Deck formats — Magic: The Gathering

Rules

• Pool: sets with the modern frame, from 8th Edition (2003) onward.
• No rotation — the card pool grows constantly.
• Ban list maintained by Wizards of the Coast (no restricted list).
• Sideboard: normal rules (max 4 copies across deck + sideboard).

Rules

• Non-rotating, but with a pool limited to the modern era.
• Has its own ban list (no restricted list).
• Original dual lands and many fetchlands are not legal.

Rules

• Almost all cards in MTG history are legal.
• Has an extensive ban list (no restricted list).
• Power Nine (Black Lotus, Moxes, etc.) are banned.

Rules

• The most permissive format — almost all cards from history are legal.
• The ONLY MTG format with a restricted list: restricted cards may appear only once (deck + sideboard combined).
• Power Nine and other powerful cards are on the restricted list (not banned).
• Only a small number of cards are completely banned (ante, offensive cards, etc.).

Rules

• Only cards printed at Common rarity are legal (in any set).
• Online and paper rarities are combined — if a card was Common in any version, it counts.
• Has its own banned list maintained by Wizards of the Coast.

Rules

• 1 Legendary card designated as Commander (in the Command Zone).
• All deck cards must match the Commander's color identity.
• Singleton exception: basic lands may have multiple copies.
• The Commander may be cast from the Command Zone (cost increases by +2 each time).
• 21 commander damage from a single source eliminates a player.
• No sideboard.
• Pool: all expansions (no rotation), subject to the Commander Rules Committee ban list.
• Conspiracy cards, cards with "ante", offensive cards, and certain special mechanics are automatically banned.

Rules

• A Commander variant using Standard-legal cards.
• The Commander may be a legendary creature, planeswalker, Vehicle, or Spacecraft with P/T.
• The Commander's color identity restricts the deck (same as Commander).
• No sideboard.
• Rotates with Standard — when a set leaves Standard, it also leaves Brawl.

Rules

• 58 cards in the deck + 1 Planeswalker (Oathbreaker) + 1 Signature Spell (Instant or Sorcery).
• The Signature Spell must be within the Planeswalker's color identity.
• The Signature Spell may only be cast while the Oathbreaker is in play; it returns to the Command Zone after resolving.
• Pool: all Vintage-legal cards + its own banned list.
• No commander damage as a win condition.

Rules

• 99 unique Common cards (except basic lands which may repeat).
• The Commander must be an Uncommon creature (legendary or not).
• Commander damage: 16 points from a single source eliminates the player.
• Commander color identity rules apply normally.
• Follows combined paper+online rarities (same as Pauper).

Rules

• Deck built exclusively from cards opened in boosters + unlimited basic lands.
• Minimum 40 cards — unused cards automatically form the sideboard.
• No copy limit — you may use all copies you opened of the same card.
• Closed pool: you cannot trade cards with other players.

Rules

• Each player opens 1 booster, picks 1 card, and passes the rest — repeated 3 times.
• Deck built from drafted cards + unlimited basic lands.
• Minimum 40 cards; the rest forms the sideboard.
• No copy limit on drafted cards.

Rules

• Minimum 60 cards, non-rotating, includes the Arena card pool since 2017, with its own banned/suspended list.

Rules

• Digital equivalent of Vintage — almost everything is legal, uses its own restricted list, no rotation.

Rules

• Digital equivalent of Pioneer — minimum 60 cards, aligned with tabletop Pioneer.

Rules

• Minimum 60 cards, includes digitally rebalanced cards, follows Standard rotation.

Rules

• 100-card singleton format with a Commander, Historic pool, starting life 25 or 30.