Timeless

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Timeless
Where to Play
Paper
No		MTGO
No		Arena
Yes
Constructed
Players 2
Life 20 points
Decks 60+ cards (plus sideboard, ≤4 card copies)
Rules No banned cards
Restricted cards
Best-of-one & Best-of-three
Scryfall Statistics

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] The Timeless format encompasses all cards that have been released on Magic: The Gathering Arena with the exception of cards that are programmed but cannot be crafted (e.g. the Power Nine). Timeless is the closest analogue available on Arena to the Vintage format and the only format other than Vintage to restrict cards.

Description

Timeless is a non-rotating, constructed format played with 60-card decks where every available card on Magic: The Gathering 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 Magic: The Gathering Arena's other ranked Constructed formats.

Background

Originally, Historic was intended to be the primary and most powerful 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.

Coinciding with the 2023 release of Khans of Tarkir on Arena and its fetch lands being preemptively banned in Historic, Timeless was introduced with the same base concept, but with the Vintage analog of using a restricted list instead of a banlist. This makes the format a spiritual successor to the Classic format from Magic Online.

Differences with Historic

  1. There are no banned cards in Timeless. Some of the cards are restricted.
  2. In Timeless, paper cards aren't changed by Alchemy rebalances.

Deck construction

Constructed decks must contain a minimum of sixty cards and a maximum of 250 cards.[2] Like other constructed formats, a sideboard of up to fifteen additional cards can be used in best-of-three matches.

Except for basic lands (land cards that have the "basic" supertype) and cards like Relentless Rats, a player's combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four of any individual card, counted by its English card title equivalent.[3] Decks may include designed-for-digital cards but unlike Historic they cannot use the rebalanced versions of cards that also exist in paper.

Set legality

Main article: Magic: The Gathering Arena/Changelog

Cards from all core sets and expansions since Ixalan are legal. In addition, Khans of Tarkir, anthology sets, bonus sheets, and special Arena promos are also legal.[3] With the release of Murders at Karlov Manor, The List cards and Special Guests included in sets are also legal in the format. The same applies to selected cards released through the Powered Cube and cards in Cube Prize Packs.

Digital-only sets

The following digital-only releases are legal in Timeless. These sets use the latest, rebalanced versions of cards.

Banned and Restricted List

See also: Timeline of DCI bans and restrictions

Banned cards

As of December 12th, 2023 there are no cards banned in Timeless.

Restricted cards

Timeless is the first format on Magic: The Gathering 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, the Arena team came to a initial Restricted list of three cards.[4]

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

  1. ↑ Dave Finseth (December 4, 2023). "Introducing Timeless, a new MTG Arena format". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Alex Barker (May 20, 2022). "Here’s How Many Cards You Should Have in Every Magic Deck". Draftsim.
  3. ↑ a b Timeless Format. magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. ↑ Dave Finseth (October 30, 2023). "Dev Diaries: What We Mean by "Basically No Bans"". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
DCI
Casual
Constructed
Limited/Draft
Multiplayer
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