If you’ve ever asked, “Okay but… are proxies allowed tonight?” you’re not alone.
The problem is that players use proxy to mean everything from “Sharpie on a basic land” to “a near-perfect fake,” and people use FNM to mean everything from “official store event with pairings” to “four friends in a back room playing Commander.”
So let’s put the important word under a microscope: sanctioned. Because once you know whether an event is sanctioned, the proxy question becomes way less mysterious.
TLDR
- If an event is Wizards-sanctioned, you must use authentic Magic cards. Your personal proxies/playtest cards aren’t legal.
- The only proxies allowed in sanctioned play are judge-issued proxies, and only in narrow situations (usually damage during the event).
- “But it’s just FNM” is not a loophole. If it’s being run as an official, reported event, it follows tournament rules.
- If it’s unsanctioned casual play, it’s up to the organizer/table—ask first, be chill, and come prepared with a backup plan.
What “sanctioned” means in MTG
In Magic: The Gathering, sanctioned basically means the event is being run as official organized play under Wizards of the Coast / the Wizards Play Network system.
In practical terms, sanctioned events usually have some combination of:
- Official scheduling/reporting (often via Wizards tools)
- Pairings/rounds (even if it’s “casual REL”)
- An organizer and (for sanctioned tournaments) a Head Judge structure
- A rules framework that points to the Magic Tournament Rules as the governing document
If you see official pairings, standings, match slips, or “this is being reported,” you’re very likely in sanctioned territory.
And yes: Friday Night Magic is often run as sanctioned organized play.
Why sanctioned status controls proxy legality
Here’s the core idea:
Sanctioned = tournament policy applies.
Tournament policy includes what cards you can put in your deck.
In sanctioned events, deck legality isn’t just “whatever the store vibe is.” It’s “what the tournament rules say is allowed.” And tournament rules are extremely specific about what counts as a proxy and who can create one.
What a “proxy” means in official tournament policy
Players often say “proxy” when they mean “playtest card.” Tournament policy does not.
In the Magic Tournament Rules, a proxy is a very specific tool: a judge-issued replacement for an otherwise legal card that can’t be used without marking the deck (most commonly because it got damaged during the event). The rules even spell out that:
- The card has to meet specific criteria (damage/wear during the event, certain foil-only edge cases)
- Players may not create their own proxies
- The proxy must be created by the Head Judge
- It’s valid only for that tournament
So your printed stand-in (even if you own the real card at home) is still not a tournament-legal “proxy” in the policy sense. It’s just an unauthorized card.
Also important: Wizards Play Network terms explicitly distinguish:
- Proxy cards (judge-issued, only as described in the Tournament Rules)
- Playtest cards (typically basic land + marker name) allowed only for non-commercial use in unsanctioned events
That distinction matters because it tells you what stores are supposed to allow when they’re operating as a WPN store.
The quick decision tree: sanctioned or not?
Use this when you’re standing at the counter with your deck box and the creeping fear of social awkwardness.
Step 1: Is it being run like an official event?
Signs that strongly suggest sanctioned:
- You’re getting paired into rounds
- Results are recorded in a system
- You’re asked for a Wizards account/name for registration
- There are official prizes tied to placement
- It’s a branded program (FNM, Store Championship, RCQ, Prerelease, etc.)
If yes → assume sanctioned → no personal proxies.
Step 2: If it’s “Commander night,” is it still reported/official?
This is where the confusion lives.
Some Commander nights are truly casual: “show up, find a pod, play.”
Some are run as an official reported event with structure, promos, or tracking.
If it’s structured/reported → treat it like sanctioned unless told otherwise.
Step 3: If it’s unsanctioned, what’s the house policy?
If it’s not official organized play, the organizer/table can choose to allow:
- playtest cards
- printed proxies
- alt-art stand-ins
But it’s still polite (and smart) to ask, because every store has different lines.
How to ask the organizer without making it weird
Here are two scripts you can literally copy-paste into real life.
Quick and normal
“Hey—quick question. Is tonight’s event Wizards-sanctioned/reported, or just casual? And are playtest/proxy cards allowed?”
The ultra-smooth backup-plan version
“Hey! Before we start: are proxies okay tonight? If not, totally fine—I’ve got another deck I can swap to.”
That second one is secretly OP. It signals you’re cooperative, not trying to rules-lawyer your way into something.
Common scenarios
1) FNM (Draft/Standard/Modern/Pioneer)
Most of the time: sanctioned. That means:
- No personal proxies
- The only proxies that exist in-policy are judge-issued for very specific problems mid-event
2) RCQs / competitive events / anything with serious prizing
Treat this as strictly sanctioned. If you bring personal proxies, you’re essentially asking for a judge call that ends in sadness.
3) Prerelease / Sealed / Draft
Also sanctioned when run as official events. The proxy rule is not “looser because Limited.” Judge-issued proxies can happen if something gets damaged or misprinted product causes an issue, but that’s not permission to bring your own stand-ins.
4) Commander night at an LGS
This is the biggest “it depends.”
- If it’s just pods firing casually, it might be unsanctioned and proxies might be allowed.
- If it’s reported/structured (sign-ups, promos, standings, tracking), assume sanctioned unless the organizer explicitly says otherwise.
5) “It’s casual REL, so proxies are fine, right?”
Nope. REL changes enforcement/penalties and the vibe, not the definition of tournament-legal deck contents. Card legality still points back to tournament rules.
6) “I own the real card, my proxy is just standing in.”
In sanctioned events, ownership doesn’t matter. The deck has to contain legal game cards (with the narrow judge-issued exception).
7) “What if my card gets damaged during the event?”
That’s one of the actual intended uses:
- The Head Judge may issue a proxy for the damaged card (or apply other remedies depending on the situation).
This is exactly why judge-issued proxies exist: to let the event continue fairly when real life happens.
FAQ
Are proxies allowed at FNM?
If FNM is being run as a sanctioned/reported event (very common), no—not your personal proxies. Only judge-issued proxies in narrow cases.
Are proxies allowed in sanctioned Commander events?
Same answer: if it’s sanctioned, your deck needs authentic cards. If it’s unsanctioned casual Commander, it’s up to the organizer/pod.
What about “playtest cards” (Sharpie on a basic land)?
Tournament rules still treat player-made substitutes as not allowed in sanctioned events. WPN terms explicitly say playtest cards are for unsanctioned events only.
What about double-faced cards and checklist cards?
Those are handled through official substitute/checklist cards and sleeve requirements—different category than proxies.
What about custom tokens?
Tokens are generally more flexible because they’re game objects you can represent clearly. The rules even acknowledge that Wizards pack-in extras (like tokens) aren’t required and players can use clear representations. Deck cards are where the strictness lives.
If a store says “we allow proxies,” should I trust that?
If it’s unsanctioned casual play: sure, that’s their call.
If it’s sanctioned/reported: understand there can be a gap between what’s officially allowed and what gets casually tolerated. If you care about avoiding a problem, ask the key question: “Is this sanctioned/reported?”