A History of Standard

This is meant to serve as a guide for what sets were in Standard together and when each rotated in/out, including any bans and restrictions that occurred during the process. Note that when a card rotates out, it is automatically unbanned and unrestricted. As such, if it is later reprinted in a future set, then it can be used once again, without restriction. For example, Darksteel Citadel, when first printed in Darksteel, was banned from Standard. When it was later reprinted in Magic 2015, it could be freely used again.

Fair Warning: Early Magic is weird as hell.

• Alpha is released.
• Beta is released.
• Unlimited is released.
• Arabian Nights is released.
• Contract from Below, Darkpact, Demonic Attorney, Jeweled Bird, and Shahrazad are banned.
• Ali from Cairo, Ancestral Recall, Berserk, Black Lotus, Braingeyser, Dingus Egg, Gauntlet of Might, Icy Manipulator, Mox Emerald, Mox Jet, Mox Pearl, Mox Ruby, Mox Sapphire, Orcish Oriflamme, Rukh Egg, Sol Ring, Timetwister, Time Vault, and Time Walk are restricted.
• Orcish Oriflamme and Rukh Egg are unrestricted.
• Antiquities is released.
• Bronze Tablet and Time Vault are banned.
• Channel, Copy Artifact, Demonic Tutor, Regrowth, and Wheel of Fortune are restricted.
• Icy Manipulator is unrestricted.
• Revised is released.
• Candelabra of Tawnos, Feldon's Cane, Ivory Tower, and Library of Alexandria are restricted.
• Dingus Egg and Gauntlet of Might are unrestricted.
• Legends is released.
• Rebirth and Tempest Efreet are banned.
• Mishra's Workshop is restricted.
• The Dark is released.
• Divine Intervention is banned.
• Chaos Orb, Falling Star, Mind Twist, Mirror Universe, Recall, Sword of the Ages, and Underworld Dreams are restricted.
• For flavor reasons, all Legendary cards are restricted.
• Maze of Ith is restricted.
• Fallen Empires is released. Alpha, Beta, Unlimited, Arabian Nights, Antiquities, and Legends rotate out.
• Fourth Edition is released. Revised rotates out.
• Balance and Fork are restricted.
• Ice Age is released. The Dark rotates out.
• Amulet of Quoz is banned.
• Chronicles is released.
• Homelands is released.
• Timmerian Fiends is banned.
• Channel is banned.
• Legendary cards are no longer restricted.
• Zuran Orb is restricted.
• Mind Twist is banned.
• Black Vise is restricted.
• Feldon's Cane and Recall are unrestricted.
• Alliances is released.
• Land Tax is restricted.
• Mirage is released.
• Hymn to Tourach and Strip Mine are restricted.
• Zuran Orb is unrestricted.
• Balance, Black Vise, Hymn to Tourach, Icy Manipulator, Ivory Tower, Land Tax, and Strip Mine are banned.
• Visions is released. Fallen Empires, Ice Age, and Homelands rotate out.
• Fifth Edition is released. Chronicles and Fourth Edition rotate out. Ice Age and Homelands rotate back in.
• Weatherlight is released.
• Zuran Orb is banned.
• Tempest is released. Ice Age, Homelands, and Alliances rotate out.
• Stronghold is released.
• Exodus is released.
• Urza’s Saga is released. Mirage, Visions, and Weatherlight rotate out.
• Tolarian Academy and Windfall are banned.
• Urza’s Legacy is released.
• Dream Halls, Earthcraft, Fluctuator, Lotus Petal, Recurring Nightmare, and Time Spiral are banned.
• Memory Jar is banned.
• Sixth Edition is released. Fifth Edition rotates out.
• Urza’s Destiny is released.
• Mind Over Matter is banned.
• Mercadian Masques is released. Tempest, Stronghold, and Exodus rotate out.
• Nemesis is released.
• Prophecy is released.
• Invasion is released. Urza’s Saga, Urza’s Legacy, and Urza’s Destiny rotate out.
• Planeshift is released.
• Seventh Edition is released. Sixth Edition rotates out.
• Apocalypse is released.
• Odyssey is released. Mercadian Masques, Nemesis, and Prophecy rotate out.
• Torment is released.
• Judgment is released.
• Onslaught is released. Invasion, Planeshift, and Apocalypse rotate out.
• Legions is released.
• Scourge is released.
• Eighth Edition is released. Seventh Edition rotates out.
• Mirrodin is released. Odyssey, Torment, and Judgment rotate out.
• Darksteel is released.
• Fifth Dawn is released.
• Skullclamp is banned.
• Champions of Kamigawa is released. Onslaught, Legions, and Scourge rotate out.
• Betrayers of Kamigawa is released.
• Ancient Den, Arcbound Ravager, Darksteel Citadel, Disciple of the Vault, Great Furnace, Seat of the Synod, Tree of Tales, and Vault of Whispers are banned.
• Saviors of Kamigawa is released.
