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'''Standard''' (formerly known as '''Type 2''' <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/mm/207|Setting The Standard|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 06, 2012}}</ref> <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/mm/259|Twenty Things That Were Going To Kill Magic|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 05, 2013}}</ref>) is a [[rotating format|rotating]] [[constructed]] format that allows for all cards in the newest two story-based [[Block (sets)|blocks]] and the newest [[Core Set]] to be played, save for cards on the Standard Banned List.
{{SubTabs
|noitalic=1
|sub1=Timeline
|sub2=Trivia
}}{{Infobox format
| image = Standard.png
| dci = y
| online = y
| arena = y
| rules = Best-of-three
| search = Standard
}}
'''Standard''', formerly known as '''Type 2''' or '''Type II''', is a [[rotating format|rotating]] [[constructed]] play [[format]] for ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'', that was created on January 10, [[1995]].<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/setting-standard-2012-08-06|Setting The Standard|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 6, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/twenty-things-were-going-kill-magic-2013-08-01|Twenty Things That Were Going To Kill Magic|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 5, 2013}}</ref> It is the most widely sanctioned constructed format at all levels of organized play.<ref>{{DailyRef|level-one/introduction-popular-constructed-formats-2015-04-27|An Introduction to the Popular Constructed Formats|[[Reid Duke]]|April 27, 2015}}</ref> Standard matches are [[Bo3|best-of-3]], so this format is called '''Traditional Standard''' on ''[[MTG Arena]]''.


Constructed decks must contain a minimum of sixty cards. There is no maximum deck size; however, you must be able to shuffle your deck with no assistance. If a player wishes to use a [[sideboard]], it may contain up to fifteen cards.
==Deck construction==
Standard [[deck]]s must contain a minimum of sixty cards. There is no maximum deck size; however, one must be able to shuffle one's deck without assistance.


With the exception of [[basic land]] cards, a player's combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four of any individual card, counted by its English card title equivalent.<ref name="current">[http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=judge/resources/sfrstandard Standard Format Deck Construction], [[magicthegathering.com|MTG.com]]</ref>
[[Sideboard]]s are optional and may contain up to fifteen cards. Except for [[basic land]] cards, a player's combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four copies of any individual card, counted by the card's English title equivalent.<ref name="current">[http://magic.wizards.com/en/content/standard-formats-magic-gathering Standard Format], [[magicthegathering.com|MTG.com]]</ref>


==Current Rotation==
===Set legality===
These are the sets that are legal in the Standard format as of September 27, 2013 <ref name="current" />:
Cards from the following sets are currently legal in Standard, except for banned cards:<ref name="current" />


* ''[[Return to Ravnica]]''
{| class="wikitable"
* ''[[Gatecrash]]''
|-
* ''[[Dragon's Maze]]''
! Sets || Legal until
* ''[[Magic 2014]]''
|- style="border-top: 3px solid black;"
* ''[[Theros]]''
| {{keyrune|MID|fixed=1}} ''[[Innistrad: Midnight Hunt]]'' || rowspan="4" | Summer 2024
* ''[[Born of the Gods]]'' (effective February 7, 2014)
|-
* ''[[[[Journey_into_Nyx|Journey Into Nyx]]]]'' (effective May 2, 2014)
| {{keyrune|VOW|fixed=1}} ''[[Innistrad: Crimson Vow]]''
|-
| {{keyrune|NEO|fixed=1}} ''[[Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty]]''
|-
| {{keyrune|SNC|fixed=1}} ''[[Streets of New Capenna]]''
|- style="border-top: 3px solid gray;"
| {{keyrune|DMU|fixed=1}} ''[[Dominaria United]]'' || rowspan="5" | Summer 2025
|-
| {{keyrune|BRO|fixed=1}} ''[[The Brothers' War]]''
|-
| {{keyrune|ONE|fixed=1}} ''[[Phyrexia: All Will Be One]]''
|-
| {{keyrune|MOM|fixed=1}} ''[[March of the Machine]]''
|-
| {{keyrune|MAT|fixed=1}} ''[[March of the Machine: The Aftermath]]''
|- style="border-top: 3px solid gray;"
| {{keyrune|WOE|fixed=1}} ''[[Wilds of Eldraine]]'' || rowspan="5" | Summer 2026
|-
| {{keyrune|LCI|fixed=1}} ''[[The Lost Caverns of Ixalan]]''
|-
| {{keyrune|MKM|fixed=1}} ''[[Murders at Karlov Manor]]''
|-
| {{keyrune|OTJ|fixed=1}} ''[[Outlaws of Thunder Junction]]''
|-
| {{keyrune|BIG|fixed=1}} ''[[The Big Score]]''
|- style="border-top: 3px solid gray;"
| {{keyrune|BLB|fixed=1}} ''[[Bloomburrow]]''{{ref|release|*}} || rowspan="2" |Summer 2027
|-
| {{keyrune|DSK|fixed=1}} ''[[Duskmourn: House of Horror]]''{{ref|release|*}}
|- style="border-top: 3px solid black;"
| {{keyrune|FDN|fixed=1}} ''[[Magic: The Gathering Foundations]]''{{ref|release|*}} || rowspan="1" |"At least 2029"<ref>{{TwitterRef|wizards_magic|1806644766882648188|author=[[Wizards of the Coast]]|title=Foundations will set the foundation for Magic's next era as cards from the set will be Standard legal through at least 2029.|date=June 28, 2024}}</ref>
|}
{{note|release|*}} Not released yet.
 
