Magic: The Gathering Card Game at Odyssey Teen Camp

Showing off a rare card from a booster pack at the Magic: the Gathering Intensive.

At Odyssey Teen Camp, we have a rich and diverse selection of classes for campers to choose from. One that has become very popular in the last few years is our Magic: The Gathering intensive, where campers get to play the game together in a week-long activity block.

One of our counselors, Aaron, has been playing Magic since he first came to camp as a young teenager. Here, he explains a little about how Magic works and what makes it so appealing.

The Anticipation

There is a great amount of exciting commotion and speculation in the Dining Hall today. An eclectic bunch of campers sits in two groups of 8 around the long tables, waiting eagerly to begin. Most of them have never played this game before, and now, they will be expected to make decisions that will impact them for the rest of the week. There is talk of Mythic Rares and magical beings who can travel across space and time. There are ancient and unkillable monsters and powerful sorceries too. When it comes to strategy games, there is nothing like Magic: the Gathering.

The Magic Intensive

In the OTC Magic Intensive: Campers are invited to build their very own deck of cards to battle with through a special format called booster draft. This is kind of like a sports draft, where you take turns picking the player (card) who you think will fit best on your team. At the end of the week, the campers with the best record in a 3-round Swiss (non-elimination) tournament all get more cards to add to their collection (everyone gets something just for playing though).

Much More Than a Card Game

Magic is a game that builds communication skills, promotes friendships and healthy competition, and encourages reading, math, and critical thinking in ways that stimulate the imagination. The game has been around for 25 years and has seen many changes, and at Odyssey, Magic has somewhat developed a cult status. Campers from just about every Pod play the game, and older campers as well as counselors, help new campers learn the game and improve their skills.

If you’ve never played Magic before, this is the best place in the world to start. We can’t wait to see you on the battlefield!”

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