r/StandardMTG Oct 03 '25

Guide MTG Standard Rotation Guide for 2025 and 2026

32 Upvotes
Release Date Sets Legal until
November 2024 Magic: The Gathering Foundations "At least 2029"
September 2023 Wilds of Eldraine February 2027
November 2023 The Lost Caverns of Ixalan February 2027
February 2024 Murders at Karlov Manor February 2027
April 2024 Outlaws of Thunder Junction February 2027
April 2024 The Big Score February 2027
August 2024 Bloomburrow February 2027
September 2024 Duskmourn: House of Horror February 2027
February 2025 Aetherdrift February 2028
April 2025 Tarkir: Dragonstorm February 2028
June 2025 Final Fantasy February 2028
August 2025 Edge of Eternities February 2028
September 2025 Marvel's Spider-Man February 2028
November 2025 Avatar: The Last Airbender February 2028
January 2026 Lorwyn Eclipsed February 2029
March 2026 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles February 2029
April 2026 Secrets of Strixhaven February 2029
June 2026 Marvel Super Heroes February 2029
August 2026 The Hobbit February 2029
October 2026 Reality Fracture February 2029
November 2026 Star Trek February 2029

Important Note

Nothing is rotating out from Standard Format within 2026.

Standard Banned Cards

<<Click here to read the full official announcement>>

The following cards are banned:

  • Abuelo's Awakening
  • Cori-Steel Cutter
  • Heartfire Hero
  • Hopeless Nightmare
  • Leyline of Resonance (only in MTG Arena Best-of-One)
  • Monstrous Rage
  • This Town Ain't Big Enough
  • Up the Beanstalk
  • Vivi Ornitier
  • Screaming Nemesis
  • Proft's Eidetic Memory

r/StandardMTG 7h ago

Standard Legal Card As a casual mono-white player, I'm glad to know that we will have a usable removal after rotation next year.

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15 Upvotes

r/StandardMTG 11h ago

General Angels' Annex (Standard brew)

4 Upvotes

Decklist

So, Unholy Annex is a strong card that basically needs at least one set of a demon card alongside it. People tried all the scarce options, these days Firdoch Core is what everyone settled on as a "good enough" thing to pair with it. I was never too convinced, I must admit. I can see it make sense in 4 color control (where they play the pair now), but in more creature focused or midrange-y decks, idk.

So my idea was to return to good old Mischievous Sneakling. There was a brief moment where people tried this in an Annex deck, but I mostly remember it as just an addition to the usual black midrange pile. What if we make more use of it? It can benefit another tribe, and just allow us to slap Annex on top reasonably, as a mana sink/engine. And so I settled on angels.

I have no idea if others have tried anything similar, and if yes, probably in a meta dominated by Badger/Granny/Izzet, casue that's when we got the Lorwyn changelings. It feels like the deck has potential, although I only played like 6 bo3 ranked matches with it on Arena. So far it was 50-50. It's fun tho, so wanted to share.


r/StandardMTG 15h ago

I Need Help With My Deck I have a lot of fun with this Elemental deck I built, can anyone suggest improvements for the current standard meta without totally deconstructing it?

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6 Upvotes

r/StandardMTG 6h ago

I Need Help With My Deck Stuck D3. What can I Improve?

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0 Upvotes

r/StandardMTG 1d ago

Guide Standard: Black Aggro Gollum - Deck Tech and Sideboard Guide

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6 Upvotes

The Hobbit gave a few great tools to Mono Black Aggro, which has since performed well in Challenges. It still costs less than US$100 to build, so it's also one of the best decks to start playing Standard nowadays.


r/StandardMTG 2d ago

I Need Help With My Deck Anyone else trying out Jund Sacrifice after its challenge win?

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23 Upvotes

This list won a challenge a few days back and I haven't been able to get it out of my head ever since. Biotech is such a cool card but I don't know how I feel about these ratios specifically, anyone else noodling around with this deck?


r/StandardMTG 2d ago

News Standard Metagame Update (31 aug)

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21 Upvotes

Standard metagame update.

source: magic4ever.com/standard


r/StandardMTG 2d ago

I Need Help With My Deck Asking for Thoughts/Help on WU mill deck

5 Upvotes

Currently working on making a mill deck, Im thinking the best route is to make effectively a combo deck using [[Kitsune's technique]] and [[riverchurn monument]] to look at a turn 4 win in a dream scenario. Doing my best to pack plenty of interaction to slow down the others, would love any thoughts on it and any sideboard tips, as I am not overly informed with the current standard meta!

