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'''Casual''' refers to ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' players who are in various ways either less experienced, enfranchised, or competitive.<ref name="Even More R&D">{{DailyRef|making-magic/even-more-words-rd-2022-01-10|Even More Words From R&D|[[Mark Rosewater]]|January 10, 2022}}</ref>
'''Casual''' refers to playing ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' without an attempt being made to have [[tournament]]-worthy decks or be really [[DCI|competitive]]. Casual players, making up a significant majority of the customer base for the game, are generally more concerned about having fun than winning. Casual games are often played with [[Theme deck (conceptual)|theme decks]] that possess a unifying idea, image, or motif, repeated or developed throughout. Listed here are a number of casual [[format]]s that range from somewhat goofy to completely crazy. With a few exceptions, there are no "[[Casual Variants|official rules]]" for these formats.


As with [[DCI|sanctioned]] formats, most [[casual Variants|casual variants]] can be categorised into [[Constructed]], [[Limited]] and [[Multiplayer]] formats. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/tcg/resources/formats-casual|Casual Formats|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|not dated}}</ref> Some formatis only appear in [[Magic Online]].
==Description==
Casual players play playing ''Magic'' without an attempt to enter a [[DCI]]-sanctioned [[tournament]]. Casual players, making up a significant majority of the customer base for the game, are generally more concerned about having fun than winning. Casual games are often played with [[theme deck]]s that possess a unifying idea, image, or motif, repeated or developed throughout. [[Kitchen table]] or “cards I own” is the most popular way to play the game.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/650264472874876928/in-terms-of-popularity-or-volume-of-play-is-the|May 4, 2021}}</ref>


==Variants==
===Casual Constructed===
{| class="wikitable sortable" cellpadding="3" style="background-color:#F0F0F0;"
Casual Constructed is ''Magic'' play where the decks tend to be lower in power level, synergy, and polish.<ref name="Even More R&D"/> These decks tend not to be "[[netdeck]]s" (i.e., decks people copied from other people, usually on the internet) and are more influenced by what cards individually appealed to the deck builders. They are sometimes labeled with a format name (usually whatever format happens to include all the cards in the deck) but nowhere close to the potency of competitive decks.
! scope="col" rowspan="1" colspan="1" style="background-color:#B0C4DE;"|'''Category'''
 
! scope="col" rowspan="1" colspan="1" style="background-color:#C0C0C0;"|'''Name'''
===Casual formats===
! scope="col" rowspan="1" colspan="1" style="background-color:#C0C0C0;"|'''Description'''
Casual [[format]]s or '''variants''' are mostly invented by players. Some of them, like [[Commander (format)|Commander]], have been endorsed by [[Wizards of the Coast]] and received official rules and [[Banned|ban lists]]. Others like [[Conspiracy Draft]] were conceived by Wizards to mix up the gaming experience.
|-
 
|Multiplayer
While some casual formats are sanctioned for [[Magic Online]], people have started playing these formats with real cards (e.g., [[Pauper]]). Like the [[DCI]]-sanctioned formats, most casual variants are [[Constructed]], [[Limited]], and [[Multiplayer]] formats.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/casual-formats-2008-08-11|Casual Formats|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|August 11, 2008}}</ref>
|[[3-Card Blind]]
 
