Modern: the format explained
Fast and powerful, twenty years of cards.
- Card pool
- Sets from 2003 onward (the "modern" card frame).
- Notable
- Doesn't rotate; high tempo, strong combos, and interaction.
Who is it for?
For players who love depth and a large, crystallized metagame. Powerful games, but expect a bigger investment in time and cards.
Getting started with Modern
Modern is one of the pricier formats, so don't start by buying, start by watching. Try decks in a free deckbuilder with a playtest mode, or borrow a deck from someone at your store. Many decks have a budget version built on the same core; look for one you can upgrade step by step, not one that only stays cheap because it's missing the key cards.
You play Modern at local game stores, at tournaments and online on Magic Online. MTG Arena doesn't have Modern. Because the format doesn't rotate, your cards keep their use, but a ban list update can still hit a deck suddenly. Modern rewards sticking with one deck: you only really learn it after dozens of games against different opponents.
Building a Modern deck
The rules are those of any constructed format: at least 60 cards, no more than 4 copies of any card (except basic lands, counted across deck and sideboard together) and a sideboard of up to 15 cards. Legal cards come from Eighth Edition (2003) onward, plus sets made directly for Modern, like the Modern Horizons series. Tournaments are best-of-three.
Modern decks often run fewer lands than in Standard: from around 18 for very fast aggro to around 24 for control. That works because curves are low and many spells cost one or two mana. Interaction has to be cheap; three-mana removal is often too slow in Modern.
Your sideboard matters even more in Modern. The format is wide: aggro, midrange, control, combo and decks built around the graveyard or artifacts all show up. A good sideboard has answers for those corners, even if that's only two or three cards per matchup.
Common mistakes
- Playing slow cards. A four-mana card that doesn't do something right away is often a lost turn in Modern.
- Forgetting graveyard and artifact hate in your sideboard. Without a few targeted cards, you lose to decks you otherwise can't touch.
- Buying a budget deck with no upgrade path. Pick a version you can add the expensive cards to later, or you'll end up paying twice.
- Wasting life on your own lands. Many good lands cost life; against aggro you need to be careful with that.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I play Modern on MTG Arena?
- No. Modern is played in paper and online on Magic Online. On Arena, Pioneer and Timeless come closest, but those are different formats.
- Which cards are legal in Modern?
- Cards from Eighth Edition (2003) onward, plus sets released directly into Modern. Once a card has appeared in a Modern-legal set, every printing of it is legal, unless it's banned.
- Where's the Modern ban list?
- On the Banned and Restricted page at magic.wizards.com. It gets reviewed a few times a year.
- Can I use proxies in Modern?
- Not at official, sanctioned tournaments. For testing at home or at a casual table, it's fine if your opponent agrees.
Other formats
Commander (EDH)StandardPioneerPauperLegacyVintageOathbreaker
See which of your cards are Modern-legal →
Last updated: 26 October 2026