
- BGG rank
- BGG #85
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Android: Netrunner
- 2 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2012

Rules assistance for Magic: The Gathering – Fourth Edition Core Set
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Magic: The Gathering – Fourth Edition Core Set is an expansion for Magic: The Gathering released in 1995 for 2 players, 20–90 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Richard Garfield and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Deck Construction.
The Fourth Edition of Magic: The Gathering was the tenth set released for the game, and the fourth base set (or "core set"). It contained 378 cards and was the first set to reprint cards from the expansions Legends and The Dark with white borders. Fourth Edition cards have white borders. The set has no expansion symbol. Fourth Edition was also the first Magic set to be printed in Asian languages, including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, as well as Portuguese, which was printed primarily for the Brazilian market. The Japanese edition was particularly successful and contributed to the burgeoning of Magic's popularity in Japan. Korean and Chinese Fourth Edition cards have been made only with black borders while Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish cards exist with white and black borders. The Magic the Gathering 4th Edition Starter Deck contains 60 cards and rulebook. The distribution is 3 rare, 9 uncommon, 26 common, and 22 land.
Magic: The Gathering – Fourth Edition Core Set supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Magic: The Gathering – Fourth Edition Core Set is 20–90 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Magic: The Gathering – Fourth Edition Core Set for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Magic: The Gathering – Fourth Edition Core Set has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Magic: The Gathering – Fourth Edition Core Set belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Deck Construction. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Magic: The Gathering – Fourth Edition Core Set are: Richard Garfield. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Magic: The Gathering – Fourth Edition Core Set as an expansion for Magic: The Gathering. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Magic: The Gathering to use it. Check that your edition of Magic: The Gathering is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.