Quick Answer
MTG Sealed Deck is one of the most equitable formats in the game. Everyone opens 6 booster packs, builds a 40-card deck from those 84 cards plus basic lands, and plays with what they have. No existing collection. No pre-built decks. Random sealed pools that every player builds from scratch. See current prices at /cards/mtg.
MTG Sealed Deck is one of the most equitable formats in the game. Everyone opens 6 booster packs, builds a 40-card deck from those 84 cards plus basic lands, and plays with what they have. No existing collection. No pre-built decks. Random sealed pools that every player builds from scratch.
It's also one of the best ways to run a game night for players who haven't played MTG before or haven't played recently.
What Sealed Is
In Sealed, each player opens 6 booster packs and builds a 40-card minimum deck from those cards plus as many basic lands as needed. You then play 1v1 matches against other players using only your sealed deck.
The format rewards:
- Card evaluation (knowing which of your 84 cards are good in a 40-card context)
- Deck building under constraints (you play what you opened, not what you'd choose)
- Adaptability (your deck will have weaknesses. knowing how to mitigate them matters)
What You Need
Players: 2 to 8. Sealed scales well to any number.
Booster packs: 6 per player. For 4 players: 24 packs. For 6 players: 36 packs.
Basic lands: a shared land station with all five basic land types. 30 of each type is sufficient for most groups.
Tables and space: you need room to sort 84 cards per player.
Cost in Australia
6 booster packs at AU$8 average = approximately AU$48 per person.
Players keep the cards they opened. The per-person cost for a Sealed night in Australia is approximately AU$48: similar to a restaurant dinner, and you leave with physical cards.
Running the Event
Step 1: Open packs simultaneously. Everyone opens their 6 packs at the same time. The ritual of opening together is part of the experience.
Step 2: Sort your pool. Spend 10 to 15 minutes sorting your 84 cards. Recommended sort order: by colour first, then by mana cost within each colour. This makes deck building faster.
Step 3: Build your deck. 30 to 45 minutes for experienced players, potentially longer for beginners. Assist new players with deck building. it's the most complex part for first-timers. Aim for 17 lands and 23 spells in a 40-card deck.
Step 4: Play matches. 1v1 matches, best-of-1 or best-of-3. For a 4-player group, play a round-robin (everyone plays everyone once) or a simple bracket.
Deck Building Tips for Sealed
Pick 2 colours maximum (usually). Most Sealed pools don't have enough cards to support 3 colours reliably. Identify your 2 strongest colours (most playable cards, best curve, best removal) and build within those.
Count your removal spells first. In Sealed, removal spells (cards that destroy or exile creatures) are the most important cards. Count how many removal spells you have in each colour before committing to colours.
Don't include every card in your best colours. You have 84 cards to choose from for a 40-card deck. The worst cards in your pool should not be included. Be selective.
Curve matters more in Sealed. With a random pool, you often can't curve out perfectly. Still aim for a range of mana costs. too many expensive cards with no early plays loses to fast starts.
What Makes Sealed Great for Groups
The stories. Sealed produces memorable moments because of its randomness. The person who opened three copies of an obscure rare and built a theme deck. The player who opened exactly zero good creatures but had five copies of the same removal spell. The person who opened a mythic on their very first pack.
These shared experiences make Sealed night conversations that continue for weeks after.
For beginners specifically: Sealed is more forgiving than Draft (no pick pressure) and more equitable than bring-your-own-deck (no collection advantage). It's one of the best entry points for new MTG players who want to experience more than just Starter Kit decks.
Check what booster packs are currently available in Australia at the C3 shop.
Deckbuilding Rules for Sealed
In Sealed Deck, you open 6 booster packs and build a 40-card minimum deck using only those cards plus unlimited basic lands. You don't pre-sort, you don't trade: you work with what those 6 packs give you.
The 23-17 split: Most Sealed decks run approximately 17 lands and 23 non-land cards. Fewer lands makes your mana inconsistent; more lands means drawing too many and flooding out.
Stick to two colours: You will almost never have enough playable cards across three or more colours. Pick the two colours with the best curve and most removal. A focused two-colour deck beats a greedy three-colour pile.
Removal first: Evaluate your pool's removal before anything else. Creature removal wins Sealed games. Count how many removal spells each colour offers in your pool, then build around those.
Curve to four mana: A Sealed deck wants creatures at 2, 3, and 4 mana, with your big threats at 5 and 6. Too many expensive cards means you die before playing them.
Running a Home Sealed Event for 2 to 8 Players
Two players: Each opens 6 packs, builds in 30 minutes, plays best-of-3. Repeat with new packs for the next session or re-use the pools.
Four players (pod format): Each player opens 6 packs and builds. Play round-robin (everyone plays everyone) or single-elimination. Give extra time for deckbuilding , 45 minutes is appropriate for newer players.
Six or eight players: Same format as four players but with more rounds. Eight players can run 3 rounds of Swiss (each player plays 3 games) with a clear winner emerging from best record.
What to Buy for a Home Sealed Event
You need 6 booster packs per player. Play Booster boxes (36 packs) cover 6 players. Draft Booster boxes (36 packs) also work. Set Booster boxes contain 30 packs and work for 5 players.
Current MTG booster boxes in Australia are available at local game stores and on Amazon AU. The C3 shop lists confirmed current Amazon AU options with Australian shipping.
Use the C3 EV Calculator to check whether the current box price makes sense for your event before purchasing.
After Sealed: What Happens to the Cards
After a Sealed event, players keep their pools. This is part of the appeal: everyone leaves with 6 packs worth of cards. Many groups hold a brief trading session after games where players swap doubles, fix their two-colour builds, or trade pulls they don't need for cards they wanted.
Why Sealed Is Better Than Draft for a Casual Audience
Draft requires all players to pass packs simultaneously, which needs synchronised attention and more rules knowledge. Sealed gives players 30 minutes to build at their own pace with no time pressure during deckbuilding. For groups with mixed experience levels, Sealed is significantly more accessible.
Check the C3 Release Calendar for upcoming Sealed events at local game stores in Australia if you want a facilitated experience before running your own.
The C3 Take
The decisions you make with your TCG collection matter more than most guides suggest. Whether you are buying, selling, or holding, the difference between a good outcome and a poor one almost always comes down to checking current AUD prices before you act. Use the live data at /cards/mtg to make price-informed decisions every time.
What to Read Next
- Browse MTG singles and prices at /cards/mtg
- Find your MTG colour identity at /quizzes/mtg-colour
- Calculate booster box expected value at /tools
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to learn Mtg?
The basic rules can be learned in a single afternoon with a patient opponent or by following the official tutorial. Strategic depth takes months to develop. Most new players find the game enjoyable before they have mastered it.
Do I need to buy specific cards to learn Mtg?
No. Starter decks or preconstructed decks give you everything needed for your first games. You do not need to know card values or build your own deck to start playing.
Is there a free digital version to practise?
Most major TCGs have a free or low-cost digital version. Check the relevant game's official website for their digital platform options.