Do you love Magic: The Gathering (MTG) but wish it had a bit more… spirit? Or maybe you’re a fan of Dungeons & Dragons (DND) and want to bring some extra excitement to your next campaign? Well, what if I told you that you can turn your favorite board game into a hilarious social event? Welcome to the world of Magic the Gathering drinking game. Whether you’re a seasoned Planeswalker or a casual player, get ready for a night filled with mana, madness, and maybe a little mayhem.
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What is a Magic the Gathering Drinking Game?
Magic: The Gathering, the iconic strategy card game, already offers tons of fun and excitement for its players. But what happens when you take this strategic challenge and blend it with some good-natured drinking? Enter the MTG drinking game—a fun way to combine your love for the game with a social activity that gets everyone laughing (and maybe slightly tipsy).
In a typical MTG drinking game, certain in-game actions trigger drinking penalties. Maybe someone just played a devastating counterspell, or maybe you’ve drawn your third mana in a row—either way, drinks are involved! Each format of MTG, from Standard to Commander, has its own unique triggers, and this variety is what makes the game perfect for a drinking adaptation.
How to Play the Ultimate MTG Drinking Game
Basic Rules for Magic the Gathering Drinking Game
Starting an MTG drinking game is easy, especially if you know your way around the basics of Magic. To keep things light and fun, here are some simple rules you can follow:
- Start with Drinks Ready: Every player should have their drink of choice ready at the start of the game. It could be beer, wine, cocktails, or even non-alcoholic alternatives.
- Set Drinking Triggers: Before the game begins, agree on the actions that will trigger drinking penalties. Common triggers could include:
- Lose a life point: Take a sip.
- Cast an instant or sorcery: Take two sips.
- Your creature dies: Finish your drink if it’s a Legendary creature!
- Play a counterspell: Every other player takes a sip.
- Play with Strategy: The key is to balance fun with game strategy. You don’t want every action to result in constant drinking, so set the rules to keep things fun and not overwhelming.
Variations for Different MTG Formats
MTG comes in various formats, and drinking game rules can vary based on which one you’re playing. Here are some variations:
- Commander Format: With its multiplayer nature, Commander is perfect for a drinking game. In this format, each player could take a sip every time a commander is cast or recast. Better still, take a shot if someone deals commander damage to you!
- Two-Headed Giant: This team-based format adds a cooperative drinking twist. If one teammate takes damage, both must drink!
- Standard Format: Standard games can be faster, so you’ll want to pace the drinks accordingly. Set more moderate triggers like sipping whenever a Planeswalker enters the battlefield or when someone casts their third spell in a turn.
Top 5 Drinking Prompts for Magic the Gathering
Now that you’ve got the basics down, let’s look at some of the best drinking prompts that will keep your game lively (and your drinks flowing):
- Mana Flood: Every time you draw a land three turns in a row, you must take a drink.
- Creature Died: If one of your creatures dies in battle, take a sip. But if it was a legendary creature, finish your drink!
- Planeswalker Enters the Battlefield: Any time a Planeswalker comes into play, everyone else must drink in respect.
- Board Wipe: If a player casts a board wipe, all other players must take a big gulp for their fallen comrades.
- Counterspell Chaos: Play a counterspell? Make someone else drink. Had your spell countered? Sorry, you’re the one taking a drink.
These are just a few ideas to get you started, but don’t hesitate to invent your own based on the cards and strategies you love most.
Theme Nights: How to Match Drinks with MTG Colors
Ready to make your MTG drinking game even more immersive? Why not match your drinks with the five iconic colors of Magic: The Gathering? Each color embodies different characteristics—powerful, strategic, or chaotic—and now you can bring that energy to life with thematic beverages. Let’s play a special color drinking game!
White Mana – Clean, Classy, and Refined
- Vibe: White represents order, justice, and structure. Think of knights in shining armor, angels, and stoic guardians. For a White-themed drink, you’ll want something elegant, clean, and classy.
- Drink Ideas:
- Gin Fizz: The light, refreshing gin cocktail matches White’s clean-cut image.
- Champagne: Nothing says sophistication like a glass of bubbly. Perfect for celebrating victory with your life-gain deck!
- White Russian: For a creamy, indulgent twist on the classic white drink.
Blue Mana – Cerebral, Mysterious, and Calculated
- Vibe: Blue is all about control, intellect, and trickery—this color loves counterspells and drawing cards to outsmart opponents. Your drink should reflect Blue’s icy, calculated personality.
- Drink Ideas:
- Blue Lagoon: This tropical, electric-blue cocktail mirrors the depth and allure of a Blue Mage’s intellect.
- Dry Martini: A no-nonsense drink for the serious strategist, as sharp as Blue’s mind games.
- Blue Curacao Margaritas: Add some zing with this bright and refreshing Blue-themed margarita, perfect for plotting your next move.
