Level One: The Full Course

Professor Reid Duke has dismissed class. Level One is on hiatus, as Duke has paved his way through his entire syllabus to show you how to get better at Magic.

However, we know not everyone started looking to learn just as Prof. Duke was calling roll way back in August 2014. Now, just over a year later, many of you are hoping to grow as players.

That's why we've put together this full course syllabus for anyone looking to improve their play or learn more about Magic. Start at the top and work your way down, as Reid designed his articles to bring you along one concept at a time. Already an advanced student? Pick and choose any topics you'd like to brush up on. There's always more to learn from one of the most talented players on the planet.

Also, in the coming weeks, look for all of these articles collected in an eBook format, similar to the way we created the Magic Fiction eBook collection. But, in the meantime, enjoy the full course below.

1. The Basics
   1. What is Magic?
   2. The Basics of Mana
   3. The Basics of Card Advantage
2. Concepts of Gameplay—Part 1
   1. Attacking and Blocking
   2. Tempo
   3. Tempo & Card Advantage: A Delicate Balance
   4. Linear Strategies
3. Deck Archetypes
   1. Aggro Decks
   2. Control Decks
   3. Midrange Decks
4. Concepts of Gameplay—Part 2
   1. Board Sweepers
   2. Permission Spells
   3. "Creature" Lands
   4. Symmetric Effects
   5. Threats and Answers
   6. Inevitability
   7. Role Assignment
   8. Damage Racing
   9. Mulligans
   10. Sequencing
   11. Play or Draw
5. Concepts of Gameplay—Part 3
   1. Investment
   2. Line-Up Theory
   3. Playing From Ahead, Playing From Behind
   4. Going Through the Motions
   5. Mulligans Part III: Constructed
   6. Playing Safe and Playing Scared
   7. When to Cast Your Spells
   8. Flexibility
6. Limited
   1. Sealed Deck
   2. The Basics of Booster Draft
   3. Sideboarding in Limited
   4. Signals in Booster Draft
   5. Booster Draft, Part 3
   6. Draft Walkthrough
   7. Mulligans Part II: Limited
7. Deck Construction
   1. Building a Mana Base
   2. An Introduction to the Popular Constructed Formats
   3. The Sideboard
   4. Sideboard Plans
   5. Choosing Your Deck
   6. The Metagame
8. Other
   1. Playing in a Grand Prix: Part I
   2. Playing in a Grand Prix: Part II
   3. Becoming a Better Player
9. Glossary of Terms