Tiny Leaders
A Magic: The Gathering format
A Magic: The Gathering format
The Tiny Leaders format was conceived in 2013 as a format for those who enjoy a challenge when deck building, and love EDH. The rules are simple- 50 card decks, including your "Commander", with no more than one of each card (a "Highlander" format), and no card shall exceed mana value 3.
About the Creators: The format was created by Charlotte Tackaberry* and Steven Hamonic**, of Winnipeg Manitoba. It spread quickly in the local community, then interest moved abroad and picked up massively- enough that we got a bit overwhelmed and had to take a hiatus and step back from the format. In the intervening years, we've had a lot of fun playing other formats (Steven is a big fan of Cube, Charlotte got into Modern & EDH). In 2024 the "Tiny Leaders Reborn" crew and Steven attempted to synchronize ban lists and rules, but after some disagreements on fundamentals, decided to stay independent of each other. Onto 2025 where the leadership team started to take steps back to helming the format! We're not saying we're back, but we sure aren't gone anymore!
Please direct any questions or concerns to Char or Steven- our contact information is listed in the footnotes.
Elder Dragon Highlander (a.k.a. Commander) Rules: a comprehensive list of the precursor format's rules can be found at http://mtgcommander.net/rules.php . The Tiny Leaders format ignores play rule 10: "If a player has been dealt 21 points of combat damage by a particular Commander during the game, that player loses a game." and changes play rule 13: "Players begin the game with 40 life." to "Players begin the game with 25 life."
Special Rules: Decks are constructed with 50 cards, each card must not contain mana symbols not present in their Commander's Colour Identity (ref. Rule 3, http://mtgcommander.net/rules.php) and every card should have a Mana Value of 3 or less.
About the Creators: The format was created by Charlotte Tackaberry* and Steven Hamonic**, of Winnipeg Manitoba. It spread quickly in the local community, then interest moved abroad and picked up massively- enough that we got a bit overwhelmed and had to take a hiatus and step back from the format. In the intervening years, we've had a lot of fun playing other formats (Steven is a big fan of Cube, Charlotte got into Modern & EDH). In 2024 the "Tiny Leaders Reborn" crew and Steven attempted to synchronize ban lists and rules, but after some disagreements on fundamentals, decided to stay independent of each other. Onto 2025 where the leadership team started to take steps back to helming the format! We're not saying we're back, but we sure aren't gone anymore!
Please direct any questions or concerns to Char or Steven- our contact information is listed in the footnotes.
Elder Dragon Highlander (a.k.a. Commander) Rules: a comprehensive list of the precursor format's rules can be found at http://mtgcommander.net/rules.php . The Tiny Leaders format ignores play rule 10: "If a player has been dealt 21 points of combat damage by a particular Commander during the game, that player loses a game." and changes play rule 13: "Players begin the game with 40 life." to "Players begin the game with 25 life."
Special Rules: Decks are constructed with 50 cards, each card must not contain mana symbols not present in their Commander's Colour Identity (ref. Rule 3, http://mtgcommander.net/rules.php) and every card should have a Mana Value of 3 or less.
Modal Double Faced Cards are only legal if: the front face and the back face would both independently be legal to play in your deck. This means that cards like: Rowan, Scholar of Sparks, Valki, God of Lies, and Blex, Vexing Pest are not legal in the format; while Plargg, Dean of Chaos is legal.
Tiny Leaders is presented to be a one on one format, with a best of three match, and 10 card sideboards. Sideboarding is done in between games. Your deck must remain 50 cards, and your commander may not change between games.
The Banned List: Our list is still undergoing changes, but the cards currently present are:
The Banned List: Our list is still undergoing changes, but the cards currently present are:
- Ancestral Recall
- Azlask, the Swelling Scourge
- Balance
- Black Lotus
- Black Vise
- Channel
- Counterbalance
- Demonic Tutor
- Earthcraft
- Edric, Spymaster of Trest
- Ezio Auditore da Firenze
- Fastbond
- Goblin Recruiter
- Grindstone
- Hermit Druid
- Imperial Seal
- Jenson Carthalion, Druid Exile
- Library of Alexandria
- Karakas
- Mana Crypt
- Mana Drain
- Mana Vault
- Metalworker
- Mind Twist
- Mishra's Workshop
- Mox Emerald, Jet, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire
- Necropotence
- Shahrazad
- Skullclamp
- Sol Ring
- Strip Mine
- Survival of the Fittest
- Sword of Body and Mind
- Tazri, Stalwart Survivor
- Time Vault
- Time Walk
- Timetwister
- Tolarian Academy
- Umezawa's Jitte
- Urtet, Remnant of Memnarch
- Vampiric Tutor
- Wheel of Fortune
- Yawgmoth's Will
- Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
- Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
- Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
Play Rules:
Opening hands- Tiny Leaders uses a modified version of the standard Opening Hand mechanic, where players will draw 7 cards and may choose to mulligan their hand, shuffling it back into their library and drawing a new set of 7 cards. Once a player has chosen to keep their hand, they put 1 card from the 7 on the bottom of their library for each mulligan they took AND 1 card on the bottom of their library for each card in their Command Zone beyond the first. [If you have a Partner, Background, or Companion, you will be starting with fewer cards in hand!]
There are no "free mulligans" in 1v1 Magic.
If a commander would be put into a graveyard from anywhere or exiled from anywhere (so long as it is face-up or a player can look at it face down,) it's owner may choose to put it in the command zone.
Each time you cast your commander, the next time you cast it from your command zone, it will cost (2) generic mana more to play.
*Charlotte Tackaberry: contact email charlottetackaberry@proton.me
**Steven Hamonic: contact email shamonic93@gmail.com
*Charlotte Tackaberry: contact email charlottetackaberry@proton.me
**Steven Hamonic: contact email shamonic93@gmail.com
