Wizards Unbans Five Cards, Commander Banlist Now 85 Strong

Wizards of the Coast moved the Commander format through a notable set of changes this year, culminating in a December 1 count of 85 banned cards. On April 22, 2025 the company unbanned five cards, removing Gifts Ungiven, Sway of the Stars, Braids, Cabal Minion, Coalition Victory, and Panoptic Mirror from the banned list. No new bans accompanied that update, but the unbannings were presented as a consequential moment for the format.

The full Commander banlist includes many of the format's most impactful and controversial cards. Among the entries are Ancestral Recall, Balance, Biorhythm, Black Lotus, Channel, Chaos Orb, Dockside Extortionist, Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, Erayo, Soratami Ascendant, Falling Star, Fastbond, Flash, Golos, Tireless Pilgrim, Griselbrand, Hullbreacher, Iona, Shield of Emeria, Jeweled Lotus, Karakas, Leovold, Emissary of Trest, Library of Alexandria, Limited Resources, Lutri, the Spellchaser, Mana Crypt, the Moxen, Nadu, Winged Wisdom, Paradox Engine, Primeval Titan, Prophet of Kruphix, Recurring Nightmare, Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary, Shahrazad, Sundering Titan, Sylvan Primordial, Time Vault, Time Walk, Tinker, Tolarian Academy, Trade Secrets, Upheaval, and Yawgmoth's Bargain. The list also contains Conspiracy cards, Ante cards, and cards banned for offensive content, reflecting multiple reasons a card may be excluded from sanctioned Commander play.

Alongside specific card rulings, Wizards rolled out a Game Changers list and a system of Commander play brackets that reframe how groups and events classify games. The brackets are Exhibition, Core, Upgraded, Optimized, and CEDH. Game Changers entries have been added and removed as Wizards refines the list, and those entries influence how organizers and stores present product recommendations and event expectations.

Verify your deck lists against the current banlist, remove any prohibited cards, and discuss with your play group which bracket you use for events and kitchen table play. For tournament organizers, update event rules and prize structures if you base them on bracket distinctions. The changes shape both casual pods and competitive scenes, and keeping lists current will avoid awkward rulings and ensure smoother play.