By Wizards of the Coast is prohibiting an astonishing seven cards in Magic: The Gathering Standard as part of its mid-year banned and restricted update for 2025, preparing the format for a significant transformation. While one leading card heads the list, an additional six have been banned due to concerns of them assuming a similar role.
The principal transgressor being banned is Cori-Steel Cutter, a card that has become exceedingly prevalent in the Standard meta that Wizards asserts the card would satisfy the criteria for prohibition even outside its annual window for Standard. The card constituted the foundation of the Izzet Prowess deck, which has significantly dominated the metagame since Tarkir: Dragonstorm was launched in April, accounting for a remarkable 40% of Standard play at the recent Pro Tour MTG–Final Fantasy tournament.
Though Cori-Steel Cutter is an obvious choice for the ban list, Wizards clarifies that it aims to preempt another card from ascending and taking its position at the summit, which is why there are six additional cards joining it on the ban list.
Abuelo’s Awakening has been banned to temper the strength of the favored Azorius Omniscience deck, which captured a 20% share of the metagame at the Pro Tour event. Red aggressive decks are likewise facing a power check, with both Monstrous Rage and Heartfire Hero included on the ban list. Wizards mentions that it considered prohibiting only one of the two but ultimately concluded that both had to be removed to equalize aggressive decks.
Up The Beanstalk, which has been banned in Modern since 2023, is also making its way onto the Standard ban list. Wizards explains that the card is intricate to engage with, effectively eliminating several strategies from the meta for as long as it’s active. Hopeless Nightmare is also being eliminated in the interest of limiting the “least-fun” aspects of self-bounce decks. The final card on the ban list is another that contributed to the Izzet Prowess deck, This Town Ain’t Big Enough.
The wave of prohibitions comprises the once-per-year “early rotation” for Standard, which until now hadn’t seen any cards banned for over two years. The significant overhaul is part of Wizards’ objective to make the format as enjoyable to play as possible, bidding farewell to cards that have demonstrated their power and have now become tedious.
Wizards has recently transitioned to a three-year framework for Standard, stating that it is still learning how to adapt to that model with its broader pool of cards. The format will encounter two more early rotation ban windows before the forthcoming Standard rotation in early 2027.
Aside from Standard, only Magic: The Gathering Arena’s digital-only formats are undergoing alterations to their ban lists. Cori-Steel Cutter will be suspended from Alchemy awaiting a rebalance, while Tibalt’s Trickery will be banned from Pioneer Best-of-One, and Counterspell is reinstated in Historic.
Explore the complete list of bans and modifications below.
Banned and Restricted Announcement – June 30, 2025
Standard
Cori-Steel Cutter is banned.
Abuelo’s Awakening is banned.
Monstrous Rage is banned.
Heartfire Hero is banned.
Up the Beanstalk is banned.
Hopeless Nightmare is banned.
This Town Ain’t Big Enough is banned.
Pioneer
No modifications
Modern
No modifications
Legacy
No modifications
Vintage
No modifications
Pauper
No modifications
Alchemy
Cori-Steel Cutter is suspended (pending rebalance).
Pioneer Best-of-One on MTG Arena
Tibalt’s Trickery is banned.
Historic
Counterspell is reinstated.
Timeless
No modifications
Brawl
No modifications
Effective Date: June 30, 2025
Next Announcement Date: November 24, 2025
Recently, a Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy card fetched more than the average American’s income. The Golden Traveling Chocobo sold for an astonishing $40,000.
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