Magic: The Gathering turns thirty-three in 2026 and its library runs well past thirty thousand cards. To keep the game accessible, Wizards of the Coast structured Magic around formats that define which cards are legal, how big decks are, and sometimes even how many players sit at the table.
For a player discovering Magic — or looking to broaden their practice — that variety can be bewildering. This guide tours the main formats and the gear that goes with them.
Understanding the logic of formats
Before diving into details, a few useful landmarks. Formats fall into two broad families:
- Constructed formats: you turn up with a deck prepared in advance. Standard, Modern and Commander belong here.
- Limited formats: you build your deck on the spot from booster packs. Draft and Sealed are the most popular.
Another important distinction concerns rotation. Some formats only allow recent cards and rotate their pool every year (Standard). Others accept everything printed since a fixed starting point and virtually never change (Modern, Legacy, Commander).
These two parameters — card pool and rotation — directly shape your budget, the lifespan of your investments and the kind of play experience you get.
The main constructed formats
Standard: the way in
Standard is Magic's flagship format. It only allows sets published over roughly the last three years, with an annual rotation that drops the oldest ones. Decks run to 60 cards minimum, with a 15-card sideboard for adjustments between games in a match.
Who it's for. Players who like following the game's news, testing every new set and taking part in weekly FNM tournaments at their local store. It's also the format recommended to beginners because it limits how many cards there are to learn.
Budget: a competitive Standard deck generally runs between €200 and €400. Watch out for rotation, though, which can wipe out half a deck's value in a year.
Pioneer: the alternative to Modern
Introduced at the end of 2019, Pioneer allows every card published since Return to Ravnica (2012). No rotation, but a card pool more accessible than Modern's, without the oldest and most expensive cards.
Who it's for. Those who want to invest in a stable format without blowing their budget. Pioneer has genuine competitive momentum with a regular event circuit.
Modern: strategic depth
Modern includes every card since Eighth Edition (2003). It's a format famous for its diversity of strategies and complex interactions. Games are often faster, with powerful combos and formidable control decks.
Who it's for. Experienced players looking for a high level of play and prepared for a substantial initial investment — a top-tier Modern deck frequently exceeds €800.
Commander (EDH): the social format
Commander is probably the most played format in the world, and for good reason. Each player builds a deck of 100 unique cards (singleton) around a legendary commander that acts as the deck's leader. Games are played with 3 or 4 players simultaneously, at 40 life, around the table.
Who it's for. Almost everyone. Commander stretches from ultra-casual play among friends to competitive Commander (cEDH) with optimized decks. It's the perfect format for a games night.
If Commander is your format of choice, a 100-card sleeved deck demands a high-capacity deck box — the Commander deck boxes from PrintWonders are designed to hold a complete deck comfortably along with its tokens and life counters.
Legacy, Vintage and Pauper: the extremes
At one extreme, Legacy and Vintage allow almost every card ever printed. These are formats for devotees, with cards worth several thousand euros. At the other extreme, Pauper only allows cards printed at common rarity: a competitive deck can be built for under €50, which makes it the ideal format for discovering Magic's strategy without heavy investment.
The limited formats
Draft: the art of improvised deckbuilding
In a draft, eight players each open three boosters and pass the cards around the table, picking one card each time. At the end, each player builds a deck of at least 40 cards from the cards they selected.
Who it's for. Those who love pure strategy. Draft is considered by many to be the format that best tests a player's skill. No prior budget is needed beyond the draft entry fee (usually €15 to €20 in store).
Sealed: simplicity, solo
Sealed is a simplified version of draft: each player receives six boosters and builds their deck directly, with no collective picking phase. It's the format of the prereleases that precede each set launch.
Quick format comparison
| Format | Deck size | Card pool | Budget | Rotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 60 + 15 | Last 3 years | €€ | Annual |
| Pioneer | 60 + 15 | Since 2012 | €€€ | None |
| Modern | 60 + 15 | Since 2003 | €€€€ | None |
| Commander | 100 unique | Entire history | €€ to €€€€ | None |
| Legacy | 60 + 15 | Entire history | €€€€€ | None |
| Pauper | 60 + 15 | Commons only | € | None |
| Draft | 40 min | The day's boosters | € per session | N/A |
The gear that follows the format
The format you choose has direct consequences for your gear. A Commander player carrying a 100-card sleeved deck doesn't have the same needs as a Standard player running FNM tournaments with 75 cards (60 plus sideboard).
For 60-card formats
Standard, Pioneer, Modern, Legacy and Pauper share the same structure: a 60-card main deck and a 15-card sideboard. A deck box holding 75 to 100 sleeved cards is ideal. The criteria that matter: a dedicated compartment for the sideboard, a secure closure for the trip to the store, and capacity with some margin.
For Commander
The 100-card deck makes Commander demanding on storage. A standard 75-card deck box won't do: you need a 100-card model or larger, ideally with a compartment for the many tokens that populate those games. To personalize your deck box around the commander you play, the DeckSmith configurator lets you build a deck box that reflects your play identity.
For draft and sealed
Limited formats need minimal gear: you build on the spot, you play, you may leave with the cards. The essentials are sleeves for any valuable cards you've opened, and a spare deck box to carry them home safely.
How to choose your first format
If you're new to Magic, here are a few pointers to guide your choice:
- Tight budget, taste for strategy: Pauper or Draft are the most accessible options.
- Wanting to play regularly in store: Standard remains the safe bet.
- Games nights with friends: Commander, without hesitation.
- Looking for a stable competitive format: Pioneer or Modern depending on your budget.
Nothing stops you playing several formats, of course. Many Magic players keep a Standard deck for FNM and one or more Commander decks for evenings with friends — a combination that covers just about every mood.
Conclusion
Magic: The Gathering offers a wealth of formats rarely matched in card games. Each format has its culture, its community, its rhythm and its preferred gear. Taking the time to choose the format that suits you — rather than simply following the fashion of the moment — is the best way to build a lasting practice and get the most out of every game.
Once your format is chosen, all that's left is to equip your deck with a deck box worthy of it. At PrintWonders, we design deck boxes made in France, built to suit each format and each style of play. Browse our collection — it might be made for your next deck.