|Forum-based, played with decks of three cards.
==Rules==
|-
There are a few casual variants which are described in the comprehensive rules:
|Multiplayer
{{CR|900}}
|[[4-Card Blind]]
|Forum-based, played with decks of four cards.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Auction|Auction of the People]]
|Players bid with life points and hand size for preconstructed decks.
|-
|Limited
|[[Duplicate Sealed]]
|Each player receives the exact same card pool.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Highlander]]
|Only one copy of each card in the deck, with the exception of basic lands. A deck must contain at least 100 cards. No Sideboard.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Horde Magic]]
|All players working cooperatively to defeat an automated deck.
|-
|Limited
|[[Mental Magic]]
|A card can be played as any card in the game with the same exact mana cost.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Pauper Magic]]
|Only allows common cards.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Peasant Magic]]
|No rares are allowed.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Planechase (variant)|Planechase]]
|Normal decks are augmented with oversized plane and phenomenon cards.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Rainbow Stairwell]]
|Each deck contains exactly 60 cards, six cards from each of the five colors as well as six artifacts or colorless cards.
|-
|Limited
|[[Rotisserie Draft]]
|Every card of a subset of cards is legal and every card only appears once.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Two-Headed Giant]]
|Two Teams of two players each all play together in a single game.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Type 4]]
|Each player has access to unlimited quantities of mana, but is restricted to casting only one spell on each turn.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Free-for-All]]
|A group of players compete as individuals against each other.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Grand Melee]]
|Ten or more players. Multiple players to take turns at the same time.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Team vs. Team]]
|Teams play against each other. Resources are not shared.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Emperor]]
|Teams of three players. Each team has one emperor, who is protected by the other players.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Alternating Teams]]
|Players are seated so that no one is next to a teammate and each team is equally spaced out.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Ancient]]
|Only allows cards from the original border sets (''Alpha'' through ''Onslaught'').
|-
|Constructed
|[[Tribal Wars]]
|Emphasizes creature combat and tribal themes.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Star]]
|Five players each represent one of the five colors of ''Magic''.  
|-
|Constructed
|[[Singleton]]
|Only one copy of each card in the deck, with the exception of basic lands.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Prismatic]]
|Each deck must contain at least 250 cards, including at least 20 cards of each color.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Freeform]]
|Magic Online only. All sets and cards are allowed. Regular deckbuilding rules are relaxed.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Classic (format)|Classic]]
|Magic Online only. All sets and cards are allowed. Normal deckbuilding rules do apply.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Momir Basic]]
|Magic Online only. Based on the “Momir Vig” Vanguard avatar. 
|-
|Constructed
|[[Vanguard]]
|Normal decks are augmented with oversized cards that modify the rules.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Conspiracy (format)|Conspiracy]]
|Focuses on the drafting process and politics.  
|-
|Constructed
|[[Build Your Own Standard]]
|Each player chooses a core set and two blocks to create their own Standard world..
|-
|Constructed
|[[Build Your Own Block]]
|Each player selects the first set from any block, the second set from any block and the third set from any block.
|-
|Constructed
|[[Block Party]]
|Each player uses cards from his favorite block.
|-
|Constructed
|[[QL Magic]]
|Only allows cards from the original border sets (''Alpha'' through ''Onslaught''). Uses ''Sixth Edition'' rules.
|-
|Limited
|[[Mini-Master]]
|Each player starts with a single booster pack and fifteen basic lands.
|-
|Limited
|[[Solomon Draft]]
|Drafting for two people.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Solomon Draft|Four-player Solomon Draft]]
|Drafting for four people.
|-
|Limited
|[[Pick-a-Pack]]
|Drafting with booster packs from many sets.
|-
|Limited
|[[Winston Draft]]
|Drafting with variable stacks of cards.
|-
|Limited
|[[Winchester Draft]]
|Drafting with variable stacks of cards.
|-
|Limited
|[[Back Draft]]
|Reverse Booster Draft. Players build their opponent's card pool.
|-
|Limited
|[[Reject Rare Draft]]
|Each player donates 45 reject rares to play with.
|-
|Limited
|[[Continuous Draft]]
|Each player has a constantly changing card pool.
|-
|Limited
|[[Cube Draft]]
|Players create a "cube", a specifically selected set of at least 360 different cards.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Chaos]]
|Players create a "Chaos Deck" that adds extra challenges for players.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Assassin (format)|Assassin]]
|Players are randomly assigned "targets" to defeat.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Commander]]
|100 card decks with specific rules centered around a legendary creature called General or Commander.
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Archenemy]]
|One player versus many opponents
|-
|Multiplayer
|[[Challenge decks]]
|All players working cooperatively to defeat an automated deck.
|-
|Limited
|[[Fat Stack]]
|Players draft from two stacks: one with mana-producers, one with other cards.
|-
|Limited
|[[Draft|Auction Draft]]
|Players bid for cards from the draft pile, using "fun bucks." <ref>{{NewRef|my-favorite-flavor/my-favorite-draft-variant-2015-09-22|My Favorite Draft Variant|Chas Andres|September 22, 2015}}</ref>
|-
|Limited
|[[Flavor|Flavor Draft]]
|In-game [[flavor]] trumps the written text of the cards. <ref>{{NewRef|my-favorite-flavor/flavor-draft-2015-06-16|Flavor Draft|Chas Andres|June 16, 2015}}</ref>
|}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
==External links==
* {{DailyRef|mtg/daily/sf/176|The Compendium of Casual Magic, Part 1|Adam Styborski|January 03, 2012}}
* {{DailyRef|serious-fun/compendium-casual-magic-part-1-2012-12-11|The Compendium of Casual Magic, Part 1|[[Adam Styborski]]|January 03, 2012}}
* {{DailyRef|mtg/daily/sf/234|The Compendium of Casual Magic, Part 2|Adam Styborski|February 12, 2013}}
* {{DailyRef|serious-fun/compendium-casual-magic-part-2-2013-02-12|The Compendium of Casual Magic, Part 2|[[Adam Styborski]]|February 12, 2013}}
[[Category:Magic formats]]
* {{DailyRef|smaking-magic/casual-play-2020-11-16|Casual Play|[[Mark Rosewater]]|November 16, 2020}}
* {{WebRef|url=https://articles.starcitygames.com/select/commander-philosophy-talking-about-casual/|title=Commander Philosophy: Talking About Casual|author=[[Sheldon Menery]]|date=December 6, 2021|publisher=[[StarCityGames]]}}</ref>
{{Formats|state=collapsed}}
{{CR Navbox|900|}}

