div> One of my friends hit this point with <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth</a>. They loved the Post Malone Secret Lair art and wanted to make the deck their own. The first version was messy and inconsistent, but that’s the point. Deckbuilding takes practice and patience. Nobody builds a perfect deck on the first try, and quite frankly a crappy first attempt at a deck that's sleeved up and ready to go is worth far more than a perfect deck that is about 80% completed hanging out on Archidekt or as a pile of cards on their desk.  What matters is ownership. Once they’ve brewed a deck themselves, they’ve fully crossed the threshold from learner to player, and from there, the sky’s the limit. <h2>General Tips and Tricks</h2> I've included a few tips and tricks that are helpful that didn't quite fit into the format, but I wanted to make a note of: <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Leverage prior knowledge. Everyone comes in with a different background. I learned Magic in 2010 with RPGs and Yu-Gi-Oh! under my belt, which made concepts like mana and combat intuitive. Using familiar comparisons, like calling creatures “monsters”, can help make connections early on. </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Be patient. Not every player wants to progress through all six levels. Some are happy staying at Levels 1–2, just playing casually when invited. That’s okay. Magic is a deep pool, and not everyone wants to dive to the bottom. </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Set expectations at the table. Let everyone know a new player is learning. This prevents pub-stomping and encourages others to explain plays. Cards like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swords to Plowshares" href="#" target="_blank">Swords to Plowshares</a> are second nature to veterans but bewildering to beginners. Taking time to explain makes for a better experience. </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Celebrate small wins. A new player casting their first board wipe, pulling off their first combo, or even just remembering their upkeep trigger deserves recognition. Positive reinforcement builds excitement. </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Avoid overload. Don’t try to explain the stack, layers, and replacement effects all in one night. Give information in digestible chunks. </li> </ul> <h2>Wrapping Up</h2> This is the framework I use to teach new players Commander. Of course, every person learns differently, and you’ll need to adapt these steps to fit the individual. Some players race through all six levels in a month, while others take longer, or never move beyond the basics. What matters is that Magic: The Gathering is a game with infinite ways to enjoy it. Sharing it with someone new is a privilege, and it’s incredibly rewarding to watch someone you taught shuffle up their first self-built deck. Until next time, happy brewing!

teaching

An Educator's Guide to Teaching Magic: The Gathering