Heirloom Format

  • Inspired by the MTGO budget format Heirloom but with paper price limits

  • Minimum deck size: 60 cards

  • No more than 4 copies of any card, except basic lands

  • Cards can be of any rarity

  • The legal card pool rotates a month after each Standard set release based on card price thresholds checked on Scryfall with the following search:

f:vintage ((rarity:c and eur<=0.1) or (rarity:u and eur<=0.2) or ((rarity:r or rarity:m) and eur<=0.3)) and tix<=0.05

  • Common cards under 0.1 EUR/0.05 tix

  • Uncommon cards under 0.2 EUR/0.1 tix

  • Rare cards under 0.3 EUR/0.2 tix

  • Mythic cards under 0.6 EUR/0.5 tix

  • Very low barrier to entry with decks costing less than $10, unlike Pauper where some “budget” decks still cost $60+

  • If the format was popular enough to influence card prices, rotations would ban the most used cards, preventing the metagame from becoming stagnant

  • Lets you play with cards that are bad in other formats but become viable here

  • Encourages creativity in deckbuilding with quirky card choices

  • Games decided by wits and luck rather than coin

I’m excited to hear your ideas for cheap MTG formats!

  • AngrilyEatingMuffins
    3•8 months ago

    No cards with text allowed. Only vanilla creatures.

    On a more serious note I came up with a format I call “Merchant,” which is a team sealed event but both teams put up whatever cards they’re willing to trade. Could add a fun political aspect while keeping the games “pure.” Also would make decks stronger and there’s a strategic aspect to what you show in the trade pool, and what you’ll allow to go to the other team. Haven’t been able to actually put together a go at it, yet, though.