Magic Events
Prerelease
Prerelease is the first look at a new set of Magic cards. It is typically run as a "Sealed" event. In a Sealed event, you get six booster packs of cards, and must build a 30-card deck with them. Prerelease packs also contain special foil promotional cards, as well as spin down counters appropriate to the set. You can expect to pay between $35 and $45 for the event, including light food.
Standard
Standard is a Constructed event. It uses decks of 60 cards, drawn from the most recent sets of Magic cards. We charge $6.00 per person for Standard. $1 of this goes towards League rewards. Prizing is Casual (see below). A promo pack will be available as an additional prize for any Standard event. Registration for Standard takes place at 4:00 from Tuesday to Friday, and tournament starts at 4:15.
The current sets available for use in Standard are Ixalan, Rivals of Ixalan, Dominaria, Core Set 2019, Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance, War of the Spark, and Core 2020. On October 5th, the format will include Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance, War of the Spark, Core 2020, and Throne of Eldraine.
Beginner's Tournament
The Beginner's Tournament is a Constructed event. It is understood to be in Standard format: however, the list of current sets that cards can be drawn from is not enforced. Advanced and intermediate players are welcome to join, but are required to use Welcome Decks. The cost for the beginner's tournament is $1, and prizing is Relaxed - each player receives a rare card worth a dollar.
Brewed Awakenings
Brewed Awakenings is a Standard event. It costs $10 to enter, including $1 towards League rewards. Deck price is limited to $100, and players are encouraged to create original deck designs. The decklist for the winning deck will be published: if it is found to be original, the winning player will receive a special promo pack in addition to regular prizing. Brewed Awakenings registration (with decklist) takes place at 10:30 AM on Saturday, and the game begins at 11. Prizing is Casual. $1 is put aside for League rewards, and Brewed Awakenings participation counts extra towards League rewards.
Draft
Draft is the Premier event for Magic. In Draft, each player chooses cards in turn from a succession of randomized booster packs, until all cards have been claimed: players then build a deck from the resulting card pool. Draft costs $20, including $1 towards League rewards and $5 to the prize pool. Prizing is competitive (see below). Participation in Draft counts extra towards League rewards. A special promo pack is included in prizing: a second special promo pack will be included if the event has eight or more players. In addition, the winner receives an invitation to the major tournament at the end of the season.
Modern
Modern is a Constructed event. It uses decks of 60 cards, drawn from any cards published since 2002 (making the decks very powerful, and Modern games very fast). Modern events cost $11, including $1 towards League rewards. Modern registration takes place at 6:30 on Thursday, with play beginning at 7 PM. Prizing is competitive (see below) and includes a promo pack for the winner.
Commander
Commander is a multiplayer format, typically played in groups of 3 or 4. It costs $6 to enter, including $1 towards League points. Prizing is multiplayer (see below). It normally runs Tuesdays at 7 PM, and Saturday at 2 PM. You can learn about Commander here.
Pioneer
Pioneer is a Constructed event. It is similar to Modern, except that cards printed since 2014 are permitted. It costs $6 to enter, including $1 towards League rewards. You can learn more about Pioneer here.
Oathbreaker is a multiplayer format, typically played in groups of 3 or 4. It costs $6 to enter, including $1 towards League points. You can learn about Oathbreaker here.
Brawl
Brawl is a multiplayer format, typically played in groups of 3 or 4. It costs $6 to enter, including $1 towards League points. You can learn about Brawl here.
Prizing
All money collected for an event (minus amounts towards League or other costs) is split between the winning players. Prizing is normally paid out as store credit. Certain events - generally, Standard or Draft - carry additional prizing in the form of Promo Packs. There are several patterns for prizing:
- Competitive: Half of the prizing goes to the first place winner, one quarter to the second place winner, and the remainder is split between 3rd and 4th place. Modern and Draft use Competitive prizing.
- Casual: 1/3 of prizing goes to the player who wins the tournament. The remainder is split between those who won all but one round. Standard events use Casual prizing.
- Multiplayer: prizing is split as evenly as possible among the top half of the players to survive as follows. If there are three players, first place gets ten dollars in store credit and second place gets $5. With four players, both first and second place get $10. With five players, first and second get $10, and third place gets $5. Commander and Oathbreaker use Multiplayer prizing.
- Relaxed: each player receives his or her own entry fee returned in store credit. Beginner's Tournaments use Relaxed prizing.
Promo Packs
Promo packs are special packs of cards provided by Wizards of the Coast as prizing for special events. These include a small set of cards which are often quite valuable - usually worth $10 or more. A small number of "special" promo packs are available for Draft and Brewed Awakenings, which are even more valuable.
Magic League
Magic League will allow players to win just by playing! Winning a Standard or Modern tournament gives 3 points, second place gains one point, and tying for first gains two points each. Winning Draft or Brewed Awakenings gives 5 points (3 on a tie) second place gains three points, and participating gains a single point for each other participant. First, second (or third, if there is a third place) in a Multiplayer format gains a single point.
League will last for half the season each time, concluding at approximately November 16th and January 18th.
At the end of each League period, all prizing collected for League will be given out as store credit on the following schedule: 1st = 35%, 2nd = 25%, 3rd = 20%, 4th = 20%.
Casual Play
Any time four or more players are present, they may ask to have a casual event. Cost will be $1 towards a dollar rare card on a Relaxed basis. The event will be run from the Wizards Event Reporter.