Welcome back to Prerelease Week! Today we’re doing a little bit of Tournament Tuesday with our Prerelease Week and giving you a little primer on what to expect at your Oath of the Gatewatch prereleases this weekend. We’ll be going over what you’ll be opening, what’s new, and a few tips to maximize your fun! Let’s start with the kit itself: Just like with Battle for Zendikar, we’re back to everyone getting the same basic kit, instead of choosing from multiple kits like in Theros and Ravnica blocks. You’ll get a nifty little cardboard box covered in Kozilek bismuth spirals. Inside that box will be 4 packs of Oath of the Gatewatch, and 2 packs of Battle for Zendikar, along with a promo! Just like in Battle for Zendikar, the promo can be literally any rare or mythic in the set, and it’s 100% legal to play your promo in your sealed pool. If you open a bomb rare, sleeve it up and get ready to windmill slam it! From these 6 packs (and a promo), you’ll build a Sealed deck of at least 40 cards. You will be provided all the Plains, Islands, Swamps, Mountains, and Forests that you need- but Wastes are another story! Like we mentioned yesterday, you can only play the Wastes you actually open in your Oath packs. There won’t be any set out for you. Keep that in mind if you get a lot of colorless-costing spells! Prereleases are also really laid-back as far as Sealed events go: you can change your deck around however you like between games and matches, without having to change it back! If you want, you can even build two entire decks out of your pool and switch between them every game, if you feel like it. It’s also not only allowed, but ENCOURAGED to seek out advice from the other players around you, as well as offer some yourself! Everyone’s there to have fun and play Magic, after all

Another returning factor from BFZ: Expeditions! You have a small chance to open a super shiny, super rare, super awesome land card from the special Expedition set in your Oath packs. These cards won’t be legal for Standard, but if you’re lucky enough to open one at the prerelease you are allowed to use it! Show it off, impress your friends! The same goes for the Battle for Zendikar packs- if you open one of those Expeditions, it’s perfectly legal to play it in your Sealed deck.

And finally, before we move on to the general tips, let’s discuss forming your very own team of awesome planeswalkers: Two Headed Giant! 2HG has long been a favorite at prereleases, but Oath of the Gatewatch has a whole mechanic built for it in Surge (which we’ll discuss tomorrow). Wizards of the Coast is really pushing stores to run 2HG events for Oath, so there will probably be one or more at your local store. 2HG is a bit different from normal Magic: It’s a team of 2 against a team of 2, each with a shared life total of 30 instead of 20. The teams take their turns together (so you draw when your partner draws, you attack when they attack, etc), and the matches are only a single game, not first to two wins! Some things about 2HG can be tricky, so be ready to call a Judge if you need clarification. That said, there’s two really simple things that pre-answer a ton of 2HG questions. The first is that when a card says “you”, it means YOU. Not you and your teammate- just you. If something untaps YOUR creatures, it only untaps yours, so make sure you read your cards carefully before your blowout play blows up in your face. The second is that while there’s only one team fighting you, it’s two people. That means you have two opponents! If a card refers to “each opponent”, it’ll hit both of them- so Cliffhaven Vampire bleeds your opponent’s team for 2 life every time you gain life! Those two things clear up most of the questions, but if you have a question during any event (not just 2HG, and not just a prerelease!) remember to call a Judge so we can help.

Finally, a few simple tips to enjoy your prerelease: get plenty of sleep, make sure you’re well-fed and well-hydrated, never be afraid to call a Judge if you need help, and most importantly of all: have fun!

Today’s Tournament Tip was written by Trevor Nunez