Magic: The Gathering Oathbreaker mode officially recognized - Rules, format, deck requirements, and more

Wizards of the Coast have officially added Oathbreaker as a legitimate Magic: The Gathering format. Originally developed by the team behind WeirdCards, it ultimately grew into having its own active subreddit and community with several members that actively play it. The developers often conduct MTG events to raise money for charity and even created the MagiKids charity.

In a recent update from Wizards, Magic: The Gathering has officially announced that it has been added as a legitimate game format, alongside Standard, Modern, Legacy, Commander, and much more. If you’re looking to learn more about this format, look no further.

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What is the Oathbreaker format for Magic: The Gathering?

Oathbreaker will feel quite similar to Commander for many fans of Magic: The Gathering. The new format is a Singleton gameplay mode (1 of each card) and is essentially built around the notion of having a deckleader. Unlike Commander, your deck leader must be a planeswalker. Here's a short list of requirements for an Oathbreaker deck.

Oathbreaker deck requirements

• 58-card deck - no copies of any card but basic lands
• Deck must match the color identity of your “Oathbreaker”
• “Oathbreaker” is a planeswalker
• You must also choose a “signature spell” for that planeswalker, that matches the color identity

The Oathbreaker format is a shorter form of Commander in Magic: The Gathering. According to the mode's developers, it was a simple format that they could use during lunch breaks without running out of time.

Designed for the multiplayer experience, players start off with 20 life and begin with their planeswalker and their signature spell in the Command Zone. You can cast your planeswalker from the Command Zone for the normal cost, plus 2 colorless for each time you’ve cast it in the game.

This is quite similar to Commander considering the fact that when that planeswalker is defeated, you return it to the Command Zone. Your Signature Spell works in a similar way. You must cast it from the Command Zone for its cost, plus 2 mana for each time that you’ve cast it.

When that spell resolves, instead of going anywhere else, it returns to your Command Zone. This guarantees access to the Magic: The Gathering spell at all times throughout a game. Furthermore, you can cast spells on anyone (unless it specifies “You”) and attack any player without restriction.

Like all Magic: The Gathering modes, the game ends when all other players have been defeated. Oathbreaker is essentially a shortened version of of Commander since you follow all of the same rules. Interestingly, this particular mode does have some banned cards.

All “Conspiracy” cards are banned, as are any cards that require you to “play with ante.” Silver-bordered cards have been similarly banned as well. Interested readers can check out the more targeted ban list below:

Banned cards

• Ad Nauseam
• Ancestral Recall
• Balance
• Biorhythm
• Black Lotus
• Channel
• Chaos Orb
• Cleanse
• Crusade
• Dark Ritual
• Doomsday
• Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
• Expropriate
• Falling Star
• Fastbond
• Gifts Ungiven
• Griselbrand
• High Tide
• Imprison
• Invoke Prejudice
• Jihad
• Jeweled Lotus
• Library of Alexandria
• Limited Resources
• Lion's Eye Diamond
• Mana Crypt
• Mana Geyser
• Mana Vault
• Mox Emerald
• Mox Jet
• Mox Pearl
• Mox Ruby
• Mox Sapphire
• Natural Order
• Painter's Servant
• Pradesh Gypsies
• Primal Surge
• Saheeli, the Gifted
• Shahrazad
• Sol Ring
• Stone-Throwing Devils
• Sundering Titan
• Sylvan Primordial
• Time Vault
• Time Walk
• Tinker
• Tolarian Academy
• Tooth and Nail
• Trade Secrets
• Upheaval
• Yawgmoth's Bargain

Although this game mode has existed in Magic: The Gathering for quite some time now, it’s good that it has finally received official support as a legitimate play format. If you’re looking to try a new way to play MTG, why not try Oathbreaker?