How did Res Arcana not make the list? I thought for sure Zee would mention it. It uses the same five elements. It's combo-tastic. Shocked, I say. Shocked!
Totally agree! With the expansions and drafting, it’s really competitive and unforgiving with great decision space! One of few games that is as great at 2 as 5 players (but different experiences)
Zee was under the impression that Magic players tend toward wacky and bombastic designs. And that’s somewhat true, that’s why Seasons was a better choice.
Zee explains why he didn't include it at 1:04:52. "I think it's too...small? Too dry? It's too euro. I really like it, and I thought of it too, but I thought it's, like, even smaller Mindbug, if that makes sense, with all the flavour pulled out of it. I like it a lot, but in Res Arcana, you have a deck of, like, eight cards, or ten cards, that's all."
Just an FYI from someone who plays a decent amount of Magic - yes there are still a lot of competitive Magic tournaments.... but Commander (or EDH), IS the most popular format.
Actually it probably isn't. I keep having to correct people on this, but by FAR the most popular way to play Magic nowadays is via Arena/computer. WOTC said something along the lines of more games being played per month on Arena than have been played in the entirety of magic history in physical cards. And by FAR the most popular format is best of 1 Standard. So while I agree that the most popular format for physical magic is Commander, the most popular format is Standard by a fair way.
@@moocowp4970 So your evidence is that they said "Hey guys trust us our product is doing super well." and if what you reference is true to what they said they somehow calculated the number of magic games that have been played during the last 30 years which they would need actual magic to accomplish. I'm not saying you're wrong but coming in with the "um, actually" and insinuating this is something you do on the regular with so little to actually go on just seems like a really dumb thing to do. Also you don't think if WotC put Commander in Arena its player base wouldn't form a similar ratio as physical Magic? Standard isn't popular digitally it's just the only format available (officially) digitally. Sorry if I'm coming off a bit aggressive here I just think what you're doing is annoying.
I have played lots of Magic over the years, so when I got into board gaming, these are the games that made me think of Magic.. 1) Summoner Wars 2) Mage Wars 3) Codex 4) Shards of Infinity 5) Warhammer Underworlds 6) Dice Throne 7) Ascension Tactics 8) Res Arcana 9) Seasons 10) Aristeia
I highly recommend Ashes Reborn. You can construct great decks if you want, or just use the pre-constructed ones. Guaranteed to get the cards you want if you buy the expansions Great at 2 players Great solo
Cosmic Encounter has phases, hand management, wacky powers, weird interactions, politicking... so many things that should make MTG players feel at home.
Yes, but the game at its core is a negotiation game, something that isn't present in MtG in the slightest. I get that on the surface it has some similarities, but they are really nothing alike when it comes to gameplay.
@GrandElemental have you played Commander? The heavy negotiation present in commander is why I don't like it. But it's currently the most popular magic the gathering format.
@GrandElemental I said "politicking" and said that it was one of the things that should make MTG players feel at home. So yes I did factor in that Cosmic Encounter is negotiation at its heart and that is one of many reasons why MTG players can enjoy it.
@@jakebless5061 I played a single match and immediately understood it is not for me. I like how fast MtG is, commander can be super slow because of the added randomness and larger health pool, so I was not a fan. I have no idea how it includes negotiation though, we just played a normal head-to-head game with 100 card commander deck instead of the standard one.
@@GrandElemental makes sense. Commander is a multiplayer format not designed for head to head. So it's designed to me played with 4 players, non teams, so the politicking comes in to play pretty heavy. The things you mentioned regarding your commander experience also play into why it's not a format for me as well. But cosmic encounter is a decent representation of a game commander players may enjoy
In many ways the “Dan Dan” game that has become popular within the magic community is a separate mind bug-esque two player card game that happens to use magic cards.
I am 100% on Tom's side with Challengers! On its surface, there is little decision space in Challengers, however, there is a lot to think about in the game. Building your deck can be VERY strategic, and finding the right synergies can make your deck unstoppable. Cards like the Vampire or Reporter require you to think while playing and have the added benefit of taking some of the luck out of the card draw. Roy is doing himself a HUGE disservice by being so close minded about this game. If you are looking for a light party game that will engage Magic players with some strategic deck building, I highly recommend Challengers!
I gotta give it to BattleCon. The depth, asymmetric fighter design, and sheer variety make it a much more appealing game than Dice Throne and Unmatched.
@@frankli4018 Same for Argent: the Consortium and Empyreal: Spells and Steam. Level99 Games gets slept on quite a bit. It was great to see Millennium Blades on the list.
@@namelessfire yeah, L99 is an amazing team. Just idea that they made DBD:Boardgame that, in my opinion, is BETTER in using its IP then original game is awesome. And all their others games are very good too - Noir, BattleCon, Exceed, Millennium Blades, AC, Pixel Tactics, Bullet. Definetly one of companies that I always happy to see on a cover, they DO BE COOKING.
@@namelessfireI like Sakura Arms by them too. I’ve played it with multiple people and they don’t like the first game just picking it up. But play it twice and you see the depth to it.
You cannot categorize "magic players". I just realized it while watching. I am a board game geek as well as a magic player and you should distinguish between different kinds of players: - commander players - drafters
I have a commander cube, so apparently, I am both of your types... really, though there are a lot of different archetypes of magic players. You could recommend games based on the psychographic (Timmy, Johnny, and Spike) and aesthetic (Vorthos and Melvon) profile groupings and that does not even get into the different formats that approach being different games using the same game pieces and similar rules.
