What Cards are Legal in Modern MTG? A Comprehensive Guide

The Modern format in Magic: The Gathering is a popular and dynamic way to play the game, offering a vast card pool and diverse strategies. At its core, Modern includes all regular core sets and expansions from Eighth Edition onward. This broad range allows for a wide variety of decks, making it an exciting and challenging format for players of all levels. But, navigating the legality of specific cards can sometimes feel daunting. Let’s delve into the details of what makes a card legal in Modern, ensuring you can build your deck with confidence.

The Foundation: Eighth Edition and Beyond

The foundation of Modern legality lies with the Eighth Edition core set. This set, released in 2003, marked the beginning of the modern card frame design, and as such is the starting point for the format. All regular core sets and expansions printed after Eighth Edition are generally legal for use in Modern. This includes a vast array of cards and sets that create the diverse play environment.

Special Cases: Timeshifted Cards, Promos, and More

Beyond the standard core sets and expansions, some exceptions exist that broaden the card pool further.

• Timeshifted cards from the Time Spiral block are legal in Modern, even if they were never reprinted with the modern card frame. This includes fan-favorite cards that have a unique and nostalgic feel.
• Cards from Planeswalker Decks and Buy-a-Box promos are also considered legal in the Modern format, as long as they were printed in or after the Eighth Edition timeframe. This adds even more cards to choose from.
• Cards from Universes Beyond sets, such as Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth, are legal in Modern. This opens up the possibility for unique cross-over mechanics and themes.

How to Determine if a Card is Legal

The easiest way to ascertain if a card is legal in Modern is to verify its print history. If the card was originally printed before Eighth Edition but was later reprinted in or after Eighth Edition, then that version of the card is legal. The core consideration is the most recent printing date rather than the original printing. If you are ever in doubt, checking the card’s print history on a site like Gatherer or Scryfall will be useful.

Card Frame Isn’t Everything

While Eighth Edition ushered in the modern card frame, it’s important to note that the card frame itself is not the sole determining factor for legality. The critical element is the printing date. A card from an older set that has been reprinted in or after Eighth Edition is legal, despite having an older frame in its original printing.

Key Considerations: Banned Cards and Set Inclusions

Not all cards printed since Eighth Edition are allowed in Modern. Some cards are banned due to their potential to create unbalanced or problematic gameplay.

Understanding the Banned List

The Modern Banned List is an ever-evolving list of cards prohibited from use in the format. It is essential to be aware of this list as you build your deck. Banned cards cannot be played in a Modern deck. Currently, the Modern Banned list includes cards such as:

• Ancient Den
• Arcum’s Astrolabe
• Birthing Pod
• Blazing Shoal
• Bridge from Below
• Chrome Mox
• Cloudpost
• Dark Depths

Set Inclusions

The Modern format currently includes 108 sets in Magic: The Gathering. These sets include everything from Eighth Edition to the most recent expansions, including Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth. This ever-expanding card pool is one of the reasons why the Modern format remains so engaging.

Why Cards are Banned

Cards are banned for various reasons, but they usually involve situations where they break the game rules or allow very unbalanced plays. Some cards, like Chrome Mox, enable mana acceleration that can lead to overpowering early advantages. Some banned cards enable infinite combos, or very disruptive plays that are not desirable in the format.

What is NOT Legal

It’s equally important to know what is not legal in Modern. Cards from sets before Eighth Edition, such as those from Urza’s Saga or Mirage are generally not allowed unless they have been reprinted in or after Eighth Edition. In addition, cards from Warhammer 40,000 crossover sets are not legal in Modern.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about Modern legality to provide further clarity:

1. Are all cards from Eighth Edition onwards legal in Modern? No, while most cards from Eighth Edition onwards are legal, those on the Banned List are not.
2. Are cards from Commander decks legal in Modern? Not typically. However, if a card from a Commander deck was also printed in a regular set from Eighth Edition or onward, that printing is legal in Modern.
3. Are promo cards legal in Modern? Yes, Buy-a-Box promos and other promotional cards that have been printed in or after Eighth Edition are legal in Modern.
4. Are cards from “The List” legal in Modern? “The List” is a curated list of cards that appear in booster packs. If those cards are legal in the formats they are normally found in, that is not changed by being on the list.
5. How does the card frame affect legality in Modern? The card frame is not the most important part, although the modern card frame did start with Eighth Edition. The key is whether a card was printed in or after Eighth Edition, or reprinted in or after that date.
6. Are Silver-bordered cards legal in Modern? No, Silver-bordered cards (cards with jokes, and not considered legal in sanctioned tournaments) are not legal in Modern.
7. Are cards from Planeswalker Decks legal in Modern? Yes, cards from Planeswalker decks printed in or after Eighth Edition are legal in the Modern format.
8. Are cards from Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth legal in Modern? Yes, both the main set cards (LTR set code) and associated commander cards with the LTC set code are legal in Modern.
9. How often does the Modern Banned List change? The Banned List is reviewed and updated by Wizards of the Coast as needed, typically based on format performance and competitive balance.
10. If a card is reprinted with a new frame, does it become Modern legal if it wasn’t before? No, if a card was not legal previously, being reprinted in the modern frame does not automatically make it legal. However, if it was legal previously, then any printing is legal.
11. Are any “Mox” cards legal in Modern? No. Chrome Mox is banned in modern.
12. If a card is legal in Legacy, is it also legal in Modern? Not necessarily. Some cards that are legal in Legacy are banned in Modern, and vice versa.
13. Can I use a card if I’m not sure it was printed after Eighth Edition? No. If you are not sure, it is advisable to check Gatherer, Scryfall, or similar to make sure.
14. Are 40k cards legal in Modern? No, the cards from the Warhammer 40,000 commander decks are not legal in Modern.
15. If a card is not banned, is it legal? Not necessarily. A card must also be in a regular core set or expansion from Eight Edition on, or reprinted after that point.

By understanding the foundational rules of the Modern format, the exceptions, and the banned list, players can confidently build decks and enjoy this exciting format. Remember to check the most recent Banned List, and when in doubt, verify a card’s printing history to ensure its legality. Happy deckbuilding!