===Banned list===
The following cards are banned in Standard tournaments.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/october-10-2022-banned-and-restricted-announcement|title=October 10, 2022 Banned and Restricted Announcement|author=[[Ian Duke]]|date=September 19, 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519235617/https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/october-10-2022-banned-and-restricted-announcement|archivedate=May 19, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{WebRef|url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/may-29-2023-banned-and-restricted-announcement|title=May 29, 2023 Banned and Restricted Announcement|author=[[Andrew Brown]]|publisher=[[magicthegathering.com]]|date=May 29, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529160017/https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/may-29-2023-banned-and-restricted-announcement|archivedate=May 29, 2023}}</ref>
*<c>Fable of the Mirror-Breaker</c> // <c>Reflection of Kiki-Jiki</c>
*<c>Invoke Despair</c>
*<c>The Meathook Massacre</c>
*<c>Reckoner Bankbuster</c>
 
====Previously banned cards====
{{See also|Banned and restricted cards/Timeline}}
The following is a list of cards that have been banned at one point during their stay in the Standard environment.
 
Should a banned card that rotated out of standard be later reintroduced into Standard, the ban will not carry over to that set. (The only example up to date is <c>Darksteel Citadel</c>, which was banned in ''[[Mirrodin]]'' Standard, but was later reprinted in ''[[Magic 2015]]).''
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
*<c>Aetherworks Marvel</c>
*<c>Agent of Treachery</c>
*<c>Alrund's Epiphany</c><ref name="BR20220125">{{DailyRef|news/january-25-2022-banned-and-restricted-announcement|January 25, 2022 Banned and Restricted Announcement|[[Ian Duke]] and [[Jay Parker]]|January 25, 2022}}</ref>
*<c>Amulet of Quoz</c>
*<c>Ancient Den</c>
*<c>Arcbound Ravager</c>
*<c>Attune with Aether</c>
*<c>Balance</c>
*<c>Black Vise</c>
*<c>Cauldron Familiar</c>
*<c>Channel</c>
*<c>Darksteel Citadel</c>
*<c>Disciple of the Vault</c>
*<c>Divide by Zero</c><ref name="BR20220125"/>
*<c>Dream Halls</c>
*<c>Earthcraft</c>
*<c>Emrakul, the Promised End</c>
*<c>Escape to the Wilds</c>
*<c>Fable of the Mirror-Breaker</c>
*<c>Faceless Haven</c><ref name="BR20220125"/>
*<c>Felidar Guardian</c>
*<c>Field of the Dead</c>
*<c>Fires of Invention</c>
*<c>Fluctuator</c>
*<c>Great Furnace</c>
*<c>Growth Spiral</c>
*<c>Invoke Despair</c>
*<c>Ivory Tower</c>
*<c>Jace, the Mind Sculptor</c>
*<c>Jeweled Bird</c>
*<c>Land Tax</c>
*<c>Lotus Petal</c>
*<c>Lucky Clover</c>
*<c>The Meathook Massacre</c><ref name="October 2022">{{DailyRef|news/october-10-2022-banned-and-restricted-announcement|October 10, 2022 Banned and Restricted Announcement|[[Ian Duke]]|September 19, 2022}}</ref>
*<c>Memory Jar</c>
*<c>Mind Over Matter</c>
*<c>Mind Twist</c>
*<c>Oko, Thief of Crowns</c>
*<c>Omnath, Locus of Creation</c><ref name="BR20201012">{{DailyRef|news/october-12-2020-banned-and-restricted-announcement|October 12, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement|[[Ian Duke]]|October 12, 2020}}</ref>
*<c>Once Upon a Time</c>
*<c>Rampaging Ferocidon</c>
*<c>Ramunap Ruins</c>
*<c>Rebirth</c>
*<c>Reckoner Bankbuster</c>
*<c>Recurring Nightmare</c>
*<c>Reflector Mage</c>
*<c>Rogue Refiner</c>
*<c>Seat of the Synod</c>
*<c>Smuggler's Copter</c>
*<c>Skullclamp</c>
*<c>Stoneforge Mystic</c>
*<c>Strip Mine</c>
*<c>Teferi, Time Raveler</c>
*<c>Tempest Efreet</c>
*<c>Time Spiral</c>
*<c>Timmerian Fiends</c>
*<c>Tolarian Academy</c>
*<c>Tree of Tales</c>
*<c>Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath</c>
*<c>Wilderness Reclamation</c>
*<c>Windfall</c>
*<c>Vault of Whispers</c>
*<c>Veil of Summer</c>
*<c>Zuran Orb</c>
}}
 
