MTG’s Starter Kits: Rankings and Your FAQs Answered

Last updated on March 7, 2024

Hullbreaker Horror | Illustration by Svetlin Velinov

Over the years Wizards has released a variety of products aimed at getting new players into Magic. They’ve come in several different forms, like Intro Decks, Planeswalker Decks, or Booster Battle Packs, but these products share some similar features. They’re usually inexpensive complete decks that can be played directly out of the box and are sometimes Standard-legal at the time of their release. The latest iteration of these products, first appearing in 2018, is Magic’s Starter Kits.

Thanks to their self-explanatory name, Starter Kits are likely one of the first products a new player looks at on the shelf at their local game store or big box retailer. If you’re looking to get into Magic, or transition from Magic Arena to paper Magic, it would be helpful for you to know exactly what you’re getting in a Starter Kit and whether they’re worth buying.

What Are the Starter Kits?

Start from Scratch | Illustration by Bayard Wu

Starter Kits are introductory Magic products designed to give two players everything they need to start playing the game. Magic has had a long tradition of two-player starter products dating all the way back to 1994’s Revised Gift Box, and Starter Kits are the latest version of that product line. These decks serve as a good and inexpensive way for new players to try out the hobby. If you’re trying to get your friends into Magic, this might be a product to consider.

What’s in Starter Kits?

Each Starter Kit includes two 60-card Magic decks and supplemental materials to help players learn the game. Each deck includes a foil card of one of the deck’s rares. The exact form of rulebooks has changed from product to product. For example, the original Starter Kits included rules cards that players can reference along with rulebooks. The booklet included in the 2022 Starter Kits also includes a guide to the world of Magic: The Gathering. It gives you some insight into the lore and how to play the game. This might signal a redoubled effort by Wizards to get new players invested in both the game and its narrative.

The first three Starter Kits included spin-down counters, but those have been replaced by deck boxes in the latest Kits. This is probably a change for the better because digital life tracking has become more popular. New players will appreciate having a place to store their cards. Another new addition to the Kits starts with 2020’s release of the Magic Arena Starter Kit code for Magic Arena. They can be redeemed by two players and give each one a copy of both decks from the Starter Kit.

Starter Kits Decklists and Rankings

#14. Rough and Tumble (2021 Arena Starter Kit)

There isn’t a ton of synergy between the black and green cards in Rough and Tumble. It feels more like a Jumpstart deck with two colors randomly mixed. There also aren’t any dual tap lands to help with the mana base. The value of this deck is incredibly low: The cards are worth less than $2 collectively, so you’d end up paying more for shipping than the cards are worth if you wanted to grab this deck.

Sale

Magic: The Gathering 2021 Arena Starter Kit

• 2 ready-to-play 60-card Magic decks (basic lands included)
• 1 traditional foil card in each deck—Cyclone Summoner and Dragonsguard Elite
• 1 Play Guide booklet
• 2 deck storage boxes
• 1 MTG Arena Code Card to unlock both decks for two people to play online at MTG Arena

$13.98

Buy on Amazon

#13. Red-White (Spellslinger Starter Kit)

This Boros deck is a decently constructed aggro deck for playing against the other Starter Kit deck, but it has far too many vanilla creatures to be viable in any real format. The inclusion of 2-color tap lands is nice, and it comes with a handy board wipe. This is unfortunately one of the rare decks that doesn’t come with a legendary creature, so there’s no potential for branching off into Commander.

Magic: The Gathering Spellslinger Starter Kit | 2 Starter Decks | 2 Dice | 2 Learn to Play Guides

• LEARN TO PLAY MAGIC. You and a friend can start playing Magic: The Gathering instantly with this two-player starter set.
• JUST OPEN AND PLAY. Everything you need is in the box. Follow the quick start guide to learn as you play.
• CHOOSE YOUR DECK. Pick the red/white deck to command ferocious dragons and righteous angels, or go with black/green and lead vampires and dinosaurs into battle.
• TEACH YOUR FRIENDS. These two starter decks were designed as an intuitive way to learn Magic. They’re even arranged to guarantee a good mana curve in game one.
• PLAY THE ORIGINAL. The first modern collectible card game, Magic: The Gathering has inspired more than 20 million fans over 25 years.

$47.89

Buy on Amazon

#12. Sneak Attack (2021 Arena Starter Kit)

Sneak Attack is a little higgledy-piggledy when it comes to the theme. It seems more like it’s showing off everything that blue and red can do in Magic instead of focusing on being a well-crafted Izzet deck. This can be good for new players who want a sampler platter of mechanics, but it doesn’t make for the most cohesive deck.

