Gathering magic at Dragon Star
Upon entering the doors of Dragon Star Hobbies for a weekly Friday Night Magic event, the front tables are filled with people playing Warhammer 40K and card games like Magic the Gathering. Dragon Star has become a local hub for these games and other hobbies, especially Magic.
A trading card game in which people play spells and try to reduce their opponent’s life total to zero, Magic the Gathering cards are surrounded by a large global community. Entering that community is not difficult.
“If you want to learn about the game a preconstructed commander deck is a good place to start,” Timothy Walsh, a Dragon Star patron, said. “Commander is a very open format. Almost everyone has a deck and will be willing to teach you how to play.”
Walsh has been going to the store since 2018. He encourages players new and old to attend Friday Night Magic at Dragon Star to learn more about the game and to connect with experienced players.
“I enjoy meeting people that are just as interested in the game as I am,” Walsh said. “It’s really enjoyable going and seeing all the people that I am acquainted or friends with.”
People at Dragon Star are often willing to help out. Employees can price check cards and experienced players give suggestions to help improve others’ experiences.
“I think our Magic players are some of the most welcoming of all. There are a lot of younger kids in these FNMs (Friday Night Magic) and I think that they get along well with all the adults,” Bronson ‘Blaine’ Dorsey, an employee at the store, said.
Magic has five colors: white, blue, black, red and green. Each color has different uses and qualities in the game.
“When you start building – forests and plains, they are some of the most simple but strong builds you can have – don’t get upset when you lose because it’s going to happen,” Cedar Shoals freshman Al La Trace said. They have been a fan of Magic cards and frequented Dragon Star since 2014.
Some cards can be very expensive. Players can buy packs of 12-15 cards to get started. Packs start at $4 to $5, and some packs yield cards worth upwards of $50.
There are five standard in-print sets currently, and each has at least one chase card: a standout, expensive card that players want. One good example is The Meathook Massacre from “Innistrad: Midnight Hunt.” It is a sought-after card because it gets rid of all players’ creatures while allowing its controller to gain life as opponents lose life. From there the card remains in play and continues to damage opponents while healing the controller. Though the market fluctuates, this card is currently valued at around $50.
And for those who still don’t understand what The Meathook Massacre is, the community at Dragon Star welcomes anyone wanting to come to try the game or improve their skill.
“Everyone’s a teacher. You can learn something from everyone,” Dorsey said.