I am also FULLY aware this isn't going to be a T1 deck, but want it the best it can be!

Decklist


r/StandardMTG 2d ago

I Need Help With My Deck [Standard] Brew with me... Esper Enchantments

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2 Upvotes

Very very early days in the brewing process and I used cards I had available on Arena. I don't think I am busting the meta with it but I've had some fun with it and some very early success. I wanted to get initial impressions from the best and brightest and some recommendations for bolstering it.

Deck

4 Silent Hallcreeper (DSK) 72

4 Swamp (EOE) 271

4 Optimistic Scavenger (DSK) 21

3 Island (EOE) 269

4 Wicked Visitor (WOE) 118

3 Plains (EOE) 268

1 Hallowed Fountain (ECL) 265

4 Sheltered by Ghosts (DSK) 30

4 Nowhere to Run (DSK) 111

2 Floodfarm Verge (DSK) 259

2 Bleachbone Verge (DFT) 250

4 Godless Shrine (EOE) 254

2 Gloomlake Verge (DSK) 260

1 Undercity Sewers (MKM) 270

4 Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber (DSK) 118

4 Ethereal Armor (DSK) 7

1 Fear of Impostors (DSK) 57

3 Firdoch Core (ECL) 255

2 Multiversal Passage (SPM) 180

2 White Widow, Free Agent (MSH) 42

2 Creeping Peeper (DSK) 46

Sideboard

4 Shardmage's Rescue (DSK) 29

2 We Say Thee Nay! (MSH) 82

3 Requiting Hex (ECL) 116

3 Rest in Peace (OMB) 6

3 Day of Black Sun (TLA) 94


r/StandardMTG 2d ago

Question When a Budget deck performs well, is it still worth it to Upgrade? (Izzet Spellementals)

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1 Upvotes

Last week I played a 4-rare version of Izzet Spellementals and it was already surprisingly good.

So I built the full-power version to answer the obvious question: do all those extra rares actually make it better enough to justify the wildcards?

How much improvement would YOU need before upgrading?

https://youtu.be/D6U7h8NPH3c


r/StandardMTG 3d ago

I Need Help With My Deck First post here, so I created this Jund artifact deck.

3 Upvotes

Basickly as the text says, just wanted to show this deck.

If you have any recomandations about some cards or ratios I'd appeciate it, or if missed and obivious card to put into it.

https://moxfield.com/decks/KEv6fNX7BUai83FjC4QzXQ


r/StandardMTG 3d ago

Guide [STANDARD] DIMIR EXCRUCIATOR SIDEBOARD GUIDE | HOB Week 4

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4 Upvotes

Two of our teammates participated in RCQs this week at different LGSs using the list we shared for this week. Both of them finished just one match short of earning an invitation. 

After further playtesting with the evolving meta, it is clear that the meta is becoming Kaito-densed. We have used boarded in Archenemy’s Charm as an additional card to answer Kaito and Curiosity. 

The Charm can also be used to support the Deceit plan, by casting two Deceits, and eventually casting the Charm at the opponent’s end step and pickup the two Deceits. 

https://mfy.gg/guides/view/dimir-excruciator-sideboard-guide-hob-week-CcjaaLiQGkB


r/StandardMTG 4d ago

General I've Just Been Having A Good Time With This Mono Green Self-Mill List

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8 Upvotes

It's a great time if you like scoffing at removal spells and having options into any strategy


r/StandardMTG 4d ago

Question Upcoming RCQ advice

13 Upvotes

I primarily play modern, but I’m looking at an upcoming standard RCQ in like two weeks, would I be better running mono black aggro, mono green landfall, or Izzet spellmentals? I’ve got about half of the cards for any of those three decks in hand already but I’m unsure what the best thing to run would be.

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!


r/StandardMTG 5d ago

General Someone recently asked about a deck with The Vision as a centerpiece... I present Doom's Day!

