Modern

Modern is a constructed format that allows expansion sets and core sets from Eighth Edition forward, save for the Modern ban list. The modern format thus encompasses all cards that have been printed in a set using the modern Card Frame. The format was officially codified on August 12, 2011, when the format of Pro Tour Philadelphia was changed from Extended to Modern.

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 must contain exactly fifteen cards.

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. All cards named Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest are basic, as are their snow-covered counterparts — Snow-Covered Plains, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Swamp, Snow-Covered Mountain, and Snow-Covered Forest.

Set legality

As of July 31, 2012, cards from the following sets are permitted in Modern tournaments:

Eighth Edition Mirrodin Darksteel Fifth Dawn Champions of Kamigawa Betrayers of Kamigawa Saviors of Kamigawa

Ninth Edition Ravnica: City of Guilds Guildpact Dissension Coldsnap Time Spiral † Planar Chaos

Future Sight Tenth Edition Lorwyn Morningtide Shadowmoor Eventide Shards of Alara

Conflux Alara Reborn Magic 2010 Zendikar Worldwake Rise of the Eldrazi Magic 2011

Scars of Mirrodin Mirrodin Besieged New Phyrexia Magic 2012 Innistrad Dark Ascension Avacyn Restored Magic 2013

^† This includes timeshifted cards in the old time frame

Banned List

See also: Timeline of DCI bans and restrictions.

As of October 1st, 2012, the following cards are banned in Modern tournaments:

Ancestral Vision Ancient Den Bitterblossom Blazing Shoal Bloodbraid Elf Chrome Mox Cloudpost Dark Depths Dread Return Glimpse of Nature

Golgari Grave-Troll Great Furnace Green Sun's Zenith Hypergenesis Jace, the Mind Sculptor Mental Misstep Ponder Preordain Punishing Fire Rite of Flame Seat of the Synod

Second Sunrise Seething Song Sensei's Divining Top Stoneforge Mystic Skullclamp Sword of the Meek Tree of Tales Umezawa's Jitte Vault of Whispers Wild Nacatl

Popular archetypes

• Modern Death Cloud Rock deck
• Modern Delver deck
• Modern Infect Combo deck
• Modern Living End deck
• Modern Melira deck
• Modern Mystical Teachings deck
• Modern Pyromancer deck
• Modern Zoo deck