Sale

Magic: The Gathering 2021 Arena Starter Kit

• 2 ready-to-play 60-card Magic decks (basic lands included)
• 1 traditional foil card in each deck—Cyclone Summoner and Dragonsguard Elite
• 1 Play Guide booklet
• 2 deck storage boxes
• 1 MTG Arena Code Card to unlock both decks for two people to play online at MTG Arena

$13.98

Buy on Amazon

#11. Mono-Green (Core Set 2021 Magic Arena Starter Kit)

This mono-green deck has 61 cards in it if you choose to include the foil Kogla, the Titan Ape that comes with it. It has some fun cards for Commander like Colossification and good mono-green support like Yorvo, Lord of Garenbrig. It’s a good deck for learning what a mono-green deck likes to do.

Magic The Gathering MTG-M21-SK-EN Arena Starter Kit Display

• Contains exciting new cards from Core Set 2021.
• A great introduction to the Magic Community.
• Contains two ready to play decks.
• Model number: MTG-M21-SK-EN

$42.74

Buy on Amazon

#10. Drakuseth (Core Set 2020 Spellslinger Starter Kit)

This mono-red deck with Drakuseth, Maw of Flames at the helm has a nice cohesive theme and feels very focused. Apart from its vanilla creatures, much of the deck is focused on flying creatures and doing direct damage. This deck does a good job of showing players how to build and play a deck around a few mechanics in a color rather than trying to cram them all in at once.

Magic: The Gathering Spellslinger Starter Kit Core Set 2020 (M20) | 2 Starter Decks | 2 Dice | 2 Learn to Play Guides

• JUMP INTO MAGIC: THE GATHERING instantly with this two-player starter set.
• WELCOME THE CHALLENGE. Magic: The Gathering is the deepest strategy card game there is, with endless challenges for new players and veterans alike.
• PLAY FACE-TO-FACE OR DIGITAL with codes to unlock both decks on MTG ARENA.
• JUST OPEN AND PLAY. Everything you need is in the box. Follow the quick start guide to learn as you play.
• CHOOSE YOUR DECK. Pick the red deck to command ferocious dragons, or go with black/green and lead righteous angels into battle.

$39.88

Buy on Amazon

#9. Mono-Black (Core Set 2021 Magic Arena Starter Kit)

This mono-black deck is a good way to show off several black mechanics, but it falls short of doing any of them well. The inclusion of Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose is a good way to show off how a legendary creature can reshape the way a player uses a certain mechanic to their advantage. This shows players how to think creatively about the way cards interact. It can be a good gateway to the Commander format if they want to focus a deck around a specific legendary card.

Magic The Gathering MTG-M21-SK-EN Arena Starter Kit Display

• Contains exciting new cards from Core Set 2021.
• A great introduction to the Magic Community.
• Contains two ready to play decks.
• Model number: MTG-M21-SK-EN

$42.74

Buy on Amazon

#8. Black-Green (Spellslinger Starter Kit)

Ironically this Golgari deck might be the best one for players who want to start playing mono-green decks. It has staples like Llanowar Elves and Reclamation Sage. Ghalta, Primal Hunger is a great way to show the payoff to green’s mana ramp and creature-heavy strategies. Including some black removal cards in this deck is also a great way to teach new players about the benefits of using a second color of mana to supplement a weak area of another.

Magic: The Gathering Spellslinger Starter Kit | 2 Starter Decks | 2 Dice | 2 Learn to Play Guides

• LEARN TO PLAY MAGIC. You and a friend can start playing Magic: The Gathering instantly with this two-player starter set.
• JUST OPEN AND PLAY. Everything you need is in the box. Follow the quick start guide to learn as you play.
• CHOOSE YOUR DECK. Pick the red/white deck to command ferocious dragons and righteous angels, or go with black/green and lead vampires and dinosaurs into battle.
• TEACH YOUR FRIENDS. These two starter decks were designed as an intuitive way to learn Magic. They’re even arranged to guarantee a good mana curve in game one.
• PLAY THE ORIGINAL. The first modern collectible card game, Magic: The Gathering has inspired more than 20 million fans over 25 years.

$47.89

Buy on Amazon

#7. Sephara, Sky’s Blade (Core Set 2020 Spellslinger Starter Kit)

Having small creatures supported by buffs from powerful angels is a classic mono-white deck style. Sephara, Sky's Blade is a good representation of a type of deck players will see in Constructed formats, but this deck also includes some good value. Sephara, Sky's Blade and Angelic Guardian are worth more than many of the Starter Kit decks in their entirety. This deck is an overall good learning tool. It’s well built and worth more than its cost (if you can find it for its original price).

