Deck-building
A Primordial deck must contain at least 40 cards, all cards must come from the same set (reprints are allowed) and:
- Exactly 2 mythic rare / rare – not more than 1 of any individual mythic rare / rare
- Exactly 6 uncommon – not more than 2 of any individual uncommon
- ∞ Common – not more than 4 of any individual common, except for basic lands
- Up to 8 cards in the sideboard, if used

Additional rules
- Archive Rule
- Strixhaven: School of Mages (STX) and Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA) are treated as though they are one set for Primordial. Cards from STA may be included in a STX deck at their printed rarity in STA. This rule is also true for The Brother’s War (BRO) and The Brothers’ War Retro Artifacts (BRR). As of this message, the rule is only true of the previously mentioned sets. This rule is not true for sets such as Kaladesh Inventions (MPS) or Amonkhet Invocations (MP2).
- Basic lands:
- Cards rarity:
- The rarity of the cards depends on the set of your deck.
- The rarity of Timeshifted cards depends on their original set (
Arena is considered as rare).
- Cards saying, “a deck can have any number of cards named […]”:
- Well, as it is written above… a deck can have any number of these cards (no matter their rarity).
- Cards that explicitly refer to another card from another set:
- These cards can be played together, as if they were from the same set (e.g.:
Gate to the Afterlife explicitly refers to
God-Pharaoh’s Gift).
- These cards can be played together, as if they were from the same set (e.g.:
- Wishing, Learning, and Companion Rarity Rule
- No rare or mythic rare can be brought into a game from outside the game. This means that players cannot “Wish” or use the Learn ability to choose rare or mythic rare cards from their sideboard, and Companions cannot be brought in by paying for their ability. Players are still able to sideboard in rares or mythic rares in between games during a match, so long as their deck meets the rarity restrictions afterwards.
- Sideboard:
- Your sideboard may only contain cards printed in the set of your deck, in any number of copies (e.g.: if you’re playing a Throne of Eldraine deck, it may contain 8
Oko, Thief of Crowns). However, your deck must still be compliant with the Primordial deck-building rules after swapping (2 mythic rare / rare, etc.). This is meant to be for wish players (e.g.:
Fae of Wishes // Granted).
- Your sideboard may only contain cards printed in the set of your deck, in any number of copies (e.g.: if you’re playing a Throne of Eldraine deck, it may contain 8
Multiplayer
- Primordial is using the free-for-all Commander system for its multiplayer mode. In other words, your deck must still be compliant with the Primordial format deck-building rules (no commander, 1 set, 40 cards minimum, etc.) and your games should look like this:
- 2-6 players
- Free-for-all multiplayer format
- Start with 20 life
- Take turns in clockwise order
- Last player standing wins
- Also, as it used to be stated in the Official Commander Rules: “House rules or ‘fair play’ exceptions are always encouraged if they result in more fun for the local community”.
Banned cards
- Any card referencing “ante”
- Cards whose art, text, name, or combination thereof that are racially or culturally offensive
Ancient Den
Chaos Orb
Falling Star
Great Furnace
Seat of the Synod
Shahrazad
Tree of Tales
Vault of Whispers
Zenith Flare
Run Away Together
Ardent Electromancer
Legal sets
- Main sets (usually called “Standard” sets)
- The Brothers’ War
- Dominaria United
- Streets of New Capenna
- Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
- Innistrad Crimson Vow
- Innistrad: Midnight Hunt
- Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
- Strixhaven: School of Mages
- Kaldheim
- Zendikar Rising
- Core Set 2021
- Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
- Theros Beyond Death
- Throne of Eldraine
- Core Set 2020
- War of the Spark
- Ravnica Allegiance
- Guilds of Ravnica
- Core Set 2019
- Dominaria
- Rivals of Ixalan
- Ixalan
- Hour of Devastation
- Amonkhet
- Aether Revolt
- Kaladesh
- Eldritch Moon
- Shadows over Innistrad
- Oath of the Gatewatch
- Battle For Zendikar
- Magic Origins
- Dragons of Tarkir
- Fate Reforged
- Khans of Tarkir
- Magic 2015 Core Set
- Journey into Nyx
- Born of the Gods
- Theros
- Magic 2014 Core Set
- Dragon’s Maze
- Gatecrash
- Return to Ravnica
- Magic 2013 Core Set
- Avacyn Restored
- Dark Ascension
- Innistrad
- Magic 2012 Core Set
- New Phyrexia
- Mirrodin Besieged
- Scars of Mirrodin
- Magic 2011 Core Set
- Rise of the Eldrazi
- Worldwake
- Zendikar
- Magic 2010 Core Set
- Alara Reborn
- Conflux
- Shards of Alara
- Eventide
- Shadowmoor
- Morningtide
- Lorwyn
- Core Set Tenth Edition
- Future Sight
- Planar Chaos
- Time Spiral
- Coldsnap
- Dissension
- Guildpact
- Ravnica: City of Guilds
- Core Set Ninth Edition
- Saviors of Kamigawa
- Betrayers of Kamigawa
- Champions of Kamigawa
- Fifth Dawn
- Darksteel
- Mirrodin
- Core Set Eighth Edition
- Scourge
- Legions
- Onslaught
- Judgment
- Torment
- Odyssey
- Apocalypse
- Core Set Seventh Edition
- Planeshift
- Invasion
- Prophecy
- Nemesis
- Mercadian Masques
- Classic Sixth Edition
- Urza’s Destiny
- Urza’s Legacy
- Urza’s Saga
- Exodus
- Stronghold
- Tempest
- Fifth Edition
- Visions
- Weatherlight
- Mirage
- Alliances
- Homelands
- Ice Age
- Fourth Edition
- Fallen Empires
- The Dark
- Legends
- Revised Edition
- Antiquities
- Arabian Night
- Unlimited
- Beta
- Additional sets
Rules version: 3.2