As a former MTG player, the following board games have scratched my itch to the point where I have no motivation to play Magic again: 1. Millennium Blades (MTG prerelease in a box) 2. Res Arcana (MTG in euro form) 3. Star Realms (simple dueling game for two people) 4. Watergate (dueling, counterspell wars) 5. Cosmic Encounter (replaced commander) I don’t like Radlands, but I recognize it’s a solid pick for scratching the MTG itch, too.
@@joeferreti9442 Well, I have to vehemently disagree given that I found these games so good and interesting that I gave up Magic the Gathering. For context, I played Magic every day for six years. I played SCG opens, Legacy, Modern, and commander for hours upon hours a day. After just a few months playing board games (such as these), I have no need to play Magic again.
MTG used to be a lifestyle game for me. So, of the lists... Roy's list has 4 games that I like. Zee's list has 5 games that I like. Tom's list has 1 game that I like. Zee wins!
Roy Cannaday list is my favourite. As a former MTG player, I’ve 8 of is list of games and my number one would be Wizard Wars, no doubt. All the best :)
I don't have a straight line to draw to magic other than deck building and fantasy theme but as a decade and a half long magic player, Aeon's End really really clicked with me. Obviously deckbuilding felt good, also I enjoyed how challenging and thoughtful it is. And because it was mentioned, I did actually really enjoy Smash Up, although I haven't played it in years at this point so I'd suggest people get the starter box and maybe one or two expansions, not all of it like I did lol
EARTH. Having played it so much lately, I recognize the significance of color powers, building permanents with combo-ing effects. And BLATANT MtG card references in some of the cards ("Badlands" etc.) The designer, Maxime often mentions MtG in his describing of the game too.
Earth was my first thought also - less so about the references, but for the way the combos work, and how you have to strategise your placement to allow for effective queueing.
My friends and I really like: Fantasy Realms for a light combo game. Dominion and Hero Realms for deckbuilding and such. Sentinels of the Multiverse for unique decks and some co-op. Epic card game for some drafting and Magic feeling without having to bring our own decks, but since I made my Cube we would rather draft that instead. I have some other deck builders with my favorite being Dominion for pure deckbuilding, but Lost Ruins of Arnak is a bit heavy in the Euro stuff but I also like Euros so it works and my friends like it too. We use to play 7 Wonders a lot but got bored with it. It's still an amazing drafting game and would recommend it to anyone that loves to draft Magic. I would also pur Heat Petal to the Metal on a list for hand and deck management. I don't really play many games that use the mechanic as I tend to only keep one of a type of game in my collection to avoid bloat, except deckbuilding since the group loves it so much.
Great lists! As a very heavy magic player, my top favorite games are Smash Up, Small World, Gloomhaven, and Villainous and King of Tokyo. Last 2 defs feel like Commander.
You guys missed out on Quest for El Dorado. It's my gaming group's go-to deckbuilding game. And we are all Magic players. Plus it's a game that everyone can easily play and enjoy.
I've played on the MTG Pro Tour and I adore Challengers! It is the most pure distillation of how important card and archetype choices are to a single tournament metagame. No strategic choices my ass. 😆
Fun lists from a very enfranchised magic the gathering player :) As a note to the discussion re: multiplayer. Per Rosewater Commander is the most played format even above "kitchen table (formatless)" which is absolutely wild. Challengers is a terrific pick by Tom. I find this game really captures the feel of a pre-release! My top few in no particular order would be: Radlands, Challengers, Ascension and Milennium Blades. All games I've used w/ mtg players to hook into a boardgame night :).
Marvel Champions is a great pick for something that feels like MTG. The heroes are like a Commander that comes with a 15 card deck of unique abilities. And, the aspects are like picking one mana color to play.
A bit surprised that „Tyrants of the Underdark“ is not on any of the lists. And I would have expected that Zee will put “Pagan: Fate of Roanoke” on his list as well.
Before I watch, here’d be mine (no particular order). Innovation, Res Arcana, Summoner Wars, Radlands, Agricola, Unmatched, Paper Tales, Air Land & Sea, Hadrian’s Wall, Race for the Galaxy.
I always sort of thought that Smash Up scratched a little bit of my Magic the Gathering itch. Combos and timing play a big role in being successful, which were skills I really needed in MTG!
I'm really surprised not to see Eternal: Chronicles of the Throne here. It's basically Magic: the Gathering if it was a deckbuilder (as opposed to deck construction). You've got creatures that attack and block, spells you can cast, and even relics that act like persistent artifacts or enchantments. It even has five different factions with their own colors, identities, and synergies. The Gold & Steel expansion adds a second hidden market for each player plus a new resource to buy cards and a new type of card that's very similar to MtG Auras or Equipment. It's also quite cheap and there's only the base game and the one expansion so you don't have to deal with storing and playing with hundreds of cards. It's honestly very solid!
Its kinda funny, because its based around Eternal game on PC. That was inspired by Hearthstone that was inspired by MTG. But yeah, E:CotT is definetly a MTG-like boardgame that pretty good :)
King of the Tabletop is another game that influenced Garfield when designing Magic. It's where he got the idea for various creatures requiring certain "habitats" to be summoned into. A swamp is needed for the swampy monsters, for instance. As old as that game is... and the production is basically paper and thin cardboard... which makes sense, since it was a game you cut out of a magazine (Dragon Magazine)... I'd still happily play it. Fun game for its day.
The irony that we spend more money in boardgames than magic is not that bad when you think we get to play more than just one game... we are still hipocrates though 🤣 I would totally add Smash Up mainly for the hand management aspect and "minion" powers. Also, I agree with Roy on Champions but I would have mentioned LoTR LCG instead 😅
Carnival of monsters is a game design by Richard Garfield and it as a lot of magic elements . Really an underappreciate game , recommend it if you can find a cheap copy ( think it’s out of print ) Set collection/drafting
Interesting that Tom put seasons and vale of eternity on the list. Every time I teach vale of eternity people tell me it feels like Seasons. Also grid drafting magic is so fun!
