Magic Format Guides
Clear, well-sourced guides to how Magic is actually played at the table — rules, diagrams, and strategy. The full format map, from flagship constructed staples to booster micro-formats, with more guides on the way.
Constructed
Bring your own 60-card deck built from a defined card pool.
Standard
Magic’s flagship rotating format — the most recent premier sets, a refresh every fall, and the entry point to competitive constructed play.
Pauper
The commons-only eternal format. A 30-year card pool at bulk prices, governed with help from the community Pauper Format Panel.
Modern
Card pool from 8th Edition/Mirrodin (2003) onward, Magic’s largest competitive constructed scene.
Pioneer
Return to Ravnica forward, the bridge between Standard and Modern.
Legacy
Nearly the full history of the game, one banned list, dual lands and all.
Vintage
Everything ever printed, with a restricted list instead of bans, home of the Power Nine.
Casual & Multiplayer
The social side of Magic — built around the table, not the tournament.
Commander (EDH)
100-card singleton multiplayer built around a legendary commander — deck identity, table politics, and the five-bracket power system.
Duel Commander
The competitive 1v1 take on Commander, 20 life, its own ban list.
Pauper Commander
Commander with commons-only 99 and an uncommon creature at the helm.
Oathbreaker
60-card singleton led by a planeswalker and its signature spell.
PreDH
Commander frozen at pre-2011, before dedicated Commander products existed.
Limited
Build your deck from packs opened on the spot — from full drafts to single-booster micro-games, no collection required.
Limited: Draft & Sealed
Booster Draft, Sealed Deck, prerelease, and the draft variants beyond the pod — card evaluation and deckbuilding from a fresh pool every time.
Pack Wars
Turn a single unopened booster into a full game. The complete family of booster micro-formats — Mini-Master, Type 4, Pai Gow / Booster Blitz, Mental Magic, and multiplayer variants.
Digital (MTG Arena)
Formats that live on Arena, with their own card pools and rebalanced cards.
Brawl
Commander-style 100-card singleton on Arena ladder.
Historic
Everything ever released on Arena, Alchemy rebalances included.
Timeless
Arena’s most powerful format, cards as printed, restricted list instead of bans.
Alchemy
Standard plus Arena-only cards and digital rebalances.
Gladiator
Community-run 100-card singleton on Arena — no commander, the full Arena card pool.
Community formats
Player-run formats with their own governance and card pools.
Premodern
Fourth Edition to Scourge (1995–2003), the interlude between Old School and Modern.
Old School 93/94
Only cards from Magic’s first two years, community rulesets vary.
Penny Dreadful
Only cards worth 2 cents or less on MTGO, list refreshes every season.