Magic: The Gathering Spellslinger Starter Kit Core Set 2020 (M20) | 2 Starter Decks | 2 Dice | 2 Learn to Play Guides

• JUMP INTO MAGIC: THE GATHERING instantly with this two-player starter set.
• WELCOME THE CHALLENGE. Magic: The Gathering is the deepest strategy card game there is, with endless challenges for new players and veterans alike.
• PLAY FACE-TO-FACE OR DIGITAL with codes to unlock both decks on MTG ARENA.
• JUST OPEN AND PLAY. Everything you need is in the box. Follow the quick start guide to learn as you play.
• CHOOSE YOUR DECK. Pick the red deck to command ferocious dragons, or go with black/green and lead righteous angels into battle.

$39.88

Buy on Amazon

#6. Earth Shakers (2022 Starter Kit)

It’s not as well constructed as some of the previous decks, and this Gruul deck probably won’t do too well with the somewhat jumbled theme of the deck, but it gives players a starting place to build on. That’s the point of these Kits, isn’t it?

Magic: The Gathering 2022 Starter Kit | 2 Ready-to-Play Decks

• Magic: The Gathering Starter Kits are a great way to dive into a game of deep strategy, gorgeous art, fantastical stories, and a thriving fan community
• 2 decks designed for out-of-the-box play, with a Play Guide to get you started
• 2 boxes to store your decks—easy to bring to your next board game night or play at your local game store
• Includes redemption codes that unlock both decks on Magic: The Gathering Arena—letting you play both in person and online with your friends
• 5 Rare cards, including 1 rare in a shining Traditional Foil treatment, included in each deck

$10.48

Buy on Amazon

#5. Up and Away (2022 Starter Kit)

The Azorius deck from the same kit fairs a little better. It’s a decently focused control deck with a few strange outliers. It also includes the very good Hullbreaker Horror.

Magic: The Gathering 2022 Starter Kit | 2 Ready-to-Play Decks

• Magic: The Gathering Starter Kits are a great way to dive into a game of deep strategy, gorgeous art, fantastical stories, and a thriving fan community
• 2 decks designed for out-of-the-box play, with a Play Guide to get you started
• 2 boxes to store your decks—easy to bring to your next board game night or play at your local game store
• Includes redemption codes that unlock both decks on Magic: The Gathering Arena—letting you play both in person and online with your friends
• 5 Rare cards, including 1 rare in a shining Traditional Foil treatment, included in each deck

$10.48

Buy on Amazon

#4. Green-White Backup (MTG 2023 Starter Kit)

This backup deck is your typical midrange filled with creatures and anthem effects. You’ll fill the board with little creatures like a white weenie strategy, using cards like Recruitment Officer and Quirion Beastcaller, and then pump them with Siege Veteran or In the Trenches. This is a very straightforward deck to play and it’s very fitting for beginners. Ancient Imperiosaur is awesome in a deck filled with creatures, since it can hit the board early and with a lot of counters. The mechanic backup shines here as a way to pump creatures and add abilities to them, and rares like Boon-Bringer Valkyrie and Silverback Elder are game-winning bombs.

Sale

Magic The Gathering 2023 Starter Kit - Learn to Play with 2 Ready-to-Play Decks + 2 Codes to Play Online (2-Player Fantasy Card Game)

• LEARN TO PLAY MAGIC WITH A FRIEND—This 2-player kit is a fun, easy way to start playing Magic: The Gathering, with everything you need to play in one box, a How-to-Play Guide, plus an interactive online tutorial in Magic: The Gathering Arena
• A GAME THAT FUSES ART, STORIES & STRATEGY—Magic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy, gorgeous art, fantastical stories, and a thriving fan community all together into a card game experience like no other
• 2 READY-TO-PLAY DECKS—Get 2 decks that are ready-to-play right out of the box, each with its own play style—unleash fire-breathing dragons to do massive damage with the Day of the Dragon deck or build up an ever-more-powerful army to crush your opponent with the Backup Beatdown deck
• PLAY IN PERSON & ONLINE—In addition to physical decks, this kit includes codes for 2 people to unlock both decks to play online in MTG Arena, a digital way to play Magic; play on desktop or in the Arena mobile app
• RARE CARDS & SHINING FOILS—Each deck contains 2 Mythic Rare and 6 Rare cards to power up your decks and kick off your collection, including 1 Rare card in each deck that gleams with a gorgeous foil treatment

