Maria Glotfelter
Features Editor

Magic: The Gathering is a card game which has gained popularity over the years, especially among MU students. Magic Players at Millersville has been around for about four years, and they meet twice a week to play their favorite game with each other. Looking in on the group playing, it is easy to tell how much they enjoy both the game and each other’s company. The card-based game play is both fun and unique.

President Cole Vohs used an interesting analogy to describe the game, “I’d compare it to playing multiple games of chess at the same time, but all of your pieces are different on each board.” Each player starts off the game with 20 life points, and it is their opponent’s objective to knock their life down to zero. There are multiple versions of the game you can play which place different constraints on the game. The players think this keeps Magic fun and interesting.

Although the card game is turn-based, it is also interactive. Certain cards can be played during your opponent’s turn, so players always have to be thinking strategically. Traditionally, games are played one-on-one, but there are certain versions that are multiplayer or free-for-all. Game length varies for each round, but tournament games consist of three rounds of 50 minutes each. The members of the club travel individually or as a group to both large Magic tournaments and local tournaments on odd Saturdays. Some members of the club have traveled to Detroit, Dallas, and Charlotte to play against players from across the country. Vohs recently placed in the top 8 in a 300-person Magic tournament.

The club is currently trying to organize trips to larger tournaments. Vohs first heard about Magic from a friend and has been playing the game for eight years. Vohs stated that he loved playing magic, but he loves playing with the people in the club even more. The closely-knit group of players is always looking for new members to join. The game is fairly easy to pick up due to all the resources out there for new players. Besides that, the club members are very accommodating and are always looking for a way to help and teach new players. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from, it just matters that you play Magic,” said Vohs. The Internet is one of the most popular places to buy cards, but some local game stores also sell them. For students looking to save some money but are still interested, there are also ways to play for free.

Cole Vohs (front left) competes against his fellow player in a strategic and thrilling (Photo courtesy of Maria Glotfelter).
Cole Vohs (front left) competes against his fellow player in a strategic and thrilling (Photo courtesy of Maria Glotfelter).

For MU students interesting in picking up the game, Vohs encourages them to join their FB page or just simply show up to their meetings. The club uses their FB page to update anything in their schedule, or to make informal meetings outside regular meeting times if people want to play. Magic Players at Millersville meets every Monday/Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00pm in SMC 202, a meeting room above the Galley on the second floor. Vohs’s message to new players or interested students is to not be scared to come and learn. So, drop by the Magic Players at Millersville and be introduced to both a wonderful group of people and a fun, exciting game.