This page provides details on the types of events available to join in Magic Online.

For more information on the types of game formats available (Standard, Momir Basic, Commander 1v1, etc.) as well as banned and restricted lists, visit this page.

For a how-to guide for assembling you Draft or Sealed deck, or for gameplay interface details, visit the Basic Client page. Advanced gameplay information can be found on this page.

Introduction to Events

Organized tournaments on Magic Online are divided into three types: Leagues, Queues and Scheduled Events. These tournaments require you to provide an entry option in exchange for the chance to win prizes. In addition, there are Constructed events, which require you to build a deck from cards in your collection and battle against other players who have done the same, or Limited events (Draft or Sealed Deck), where each player is provided a pool of cards from which to build a deck.

The most common options to enter these events are a combination of Event Tickets and Booster Packs (which can be purchased in the Store or obtained via trade from other players), Event Tickets alone, or some number of Play Points (untradeable items that can only be earned by doing well in events). You will only be able to select entry options for which you have all the requisite product.

The most common prizes from events include Booster Packs, Play Points, Treasure Chests and Qualifier Points for the Magic Online Championship Series. Some high-level events also offer invitations to the Pro Tour.

Some events are labeled as Phantom – they allow you to enjoy a play experience with the cards, but those cards are not added to your collection at the end of the event. If you want to play in events that build your collection, make sure you don’t select Phantom events.

There are two predominant event structures on Magic Online – Swiss and Single Elimination

• Swiss events allow players to compete in all rounds. Each round’s pairings are generally based on record. In League play, you’re matched up with an opponent with a similar record whenever one is available.
• Single Elimination tournaments only permit each match’s winner to advance to the next round.

Unlike Open Play matches, watchers are never permitted in Events.

Prizes for Scheduled Events and Queues are awarded by the system when the event is fully complete (after the playoff, if applicable). Prizes for Leagues are awarded at the end of each stage (for multi-stage Leagues) and at the end of the League course.

Note: It is each player’s responsibility to ensure their local region allows them to earn prizes from events and set the correct Prize Eligibility in Account -> Policy Agreements in Magic Online. Please review the Magic Online Prize Eligibility information for details.

Leagues

Magic Online’s Leagues are designed to work with your schedule – letting you play up to a number of matches over the course of several days or weeks and then awarding prizes based on the number of wins you’ve earned.

To join a League, start in the Play Lobby, then choose Constructed or Limited as appropriate, then choose any event marked as a League.

There are several different classifications of League:

• Friendly Leagues are designed for newer or casual players and feature a flat prize structure – more players receive prizes.
• Intermediate Leagues are designed to appeal to players of all skill levels and are our most popular events.
• Competitive Leagues are designed for the more experienced player and feature a top-heavy prize structure – greater rewards for top finishers.

Hover your cursor over the League you would like to enter, then click the Details button on the right side of the screen – this opens the League Details window.

Most Leagues contain a single stage of matches. However, the Friendly Sealed League contains three stages of competition – after each stage, you can optionally add a booster to your Sealed pool to allow new options in deckbuilding.

While Leagues can last weeks or even months, they will eventually come to an end when new releases arrive. The amount of time available to finish a League course is found in two places: directly above the Join League button as well as on the left side of the League Details window. The deadline to begin a new course of a League is shown under League Closes, and no new matches can begin after the League Ends time. Before you join a league, make sure you have enough time to finish the matches in your League course.

Players who finish their course without a loss earn a trophy and are displayed in the League Champions section. You can filter these results for players on your buddy list or in your clan, or search for specific players in the search bar to the left of the leaderboard. Clicking the Undefeated Decks button links you to a sampling of undefeated decklists from Competitive Constructed Leagues and high-level tournaments.

Starting a League Course

For Constructed Leagues, ensure your deck in its proper configuration (main deck, sideboard and quantities) in the Collection scene before clicking Join League. You can verify this on the right-side of the Play Lobby. After that, clicking the entry option you wish to use will enter you into the League. No adjustments are permitted to the contents of the deck once the League begins.

Tip: Cards that you are using in the deck of an active event are locked in your Collection and cannot be traded until the League course completes. You’ll need to finish your event before you can make a trade with those cards.

For Sealed Leagues, your Sealed pool will open immediately after submitting your entry option.

For Draft Leagues, you’ll immediately join a queue of players waiting to draft. If you find you don’t have time to draft right away after joining, you can leave the queue before it fills. Once you’re ready, click Join Draft Queue to await a new draft pod.

Tip: Be sure to see the Limited Event Play section of the Basic Client page for the mechanics of creating your Limited deck. Also, remember that once you have your card pool, deckbuilding is not timed and you can take as long as you need.

To begin a League match, click the Play League Match button. The game will seek out an opponent with the same or similar record as you have. Once the opponent has been found, the game begins immediately.

Saving a League Course

It is not necessary to play all matches of a League course in one play session – closing Magic Online will not drop you from your active Leagues. To save your League progress to play again another time, close the League Details window while you are between matches.

