By BUCK MAYDEN
Culture Editor
Many moons ago, deep in the dungeon of the CUB, beings known as planeswalkers began an epic war for control of the multi-verse. Necromancers raised armies of undead to battle archangels and their legions of brave soldiers.
Firemages poised with flaming storms of destruction faced off against sorcerers whose mastery of illusions is unparalleled.
Now, after exile from the Library of Lynn, these combatants wage war in the top of Parcells Tower.
These are the players of Magic: The Gathering. The collectible card game has been around since the early ’90s. For the past decade, several groups have played Magic on the Amarillo College Washington Street Campus.
“Magic is still, to this date, the most competitive card game out there,” Nathaniel Wise said. “That’s my drive; if it’s not competitive, I just don’t play it.”
Wise has been playing on the AC campus since late 2008. He said the benefits of playing Magic include learning strategy and quick and easy math.
“It’s a good way to get your brain going,” B.J. Mixon said. “I like games that involve a lot of in-depth thinking, planning and help clear my mind for the rest of the day.”
Mixon said he enjoys playing early to kick-start his day. He said he learned how to play Magic in the College Union Building basement.
“It’s a good strategy game,” mass media major TJ Moore said. “It’s fun whenever it’s down to whoever draws the right card and you just have to take a chance and see what happens.”
Moore enjoys building decks. Because it is a collectible card game, a player has the option of customizing his or her deck by collecting cards through trades or purchases.
“Whenever I make decks, it gets my mind working,” Moore said. “It’s really a lot of fun.”
Magic involves five different schools of spell-casting called colors.
Each color has its strengths and weaknesses. There are white, black, red, blue and green cards.
“My favorite color is white,” mass media major Andrew Messenger said. “I like it because it’s the ‘good’ side.”
Not all players are so noble. Moore said he started off liking red, which uses mostly fire to attack another player directly.
“I’m hitting you hard. I’m hitting you fast. You die,” Moore said.
Mixon enjoys playing with black. Black involves controlling aspects of the game such as a player’s discard pile, known as a graveyard.
“Most of my decks involve raising creatures from the graveyard,” Mixon said. “Like a necromancer, it’s kind of this thing I have.”
Those players and others play in the fourth floor lobby of Parcells Hall/Byrd Business Building.
“It’s really great to have a good group of friends to play with,” Messenger said. “You definitely meet some interesting people.”
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