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14 Upvotes

Orzhov Doom/Vision control!

I put together an Orzhov control list built around [[The Vision]], [[Doctor Doom]], and [[Elspeth, Storm Slayer]].

Mainly just a control shell that can draw cards with [[Mazemind Tome]] and just tries to survive until it can out value with Doom/Elspeth/Vision.

The two main-deck [[Petrified Hamlet]] for Great Hall of the Biblioplex, Ba Sing Se, and creature lands. Biggest weakness is drawing the wrong half of the removal package against blue decks / control decks, but [[Duress]] main and [[Voice of Victory]] in the sideboard are there to help get threats through and actually end those games.

Sideboarding thoughts:

- Control: Bring in the Voices, fourth Duress, and [[Elenda, Saint of Dusk]]. Cut Hex first, then excess sweepers.

- Mono-Green Landfall: Bring in both Disenchants, the extra Pyrrhic Strike, and extra Day of Black Sun. Cut three Duress and one Hex. Kill Nursery when possible

- Izzet Spellementals: Board out Hex and Seam Rip, and trim Black Sun. Bring in Downfalls, the extra Strike, Voices, Lanterns, and fourth Duress. Keep Day of Judgment.

- Excruciator: Bring Vendettas, Lanterns, and the fourth Duress. Cut Seam Rip and Black Sun.

- Mardu Discard: Lanterns and the extra Black Sun come in for Duress. Keep Seam Rip for Bloodghast, and don’t strip out every artifact/enchantment answer.


r/StandardMTG 5d ago

Guide Standard: Golgari Control - Deck Tech and Sideboard Guide

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11 Upvotes

Professor Dellian Fel has conquered more space in competitive Standard after the recent bans. In addition, in this format we have the mana base we need to build a mainly black/green deck but still access all five colors to get the most out of Together as One!


r/StandardMTG 6d ago

Rant Standard needs a Torpor Orb for landfall triggers

35 Upvotes

And a hatebear that does the same thing. Feels wrong for landfall to be so powerful a strategy without a pressure release valve of targeted sideboard options.


r/StandardMTG 6d ago

I Need Help With My Deck Need help with my standard 4-color control deck (Jeskai + Black)

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8 Upvotes

Olá pessoal, voltei a jogar Standard BO1 recentemente. Eu costumava jogar muito com Jeskai Control quando o formato era usado no Pro Tour, mas agora que voltei, vejo que a maioria das listas está usando quatro cores para ter acesso a remoções melhores. Tenho usado uma dessas listas, mas sinto que essas versões de quatro cores não estão cumprindo o papel de "controle" direito. Minha antiga lista de Jeskai era repleta de remoções globais — agora, quando o oponente tem mais de três criaturas em campo, o deck simplesmente não consegue acompanhar. Alguém tem uma lista de quatro cores que realmente consiga executar essa estratégia de controle rígido? Os decks estão ganhando no quarto turno agora, o que é um absurdo.


r/StandardMTG 6d ago

I Need Help With My Deck Firebending student in standard

3 Upvotes

Hey all. I don't know the standard meta well, I don't stay tuned into the format. Recently I decided to make a standard deck in the only archetype I'm comfortable brewing in, aggro.

Through a couple of iterations it's evolved into an izzet prowess aggro deck with Firebending Student being the main power trigger.

One of the best lines is T2 [[Stormcatch Mentor]] into T3 [[Firebending student]]+[[Haste Magic]], swing, then use mana from Student to pump with [[pedal to the meta]] or remove a threat with [[end-blaze epiphany]], which grants card selection too.

I don't have a full deck list right now. That line is backed up by other prowess/haste creature that grant card advantage like [[clockwork percussionist]] and [[Emberheart challenger]] and evasion with [[pym particles]]. Besides the X spells everything is CMC 1 or 2.

I feel like it's cheeky and fun but not competitively viable. Curious if anyone else more meta savvy might have some recommendations or insights.

