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 May 5th, 2013, 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 Return to Ravnica Gatecrash Dragon's Maze

^† This includes timeshifted cards in the old time frame

Banned List

See also: Timeline of DCI bans and restrictions.

As of February 7th, 2014, the following cards are banned in Modern tournaments:

Ancestral Vision Ancient Den Blazing Shoal Bloodbraid Elf Chrome Mox Cloudpost Dark Depths Deathrite Shaman 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

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