==Rotation==
Rotation is the defining characteristic of Standard and a way to keep the card pool fresh and encouraging purchasing of the new sets. The block model was used to explain the sets that rotate, but nowadays the rotation is simply defined as the removal of the oldest four sets. After Autumn of 2023, Standard is composed of nine to twelve sets.
 
Originally, three-set blocks would rotate all at once, sometimes with a core set. Then, a change to two-set blocks would mean the two oldest [[block]]s still legal in Standard would rotate out of the format. For example, when ''[[Ixalan]]'' released in fall 2017, ''[[Battle for Zendikar]]'', ''[[Oath of the Gatewatch]]'', ''[[Shadows over Innistrad]]'', ''[[Eldritch Moon]]'', and ''[[Welcome Deck 2016]]'' (which counted as a part of ''Shadows over Innistrad'' in rotation) rotated out of Standard. Then the [[Three-and-One Model]] eliminated blocks altogether for the newest definition, and shortly after the core set label was abandoned altogether.
 
Starting in 2021, [[Wizards of the Coast]] began a new schedule where the [[premier]] sets are early fall, late fall, winter, and spring (dates based on Northern Hemisphere seasons.)
<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/660604901900140544/hi-marc-why-does-this-year-have-5-premium-sets|August 26, 2021}}</ref>. There will still be a non-premier product released in the summer. With a late fall release instead of a summer release, this functionally means that the shortest-legal set gained two months in Standard, though each set shrinks its draft rotation time by a few weeks.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/660605215843778560/although-wr-havent-really-seen-it-in-full-effect|title=I would miss the Summer sets, and that 2 sets in fall feel a bit to close to each other for my taste|August 26, 2021}}</ref>


==Banned list==
Beginning in [[2023]], the rotation for Standard shifted to every three years rather than every two years.<ref name="Revitalizing"/> This increased the number of sets in Standard from eight to twelve, allowing players to continue using decks and cards in the format for a longer period. Towards the end of [[2024]], Wizards of the Coast introduced a new type of Standard-legal expansion in ''[[Magic: The Gathering Foundations]]''. Unlike regular premier sets, ''Foundations'' is designed as an unchanging card set that will be published annually for many years.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/754546796719734784|So you are considering a 5 year standard?|June 28, 2024}}</ref> The cards in the set remain legal in Standard for five years.<ref>{{TwitterRef|wizards_magic|1806647486523834685|title=... the set will be Standard legal through at least 2029.|author=[[Wizards of the Coast]]|date=June 28, 2024}}</ref>
As of July 30, 2012, there are no banned cards in the current Standard environment.


