How to Start Playing the Harry Potter Trading Card Game

You've read all of the Harry Potter books, and now you want to play the trading card game (TCG). So, where do you start and how do you learn the rules for the Harry Potter TCG? We're glad you asked!

First, you'll want to get a Harry Potter Starter Set. Starter Sets include 2 Starter decks, a rulebook, and a playmat. The Starter Sets can be found at Wizards of the Coast retail stores, The Gamekeeper stores, and other toy, game, and discount department stores nationwide and in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Next, you'll want to find someone to play the game against (it might get pretty boring playing against yourself). Before you read the rulebook, play a few games using the rules on the playmat. The playmat provides you with the basic rules you need to understand the game and get started. Once you get used to the game and these basic rules, you can read the rulebook and try out some of the advanced rules.

The beginning rules are fairly simple. You and your opponent are wizards dueling at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. During the duel, you can use magical creatures or spells to "damage" your opponent. For each point of damage you do, your opponent has to discard that many cards from his or her deck. You win the game when your opponent's deck runs out of cards! Now, just follow the rules on the playmat, and you're ready to play the Harry Potter trading card game!

Later, you might want to get some boosters. Boosters let you modify and customize your Starter decks. By putting some of the more advanced cards that you get from the boosters into your deck, you can add a whole new level of strategy to your game. After you get enough cards you may even want to try to build your own deck from scratch! (If you don't know where to start, look at our "How to Build a Deck" article.)

And that's all you need to know to get started! Now, go have lots of fun with the Harry Potter trading card game!

To learn more about how to play the Harry Potter TCG, try our online demo!