Former mtg player. I enjoy Dungeon Mayhem even though it's light and I have a bunch of friends who never played mtg who enjoy it. It does get old after a while.
I like how the 3 of them took different approaches and honed in on the different types of experiences that people look for in MTG. For, example, as someone who likes drafting and playing limited in Magic, I probably would go towards games like the deckbuilders or the more tactical hand management style games. The multiplayer "politics" games are NOT AT ALL what I would want from Magic, but I understand why something like Cosmic Encounter would appeal to commander players.
As a former recreational MTG player one game which helped me bridge the gap between board games was Frosthaven. This game incorporated card strategy with lore and storyline while getting me invested in map exploration. It also had several enhancement cards (eg items) which felt like artifacts and enchantments. Plus the ability to retire and start new characters mid game felt a lot like being able to play different decks. At risk of being offensive, the recommendations for games in this video did not really jump out to me. It seems like you guys know how to play MTG and deck building, but do not really understand why people enjoy the game itself. There is more to the game than just combos, cards and deck building. Like many game enthusiasts, MTG players enjoy artwork, lore, world building and the fun of favorite cards.
Really fun video, good vibes. Can't say I have too many games in my collection (that aren't TCGs/ECGs) that I think are good bridges. Maybe some of the skirmish games? Maybe Kapow!, it's random but does have some cool combo engine elements...
Two suggestions that weren't on anyone's lists: Carnival of Monsters (It's a Drafting game by Richard Garfield with great art and uses lands to play Monsters, all very Magic things) and Sorcerer by Wise Wizard Games. You have some deck construction (you shuffle together a Sorcerer a domain and a type of Magic), combos and synergies and that head to head feeling.
The first game that came to mind for me was Evolution; its hand management and combo building remind me of my Magic: the Gathering days. Unmatched is a perfect pick that had escaped me. All of my friends that play MtG have loved Unmatched.
Love you Roy, but couldn't disagree more on Challengers. I admit it takes some getting used to that the part of the game that we would normally associate with "playing the game" is, in fact, NOT where playing the game happens. But idk how you can think the decisions around whether you take 1 card from the higher level or 2 from the lower, when you can start to cut cards, how often do you run 1 or 2 "too many" cards and risk busting aren't meaningful and strategic. Theres FAR more game in the box than it gets credit for
I have played a lot of MtG, and sometimes resume this hobby. But when I play other board/card games, I do not look for things that are similar to MtG, quite the opposite. Rather games for other kinds of people and other windows of time. Things that scratch different itches.
I think focusing on deck/combo building was a mistake. What makes MTG so unique is 1) Customizing your deck before game starts. 2) Predicting and Reacting to your opponent. It feels closer to poker than anything else because it's a constant back and forth of actions. My top picks are L5R (which might be considered TOO similar to MTG), Yashima (customize your deck pre-game and can react to oppenents actions), Wildlands (Predicting and reacting to Opponents). SW:Deckbuilder and Undaunted as runner ups.
As a magic the gathering player, apperently I need to get Vale of Eternity and Radlands. I typically like relatively easy to learn games because trying to teach magic is impossible, it is just so expansive now. So I have to have other games to bring to different types of people. I am looking for easy to learn games that have very deep strategy going on with basic rules. I like Roll over Race. I enjoy deck builders but I find Dominion lacks interaction (Star Realms and there is a deck building game inside my favourite MMO, ESO called Tales of Tribute I like). Interesting that there were quite a few dudes on a map games here, I suspect that because the secret information tends to be a big part of those games. I am supprised there isn't any Dune Imperium on here, I found that game something I wanted to play over and over to try out all the possible strategies.
Hey! Tom mentioned a “two card race for the galaxy” never heard of this is it a variant I’m guessing? Love race and would love to know what it is please Tom share the secret 😂
I was really surprised that Summoner Wars want on more of the lists. It's an amazing game, not to mention that it's pretty much MTG for tactical people.
i can confirm that Cosmic Encounter feels good for a Mtg player. One friend of mine he dislikes board games but he is a Mtg fanatic since 90's. He enjoyed Cosmic a lot
I just passed the separator for #8 and my eardrums were kind of blown. A little turning down of the volume would be welcome in the future. ;-) EDIT: The #7 separator was also a bit too loud, although the music wasn’t as intense.
@@dejavu_d I could see the point, but if Summoner Wars and Marvel Champs are in the list, Ashes is in the same vein tbh. Just surprises me Roy didn't included it bc I though it really likes it, but it's a just for fun top10, no worries about this.
I don't know if games with a board and spatial movement aspect qualify here. In this aspect, I would recommend Goshu X and Skytear horde. Have to try Radlands
@@MrRayRockstar 1v1, both Android Netrunner and Legend of the 5 rings are far better balanced, way more skill-rewarding, and offer FAAAAAR more depth and complexity multiplayer, Vampire TES is a quintillion times better than Commander in literally every single aspect imaginable, like comparing the mona lisa to a wet fart but I suppose I cant change your mind because if your a mtg player your head is made of concrete, nothing goes thru. it takes a special case of hard autism that only MTG players suffer to only play mtg and not realize theres a huge world of better games out there, and not just TCGs
@arcdevil bro, you're such a hater. Take a chill pill. MTG isn't for the WEAK minded. Your OPINION can't supercede the fact that mtg is the oldest most popular tcg in recorded history.
