MTG Formats
Magic: The Gathering formats, explained.
Magic has 8+ official formats, each with its own card pool, rules and community. This guide covers every format supported in Counterdeck — from casual Commander to the extreme power of Vintage.
Commander
Commander100-card singleton, 4-player, the most popular MTG format
100 cards40 lifeModern
EternalNon-rotating 60-card format from 8th Edition forward
60 cards20 lifeStandard
RotatingThe rotating 60-card format with recent sets only
60 cards20 lifeArenaPioneer
EternalModern-style format from Return to Ravnica forward
60 cards20 lifePauper
EternalCommon cards only — cheap, deep, brutally competitive
60 cards20 lifeLegacy
EternalEternal format with the deepest playable card pool
60 cards20 lifeVintage
EternalThe most powerful format — Power 9 is restricted, not banned
60 cards20 lifeBrawl
ArenaStandard-legal Commander — 60 cards, singleton, with a commander
60 cards25 lifeArena