Edge of Eternities pre-release is tomorrow!

I’m not usually excited for new sets. Not because I don’t like new cards. It’s just that I don’t tend to hype up for them. But something clicked for Edge of Eternities, and I’m somewhat excited. Now that I think about it, I haven’t been to a pre-release for exactly one year. My last pre-release was for Bloomburrow last July. In fact, that was the last time I attended an event in general. So I’m kinda rusty and I need to remember what I usually bring with me. Let me see.

Sleeves

Sleeves protect the cards. Duh. But sleeved cards in pre-releases are more valuable. Players might pick up the cards more often to read what they do. And I support that. Especially since I sleeve my cards and they can’t be easily damaged.

Playmat

Playmats provide an additional level of protection. For me, they also work as a way to mark where I can put my deck and cards. Plus, playmats look cool!

Dice

I use dice to track life points and as counters. While the pre-release pack has a nice d20, it’s probably not enough. I bring at least a couple more d20s and a bunch of d6s with me.

Extra decks

When I know I am going to play Magic, I bring along more decks than I can probably need. I bring at least 4 Commander decks, and I’ve recently started bringing some Jumpstart decks as well. You almost always can sneak in a game or two before the event starts. Or you can continue playing after the event ends.

Trade binder

If you want to trade cards, chill events like a pre-release are a good place to bring your binder with you. I don’t really trade, but I like checking out the binders of others for inspiration.

Water

While this is not a Magic-specific thing, taking water with you is important. Staying hydrated helps me concentrate because I don’t have to think about how thirsty I am while trying to figure out how not to lose. Especially considering tomorrow is going to be one of the hottest days of the year, with temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius (that’s around 104F for our US friends).

Snacks

A pre-release in my city usually takes up 3 rounds of 45 minutes each. In other places, it can take up more rounds. Count in the deck-building time, and you have at least 4 hours ahead of you. A small snack can help alleviate some hunger and also give you some extra brain power. HOWEVER. I am seriously against food that can cause stains when playing. I’ve seen people eat Doritos and attempt to touch board game pieces. I don’t like people doing that, and I am not willing to do that. So, if you want to bring a snack with you, make sure it’s something that fits the situation. I usually take granola bars with me, or something similar. They are small, provide enough energy, and don’t cause any stains.

Power bank

If you are using the Companion app, you may need some extra battery. I am not going to say anything else.

Fan

This is very specific for tomorrow, but I’ll be bringing my portable fan with me. It’s small, but it does its job well. I remember bringing it to the Bloomburrow pre-release, and it worked wonders.

I think these are the main items I need. What are your must-have items when you attend Magic events? I will let you know how it went next time. At the very least, I will have fun and get new cards.

And until next time, have fun!