@arcdevil but I digress. You talk like someone who was pounded by an mtg player and now is forever salty. MTG isn't for everyone. Play your "fun" "balance" niche games.
this is only true if you started mtg 20+ years ago or more, and got cards at release for very cheap that got incredibly expensive years/decades later and made a nice profit by sheer dumb luck. otherwise, anyone joining mtg today will have a completly different experience in this regard, in this time and age cards lose value constantly, almost with every passing day
Just play whatever game and add a rule where sometimes if you don’t draw the right cards you just can’t play the game, Magic players will feel right at home.
I created a variant of Magic that eliminates land entirely. Better in every way, except that decks must be built specifically for the format, since all spells that deal with land are excluded.
I've found that decks built with a mathematical foundation don't really have this problem. It's the greedy decks that try to get by with 15/60 or 30/100 that have these games
@@beerman2000 I agree, players should play a responsible amount of lands to avoid the issue. However it is still an incredibly dated mechanism, and the base economy of the game should not determine so many outcomes, either due to flood or screw. Magic deserves respect for being hugely influential in the board and card game space, but things have just moved passed it mechanically. I stand by my thought that if everything in gaming was the same but Magic didn’t exist, if it came up on Crowdsurfing they would rightfully rip it apart. Having a huge legacy covers a lot of flaws.
As a player of magic and board games, I already own like half of these! And yes, funny enough, I find buying magic cards to be cheaper than getting board games. At least with how I purchase board games.
While I don’t play magic anymore, I can’t stand when board game enthusiasts try to call it a money pit while kickstarter board games are wildly funded and over the top. I love both and money CAN be dumped into both hobbies, but neither REQUIRE vast funds.
@@sarumon17 exactly. One can say board games are cheap, you buy ticket to ride and you're good for months. Well the same can be said about magic. Buy a precon, play it at locals for months. "oh but cedh, or modern", sure. The same can be said abt kickstarter games. You getting the core box of marvel untied or getting it all? Same thing. I find board games had more fomo so I ended up buying way more. Also, magic always has proxy cards 😉
Roy and Zee ragging on Tom right out of the gate was hilarious. Love these guys
How did Res Arcana not make the list? I thought for sure Zee would mention it. It uses the same five elements. It's combo-tastic.
Shocked, I say. Shocked!
Totally agree! With the expansions and drafting, it’s really competitive and unforgiving with great decision space! One of few games that is as great at 2 as 5 players (but different experiences)
Zee was under the impression that Magic players tend toward wacky and bombastic designs. And that’s somewhat true, that’s why Seasons was a better choice.
Zee explains why he didn't include it at 1:04:52.
"I think it's too...small? Too dry? It's too euro. I really like it, and I thought of it too, but I thought it's, like, even smaller Mindbug, if that makes sense, with all the flavour pulled out of it. I like it a lot, but in Res Arcana, you have a deck of, like, eight cards, or ten cards, that's all."
Res Arcana is way too simple for a MTG player.
I think their point about it being very dry compared to Magic is fair though.
Just an FYI from someone who plays a decent amount of Magic - yes there are still a lot of competitive Magic tournaments.... but Commander (or EDH), IS the most popular format.
Actually it probably isn't. I keep having to correct people on this, but by FAR the most popular way to play Magic nowadays is via Arena/computer. WOTC said something along the lines of more games being played per month on Arena than have been played in the entirety of magic history in physical cards. And by FAR the most popular format is best of 1 Standard.
So while I agree that the most popular format for physical magic is Commander, the most popular format is Standard by a fair way.
@@moocowp4970 That is absolutely fair.
@@moocowp4970 So your evidence is that they said "Hey guys trust us our product is doing super well." and if what you reference is true to what they said they somehow calculated the number of magic games that have been played during the last 30 years which they would need actual magic to accomplish. I'm not saying you're wrong but coming in with the "um, actually" and insinuating this is something you do on the regular with so little to actually go on just seems like a really dumb thing to do. Also you don't think if WotC put Commander in Arena its player base wouldn't form a similar ratio as physical Magic? Standard isn't popular digitally it's just the only format available (officially) digitally.
Sorry if I'm coming off a bit aggressive here I just think what you're doing is annoying.
Most of what I see is people saying they only play the mode because they feel like they're being forced to, and that they actually loathe it.
I have played lots of Magic over the years, so when I got into board gaming, these are the games that made me think of Magic..
1) Summoner Wars
2) Mage Wars
3) Codex
4) Shards of Infinity
5) Warhammer Underworlds
6) Dice Throne
7) Ascension Tactics
8) Res Arcana
9) Seasons
10) Aristeia
I highly recommend Ashes Reborn.
You can construct great decks if you want, or just use the pre-constructed ones.
Guaranteed to get the cards you want if you buy the expansions
Great at 2 players
Great solo
Cosmic Encounter has phases, hand management, wacky powers, weird interactions, politicking... so many things that should make MTG players feel at home.
Yes, but the game at its core is a negotiation game, something that isn't present in MtG in the slightest. I get that on the surface it has some similarities, but they are really nothing alike when it comes to gameplay.
@GrandElemental have you played Commander? The heavy negotiation present in commander is why I don't like it. But it's currently the most popular magic the gathering format.
@GrandElemental I said "politicking" and said that it was one of the things that should make MTG players feel at home. So yes I did factor in that Cosmic Encounter is negotiation at its heart and that is one of many reasons why MTG players can enjoy it.
@@jakebless5061 I played a single match and immediately understood it is not for me. I like how fast MtG is, commander can be super slow because of the added randomness and larger health pool, so I was not a fan. I have no idea how it includes negotiation though, we just played a normal head-to-head game with 100 card commander deck instead of the standard one.