===Previously banned cards in Standard===
==History==
{{See also|Timeline of DCI bans and restrictions}}
{{main|Standard/Timeline}}
The following is a list of cards that have been banned at one point during their stay in the Standard environment.
When Standard (then called "Type 2") was created on January 10, 1995, it inherited the banned and restricted lists from [[Vintage]] (then "Type 1"). Legal were then the most current basic set (''[[Revised Edition]]'') and the latest two ''Magic'' expansions only (''[[The Dark]]'' and ''[[Fallen Empires]]''). The original Standard format allowed the recent two blocks plus the most recent [[core set]] (two core sets between the last release and the actual rotation), after a short stint when [[Fallen Empires]] and [[Ice Age]] were not in a block. This hence made for a rotation schedule where the format rotated both when a core set and when a new block started; this was less impactful as core sets were always entirely reprints and had significant overlap with the previous set. There was even an oddity in 2000 and 2001 when 6th and 7th Editions were released mid-block. They were also only released once every two years until [[Magic 2010]] revamped the Core Set identity, giving Standard the regular five-to-eight set sizing it would know for a decade.
{|
 
|
After ''[[Magic Origins]]'', [[core set]]s were discontinued, and blocks [[Two-Block Paradigm|only contained two sets]], one large and one small. It was intended that blocks rotated twice a year but half as many sets would leave; Standard would be always five or six sets, compared to the norm of five to eight.
* <c>Ancient Den</c>
A Standard with three blocks and two rotations (Spring and Autumn) was adopted between 2015 and 2016 (''[[Khans of Tarkir]]''/''[[Fate Reforged]]'' and ''[[Dragons of Tarkir]]''/''[[Magic Origins]]'' were treated as blocks for transition).<ref>{{DailyRef|mm/metamorphosis|Metamorphosis|[[Mark Rosewater]]|August 25, 2014}}</ref> This midseason rotation occurred exactly once with the release of ''[[Shadows over Innistrad]]'',  which faced heavy criticism among players, and hence rotation reverted to the format in which the oldest 4 sets rotated out in each Autumn.
* <c>Arcbound Ravager</c>
 
* <c>Darksteel Citadel</c>
Starting in ''[[Kaladesh]]'' in 2016 and ending with ''[[War of the Spark]]'' in 2019, the [[Standard Showdown]] was introduced as a root-level competitive tournament that awarded special prize packs (notably foil rare cards from standard sets) to participants.
* <c>Disciple of the Vault</c>
 
* <c>Dream Halls</c>
In November 2021, [[Alchemy]], an online-only variant of Standard, was brought forth as a new initiative from [[Magic: The Gathering Arena|MTG Arena]]. With no paper tournaments planned for the future due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increasingly rapid metagame stagnation, Alchemy was developed as a way to rebalance problematic cards and inject some novelty into solved formats. It was inducted as a tournament format in the first high-level event in 2022.
* <c>Earthcraft</c>
 
|
By late 2022, sanctioned Standard Play had dried up in many stores.<ref>{{TwitterRef|mtgaaron|1590170452764528641|author=[[Aaron Forsythe]]|title=Why has sanctioned Standard play declined relative to other formats in your store?|date=January 19, 2022}}</ref> Some named reasons were the COVID-19 pandemic, the ease of Standard play on [[MTG Arena]], the rising popularity of [[Commander (format)|Commander play]] and the lack of grinding opportunities for [[Organized Play]].<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://draftsim.com/what-happened-to-standard-mtg/|title=The Decline of Standard: What Happened to Magic’s Most Popular Tournament Format?|author=Jake Henderson|date=December 7, 2022|publisher=Draftsim.com}}</ref>
* <c>Fluctuator</c>
 
* <c>Great Furnace</c>
As a reaction to the decline, Wizards of the Coast changed the rotation in [[2023]] to every three years rather than every two years, which meant that there would be no rotation of sets in that year.<ref name="Revitalizing">{{DailyRef|announcements/revitalizing-standard|Revitalizing Standard|[[Aaron Forsythe]] and [[Billy Jensen]]|May 7, 2023}}</ref> This change aimed to give current Standard cards more longevity, to allow mechanics and archetypes to be more effectively built on over time, and to provide [[R&D]] with stronger tools to create an environment where decks are more "color(s) and mechanic" (like Green-White Toxic or Blue-White Soldiers) and less midrange.
* <c>Jace, the Mind Sculptor</c>
 