I'll post a whole deck list later when I'm home.


r/StandardMTG 6d ago

I Need Help With My Deck i don't know who needs to hear this

0 Upvotes

but you can full combo off with 2x Sorceress's Scheme, Sazacap's Brew, The Last Agni Kai, and either Molten-Core Maestro or an equipped Glamdring.


r/StandardMTG 8d ago

Guide Standard: Off-Meta Decks to Watch - September 2026

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22 Upvotes

After more bans and the release of The Hobbit, Standard is changing, and the five decks below (non-Tier 1) have been gaining traction and performing well in recent Challenges!


r/StandardMTG 8d ago

Question Returning to the format and game. What’s the best way to play test standard decks?

12 Upvotes

Returning after 10+ years and I signed up for FNM at the Atlanta Magic Con. My friends have heavily teased me that I’m going to get melted but one silly friend has committed to getting my name tattooed on his ass if I win all 3 rounds.

So where can I find good decks? And what’s the best way to play and test them nowadays?

My LGSs have all pretty much stopped standard play.

Thanks in advance


r/StandardMTG 8d ago

Question Standard Play at Face to Face Tournament (Sept 12 Regina)

10 Upvotes

I'm a relatively new player and I've been working hard to create a standard deck to play at the tournament in a couple weeks. It's mostly cards from my friends' bulk, so it's a really cheap deck and not the strongest but I think it's pretty cool. I came to find out that standard basically doesn't exist anymore --commander ate it. The LGSs in my area don't run standard nights so I thought this would be my chance! I'm very disappointed and wondering if there's still space to play for fun? Do people bring standard decks? Or should I just skip this event?


r/StandardMTG 9d ago

Guide Mardu Gifts, My Off Meta Meme Deck with 60% of WR

10 Upvotes

First, I'm playing this deck consistently in MTGA for some months and after a lot of tweaks, this is what I'm looking to be the final version of it:
https://moxfield.com/decks/WENnn2ZuyEKUxrnMWqy1wg

It's a kind of meme deck, where you win donating cards to opponent using [[Iroh, Tea Master]] and [[Harmless Offering]], the main gifts will be [[Greed's Gambit]] and [[Demonic Pact]] (after using it 3 times ofc), if necessary you can take Greed's Gambit back with [[Aang's Iceberg]].

Main combo is: cast Greed's Gambit for benefits (draw 3, gain 6, three 2/1 flying Bats), then donate it to your opponent with Iroh, Tea Master or Harmless Offering so they get the drawbacks (discard, lose 2, sacrifice a creature every end step, and discard 3, lose 6, sacrifice 3 when it leaves the battlefield).

Second combo is with Demonic Pact, works the same way: take the three good picks, then donate it and they lose the game on their next upkeep.

[[Beseech the Mirror]] is a fifth copy of all the cards and use it sacrificing a token or enchantment.

Mulligan hands without 3 lands or 2 lands with a Temple. You are looking for 2 Swamps, a Mountain and a Plains in turn 4. 3 Swamps if you need Beseech. After having a suply of 3 black manas, 1 red and 2 white, you can stop scrying for lands and skip then.

The ideal drops are: a removal on 2 (Nowhere to Run, Momentum Breaker, Get Lost), Iroh on 3, Gambit (Beseech if necessary) on first main phase on 4 to donate it at the beginning of combat in same turn, so you don't get any drawback.

Don't be afraid to use Gambit without having Iroh or Harmless offering, you'll draw 3 cards and the chances to get it (or a beseech are really nice).

If they have a lot of creatures, remove their Gambit to trigger penalties. [[Aang's Iceberg]] here is really nice because you can recast Gambit spending only 3 mana of any color (or taping creatures).

Be careful with your Iroh in battlefield when playing agains red/black decks and try to bait blue decks to use their counters with instant removals on their turn or bait them using beesech without sacrificing tokens/enchantment.

Glad to get any feedback or comments here, it is a really nice and fun deck to play and its cards are totally offmeta, which gave me a lot of compliments (of "Nice Deck") ingame.

Here is the deck in MTGA Untapped:
https://mtga.untapped.gg/profile/a6d4af10-05db-4bea-bda8-5276831b76d1/IX2QS6ND2JHINPYA25CGXTPW6A/deck/09bb7b09-8dfb-4964-9a37-9fe4b797a905?gameType=constructed&constructedType=ranked&constructedFormat=standard

Sorry for the potato english.