My son has played a little Magic before. Not seriously, just a few games here and there, enough to know what tapping a land means. This Saturday we are going to Avengers Academy at our local game store together, and I will be the one with slightly more experience. Six months ago I was learning what a mana curve was. Funny how quickly tables turn.
If you have been waiting for an excuse to drag someone into this game, this week is your window. Here is exactly what the event is and what to expect when you walk in the door.
What Is Avengers Academy?
Avengers Academy is a new intro event Wizards of the Coast is running at WPN game stores across the US and Canada from June 12 through June 18. It is designed specifically to get new and newer players into the game using Marvel Super Heroes as the hook.
Every player who shows up gets a Marvel Super Heroes Welcome Deck. Each Welcome Deck contains two 30-card half-decks built around a Marvel character. You pick one half, your partner plays the other, and together you play Two-Headed Giant, a format where two players share a life total and face off as a team against another two-player team.
There are no rounds, no standings, and no competitive prizes. You are not going to sit down across from a spike with a tuned deck who forgets to explain why you just lost. It is explicitly casual, which is exactly what a first-timer needs.
Why This Week Is Actually Special
Avengers Academy is not just a beginner event. It is also the first chance anyone has to play with Marvel Super Heroes cards. The set does not officially release until June 26. Prereleases do not start until June 19. This event on June 12 is ahead of all of that.
That means if you walk into your LGS on Saturday, you and every other person there are experiencing the cards for the first time together. The experienced player at your table does not have six months of reps on you. Everyone is reading the same new mechanics for the first time. That is a rare and genuinely fun environment to play Magic in.
The Bonus If You Also Sign Up for Prerelease
Here is the part worth knowing if you are already planning to attend a Prerelease the following week. If you register for both Avengers Academy at your store and your store's Two-Headed Giant Prerelease event, you will receive a pair of wearable Loki horns at the Prerelease, while supplies last.
Loki horns are objectively excellent. Just saying.
The Two-Headed Giant Prerelease format is also worth considering if you are going with a partner. Same team dynamic, but with full Sealed pools. Each player opens a set of packs and you build your decks together. If Avengers Academy goes well on Saturday, it is a natural next step the following weekend.
What to Expect When You Walk In
Walk in, tell them you are there for Avengers Academy. You will receive a Welcome Deck. There are five different decks built around different Marvel characters, so there is a small element of luck in which one you get, but both halves of any deck are designed to be played together by a two-person team.
You and your partner each take one half, shuffle, and sit down. The store will pair you against another team. Play some games, take your time reading cards, ask questions. Nobody there is expecting polished play. That is the whole point.
If you are bringing someone brand new: The Welcome Deck half-decks are 30 cards and built around a single theme, so there is not much to explain before you start. Two-Headed Giant is also a good format for teaching because the experienced player can quietly answer questions mid-game without holding anyone up. You are on the same team, so it feels collaborative rather than adversarial right from the start.
My son has seen a few games and knows the basics. I am not planning a tutorial session before we go. We will figure out the new mechanics together when we see them on the cards. That is honestly the most fun way to do it.
Find a Store Near You
Not every store is running Avengers Academy. It requires WPN registration. Use the Wizards store locator to find a participating location near you, or call ahead to confirm. If your local store is running it, they will know what you are talking about the moment you mention Avengers Academy.
I will be at Ground Zero Hobby in Ralston on Saturday. If you are in the Omaha area and looking for a spot, it is a solid store, 4.7 stars, carries MTG, and about 14 minutes from Papillion. Worth the drive.
Prereleases start June 19. The full set releases June 26. This week is the warmup. Hard to argue with that.
Brush up on the new mechanics before you sit down at the table: Plan, Power Up, Teamwork, Worthy, and more all explained for casual players.
Read the Mechanics Guide →