Wizards of the Coast have announced an upcoming new Spellslinger Starter Kit to help new players get into Magic: The Gathering.

The starter set comes with two full sixty-card decks, two life counters, two learn-to-play guides, two cards detailing how to get started with each of the decks, and a booklet detailing the background and wider rules of Magic.

An interesting aspect of the Spellslinger Starter Set is that the decks are ready to play straight out of the box. This means they SHOULD NOT be shuffled.

This means that the players' first hands are already guaranteed. They are then guided through their games by following the steps laid out on the card.

This approach may seem a bit hand-holdy (technical term), especially for those of us who already play Magic, but I think this is a good approach for first time players who may not have someone already versed in the game to learn from. It's not that different from the tutorials provided in the Magic: The Gathering video games, taking you through a series of pre-determined steps.

The two decklists are available to view, including cards from the upcoming Guilds of Ravnica block.

Red / White Deck

Green / Black Deck

I think this sounds like a great way to introduce new players. Getting into Magic can seem like a very daunting prospect. Even long-time players like myself can find that, after taking a hiatus from the game, they return to find it has moved on considerably with its various release blocks (I can't believe I missed a release block based around Dinosaurs and Pirates!!!!!!!!!). The Spellslinger Starter Kit provides a good entry point and an easy walk through the basics of the game.

It's set to release October 5th, available at both dedicated game stores and mass market stores.

What do you think is the best way to introduce someone to a collectable game like Magic: The Gathering?