@@GrandElemental makes sense. Commander is a multiplayer format not designed for head to head. So it's designed to me played with 4 players, non teams, so the politicking comes in to play pretty heavy. The things you mentioned regarding your commander experience also play into why it's not a format for me as well. But cosmic encounter is a decent representation of a game commander players may enjoy
In many ways the “Dan Dan” game that has become popular within the magic community is a separate mind bug-esque two player card game that happens to use magic cards.
Glad to see roy guest feature a top 10
I am 100% on Tom's side with Challengers! On its surface, there is little decision space in Challengers, however, there is a lot to think about in the game. Building your deck can be VERY strategic, and finding the right synergies can make your deck unstoppable. Cards like the Vampire or Reporter require you to think while playing and have the added benefit of taking some of the luck out of the card draw. Roy is doing himself a HUGE disservice by being so close minded about this game. If you are looking for a light party game that will engage Magic players with some strategic deck building, I highly recommend Challengers!
I gotta give it to BattleCon. The depth, asymmetric fighter design, and sheer variety make it a much more appealing game than Dice Throne and Unmatched.
I rrally wish battlecon had more noriety
@@frankli4018 Same for Argent: the Consortium and Empyreal: Spells and Steam. Level99 Games gets slept on quite a bit. It was great to see Millennium Blades on the list.
@@namelessfire yeah, L99 is an amazing team. Just idea that they made DBD:Boardgame that, in my opinion, is BETTER in using its IP then original game is awesome. And all their others games are very good too - Noir, BattleCon, Exceed, Millennium Blades, AC, Pixel Tactics, Bullet. Definetly one of companies that I always happy to see on a cover, they DO BE COOKING.
@@namelessfireI like Sakura Arms by them too. I’ve played it with multiple people and they don’t like the first game just picking it up. But play it twice and you see the depth to it.
You cannot categorize "magic players".
I just realized it while watching.
I am a board game geek as well as a magic player and you should distinguish between different kinds of players:
- commander players
- drafters
I have a commander cube, so apparently, I am both of your types... really, though there are a lot of different archetypes of magic players. You could recommend games based on the psychographic (Timmy, Johnny, and Spike) and aesthetic (Vorthos and Melvon) profile groupings and that does not even get into the different formats that approach being different games using the same game pieces and similar rules.
A true MTG player does almost all kinds of MTG formats.
As a former MTG player, the following board games have scratched my itch to the point where I have no motivation to play Magic again:
1. Millennium Blades (MTG prerelease in a box)
2. Res Arcana (MTG in euro form)
3. Star Realms (simple dueling game for two people)
4. Watergate (dueling, counterspell wars)
5. Cosmic Encounter (replaced commander)
I don’t like Radlands, but I recognize it’s a solid pick for scratching the MTG itch, too.
"Millennium Blades", "Res Arcana" and "Star Realms" are laughable and uninteresting for a MTG player.
Holy Gatekeeping Batman!
thanks for this list.
@@joeferreti9442 Well, I have to vehemently disagree given that I found these games so good and interesting that I gave up Magic the Gathering. For context, I played Magic every day for six years. I played SCG opens, Legacy, Modern, and commander for hours upon hours a day. After just a few months playing board games (such as these), I have no need to play Magic again.
MTG used to be a lifestyle game for me. So, of the lists...
Roy's list has 4 games that I like.
Zee's list has 5 games that I like.
Tom's list has 1 game that I like.
Zee wins!
Voice of the People
Roy Cannaday list is my favourite. As a former MTG player, I’ve 8 of is list of games and my number one would be Wizard Wars, no doubt. All the best :)
Z is the funniest troll I have ever seen :) RG also told it in an interview :D
I don't have a straight line to draw to magic other than deck building and fantasy theme but as a decade and a half long magic player, Aeon's End really really clicked with me. Obviously deckbuilding felt good, also I enjoyed how challenging and thoughtful it is.
And because it was mentioned, I did actually really enjoy Smash Up, although I haven't played it in years at this point so I'd suggest people get the starter box and maybe one or two expansions, not all of it like I did lol
EARTH.
Having played it so much lately, I recognize the significance of color powers, building permanents with combo-ing effects. And BLATANT MtG card references in some of the cards ("Badlands" etc.)
The designer, Maxime often mentions MtG in his describing of the game too.
Earth was my first thought also - less so about the references, but for the way the combos work, and how you have to strategise your placement to allow for effective queueing.
My friends and I really like:
Fantasy Realms for a light combo game.
Dominion and Hero Realms for deckbuilding and such.
Sentinels of the Multiverse for unique decks and some co-op.
Epic card game for some drafting and Magic feeling without having to bring our own decks, but since I made my Cube we would rather draft that instead.
I have some other deck builders with my favorite being Dominion for pure deckbuilding, but Lost Ruins of Arnak is a bit heavy in the Euro stuff but I also like Euros so it works and my friends like it too.
We use to play 7 Wonders a lot but got bored with it. It's still an amazing drafting game and would recommend it to anyone that loves to draft Magic.
I would also pur Heat Petal to the Metal on a list for hand and deck management. I don't really play many games that use the mechanic as I tend to only keep one of a type of game in my collection to avoid bloat, except deckbuilding since the group loves it so much.
Great lists! As a very heavy magic player, my top favorite games are Smash Up, Small World, Gloomhaven, and Villainous and King of Tokyo. Last 2 defs feel like Commander.
You guys missed out on Quest for El Dorado. It's my gaming group's go-to deckbuilding game. And we are all Magic players. Plus it's a game that everyone can easily play and enjoy.
