TLR Overview

Overview

Ban List

Rules FAQ

Brief History

The Committee

What is Tiny Leaders: Reborn?

Tiny Leaders: Reborn (TLR) is a fan-created Magic: The Gathering format designed for one-on-one play. It's a singleton format, inspired by Commander, but with a unique compact structure that emphasizes strategic deck-building, interactive gameplay, and diverse strategies.

Key Rules

  • 1v1 Play: Intended for one-on-one games.

  • 3 Mana Value Restriction*: Every card must have a mana value of 3 or less.

  • Commander Requirement: A legendary creature or planeswalker must be designated as a commander.

  • Deck Size: Exactly 50 cards, including commander(s).

  • Sideboard: No more than 10 cards.

  • Singleton: Every card (except basic lands) must have a different English name.

  • Starting Life Total: Each player begins with 20 life.

*The Rule of 3: TLR evaluates cards differently than standard Magic. For multi-part cards (Adventures, Split Cards, MDFCs), every face or spell on the card must independently meet the MV 3 limit. Read the full technical breakdown here.

Additional Rules

  • Color Identity: All cards in your deck must fit within the color identity of your commander(s). Identity includes mana symbols in the cost and rules text, plus any color indicators.

  • Commander Tax: {2} for each previous time cast from the command zone.

  • Commander Movement: May move to command zone from graveyard or exile as a state-based action.

  • Forced Mulligan: With multiple commanders, draw 7 and put one on the bottom. Counts as the first mulligan.

  • Wish Effects: May only choose cards from the sideboard.

The Philosophy of Tiny Leaders: Reborn

The Format and Play Experience of Tiny Leaders: Reborn is built upon several key principles:

  • Metagame Diversity: A healthy format supports a variety of viable decks and strategies, avoiding excessive dominance by any single archetype.

  • Competitive Balance: While power levels will vary, the format should remain balanced enough that no strategy is overwhelmingly superior.

  • Counterplay & Interaction: Decks should have meaningful ways to interact with opponents, preventing non-games where one player has little agency.

  • Format Identity: Tiny Leaders: Reborn retains its unique playstyle by adhering to its structural rules, such as 3 MV or lower commanders and 50-card decks, while evolving naturally over time.

  • Player Engagement & Enjoyment: The format should be fun, rewarding to play, and accessible to a broad audience, from casual to competitive players, but leans competitively.

Although Tiny Leaders: Reborn is a competitive 1v1 format, its unique constraints offer plenty of different ways to enjoy the game. The defining rules encourage players to construct decks with cards that are "off the beaten path," leading to quirky interactions where winning might not always be the sole purpose. It truly does have something for every type of player.

View Official Rules Documents and FAQ