Gab Hernandez 
Not all starter decks are equal in MTG Arena.
The starter decks in MTG Arena give new players a fighting chance in competitive modes. Naturally, for a competitive card game, there will be cards that pack more of a punch in the meta compared to others. These starter decks are a great entry point for competitive players.
Some players may struggle to decide which starter deck in MTG Arena is best. The most “objectively” powerful may not necessarily be the best for a beginner. Magic: The Gathering features several terms and mechanics that could confuse them. Fortunately, players have found a few starter decks ready for any meta.
What is the best starter deck in MTG Arena?
The best starter decks in MTG Arena are Desert Oasis and Faerie Pranks.
Many veteran players consider Desert Oasis and Faerie Pranks the best starter decks in MTG Arena. One of the main reasons for this is due to their fluidity. Since free starter decks are considered a player’s entry point to Magic, it’s important to play one that integrates the game’s core mechanics.
How to play a Desert Oasis starter deck in MTG Arena
Desert Oasis is a blue-green starter deck in MTG Arena that focuses on playing big monsters as early as possible.
Desert Oasis blends blue and green cards for a creature-focused starter deck. Blue decks are typically associated with control decks, manipulating the game state with spells and tricks. In contrast, Green decks are all about momentum and size, quickly pumping out high-statted creatures with aggressive mana ramp tactics.
A blue-green deck aims to disrupt the enemy’s turns while gathering mana for a powerful creature finisher. Cards such as Rootrider Faun and Hardbristle Bandit carry the early game while Bonny Pall, Clearcutter, and Outcast Greenblade provide players with a consistent finisher to end games.
The core goal of this MTG Arena starter deck is ramping. That means accelerating the mana they have available per turn. In a game of Magic, players are only allowed to drop one land per turn (unless a card allows players to drop more). Because of this, players are typically locked into a pace where they can only summon creatures that cost six mana on turn six. Mana ramp decks sidestep that problem entirely.
Rootrider Faun and Hardbristle Bandit allow players to tap these creatures for mana. Cards such as Plant Beans and Beanstalk Wurm let players place an extra land on the turn they are played. Additionally, Map the Frontier allows players to search their libraries for more lands to put on the battlefield.
This allows players to cast Bonny Pall, Clearcutter, a monster that costs six mana, as early as turn four. Such devastating stats in the early game can overwhelm opponents with no answers to those monsters at turn four, ending games quickly. Many new players love this deck because it has a clear goal, an easy playstyle, and a flashy finish.
How to play a Faerie Pranks starter deck in MTG Arena
Faerie Pranks is a blue-black Faerie tribal deck that aims to control the board spells and Faerie synergy.
A tribal deck primarily consists of one creature type and relies on synergies between those creatures to enable powerful effects. The Faeirie Pranks deck can be a bit more tricky for new players. It features many instants and sorceries and relies on careful faerie synergy for maximum effect. In the right hands, it can dictate the board.
Cards such as Sleight of Hand and Deduce allow players more control over the cards they draw. Other cards delay enemy creatures instead, such as Freeze in Place and Snaremaster Sprite. The combination of Obyra, Dreaming Duelist, Roaming Throne, and just about any faerie card in this deck will prove lethal for the enemy.
For example, Roaming Throne activates a triggered ability of a creature the player controls twice. Combined with Obyra, Dreaming Duelist, the player can deal two damage to the opponent for every faerie summoned. Talion’s Messenger does the same, but instead boosts a friendly faerie’s stats with a +1/+1 counter.
The deck also features plenty of removal cards. These are especially important in the early game when none of the Faerie creature combos are in effect yet. Though slightly complicated, Faerie Pranks is a great introduction to the more mechanically complex aspects of MTG Arena.