* <c>Lotus Petal</c>
Towards the end of [[2024]], Wizards of the Coast launched a new Standard-legal expansion designed to help new players learn the fundamentals of the game.<ref name="MagicCon Amsterdam Panel">{{YouTubeRef|Is_ghoPFjrw|The Preview Panel - MagicCon: Amsterdam|creator=[[Gavin Verhey]], [[Max McCall]], [[Bryan Hawley]]|channel=[[Magic: The Gathering]]|date=June 28, 2024}}</ref> ''[[Magic: The Gathering Foundations]]'' is an [[evergreen]] set that will be reprinted annually and was designed to carry through multiple Standard [[rotation]]s.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/754546796719734784|So you are considering a 5 year standard?|June 28, 2024}}</ref> Unlike other Standard-legal sets, cards in ''Foundations'' will remain legal in Standard until at least [[2029]].<ref>{{TwitterRef|wizards_magic|1806647486523834685|title=... the set will be Standard legal through at least 2029.|author=[[Wizards of the Coast]]|date=June 28, 2024}}</ref>
* <c>Memory Jar</c>
 
* <c>Mind Over Matter</c>
==Former popular Standard decks==
* <c>Recurring Nightmare</c>
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
|
*[[B/W Tokens]]
* <c>Seat of the Synod</c>
*Chilenito / Captain America
* <c>Skullclamp</c>
*[[Abzan Aggro]]
* <c>Stoneforge Mystic</c>
*[[Angelfire]]
* <c>Time Spiral</c>
*[[Black Swarm]]
* <c>Tree of Tales</c>
*Hardened Scales
* <c>Vault of Whispers</c>
*[[Jaba Sligh]]
|}
*[[Mind over Monolith]]
==Popular standard decks==
* [[Angelfire]]
* [[Black Swarm]]
* [[Jaba Sligh]]
* [[Mind over Monolith]]
*[[Orbosition]]
*[[Orbosition]]
*[[Standard 5-Color Control]]
*[[Standard Boros Deck Wins]]
*[[Standard Boros Deck Wins]]
*[[Standard Boss Naya deck]]
*[[Standard Bu Zombies deck]]
*[[Standard Doran Rock deck]]
*[[Standard Doran Rock deck]]
*[[Standard Elves deck]]
*[[Standard Elves deck]]
*[[Standard Faeries]]
*[[Standard Geistblade]]
*[[Standard Ghazi-Glare deck]]
*[[Standard Ghost Dad deck]]
*[[Standard Greater Good deck]]
*[[Standard GW Tokens (Innistrad)]]
*[[Standard Heartbeat deck]]
*[[Standard Kithkin Aggro]]
*[[Standard Mana Ramp deck]]
*[[Standard Mana Ramp deck]]
*[[Standard Planeswalker deck]]
*[[Standard Polymorph deck]]
*[[Standard RDW (Zendikar)]]
*[[Standard RWU Star-Spangled Slaughter]]
*[[Standard Red Aggro]]
*[[Standard Red Deck Wins deck]]
*[[Standard Red Deck Wins deck]]
*[[Standard Tempered Steel]]
*[[Standard UR Delver of Secrets]]
*[[Standard UR Tron deck]]
*[[Standard UWG Mythic deck]]
*[[Standard UW Humans]]
*[[Standard UWr Planeswalker Control]]
*[[Standard Zoo Deck (RGW Aggro)]]
*[[Standard Zoo Deck (RGW Aggro)]]
*[[Superweenie]]
*[[Superweenie]]
* [[Tolarian Academy deck]]
}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{standard-stub}}
==External links==
*{{DailyRef|latest-developments/puzzling-environments-2015-10-16|Puzzling Environments|[[Sam Stoddard]]|October 16, 2015}}
*{{DailyRef|latest-developments/standard-power-level-2016-02-05|A Standard Power Level|[[Sam Stoddard]]| February 5, 2016}}
*{{DailyRef|feature/how-standard-graphics-2016-05-12|How to Standard—in Graphics| Diego Fumagalli|May 12, 2016}}
*{{DailyRef|beyond-basics/standard-operating-procedure-2016-12-01|Standard Operating Procedure|[[Gavin Verhey]]|December 1, 2016}}


[[Category:Standard format]]
{{Formats|Rotating}}
[[Category:Magic formats]]
[[Category:Standard format| ]]
[[Category:Release day maintenance]]

Latest revision as of 13:29, 1 July 2024

Standard
 
 
 
Standard
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Standard.png}}|250px]]
DCI Sanctioned
Paper {Tick}
Magic Online {Tick}
Magic Arena {Tick}
Rules
Type Constructed
Multiplayer {Cross}
Add. rules Best-of-three
Scryfall Search
format:"Standard"

Standard, formerly known as Type 2 or Type II, is a rotating constructed play format for Magic: The Gathering, that was created on January 10, 1995.[1][2] It is the most widely sanctioned constructed format at all levels of organized play.[3] Standard matches are best-of-3, so this format is called Traditional Standard on MTG Arena.

