'Magic: The Gathering' Lore for Beginners

With the continued rise of tabletop gaming in mainstream media, there is one niche that continues to thrive in all of its fantastical glory: Magic: The Gathering.

The card game was first introduced back in 1993 and has spawned into something extraordinary. With a dedicated fanbase and newcomers pouring in, a lore guide is sometimes necessary. A lore video from one of our favourite comedy channels 'Lore in a Minute' is even better!

This YouTube channel's claim to fame is taking popular games, movies, and TV shows and breaking down their lore in under 60 seconds with a comedic twist. We've covered this channel quite a bit in the past - can you blame us? - but figured their latest video would be perfect for our tabletop crowd.

Not in a place to watch the video? No worries, the team always provides a written transcript of their informative hilarity:

"In the multiverse, rare beings are born with a spark. If triggered by traumatic events, these beings could ascend to Planeswalkers, powerful mages able to travel between... planes. You get it."

The video continues, "One Planeswalker, Dyfed, visited Dominaria, encountering Yawgmoth and the Thran Empire. Yawgmoth recently discovered Thran's power source, powerstones, caused the disease phthisis, manufactured a cure and rose to power. Unfortunately, Yawgmoth dabbled in abominations and his former "patients" revolted. Yawgmoth asked Dyfed to find him a new plane to continue "curing" his people and Dyfed found Phyrexia. Yawgmoth fused with Phyrexia's core becoming god-like and killed Dyfed when she discovered his experiments. Thankfully, Rebbec, Yawgmoth's former ally, sealed the portal to Phyrexia with a powerstone."

"Millenia later, brothers Urza and Mishra searched Thran ruins, discovered a powerstone, broke it in two and parted ways, unaware of the portal. Urza rose to Warlord of Yotia, while Mishra would rule the Fallaji, eventually going to war. But Urza noticed Mishra had been corrupted by Phyrexians. Enraged, Urza used the Golgothian Sylex, killing Mishra and both armies, plunging the land into an Ice Age, and causing their stones to become lodged in his eyes, the trauma ascending Urza to Planeswalker.

Now a vengeful mage, Urza travels the multiverse for knowledge and allies in trampling Phyrexia but Yawgmoth's had a few millennia to cook up some nasty creatures of his own."