Don’t forget to return to the League before its End date shown on the League Details window.

Scheduled Events

Scheduled Events have specific start times and generally feature the highest level of competition available on Magic Online. Generally, they are structured in the same way as a tabletop Magic: The Gathering tournament – several Swiss rounds based on attendance, followed by a single-elimination playoff among the Top 8 finishers. Alternatively, some events offer a fixed number of rounds and no playoff.

Click Constructed, then select your preferred format on the left of the Play Lobby. If you prefer Sealed Deck events, click Limited at the top, then Premier Events.

Look for events with a gold border near the top of the list. The highest-level events also appear in the Featured Tournaments pane.

To join a Scheduled Event, click the event you would like to enter, then click on your preferred entry option. Then:

• For Limited Events, after clicking your preferred entry option and joining the event, you just need to be at your computer when the event starts.
• For Constructed Events, ensure your deck in its proper configuration (main deck, sideboard and quantities) in the Collection scene and again in the Play Lobby before clicking the entry option.
• You must complete joining the event before the timer hits 00:00 or risk not being able to participate in the event.

Tip: You can enter Scheduled Events well before the event begins. These events have a player cap, so entering early can ensure that you will be able to play. Closing the main client window won’t remove you from the event. Just make sure your back at your computer and logged in to Magic Online before the event starts.

Note: In a Constructed event, your deck’s configuration is locked once you have joined. Subsequent changes made in the Collection will not be reflected in the deck you’ve registered for the event.

For more information about Limited deckbuilding, please see the Basic Client page.

The number of Swiss rounds in a Scheduled Event is generally determined by the number of players that initially entered that event (be sure to review the Event Details in case the number of rounds is instead a fixed number):

Event Details Window and Playoffs

Unlike Leagues, each round of a Scheduled Event ends as soon as the last match is completed. The Event Details screen tracks how many matches remain, and which players are involved (highlighted in yellow). While a round is in progress, the standings entering the current round are shown. Players are listed in order of tiebreakers. Standings aren’t updated until all matches in a round are finished.

There is a two-minute break between each round, as well as a two-minute break between the Swiss rounds and the start of the Top 8 playoff.

Pairings for Top 8 playoffs are determined as follows:

• For Constructed: #1 seed vs. #8 and #4 vs. #5 in one bracket; #3 vs. #6 and #2 vs. #7 in the other
• For Limited: Players are seated in order of Swiss finish, then play across the pod - #1 seed vs. #5 and #3 vs. #7 in one bracket; #2 vs. #6 and #4 vs. #8 in the other.
• A die roll determines the first player in all matches

Players in Premier events have three minutes to make their first pick of each Top 8 draft pack.

Queues

Queues are events that start immediately when enough players have joined.

2-Player events are single matches won by the first player to reach two game wins in the allotted time. Generally, 2-Player Queues are reserved for Constructed play.

8-Player events are three-round events that begin when eight players have entered the queue. Each match is won by the first player to reach two game wins in the allotted time. Generally, 8-Player Queues are reserved for Limited play.

• When Cube events are available, a Single Elimination Queue is generally offered.

Clicking the appropriate format under Constructed or Draft under Limited will provide options to join a Queue event.

To join a Queue, click the event you would like to enter, then:

• For Limited Events, click your entry option. As long as the event is not full, that’s all you need to do. The event will start when the appropriate number of players have joined.
• For Constructed Events, ensure your deck in its proper configuration (main deck, sideboard and quantities) in the Collection scene and also in the right side of the Play Lobby before clicking the entry option.

For more information about Limited deckbuilding, please see the Basic Client page.

Like Scheduled Events, each round of a three-round Queue event ends as soon as the last match is completed. The Event Details screen tracks how many matches remain, and which players are involved (highlighted in yellow). There is a two-minute break between each round. For Single Elimination queues, eliminated players will be greyed out in the standings display.

Leave or Drop from a Tournament

If an event has not yet begun, including Constructed Leagues where you have not yet played a match and Draft Leagues where you have not yet drafted, you can leave it without penalty.

IMPORTANT: If the event has already begun, you will not have your entry option returned should you drop out.

To drop from an League:

• Open the League Details window.
• Click the Drop From League button in the upper-right corner of that window to open a confirmation dialog box.
• Type DROP in the box provided, then click OK.

To drop from a Scheduled Event or Queue:

• Open the Event Details window.
• Click the X button in the upper-right corner of that window (as if closing that window) to open a confirmation dialog box.
• Type DROP in the box provided, then click OK.
  • For a free-entry event, click the Leave Event button.

Tip: Closing the main Magic Online window will not automatically drop you from Scheduled Events or Queues in progress.

Magic Online Game Formats

Here are links to the different deck construction guidelines for each format available in the game:

Constructed

Standard
Modern
Legacy
Vintage
Pauper
Commander
Brawl
Commander 1v1
Momir Basic
Freeform & Freeform Vanguard
Planechase

Limited

Sealed Deck
Booster Draft