Black Mana – Dark, Powerful, and Deadly
- Vibe: Black thrives on power at any cost, often using death and sacrifice as tools for victory. The perfect drink should be dark, intense, and leave a lasting impression.
- Drink Ideas:
- Black Russian: Strong, bold, and straightforward, much like Black’s ruthless drive.
- Guinness: The dark, heavy stout fits Black’s deathly theme, ideal for raising a toast after your sacrifice strategy pays off.
- Death in the Afternoon: A mix of absinthe and champagne for when you want to feel just a little bit villainous—right up a Black Mage’s alley.
Red Mana – Fiery, Chaotic, and Explosive
- Vibe: Red is all about passion, speed, and destruction. Like casting a Lightning Bolt, the drink should hit fast and hard. Look for something spicy or bold that’ll add some heat to your game.
- Drink Ideas:
- Fireball Whiskey Shots: Nothing says Red like knocking back some fiery cinnamon whiskey. Great for when you’re playing aggressive burn decks!
- Spicy Margarita: Add some jalapenos for an extra kick that mirrors Red’s chaotic energy.
- Bloody Mary: Spicy, bold, and perfect for when things are getting a bit wild during the game.
Green Mana – Earthy, Natural, and Abundant
- Vibe: Green represents nature, growth, and creatures, with a focus on the natural world’s strength and resilience. Green drinks should be refreshing, earthy, and connected to the land.
- Drink Ideas:
- Craft Beer: There’s something organic and grounded about beer, and nothing feels more fitting for a Green deck than a well-brewed IPA.
- Mojito: Fresh mint and lime make this drink as vibrant and lively as a ramp strategy, echoing the growth and abundance that Green thrives on.
- Herbal Cocktails: Drinks like the Basil Smash or cocktails using fresh herbs bring out the earthy tones of Green Mana.
Pair these drinks with your deck’s colors for a fun, thematic night that brings your Magic: The Gathering experience to life!
How to Scale the Drinking Game for Big Groups
Got a large group of friends ready to join the action? Scaling the MTG drinking game for big groups can get tricky, but with the right rules, you’ll keep everyone engaged and having fun. Here’s how to make Multiplayer Madness work.
Team-Based Drinking
- In formats like Two-Headed Giant, it’s easy to turn the game into a team-based drinking event:
- If your team loses life points, both players must drink.
- If your team wins combat, the losing team drinks.
- For more fun, introduce team challenges where the whole team drinks for big game moments (e.g., casting a huge board wipe).
Global Drinking Events
In large groups, certain global triggers can keep everyone in the game:
- Board Wipe: Whenever a player wipes the board, all players take a sip for every creature destroyed.
- Mass Combat: If a massive combat phase is triggered (involving multiple creatures or players), everyone takes a drink as the battlefield descends into chaos.
Keep Non-Active Players Engaged
It’s easy for players to get bored when they’re not active in a large multiplayer game. Keep everyone involved by introducing these fun ideas:
- Card Draws: If a player draws the same card type two turns in a row (e.g., two lands), all non-active players must take a sip.
- Creature Showdown: If two or more creatures are battling, non-active players must bet on which creature wins. Those who guess wrong must drink!
These rules ensure that even in large groups, everyone stays engaged and the game never slows down.
Best MTG Sets for Drinking Games
Not all MTG sets are created equal when it comes to drinking game fun. Some sets are full of chaos, hilarious cards, and mechanics that naturally lend themselves to drinking. Here are the best sets to play for a wild MTG drinking game.
Un-sets (Unglued, Unstable, Unfinity)
The Un-sets are known for their wacky, absurd cards and game mechanics. From juggling to high-fives, these cards are made to create wild moments.
Drinking Ideas: Take a sip for every joke card played, or chug whenever an Un-card effect is too ridiculous to handle (e.g., balancing an object on your head).
Commander Legends
Commander Legends is perfect for multiplayer drinking games. The epic, swingy nature of Commander and the wild combos make it ideal for dramatic drinking triggers.
Drinking Ideas: Drink every time a Commander is recast, or for every time a massive, game-changing spell like Expropriate is cast.
Theros Beyond Death
The Escape mechanic from this set adds tons of opportunities for thematic drinking.
Drinking Ideas: Take a sip every time a player escapes a card from the graveyard. If they escape a Legendary card, finish your drink!
Chaos Sets (Eldritch Moon, War of the Spark)
These sets bring chaotic board states, wild swings, and tons of Planeswalkers or Eldrazi to mess things up.
Drinking Ideas: Drink for every Eldrazi played or for every time a Planeswalker ability is activated.
Turning Magic: The Gathering into a drinking game is a great way to spice up your game nights, especially when you’re looking to mix strategy with some social fun. Whether you’re casting counterspells or sacrificing legendary creatures, every move can become an excuse to raise your glass.