$17.66

Buy on Amazon

#3. Blue-Red (MTG 2023 Starter Kit)

This deck plays as a typical Blue-Red Aggro/Tempo deck, with red aggressive creatures and burn, supported by some card draw in blue and late-game cards like Archive Dragon. It gets extra flavor points for actually winning with dragons. To win, you can attack with your smaller creatures while building your mana to cast your expensive cards, and win via a massive Shivan Devastator, Tyrant of Kher Ridges or Dragonwing Glider. Kolaghan Warmonger carries a lot of weight here in delivering the beats. The decklist also contains some staple cards in mono-red aggro decks for Standard, like Goddric, Cloaked Reveler and Shivan Devastator. Finally, Sarkhan, Soul Aflame is a valuable card and an interesting commander to build a dragon deck around and get a mana discount while casting them. 

Sale

Magic The Gathering 2023 Starter Kit - Learn to Play with 2 Ready-to-Play Decks + 2 Codes to Play Online (2-Player Fantasy Card Game)

• LEARN TO PLAY MAGIC WITH A FRIEND—This 2-player kit is a fun, easy way to start playing Magic: The Gathering, with everything you need to play in one box, a How-to-Play Guide, plus an interactive online tutorial in Magic: The Gathering Arena
• A GAME THAT FUSES ART, STORIES & STRATEGY—Magic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy, gorgeous art, fantastical stories, and a thriving fan community all together into a card game experience like no other
• 2 READY-TO-PLAY DECKS—Get 2 decks that are ready-to-play right out of the box, each with its own play style—unleash fire-breathing dragons to do massive damage with the Day of the Dragon deck or build up an ever-more-powerful army to crush your opponent with the Backup Beatdown deck
• PLAY IN PERSON & ONLINE—In addition to physical decks, this kit includes codes for 2 people to unlock both decks to play online in MTG Arena, a digital way to play Magic; play on desktop or in the Arena mobile app
• RARE CARDS & SHINING FOILS—Each deck contains 2 Mythic Rare and 6 Rare cards to power up your decks and kick off your collection, including 1 Rare card in each deck that gleams with a gorgeous foil treatment

$17.66

Buy on Amazon

#2. Green-White Gondor (Lord of the Rings 2023 Starter Kit)

This GW deck is centered around Gondor, so you’ll have Aragorn, Hobbits, Gandalf and all the free peoples of Middle-earth united against the forces of Sauron. Mechanically there’s a food/token theme present, which is the archetype of this collection. Thematically, the deck plays very well and it has some interesting cards for Commander too. It’s not Standard legal though, because the Lord of the Rings collection was designed to be played only in eternal formats like Modern, Legacy and EDH. Value cards from this deck include Gandalf, White Rider, Aragorn and Arwen, Wed, Galadriel, Gift-Giver and Bilbo's Ring, cards that see some play in Commander and can be interesting to build around. 

Magic: The Gathering Lord of The Rings Starter Kit - 2 Ready-to-Play Decks, 2 Online Codes, Ages 13+, 2 Players

• MAGIC: THE GATHERING MEETS THE LORD OF THE RINGS: Experience the epic story of The Lord of the Rings and learn how to play Magic with this Magic: The Gathering The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth Starter Kit. For 2 players. Ages 13+
• JOIN THE FOLLOWSHIP: Immerse yourself in Middle-earth with thematic game mechanics and gorgeous card art, battling alongside your favorite The Lord of the Rings characters
• LEARN TO PLAY MAGIC WITH A FRIEND: Use the included how-to-play guide or the interactive online tutorial in Magic: The Gathering Arena, a digital platform available on desktop or mobile, and enjoy 2-player battles
• TWO READY-TO-PLAY 60-CARD DECKS: This Starter Kit comes with 2 beautifully illustrated premade decks, including 1 foil Mythic Rare card and 4 Rare cards in each one, and 2 deck boxes for easy storage
• FIGHT FOR THE FATE OF MIDDLE-EARTH: Choose the Black-Red deck to join Sauron and the hordes of Mordor or fight for the Free Peoples of Middle-earth with the Green-White deck

$19.11

Buy on Amazon

#1. Black-Red Mordor (Lord of the Rings 2023 Starter Kit)

Black-Red Mordor (Lord of the Rings 2023 Starter Kit)

If the green-white deck represents the forces of good, This BR deck represents Mordor and the forces of evil. You’ll have not only Sauron at your disposal, but also orcs, goblins, spiders and more. The main mechanic for this deck is the amass orcs mechanic, which allows you to make an orc army token and grow it over time. There are interesting cards for Commander like Gollum, Scheming Guide, Sauron, the Lidless Eye and The Balrog, Flame of Udûn. Just keep in mind that, like the green-white deck, this deck is aimed at Eternal formats, so you’ll not be able to play these cards in Standard. 

