Editing Magic Formats (section)

== Sanctioned Formats ==
These formats are sanctioned by Wizards of the Coast.
===Constructed===
====Standard====
Standard uses cards from the [http://whatsinstandard.com/ most recent sets]. A slower play style with a smaller pool of cards, ideal for beginners or people new to the idea of metas.

====Modern====
Modern uses cards from 8th edition onward. Formerly the most widely played non standard format. A mix of fast decks that kill you on turn 3/4 and decks that cheat out massive bombs. An expensive format once you’re ready for ‘big boy magic’

====Legacy====
Legacy uses all magic cards (except for those that are banned). WAY more powerful than modern but not as much as vintage, expect a mix of a few turn 1 win decks, grixis control and [[That guy|Death and]] [[Inquisition|Taxes]] (AKA the fun police deck, [[Inquisition|sound familiar?]] )

====Vintage====
Vintage is the same as legacy, only with a smaller ban list. '''WARNING''' this format is [[That Guy|highly competitive]] and pretty much [[Rape|built around killing your opponent on turn 1]], procede with caution

====Commander====
''Main article: [[Commander]]''

One of the formats in magic. Uses 100 cards decks, with only one of each card being allowed (however may have as many BASIC lands as wanted). One card is designated the commander; it is kept separate from the rest of the deck and may be cast at any time.

====Brawl====
An officially sanctioned variation of Commander that uses different deck sizes and starting life totals, with the same card pool as Standard, essentially serving as "Commander-lite" with its own set of rules and separate ban list. Planeswalkers can also be declared as your Commander, even if they don't have the "this card can be your commander" line of text. Though it can be played on paper and on MTGO, it is most frequently played on Arena.

==== Pauper ====
Pauper, like commander, began outside of WotC. It is defined by cards that have been 'printed' at common. This has been a surprisingly complex issue [https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/sorry-we-don-t-know-what-pauper-means?fbclid=IwAR0hT_Zu5652C2tCrVp7GvcIo7qJMevIqrTS47rXzDvXAfUJj8AvB3DH2og]. But WotC has decided to finally settle the matter.

==== Pioneer ====
A [https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/announcing-pioneer-format-2019-10-21| brand new format] similar to Modern, made because Modern has quickly stopped being "the format that you play when your cards rotate out of Standard." A more accessible format (hopefully) that starts at Return to Ravnica and continues on to the present set. Notable because the initial ban-list consists of ONLY the fetch-lands like Polluted Delta. Currently only on Magic Online, but it will eventually lead to paper events and is a stated long-term goal for the Arena team.

==== Historic ====
WoTC's solution to card rotation on Magic: The Gathering Arena. Instead of just lazily putting all the old cards in one queue like other digital card games, they plan on curating the format by infusing it with new cards from throughout Magic's history to push and nudge the format around.

===Limited===

====Draft====
Every player is given three packs, which are opened one at a time. You get the first pick from your pack, and then pass all other cards to the player next to you. You pick a card from that pack and then keep going until everyone runs out of cards from their packs. From there, you build a deck from your cardpool and face off against other players. Uses packs from the same block/set to give more cohesion and synergy.

====Sealed====
Like Draft but instead, you crack open 6 packs at the same time, and that's your cardpool. Often more powerful than Draft due to the higher chance of getting bomb rares/mythics. Usually found at prereleases for new sets.