Deck construction

Standard decks must contain a minimum of sixty cards. There is no maximum deck size; however, one must be able to shuffle one's deck without assistance.

Sideboards are optional and may contain up to fifteen cards. Except for basic land cards, a player's combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four copies of any individual card, counted by the card's English title equivalent.[4]

Set legality

Cards from the following sets are currently legal in Standard, except for banned cards:[4]

Sets Legal until
Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Summer 2024
Innistrad: Crimson Vow
Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
Streets of New Capenna
Dominaria United Summer 2025
The Brothers' War
Phyrexia: All Will Be One
March of the Machine
March of the Machine: The Aftermath
Wilds of Eldraine Summer 2026
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Murders at Karlov Manor
Outlaws of Thunder Junction
The Big Score
Bloomburrow* Summer 2027
Duskmourn: House of Horror*
Magic: The Gathering Foundations* "At least 2029"[5]

^* Not released yet.

Banned list

The following cards are banned in Standard tournaments.[6][7]

Previously banned cards

The following is a list of cards that have been banned at one point during their stay in the Standard environment.

Should a banned card that rotated out of standard be later reintroduced into Standard, the ban will not carry over to that set. (The only example up to date is Darksteel Citadel, which was banned in Mirrodin Standard, but was later reprinted in Magic 2015).

Rotation

Rotation is the defining characteristic of Standard and a way to keep the card pool fresh and encouraging purchasing of the new sets. The block model was used to explain the sets that rotate, but nowadays the rotation is simply defined as the removal of the oldest four sets. After Autumn of 2023, Standard is composed of nine to twelve sets.

Originally, three-set blocks would rotate all at once, sometimes with a core set. Then, a change to two-set blocks would mean the two oldest blocks still legal in Standard would rotate out of the format. For example, when Ixalan released in fall 2017, Battle for Zendikar, Oath of the Gatewatch, Shadows over Innistrad, Eldritch Moon, and Welcome Deck 2016 (which counted as a part of Shadows over Innistrad in rotation) rotated out of Standard. Then the Three-and-One Model eliminated blocks altogether for the newest definition, and shortly after the core set label was abandoned altogether.

Starting in 2021, Wizards of the Coast began a new schedule where the premier sets are early fall, late fall, winter, and spring (dates based on Northern Hemisphere seasons.) [11]. There will still be a non-premier product released in the summer. With a late fall release instead of a summer release, this functionally means that the shortest-legal set gained two months in Standard, though each set shrinks its draft rotation time by a few weeks.[12]

Beginning in 2023, the rotation for Standard shifted to every three years rather than every two years.[13] This increased the number of sets in Standard from eight to twelve, allowing players to continue using decks and cards in the format for a longer period. Towards the end of 2024, Wizards of the Coast introduced a new type of Standard-legal expansion in Magic: The Gathering Foundations. Unlike regular premier sets, Foundations is designed as an unchanging card set that will be published annually for many years.[14] The cards in the set remain legal in Standard for five years.[15]

History

Main article: Standard/Timeline

When Standard (then called "Type 2") was created on January 10, 1995, it inherited the banned and restricted lists from Vintage (then "Type 1"). Legal were then the most current basic set (Revised Edition) and the latest two Magic expansions only (The Dark and Fallen Empires). The original Standard format allowed the recent two blocks plus the most recent core set (two core sets between the last release and the actual rotation), after a short stint when Fallen Empires and Ice Age were not in a block. This hence made for a rotation schedule where the format rotated both when a core set and when a new block started; this was less impactful as core sets were always entirely reprints and had significant overlap with the previous set. There was even an oddity in 2000 and 2001 when 6th and 7th Editions were released mid-block. They were also only released once every two years until Magic 2010 revamped the Core Set identity, giving Standard the regular five-to-eight set sizing it would know for a decade.

