Deck Construction Rules
The basic points of deck construction for Standard are:
- 60-card deck (minimum)
- 4-copy limit (except basic lands)
- 0-card or 15-card sideboard (exactly)
- Only cards from previous block (Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored), current block (Return to Ravnica), and current core set (Magic 2013)
Building a deck in Standard follows the basic Constructed guidelines (at least sixty cards, no more than four copies of any card except basic lands, fifteen-card sideboard). The only constraint is in which sets are legal for the format (see below).
Finding Standard on Magic Online Wide Beta
- Choose Game Type
- Choose tournament style or skill level
- Choose your deck (Magic Online will auto-select the correct format)
- Choose any additional options (such as "Multiplayer")
- Click Next Game in Open Play or choose your tournament from the results and join
Details and B&R List
Standard is a rotating format, which means that every time the first set of a new block comes out (usually in October), both the older block and the previous core set rotates out and is no longer a part of it.
The following card sets are permitted in Standard tournaments:
- Innistrad
- Dark Ascension
- Avacyn Restored
- Magic 2013
- Return to Ravnica
- Gatecrash (effective February 1, 2013)
There are no cards banned in Standard tournaments.
Recent Top Decks
Here are some sample decks that recently went 4–0 in Magic Online Standard Daily events:
Creature (30)
4 Champion of the Parish 3 Geist of Saint Traft 4 Knight of Glory 3 Lyev Skyknight 3 Precinct Captain 4 Silverblade Paladin 4 Sublime Archangel 3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben 2 War FalconSideboard (15)
1 Geist of Saint Traft 1 Lyev Skyknight 1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben 1 Faith's Shield 2 Fiend Hunter 2 Rest in Peace 2 Riders of Gavony 3 Rootborn Defenses 2 Syncopate
Creature (26)
4 Diregraf Ghoul 4 Falkenrath Aristocrat 4 Geralf's Messenger 4 Gravecrawler 3 Hellrider 4 Knight of Infamy 3 Thundermaw HellkiteSorcery (4)
4 Pillar of FlameSideboard (15)
2 Appetite for Brains 2 Bonfire of the Damned 2 Cremate 1 Tragic Slip 2 Underworld Connections 4 Vampire Nighthawk 2 Zealous Conscripts
Creature (25)
4 Diregraf Ghoul 4 Falkenrath Aristocrat 4 Geralf's Messenger 4 Gravecrawler 2 Hellrider 4 Thrill-Kill Assassin 3 Thundermaw HellkiteLand (24)
4 Blood Crypt 4 Cavern of Souls 4 Dragonskull Summit 1 Mountain 3 Rakdos Guildgate 8 SwampSideboard (15)
2 Bonfire of the Damned 3 Appetite for Brains 2 Cremate 2 Slaughter Games 2 Tormod's Crypt 4 Vampire Nighthawk