I've played on the MTG Pro Tour and I adore Challengers! It is the most pure distillation of how important card and archetype choices are to a single tournament metagame. No strategic choices my ass. 😆
Fun lists from a very enfranchised magic the gathering player :)
As a note to the discussion re: multiplayer. Per Rosewater Commander is the most played format even above "kitchen table (formatless)" which is absolutely wild.
Challengers is a terrific pick by Tom. I find this game really captures the feel of a pre-release!
My top few in no particular order would be: Radlands, Challengers, Ascension and Milennium Blades. All games I've used w/ mtg players to hook into a boardgame night :).
Marvel Champions is a great pick for something that feels like MTG. The heroes are like a Commander that comes with a 15 card deck of unique abilities. And, the aspects are like picking one mana color to play.
They said at the start they were excluding CCG's and TCG's, kind of weird to include LCG's.
A bit surprised that „Tyrants of the Underdark“ is not on any of the lists. And I would have expected that Zee will put “Pagan: Fate of Roanoke” on his list as well.
Tom and Zee are ho-hum on Tyrants, unclear what Roy thinks of it
Picked up a copy of Tyrants second-hand a few months ago, and wow, is it incredible! Immediately printed up the fan expansion decks. It's so, so good.
Tyrants was literally the first game I thought of. I dont know if anyone at DT ever played it though.
@@Legitster Sam did.
Yeah, that's a good one. Deckbuilders as a genre tend to appeal to anyone who likes Limited in MTG.
As a magic player, I dont think anything scratches that itch except perhaps millenium blade but I have not played my copy just yet
Before I watch, here’d be mine (no particular order).
Innovation, Res Arcana, Summoner Wars, Radlands, Agricola, Unmatched, Paper Tales, Air Land & Sea, Hadrian’s Wall, Race for the Galaxy.
The fact thay ASHES didnt make this list is wild
FACTS!!!
Too close to Magic, probably got excluded.
I’ve never once heard The Dice Tower even mention Ashes.
I’d rather just play MTG. And they address it right at the start. They excluded games that were too close or that had you on a treadmill.
@@philistineau I would very literally never rather play MTG.
I let my mtg playing coworker try marvel dice throne and in a month he's bought every dice throne set.
MTG players always go all in, lol
I always sort of thought that Smash Up scratched a little bit of my Magic the Gathering itch. Combos and timing play a big role in being successful, which were skills I really needed in MTG!
I'm really surprised not to see Eternal: Chronicles of the Throne here. It's basically Magic: the Gathering if it was a deckbuilder (as opposed to deck construction). You've got creatures that attack and block, spells you can cast, and even relics that act like persistent artifacts or enchantments. It even has five different factions with their own colors, identities, and synergies. The Gold & Steel expansion adds a second hidden market for each player plus a new resource to buy cards and a new type of card that's very similar to MtG Auras or Equipment. It's also quite cheap and there's only the base game and the one expansion so you don't have to deal with storing and playing with hundreds of cards. It's honestly very solid!
Its kinda funny, because its based around Eternal game on PC. That was inspired by Hearthstone that was inspired by MTG.
But yeah, E:CotT is definetly a MTG-like boardgame that pretty good :)
King of the Tabletop is another game that influenced Garfield when designing Magic. It's where he got the idea for various creatures requiring certain "habitats" to be summoned into. A swamp is needed for the swampy monsters, for instance. As old as that game is... and the production is basically paper and thin cardboard... which makes sense, since it was a game you cut out of a magazine (Dragon Magazine)... I'd still happily play it. Fun game for its day.
WIZARDS OF THE GRIMOIRE should be on the list!
Good choice with expeditions zee. I would recommend Res Arcana
Haha, I knew Challengers would come up and was waiting for Roy's reaction. Was not disappointed.
The irony that we spend more money in boardgames than magic is not that bad when you think we get to play more than just one game... we are still hipocrates though 🤣
I would totally add Smash Up mainly for the hand management aspect and "minion" powers. Also, I agree with Roy on Champions but I would have mentioned LoTR LCG instead 😅
AMAZING!! So glad I am able to Vale here soon. Also, Commander. Is. Life ❤
Carnival of Monsters? Res Arcana? How were these missed?
Carnival of monsters is a game design by Richard Garfield and it as a lot of magic elements .
Really an underappreciate game , recommend it if you can find a cheap copy ( think it’s out of print )
Set collection/drafting
Interesting that Tom put seasons and vale of eternity on the list. Every time I teach vale of eternity people tell me it feels like Seasons. Also grid drafting magic is so fun!
Former mtg player. I enjoy Dungeon Mayhem even though it's light and I have a bunch of friends who never played mtg who enjoy it. It does get old after a while.
special shout out to whoever made music jingle for number 4
I like how the 3 of them took different approaches and honed in on the different types of experiences that people look for in MTG. For, example, as someone who likes drafting and playing limited in Magic, I probably would go towards games like the deckbuilders or the more tactical hand management style games. The multiplayer "politics" games are NOT AT ALL what I would want from Magic, but I understand why something like Cosmic Encounter would appeal to commander players.
Marvel Champions is my top pick. Millenium Blades I imagine would be good.
As a former recreational MTG player one game which helped me bridge the gap between board games was Frosthaven. This game incorporated card strategy with lore and storyline while getting me invested in map exploration. It also had several enhancement cards (eg items) which felt like artifacts and enchantments. Plus the ability to retire and start new characters mid game felt a lot like being able to play different decks. At risk of being offensive, the recommendations for games in this video did not really jump out to me. It seems like you guys know how to play MTG and deck building, but do not really understand why people enjoy the game itself. There is more to the game than just combos, cards and deck building. Like many game enthusiasts, MTG players enjoy artwork, lore, world building and the fun of favorite cards.
