Commander, Standard: which formats to start playing Magic?

Commander and Standard are two very different formats: Commander is played with 100-card singleton decks (no duplicates allowed) built around a "commander" card, designed for longer multiplayer games, while Standard is a faster competitive format limited to the most recent sets, where multiple copies of the same card are allowed.

The Commander format

Commander (also called EDH) is today the most-played format for casual games. Each deck contains exactly 100 cards, with no duplicates (except basic lands), and is built around a legendary card called the "commander," which determines the colors allowed in the deck. It's a format designed for multiplayer games, often longer and more strategic.

The Standard format

Standard is a competitive format where only recently released sets are legal (older ones "rotate out" over time). Unlike Commander, you can play multiple copies of the same card (usually up to 4). It's the go-to format for competitive one-on-one tournaments.

Which format should you start with?

If you're mainly looking to play with friends without worrying too much about competitiveness, Commander is the most accessible format: many pre-built decks exist and are ready to play right out of the box. If you're aiming for one-on-one competition instead, the Standard format requires building a more optimized list from recent single cards.

Where to find your cards?

Nexus Cards TCG offers ready-to-play Commander decks, as well as a large catalog of single Magic cards to build or round out your deck, whichever format you're aiming for.