7 Reasons You Should Date A Vintage Format Magic: The Gathering Player

There are a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes about guys who play Magic: The Gathering. Well, I can’t really speak for the Standard format of the game (the most recent releases of cards), but as a “Magic Girlfriend” of a Vintage player for over 6 years, I’d highly recommend that women ditch meeting guys at bars and hit up a Vintage tournament. The cards were released back in the early ‘90s and are still played by a thriving community. The guys who play this format are extremely diverse and cannot be classified as a generic nerd. So step out of that bar and into the comic shop next door, you’ll be surprised what gems are in there. Maybe you’ll get lucky and find a Superman Action Comics No. 1 in mint condition and/or the man of your dreams.

Here’s a list of awesome qualities many guys who play this game possess.

1. They’re passionate.

Guys who play the Vintage format of Magic: The Gathering are usually extremely immersed in the game, among other things in their lives. They’re dedicated and hardworking. They’re competitive, but don’t take losing so seriously. They’re just happy to be playing something they love with others who love the game. A person who has passions in life will encourage and support their significant other to explore their passions as well.

2. They’re intelligent and detail oriented.

This game requires knowledge. A lot of knowledge. My brain can’t even begin to comprehend all the things my boyfriend has attempted to explain to me about the game. They’ve grown up learning this game kind of like a foreign language. The rules of the game, the names and artists of the cards, what the cards do, the value of the cards, the list goes on and on. If they can remember names of cards like “Emrakul, The Aeons Torn”, “Thopter Squadron”, and “Erhnam Djinn”, odds are, they know how to utilize their brain.

3. They’re knowledgeable about money and investments.

Many guys who play Vintage think of their Magic stuff (cards, original artwork, miscuts, uncut sheets, etc) as money. Their collections are generally worth more than your car, but they probably purchased the cards for nothing back when they first came out in the ‘90s. They’ve collected over years and years of buying, selling, and trading. It’s a market that keeps appreciating in value, because most of these things were produced over a decade ago, and are either extremely rare, or one of a kind. My boyfriend often buys or trades with the idea of re-selling and making money; in turn, aiding to the market, keeping it alive and helping it flourish, while making a profit for himself.

4. They appreciate art.

These guys grew up admiring and feeling an emotional connection to the artwork associated with the cards. They were aware of color, composition, subject matter, and nature from a young age. I’m always impressed when a guy knows anything about art, and especially if he feels a personal attachment to it. The art was truly stunning and interesting. From goblins, demons, and trolls to angels, elves, landscapes, and animals, there’s so much room for imagination. Many of the illustrators are obscenely talented painters. They were given just the name of the card, no details, and created iconic images that have impacted millions of people’s lives.

5. It’s a connection to their childhood that keeps them eternally young at heart.

I’d say the majority of these guys started playing in the early-mid ‘90s as kids and teenagers. Maybe they took some time off from playing or played continuously throughout their lives; nonetheless, they have not forgotten the impact it had on their childhood and how they felt as a kid opening a new pack for the first time. They’ll carry that boyish charm and excitement for little things well into adulthood.

6. It’s a healthy and safe hobby where they’re surrounded by like-minded people.

Would you rather your boyfriend be at a bar on Friday night or at a comic shop playing Magic? If you said “bar”, then you don’t deserve to date a Magic player. I, on the other hand, like the idea of my boyfriend being in good company, with people he knows and trusts, doing something that makes him happy and keeps his brain functioning. It’s a pretty close-knit community of people who respect and look out for each other. My boyfriend has made some truly wonderful friends, who have become good friends to me, as well. If you let him have this hobby, (girlfriends can come and go, but Magic is FOREVER) give him his space, and try to understand his interests, it will result in a happier relationship for you both.

7. Even if you have no interest in playing the game itself, you will likely gain a genuine interest in elements of the game.

Before meeting my boyfriend, I knew nothing about Magic. I still don’t even know a fraction of what he knows, but I love listening to him talk about it, and have gotten into certain constituents of the game myself. I have literally zero interest in playing and know next to nothing regarding rules or building a deck, but I really enjoy learning about the art, the community, value, rarity, etc. Even if your interests are superficial (i.e. liking a card with a squirrel on it because it’s cute) it means a lot that you even take a vague interest in their passions. The art from the original cards was truly stunning – nothing like the homogenized digital diarrhea of today. There are so many different elements of the game outside of playing it, that you’re likely to find something that sparks your interest.

In conclusion, date a Vintage Magic player. He’ll treat you better than gold – he’ll treat you like a 9.5 graded Alpha Black Lotus.