After Magic Origins, core sets were discontinued, and blocks only contained two sets, one large and one small. It was intended that blocks rotated twice a year but half as many sets would leave; Standard would be always five or six sets, compared to the norm of five to eight. A Standard with three blocks and two rotations (Spring and Autumn) was adopted between 2015 and 2016 (Khans of Tarkir/Fate Reforged and Dragons of Tarkir/Magic Origins were treated as blocks for transition).[16] This midseason rotation occurred exactly once with the release of Shadows over Innistrad, which faced heavy criticism among players, and hence rotation reverted to the format in which the oldest 4 sets rotated out in each Autumn.

Starting in Kaladesh in 2016 and ending with War of the Spark in 2019, the Standard Showdown was introduced as a root-level competitive tournament that awarded special prize packs (notably foil rare cards from standard sets) to participants.

In November 2021, Alchemy, an online-only variant of Standard, was brought forth as a new initiative from MTG Arena. With no paper tournaments planned for the future due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increasingly rapid metagame stagnation, Alchemy was developed as a way to rebalance problematic cards and inject some novelty into solved formats. It was inducted as a tournament format in the first high-level event in 2022.

By late 2022, sanctioned Standard Play had dried up in many stores.[17] Some named reasons were the COVID-19 pandemic, the ease of Standard play on MTG Arena, the rising popularity of Commander play and the lack of grinding opportunities for Organized Play.[18]

As a reaction to the decline, Wizards of the Coast changed the rotation in 2023 to every three years rather than every two years, which meant that there would be no rotation of sets in that year.[13] This change aimed to give current Standard cards more longevity, to allow mechanics and archetypes to be more effectively built on over time, and to provide R&D with stronger tools to create an environment where decks are more "color(s) and mechanic" (like Green-White Toxic or Blue-White Soldiers) and less midrange.

Towards the end of 2024, Wizards of the Coast launched a new Standard-legal expansion designed to help new players learn the fundamentals of the game.[19] Magic: The Gathering Foundations is an evergreen set that will be reprinted annually and was designed to carry through multiple Standard rotations.[20] Unlike other Standard-legal sets, cards in Foundations will remain legal in Standard until at least 2029.[21]

Former popular Standard decks

References

  1. Mark Rosewater (August 6, 2012). "Setting The Standard". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. Mark Rosewater (August 5, 2013). "Twenty Things That Were Going To Kill Magic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. Reid Duke (April 27, 2015). "An Introduction to the Popular Constructed Formats". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. a b Standard Format, MTG.com
  5. Wizards of the Coast (June 28, 2024). "Foundations will set the foundation for Magic's next era as cards from the set will be Standard legal through at least 2029.". Twitter.
  6. Ian Duke (September 19, 2022). "October 10, 2022 Banned and Restricted Announcement". Archived from the original on May 19, 2023.
  7. Andrew Brown (May 29, 2023). "May 29, 2023 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023.
  8. a b c Ian Duke and Jay Parker (January 25, 2022). "January 25, 2022 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. Ian Duke (September 19, 2022). "October 10, 2022 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. Ian Duke (October 12, 2020). "October 12, 2020 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. Mark Rosewater (August 26, 2021). "Hi marc why does this year have 5 premium sets...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  12. Mark Rosewater (August 26, 2021). "I would miss the Summer sets, and that 2 sets in fall feel a bit to close to each other for my taste". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  13. a b Aaron Forsythe and Billy Jensen (May 7, 2023). "Revitalizing Standard". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. Mark Rosewater (So you are considering a 5 year standard?). "754546796719734784...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  15. Wizards of the Coast (June 28, 2024). "... the set will be Standard legal through at least 2029.". Twitter.
  16. Mark Rosewater (August 25, 2014). "Metamorphosis". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  17. Aaron Forsythe (January 19, 2022). "Why has sanctioned Standard play declined relative to other formats in your store?". Twitter.
  18. Jake Henderson (December 7, 2022). "The Decline of Standard: What Happened to Magic’s Most Popular Tournament Format?". Draftsim.com.
  19. Gavin Verhey, Max McCall, Bryan Hawley (June 28, 2024). "The Preview Panel - MagicCon: Amsterdam (Video)". Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.
  20. Mark Rosewater (So you are considering a 5 year standard?). "754546796719734784...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  21. Wizards of the Coast (June 28, 2024). "... the set will be Standard legal through at least 2029.". Twitter.

External links