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One release, two legality dates

The question before a Commander night is not simply whether a card came from Mystery Booster Commander Edition. It is whether that particular card is legal for the format on the date you intend to play it.

Wizards of the Coast lists November 13, 2026, as the Commander legality date for new-to-Magic MBC cards, with January 1, 2027, applying to their entry into other Eternal formats. Reprints can already be legal where their existing versions are permitted. Playtest cards and cards with an acorn stamp are excluded from Constructed legality.

That gives readers a practical sorting task: identify the card, distinguish a reprint from a new addition, check for the relevant stamp, and then consult the appropriate format date. A single release label cannot replace those checks. A preview article can show what exists without proving what belongs in tonight’s deck.

For a group choosing house rules, the useful conversation is therefore specific: name the exception and agree on it before play. That keeps an informal table agreement separate from a claim about official format legality.