• Ninth Edition is released. Eighth Edition rotates out.
• Ravnica: City of Guilds is released. Mirrodin, Darksteel, and Fifth Dawn rotate out.
• Guildpact is released.
• Dissension is released.
• Coldsnap is released.
• Time Spiral is released. Champions of Kamigawa, Betrayers of Kamigawa, and Saviors of Kamigawa rotate out.
• Planar Chaos is released.
• Future Sight is released.
• Tenth Edition is released. Ninth Edition rotates out.
• Lorwyn is released. Ravnica: City of Guilds, Guildpact, and Dissension rotate out.
• Morningtide is released.
• Shadowmoor is released.
• Eventide is released.
• Shards of Alara is released. Coldsnap, Time Spiral, Planar Chaos, and Future Sight rotate out.
• Conflux is released.
• Alara Reborn is released.
• Magic 2010 is released. Tenth Edition rotates out.
• Zendikar is released. Lorwyn, Morningtide, Shadowmoor, and Eventide rotate out.
• Worldwake is released.
• Rise of the Eldrazi is released.
• Magic 2011 is released.
• Scars of Mirrodin is released. Shards of Alara, Conflux, Alara Reborn, and Magic 2010 rotate out.
• Mirrodin Besieged is released.
• New Phyrexia is released.
• Jace, the Mind Sculptor and Stoneforge Mystic are banned.
• Stoneforge Mystic is conditionally unbanned if your decklist, including sideboard, perfectly matches the "War of Attrition" Event Deck.
• Magic 2012 is released.
• Innistrad is released. Zendikar, Worldwake, Rise of the Eldrazi, and Magic 2011 rotate out.
• Dark Ascension is released.
• Avacyn Restored is released.
• Magic 2013 is released.
• Return to Ravnica is released. Scars of Mirrodin, Mirrodin Besieged, New Phyrexia, and Magic 2012 rotate out.
• Gatecrash is released.
• Dragon’s Maze is released.
• Magic 2014 is released.
• Theros is released. Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored, and Magic 2013 rotate out.
• Born of the Gods is released.
• Journey into Nyx is released.
• Magic 2015 is released. Darksteel Citadel, despite being banned in Standard when it last was printed, does not retain its ban upon reprinting in Magic 2015.
• Khans of Tarkir is released. Return to Ravnica, Gatecrash, Dragon’s Maze, and Magic 2014 rotate out.
• Fate Reforged is released.
• Dragons of Tarkir is released.
• Magic Origins is released.
• Battle for Zendikar is released. Theros, Born of the Gods, Journey into Nyx, and Magic 2015 rotate out.
• Oath of the Gatewatch is released.
• Welcome Deck 2016 is released.
• Shadows over Innistrad is released. Khans of Tarkir and Fate Reforged rotate out.
• Eldritch Moon is released.
• Kaladesh is released. Dragons of Tarkir and Magic Origins rotate out.
• Aether Revolt is released.
• Emrakul, the Promised End, Reflector Mage, and Smuggler's Copter are banned.
• Welcome Deck 2017 is released.
• Amonkhet is released.
• Felidar Guardian is banned.
• Hour of Devastation is released.
• Aetherworks Marvel is banned.
• Ixalan is released. Battle for Zendikar, Oath of the Gatewatch, Welcome Deck 2016, Shadows over Innistrad, and Eldritch Moon rotate out.
• Rivals of Ixalan is released.
• Attune with Aether, Rogue Refiner, Rampaging Ferocidon, and Ramunap Ruins are banned.
• Dominaria is released.
• Global Series: Jiang Yanggu and Mu Yanling is declared Standard-legal in Mainland China only.
• Core Set 2019 is released.
• Guilds of Ravnica is released. Kaladesh, Aether Revolt, Welcome Deck 2017, Amonkhet, and Hour of Devastation rotate out.
• Ravnica Allegiance is released.
• Nexus of Fate is banned on Magic Arena only.
• War of the Spark is released.
• Core Set 2020 is released.
• Rampaging Ferocidon is unbanned.
• Rampaging Ferocidon remains banned on Magic Arena only.
• Throne of Eldraine is released. Ixalan, Rivals of Ixalan, Dominaria, and Core Set 2019 rotate out. Global Series: Jiang Yanggu and Mu Yanling rotates out in Mainland China.
• Field of the Dead is banned.
• Oko, Thief of Crowns, Once Upon a Time, and Veil of Summer are banned.
• Theros Beyond Death is released.
• Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths is released.
• Agent of Treachery and Fires of Intervention are banned.
• Core Set 2021 is released.
• Cauldron Familiar, Growth Spiral, Teferi, Time Raveler and Wilderness Reclamation are banned.
• Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath is banned.
• Zendikar Rising is released. Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance, War of the Spark, and Core Set 2020 rotate out.