MTG Introduces “Purge Day”, Where Any and All Cards Will Be Legal For 12 Continuous Hours

Last updated on August 1, 2026

Jace, the Mind Sculptor (sort of) | Illustration by Jason Chan

This is a fictional piece of satire; the characters and situations described are not meant to be taken literally. Just have fun with it, folks!

Mark your calendars: There's a Purge coming. At a predetermined time early next year, Wizards of the Coast will be enstating a 12-hour Purge of all format banlists. During that timeframe, all cards will become legal between 6:00pm-6:00am PST. Get your Nadu, Winged Wisdom now, before it's too late.

What's Going to Be Unbanned?

Angelic Purge | Illustration by Zezhou Chen

Everything will be legal for 12 continuous hours, regardless of format. Just to give you an idea of what that means, consider these possibilities, and prepare accordingly:

• Stickers and attractions will be made legal in Legacy once again.
• Chaos Orb will be unbanned during this period.
• Contract from Below and ante will be legal in all formats where ante is typically banned.
• Everything with mana value 4 or greater will be unleashed upon Tiny Leaders.
• The Fantasticar will be legalized in Vintage and Legacy. Oh wait, it already is. Disregard.
• Griselbrand and Doomsday will be a temporary command zone duo in Oathbreaker.
• Universes Beyond cards will be legal in Planar Standard.
• All the broken Simic 3-drops will be playable again. All of them.
• Purge wasn't banned anywhere but here's your reminder that it exists.

Where Can You Hide While the Purge Is Happening?

Some MTG players might be more inclined to stay out of harm's way rather than participate in the Purge directly. We recommend spending a few days prior to the event scoping out safe places where active Purgers can't reach you. Here are some survival tips that'll help you escape Purge day unharmed:

• Try not to log into MTG Arena for the day. Your daily challenges are not worth having to play against Screaming Nemesis again.
• Avoid your LGS at all costs during this period. Expect any and every local game store to be especially sweaty. If you work at an LGS that'll be open during Purging hours, consider calling in sick.
• Avoid unnecessary eye contact. If a trainer meets eyes with you, you are obligated to play.

Where Can I Find Help During This Period of Time?

Be warned that all emergency Magic services will be completely shut down during this time. This includes but is not limited to:

• Judge calls: Remember that judges will likely be participating in the Purge themselves, and therefore will not be expected to help.
• Round timers: There will be no mandated time tracking for tournaments, official or otherwise.
• The Draftsim Draft Simulator: The simulator will be temporarily replaced by Finals footage of Stanislav Cifka's “Eggs” deck from Pro Tour Return to Ravnica, which should last about the entirety of the duration of the Purge.

What Happens If a Shahrazad Subgame Is Still Going When Purging Ends?

An exception will be made for anyone currently in a Shahrazad subgame when the Purge period ends, though it is highly recommended that players play faster once the 6:00am deadline draws near.

Will There Be Repercussions for Anyone Who Participates in Purging?

Yes, every Purger will receive a foil date-stamped promo version of Repercussion with art by Dan Frazier.