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'''Magic: The Gathering''' is a [[strategy]] [[card game]] which lets players take the role of dueling [[Wizard (fiction)|wizards]] who can summon creatures to fight for them.  One defeats his opponent by reducing his life points down to zero or by being the last one with cards remaining in his draw pile.

'''Magic: The Gathering''' is a [[strategy]] [[card game]] which lets players take the role of dueling [[Wizard (fiction)|wizards]], who are Planeswalkers according to the lore of the game (basically the multi-world theory combined with the players being demi-gods) and can summon creatures to fight for them, as well as a multitude of other things, though attacking with creatures is the most common way to "win".  One defeats his opponent by reducing his life points down to zero, forcing an opponent to draw a card when there are none left in his library, accumulating ten poison counters, forfeiture of the opponent, or in rare circumstances, casting conditional cards that outright say "you win the game" if the criteria on the card are met.

The game consists of numerous elements from various fantasy worlds, including magic, [[elf|elves]], [[dwarf (mythology)|dwarves]], [[dragon]]s, mana, [[orc]]s, and so forth.  One of the reasons for keeping the game limited to the size of a small deck of cards was so that it could be easily taken along to, and played at, gaming conventions.<ref>''The Coming CCG Storm: 1993-1995''  "A Brief History of Game" (2006) [http://www.rpg.net/columns/briefhistory/briefhistory1.phtml RPGnet] Accessed 31 December 2007.</ref>

The game consists of numerous elements from various fantasy worlds, including magic, [[elf|elves]], [[dwarf (mythology)|dwarves]], [[dragon]]s, mana, [[orc]]s, and so forth.  One of the reasons for keeping the game limited to the size of a small deck of cards was so that it could be easily taken along to, and played at, gaming conventions.<ref>''The Coming CCG Storm: 1993-1995''  "A Brief History of Game" (2006) [http://www.rpg.net/columns/briefhistory/briefhistory1.phtml RPGnet] Accessed 31 December 2007.</ref>

Its creator is Richard Garfield and the game is owned by [[Wizards of the Coast]], the same firm that publishes [[Dungeons and Dragons]]. The full name of the game uses a subtitle, i.e., Magic: The Gathering.

Its creator is Richard Garfield and the game is owned by [[Wizards of the Coast]], a subsidiary of Hasbro, the same firm that publishes [[Dungeons and Dragons]]. The full name of the game uses a subtitle, i.e., Magic: The Gathering.  This is for legal reasons; Garfield quickly discovered that the word Magic is public domain and cannot be copyrighted.

== Colors ==

== Colors ==

Magic cards come in five colors, representing the different aspects of magic: red (destruction, fire and mountains), blue ([[deceit]], water, islands), white (Order, yet sometimes confused for good; light, plains), green (nature, animals and forests), and black (ambition, yet sometimes confused with evil; death, decay, swamps). Additionally, there are colorless cards (artifacts) which are associated with no color and multicolored cards which are associated with two or more colors of magic.

Magic cards come in five colors, representing the different aspects of magic: red (destruction, chaos, fire and mountains), blue ([[deceit]], gaining knowledge, countermagic, water, islands), white (Order, yet sometimes confused for good- see also the blasphemous card named Wrath of God; light, plains), green (nature, animals and forests), and black (dark ambition, usually evil but occasionally representing ambition at any cost; death, decay, swamps). Additionally, there are colorless cards (artifacts) which are associated with no color and multicolored cards which are associated with two or more colors of magic.

Some cards represent creatures, which are summoned to attack and defend. Other spells can be used to attack other players, bolster ones own creatures, and a multitude of other effects.

Some cards represent creatures, which are summoned to attack and defend. Other spells can be used to attack other players, bolster ones own creatures, and a multitude of other effects.