Really fun video, good vibes.
Can't say I have too many games in my collection (that aren't TCGs/ECGs) that I think are good bridges.
Maybe some of the skirmish games?
Maybe Kapow!, it's random but does have some cool combo engine elements...
Millennium Blades is my all time favorite game!!
Two suggestions that weren't on anyone's lists: Carnival of Monsters (It's a Drafting game by Richard Garfield with great art and uses lands to play Monsters, all very Magic things) and Sorcerer by Wise Wizard Games. You have some deck construction (you shuffle together a Sorcerer a domain and a type of Magic), combos and synergies and that head to head feeling.
I was surprised Sorcerer wasn't mentioned either given how much Zee raved about it. Maybe he felt it was too close ?
Sorcerer look interesting, but that dark horror art creeps me out
100% agree with CoM. As a former MtG player my friends and I play this game quite often to fill that drafting itch.
Ashe's Reborn really should have been on this list, unless it's too close to magic?
Excellent game!
All the fun without the blind-buy frustrations
Definitely too close to Magic.
The first game that came to mind for me was Evolution; its hand management and combo building remind me of my Magic: the Gathering days. Unmatched is a perfect pick that had escaped me. All of my friends that play MtG have loved Unmatched.
I have so many unmatched boxes probably at least 10 and… I want to like it but it is lacking. The art is wonderful. The game… not so much
Is there a link to this "dice tower district"? I can't find it.
Here's the direct link. It'll get added to the video description and our LinkTree!
district.net/dicetower
Love you Roy, but couldn't disagree more on Challengers. I admit it takes some getting used to that the part of the game that we would normally associate with "playing the game" is, in fact, NOT where playing the game happens. But idk how you can think the decisions around whether you take 1 card from the higher level or 2 from the lower, when you can start to cut cards, how often do you run 1 or 2 "too many" cards and risk busting aren't meaningful and strategic. Theres FAR more game in the box than it gets credit for
You guys need to do a Top 10 great games that no-one talks about.
Fun list. I was wondering if Slay the Spire would make it tbh
I have played a lot of MtG, and sometimes resume this hobby. But when I play other board/card games, I do not look for things that are similar to MtG, quite the opposite. Rather games for other kinds of people and other windows of time. Things that scratch different itches.
I think focusing on deck/combo building was a mistake. What makes MTG so unique is 1) Customizing your deck before game starts. 2) Predicting and Reacting to your opponent.
It feels closer to poker than anything else because it's a constant back and forth of actions.
My top picks are L5R (which might be considered TOO similar to MTG),
Yashima (customize your deck pre-game and can react to oppenents actions),
Wildlands (Predicting and reacting to Opponents).
SW:Deckbuilder and Undaunted as runner ups.
I was waiting the whole list for Roy's number one....even when I knew it was his number one.
I missed ROOT on your list. But thanks for the always great inspiration and content ✌️❤️
I think they were mostly going for board games that are similar to MTG in some way.
As a magic the gathering player, apperently I need to get Vale of Eternity and Radlands.
I typically like relatively easy to learn games because trying to teach magic is impossible, it is just so expansive now. So I have to have other games to bring to different types of people. I am looking for easy to learn games that have very deep strategy going on with basic rules.
I like Roll over Race. I enjoy deck builders but I find Dominion lacks interaction (Star Realms and there is a deck building game inside my favourite MMO, ESO called Tales of Tribute I like).
Interesting that there were quite a few dudes on a map games here, I suspect that because the secret information tends to be a big part of those games.
I am supprised there isn't any Dune Imperium on here, I found that game something I wanted to play over and over to try out all the possible strategies.
Where would you guys rank Sakura Arms?
Roy's gonna move to Bremerton with that shirt. 🤘😆🤘
All I need is a Comic Hunters reprint
Arkham Horror TCG has always been my recommendation to MTG folks. So good
Hey! Tom mentioned a “two card race for the galaxy” never heard of this is it a variant I’m guessing?
Love race and would love to know what it is please Tom share the secret 😂
It’s the two player version of the game in the rulebook
Ah thanks yes play this one for two player games I thought it was something new 😂 disappointed now
Radlands to me has all of the feel of a tcg/ccg with non of the chase, it is my go to for magic players
I kind of thought Zee might have put Nightfall on his list. Still one of my favs.
I would add Agricola to this list. The card selection is extremely similar to deck construction.
Please check out Allegiance: A realm divided (2015)!!! Mtg players will love this game
First one I thought of but very hard to find a copy now
Tom, I think that you need to check the budget for that opening skit...
Here's mine:
1.Radlands
2.Blood Rage
3.EPIC
4.Evolution (2 player)
5.Hero Realms
6.Strife: Legacy of the Eternals
7.Air, Land & Sea: Critters at War
8.Reinforcements
9.Seasons
10.Xenoshyft Onslaught
Surprised no mention of Sorcerer. Easy deckbuilding with different play styles with hand management, resource management, and combat
As a magic player it feels like player a worse version of magic. It’s divisive and it’s a TCG too this was comparing board games!
Sorcery is another inferior TCG they are comparing to board games…
@@billable1861 I am talking about Sorcerer from Wise Wizard Games, it isn't a TCG
Seasons has come up a few times in the last year maybe on this channel and its always reffered to as mid. not in those words, but im paraphrasing.
I believe that Res Arcana is a fantastic pick.
I was really surprised that Summoner Wars want on more of the lists. It's an amazing game, not to mention that it's pretty much MTG for tactical people.
