Standard is arguably the most popular and widely known MTG format, likely due to its dynamic and evolving gameplay. In it, you use a minimum 60-card deck with no more than four copies of any one card except basic lands from the most recently released sets, created with your wildest dreams in mind. Minus the banned cards, that is.
But what is Standard rotation, and why should you care? Well, read on, as I’ll answer both those questions and more below!
Standard Rotation Explained
Standard rotation is the rotation of cards in and out of Standard play. Regarding the schedule, it’s pretty straightforward: every fall, Wizards of the Coast rotates out the current sets of cards that can be used in Standard and replaces them with a handful of new sets.
Quick note, though: Standard skipped the 2023 rotation to move sets over to a 3-year rotation cycle instead of a 2-year cycle. More on that later.
Standard rotation allows newer players to access and use recently printed cards without worrying about acquiring all the old rares and expensive stuff. It also keeps the format fresh and exciting.
Understanding Standard rotation is also essential for managing your Magic: the Gathering collection so you know when to sell and when to buy. This is so you can determine which decks should demand the investment of your hard-earned cash or wildcards on MTGA.
Here are the sets currently in Standard, along with their release dates and rotation dates:
What’s in Standard: Current Sets
| Set Name | Release Date | Rotation Date |
|---|---|---|
| Innistrad: Midnight Hunt | September 24, 2021 | September 2024 |
| Innistrad: Crimson Vow | November 19, 2021 | September 2024 |
| Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty | February 18, 2022 | September 2024 |
| Streets of New Capenna | April 29, 2022 | September 2024 |
| Dominaria United | September 8, 2022 | September 2025 |
| The Brothers’ War | November 18, 2022 | September 2025 |
| Phyrexia: All Will Be One | February 10, 2023 | September 2025 |
| March of the Machine | April 21, 2023 | September 2025 |
| March of the Machine: The Aftermath | May 12, 2023 | September 2025 |
| Wilds of Eldraine | September 8, 2023 | September 2026 |
| The Lost Caverns of Ixalan | November 17, 2023 | September 2026 |
| Murders at Karlov Manor | February 9, 2024 | September 2026 |
The Newest Set
The newest MTG set for Standard is Murders at Karlov Manor, which was officially released on February 9, 2024.
The Next MTG Set
The next MTG set for Standard will be Outlaws at Thunder Junction, which is set to be released on April 19, 2024.
The Next Standard: Rotation in 2024
Here are the sets that will make up the 2024 Standard post-rotation all the way up to 2025’s rotation:
| Set Name | Release Date | Rotation Date |
|---|---|---|
| Dominaria United | September 8, 2022 | September 2025 |
| The Brothers’ War | November 18, 2022 | September 2025 |
| Phyrexia: All Will Be One | February 10, 2023 | September 2025 |
| March of the Machine | April 21, 2023 | September 2025 |
| March of the Machine: The Aftermath | May 12, 2023 | September 2025 |
| Wilds of Eldraine | September 8, 2023 | September 2026 |
| The Lost Caverns of Ixalan | November 2023 | September 2026 |
| Murders at Karlov Manor | February 2024 | September 2026 |
| Outlaws of Thunder Junction | Q2 2024 | September 2026 |
| Bloomburrrow | Q3 2024 | September 2027 |
| Duskmourn: House of Horror | Q4 2024 | September 2027 |
| “Tennis” | Q1 2025 | September 2027 |
| “Ultimate” | Q2 2025 | September 2027 |
Rotation in Alchemy
Alchemy used to rotate the same way that Standard does, but not since Standard switched to a 3-year cycle. The digital-only format will continue to rotate on a 2-year cycle every fall, which is a fancy way to say that Alchemy did not skip its 2023 rotation while Standard did.
2023 Standard Rotation Rules Change
Wizards announced a change to the Standard rotation cycle in May 2023. Sets rotate out every three years instead of every two as of the 2023 rotation cycle. But don’t panic! All that means is that there is no Standard rotation in 2023, so we can catch up, and the next rotation will happen in 2024. That’s it. I’m postponing rotation so that sets stay in Standard for one year longer.
This also means that we will have more sets in Standard between rotations. Instead of having nine sets in Standard before the next rotation (which would have been the case with a 2023 rotation), we’ll rather have a whopping 13 sets in Standard, maybe more if we see a repeat of mini-set The Aftermath when we get to 2024’s rotation. Wild.
How to Manage Your Collection for Standard Rotation
Confession Time: I’m a card collector. And not even in the cool “I have copies of all these awesome and rare cards” way. It’s almost borderline hoarding, where I buy cheap packs of cards from the dollar store whenever I see them because I don’t care what I get; I want more cards. It’s a weird obsession, and I’m not sure what it is about Magic cards that seem to trigger this in me because I’ve never collected anything else, and I wouldn’t say I like clutter.
That said, I know a thing about finance and trading, which is handy for managing MTG collections. Selling and buying are part of the game for most players, so knowing when to buy new cards and sets and when to sell your old cards is crucial.
Paper Magic
Right after rotation, most of the popular cards in Standard would have already started to see their value decrease. Their demand is mainly tied to their use and legality in this format.
There will be some exceptions, most notably cards that are prominent in Commander or Modern. Other things that affect the price of a card are reprints in new sets or being banned. The former is because reprints mean more of the card exists, so it’s easier to get a hold of, and the latter is because if the card is banned, then it can’t be used, so there isn’t much use in paying for it.
When it comes time to rotate, it’s best to sell your Standard staples before rotation happens. Prices don’t drop overnight; they usually start going down leading up to the rotation so that they won’t net you the highest price right before.
For cards that work in Commander or Modern, these sometimes see a slight dip in price right around rotation but usually rise back up to more than what they were valued at before. So it’s best to hold onto Commander and Modern staples to sell after rotation instead of before.
Arena
Managing your digital card collection is a lot simpler. You can’t sell your old cards, and the only way to get specific cards is by crafting them with wildcards, which you can buy outright, similar to singles like you can in paper Magic.
The sets and packs sold through the MTGA client by WotC are digital commodities, and, short of limited-time offers, there can be an infinite number sold, so supply and demand only factor in a little. You’ll have to settle for using the old cards in Historic or Timeless when Standard rotates.
The best way to manage your collection and keep your spending to a minimum in Arena is by participating in Drafts and events to win free packs and cards to bolster your collection. You can also watch for discounts and premium bundles in the store that offer a bunch of stuff for a cheaper total price than if you bought them individually. You can also get free cards and packs by redeeming promo codes.
Renewal Rewards and Events MTG Arena has a slew of special events and changes to their starter decks each year to help ease players’ transition into the new Standard format. This has become normal now, ensuring a smooth transition over each rotation.
MTGA Upcoming Renewal
Renewal includes gift you extra cards, packs from newer sets, and sleeves. Plus, the latest player decks get an overhaul to ensure they still work in Standard after rotation. If you already finished the new player experience, these are automatically added to your collection.
MTGA typically preps you for rotation by no longer handing out ICRs or hosting events of sets about to rotate out.
Impact of Rotation on Power Level
Standard is at its most powerful right before rotation, and its weakest after rotation.
Because new MTG sets are released throughout the year and Standard rotation happens in the fall, there’s a period right after previous sets are rotated out when fewer sets are available for use in Standard. More available sets and, thus, more available cards offer more opportunities for powerful combinations in deckbuilding.
With all of that said, I’m about ready to wrap this up in a nice little bow and call it done. Standard rotation is a simple concept, but it has some significant impacts on Standard play in MTG, both online and in paper Magic. There are many moving parts and lots to look forward to, with new sets released every season.