Magic: The Gathering Lord of The Rings Starter Kit - 2 Ready-to-Play Decks, 2 Online Codes, Ages 13+, 2 Players

• MAGIC: THE GATHERING MEETS THE LORD OF THE RINGS: Experience the epic story of The Lord of the Rings and learn how to play Magic with this Magic: The Gathering The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth Starter Kit. For 2 players. Ages 13+
• JOIN THE FOLLOWSHIP: Immerse yourself in Middle-earth with thematic game mechanics and gorgeous card art, battling alongside your favorite The Lord of the Rings characters
• LEARN TO PLAY MAGIC WITH A FRIEND: Use the included how-to-play guide or the interactive online tutorial in Magic: The Gathering Arena, a digital platform available on desktop or mobile, and enjoy 2-player battles
• TWO READY-TO-PLAY 60-CARD DECKS: This Starter Kit comes with 2 beautifully illustrated premade decks, including 1 foil Mythic Rare card and 4 Rare cards in each one, and 2 deck boxes for easy storage
• FIGHT FOR THE FATE OF MIDDLE-EARTH: Choose the Black-Red deck to join Sauron and the hordes of Mordor or fight for the Free Peoples of Middle-earth with the Green-White deck

$19.11

Buy on Amazon

Does MTG Still Make Starter Kits?

Yes! Starter kits have released consistently up through August 2023, which fits into Wizards’ pattern of releasing at least one two-player introductory product per year.

What's the MSRP of Starter Kits?

Depending on what product you get, the price may vary. For example, the Lord of the Rings starter kit was retailing for around $25, while a typical Starter Kit will sell for $15-20. You can get discounts when buying older products, though. The latest Kits can be found for about $10 at local stores or big box retailers.

Are Magic: The Gathering Starter Kits Worth It?

To answer this question, let’s calculate the individual value of singles on the secondary market using card price tools like those available in TCGplayer.

So, these are some examples that show the expected value of Starter Kits. Here I’m using approximations, considering that the retail value of the products can vary. Although the selling point of the Lord of the Rings Starter Kit is $35, it’s currently retailing for less, and it can also become more expensive in the future. I’m also considering that each card has an individual value, and disregarding that some of these decks have foil or premium rares. Either way, you’re paying a nice price for such an entry-level product, and it’s one of the cheapest ways to get into MTG with decks designed to battle against each other.

Starter Kits Vs. Starter Decks

The difference between Magic Starter Kits and Starter Decks is that Starter Kits come with two playable decks. Conversely, Starter Deck products like Planeswalker Decks or Intro Decks only have one preconstructed deck.  Some Starter Deck products had slightly more powerful decklists because they were a single deck for around the same price. Players who were willing to spend a little more might prefer to just grab two of those instead of a Starter Kit.

Where Can You Get Old Starter Kits?

Players looking to grab last year’s starter kits can do so on Amazon for less than $20, around what Wizards’ original MSRP was for similar products.

Sellers on TCGplayer are selling older Kits for slightly less than Amazon, with last year’s costing only $10. If you’re looking for the Core Set 2020 Starter Kit, which includes some of the best decklists, you may want to consider buying singles from TCGplayer and making the decks yourself. The individual cards will run you about $20 on TCGplayer’s market.

Are Starter Kit Cards Legal?

All cards in Starter Kits are legal to play in Constructed formats, there aren’t any silver bordered cards or something like this. WotC usually makes Starter Kits that are Standard-Legal at the time of their release, and naturally they’ll rotate out of Standard at a given point. However, with the release of Lord of the Rings Starter Kits, they signaled that not all Starter Kits will be Standard-legal at the time of the release, so that’s something to be on the lookout for. So, most – but not all – Starter Kit cards are legal in Standard until they rotate out.

Wrap Up

Inspired Charge | Illustration by Willian Murai

Magic’s Starter Kits are a great way to get newer players into the game. The decks aren’t competitive, but they’re an inexpensive way to give players a good understanding of what the different colors do well. If you’re looking to get a friend into Magic, these are a good way to go.

Did you get started with Starter Kits? Are there other entry products that you think are better? How did you feel about Planeswalker and Intro Decks? Let me know in the comments below or over on the Draftsim Twitter.

Thank you for reading and I’ll see you at the next one!

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