I have a feeling you didn't watch this whole video. :)
Mage wars out of print? I just bought a copy for 18 on amazon
i can confirm that Cosmic Encounter feels good for a Mtg player. One friend of mine he dislikes board games but he is a Mtg fanatic since 90's. He enjoyed Cosmic a lot
I just passed the separator for #8 and my eardrums were kind of blown. A little turning down of the volume would be welcome in the future. ;-)
EDIT: The #7 separator was also a bit too loud, although the music wasn’t as intense.
If Marvel Champions makes the list, then Lord of the Rings LCG should too.
Time stamps?
No Ashes Reborn Roy? Man that's disappointing :(
No expandable card games on their lists
@@dejavu_d I could see the point, but if Summoner Wars and Marvel Champs are in the list, Ashes is in the same vein tbh. Just surprises me Roy didn't included it bc I though it really likes it, but it's a just for fun top10, no worries about this.
Lot a people sleep on this game but Ivion would be perfect for this list. IMO of course! Lol Fun video fellas.
I think Blue Moon should have been on the list.
It boggles my mind that y'all didn't mention Codex: Card-time Strategy, Mage Wars, or Tyrants of the Underdark.
Yeah, but it always boggles my mind that people forget we only have ten slots! :)
@@thedicetowertechnically 30 slots
@@thedicetower what boggles my mind is that Mage Wars Arena was NOT a triple crossover at #1
love the mxpx top roy!
Super surprised Dominion didn't make it on anyone's list
I don't know if games with a board and spatial movement aspect qualify here. In this aspect, I would recommend Goshu X and Skytear horde. Have to try Radlands
Black rose wars, sorcerers and Allegiance: a realm divided.
I have played MtG only a few times in my life. But, I'm thinking that Pixel Tactics would be a good choice.
Rift Force looks like Air, Land, & Sea. Is that true?
Millennium Blades was the first game I thought of....
I wonder what Roy thinks of "Sentinels Of The Multiverse: Definitive Edition".
MTG is GOAT
thanks for the recommendations
MTG isnt even the best at what it does
@@arcdevil MTG is the number 1 tcg. Change my mind
@@MrRayRockstar
1v1, both Android Netrunner and Legend of the 5 rings are far better balanced, way more skill-rewarding, and offer FAAAAAR more depth and complexity
multiplayer, Vampire TES is a quintillion times better than Commander in literally every single aspect imaginable, like comparing the mona lisa to a wet fart
but I suppose I cant change your mind because if your a mtg player your head is made of concrete, nothing goes thru. it takes a special case of hard autism that only MTG players suffer to only play mtg and not realize theres a huge world of better games out there, and not just TCGs
@arcdevil bro, you're such a hater. Take a chill pill. MTG isn't for the WEAK minded.
Your OPINION can't supercede the fact that mtg is the oldest most popular tcg in recorded history.
@arcdevil but I digress. You talk like someone who was pounded by an mtg player and now is forever salty. MTG isn't for everyone. Play your "fun" "balance" niche games.
All these deluxified board games cost me more than I ever spent on Magic. I traded with Magic and amassed a reasonably valuable collection that way.
this is only true if you started mtg 20+ years ago or more, and got cards at release for very cheap that got incredibly expensive years/decades later and made a nice profit by sheer dumb luck.
otherwise, anyone joining mtg today will have a completly different experience in this regard, in this time and age cards lose value constantly, almost with every passing day
MXPX for the win!
need to watch richard garfield’s reaction to this top 10
Surprised not to see the Imperium series on anybody’s list.
Just play whatever game and add a rule where sometimes if you don’t draw the right cards you just can’t play the game, Magic players will feel right at home.
I created a variant of Magic that eliminates land entirely. Better in every way, except that decks must be built specifically for the format, since all spells that deal with land are excluded.
@@Jason-Moonso....Grand Archive then?
I've found that decks built with a mathematical foundation don't really have this problem. It's the greedy decks that try to get by with 15/60 or 30/100 that have these games
@@beerman2000 I agree, players should play a responsible amount of lands to avoid the issue. However it is still an incredibly dated mechanism, and the base economy of the game should not determine so many outcomes, either due to flood or screw.
Magic deserves respect for being hugely influential in the board and card game space, but things have just moved passed it mechanically. I stand by my thought that if everything in gaming was the same but Magic didn’t exist, if it came up on Crowdsurfing they would rightfully rip it apart. Having a huge legacy covers a lot of flaws.
@@stephenball2108Yea, screw and flood are the Achilles heel of the game fo shizz. So I made my variant to fix it.
Summoner warsssssss!!!!!
Where’s Heroes of Land, Air and Sea? Long time Magic player, and to me this is as well thematic, as game mechanics, very close to the Magic world.
Is there an expansion to Shards of Infinity that levels up cards?
Fun fact: Richard Garfield is the only man that Chuck Norris fears.
Also, I'd suggest Dungeon Mayhem.
As a player of magic and board games, I already own like half of these!
And yes, funny enough, I find buying magic cards to be cheaper than getting board games. At least with how I purchase board games.
While I don’t play magic anymore, I can’t stand when board game enthusiasts try to call it a money pit while kickstarter board games are wildly funded and over the top. I love both and money CAN be dumped into both hobbies, but neither REQUIRE vast funds.
@@sarumon17 exactly. One can say board games are cheap, you buy ticket to ride and you're good for months. Well the same can be said about magic. Buy a precon, play it at locals for months.
"oh but cedh, or modern", sure. The same can be said abt kickstarter games. You getting the core box of marvel untied or getting it all? Same thing. I find board games had more fomo so I ended up buying way more. Also, magic always has proxy cards 😉