Latest revision as of 18:03, 12 January 2022

Casual refers to Magic: The Gathering players who are in various ways either less experienced, enfranchised, or competitive.[1]

Description

Casual players play playing Magic without an attempt to enter a DCI-sanctioned tournament. Casual players, making up a significant majority of the customer base for the game, are generally more concerned about having fun than winning. Casual games are often played with theme decks that possess a unifying idea, image, or motif, repeated or developed throughout. Kitchen table or “cards I own” is the most popular way to play the game.[2]

Casual Constructed

Casual Constructed is Magic play where the decks tend to be lower in power level, synergy, and polish.[1] These decks tend not to be "netdecks" (i.e., decks people copied from other people, usually on the internet) and are more influenced by what cards individually appealed to the deck builders. They are sometimes labeled with a format name (usually whatever format happens to include all the cards in the deck) but nowhere close to the potency of competitive decks.

Casual formats

Casual formats or variants are mostly invented by players. Some of them, like Commander, have been endorsed by Wizards of the Coast and received official rules and ban lists. Others like Conspiracy Draft were conceived by Wizards to mix up the gaming experience.

While some casual formats are sanctioned for Magic Online, people have started playing these formats with real cards (e.g., Pauper). Like the DCI-sanctioned formats, most casual variants are Constructed, Limited, and Multiplayer formats.[3]

Rules

There are a few casual variants which are described in the comprehensive rules:

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

  • 900. General
    • 900.1. This section contains additional optional rules that can be used for certain casual game variants. It is by no means comprehensive.
    • 900.2. The casual variants detailed here use supplemental zones, rules, cards, and other game implements not used in traditional Magic games.

References

  1. ↑ a b Mark Rosewater (January 10, 2022). "Even More Words From R&D". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 4, 2021). "In terms of popularity or volume of play is the...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  3. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (August 11, 2008). "Casual Formats". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.

External links

DCI
Sanctioned
Casual
Constructed
Limited/Draft
Multiplayer
Retired
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