Timeless
| Timeless | |
|---|---|
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[[File:{{#setmainimage:Timeless logo.png}}|250px]] | |
| DCI Sanctioned | |
| Paper |
 |
| Magic Online |
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| Magic Arena |
 |
| Rules | |
| Type | Constructed |
| Multiplayer |
|
| Add. rules | Best-of-one and Best-of-three |
Timeless is a constructed non-rotating format for Magic: The Gathering Arena that was officially announced by Wizards of the Coast on December 4, 2023 and went live on December 12, 2023.[1]
Description
Timeless is a nonrotating, Constructed format played with 60-card decks where every available card on MTG Arena is legal. This includes digital-only cards and any future set releases. Timeless uses the rebalanced versions of all digital-only cards, but the original tabletop printings of all non-digital cards.
Timeless is a competitive format, with ranked (Best-of-One) and traditional (Best-of-Three) ranked queues, and an unranked play queue. Ranked play contributes to a player's Constructed rank in the same way as MTG Arena's other ranked Constructed formats.
Background
Originally, Historic was intended to be the Eternal format of Arena, using the small number of sets that were rotating out of Standard. However, the format grew and stabilized with its own identity while paper-based bonus sheets began bringing in more and more undesired gameplay experiences and preemptive bans. With the change to Play Boosters in 2024 bringing a new form of The List, more bonus sheets, and more cards programmed in but not playable, Historic could no longer deliver on the mission statement of being the format where one could play their entire collection.
At the 2023 MTG Arena release of Khans of Tarkir and its pre-banned fetch lands, Timeless was introduced with the same base concept, but with the Vintage analog of using a restricted list instead of a banlist.
Restricted cards
Timeless is the first format on MTG Arena to have a restricted list. If a card is on the restricted list, only a single copy of that card may be included in your deck and sideboard. Cards will have to earn their place on the banned and restricted list, and only those cards that have proven to be negative fun or far too powerful will be added. With some testing using the Unbanned Historic event[2] , the Arena team came to a initial Restricted list of three cards.
When a card is added to the restricted list and is no longer legal in any other format, players will receive wildcards for each copy of the card in their collection greater than one.
Current restricted list
References
- ↑ Dave Finseth (December 4, 2023). "Introducing Timeless, a new MTG Arena format". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Dave Finseth (October 30, 2023). "Dev Diaries: What We Mean by "Basically No Bans"". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.