TLDR
- MTG proxies let you play more Magic for less money and less waiting.
- They’re the fastest way to test a deck before you buy a pile of singles you end up hating.
- Proxies make it easy to keep multiple decks built without constantly moving the same staples around.
- If you print them well, proxies can also improve the play experience: consistent feel in sleeves, clean readability, fewer “what does that say?” moments.
There’s a moment every Magic player hits: you’re brewing something fun, you add a few “normal staples,” and suddenly the deck price looks like you accidentally built a down payment.
That’s why you should use MTG proxies. Not as a statement. As a tool. Proxies let you play the deck you actually want to play, right now, without turning every deck idea into a spreadsheet of regret.
Let’s talk about what proxies unlock.
The real benefits of MTG proxies
1) You get to play more Magic for the same budget
This is the obvious one, and it matters.
Proxies remove the “I guess I just can’t play that deck” wall. They let you:
- try strategies that would normally be locked behind expensive pieces
- keep up with your friends’ power level without doing weird financial gymnastics
- build more than one deck without feeling like you’re lighting money on fire
If you love brewing, proxies are basically your “unlimited test kitchen” pass.
2) You can test decks before buying anything
Buying cards before you’ve played real games is how you end up owning a $40 card that felt incredible in goldfish mode and terrible when three humans started interacting.
Proxies let you test:
- commanders that seem fun but actually play repetitive
- “cute synergy packages” that fold to one board wipe
- expensive mana bases that might not even be necessary
- spicy tech that’s either genius or completely dead cardboard
This is the most underrated proxy benefit: you make smarter purchases later because you’ve already done the reps.
3) You build decks faster, iterate faster, and learn faster
Proxying isn’t just about money. It’s also about speed.
When you can print a new list and play it tonight, your deckbuilding improves because you run more experiments. You learn what your meta actually punishes. You learn what cards are secretly doing all the work.
More reps equals better brewing. Proxies are reps.
4) You stop swapping staples between decks like a raccoon sorting shiny objects
Commander players know this pain.
One copy of a staple, five decks that want it, and you spend more time moving cards than playing. Proxies fix that. You can:
- keep decks fully assembled
- keep your favorite deck intact
- avoid the “I swear it’s in my other deck” ritual
This is also where proxies quietly improve game night. Less digging, less stalling, fewer delays.
5) You protect your real cards and still play the deck
If you own expensive or sentimental cards, proxies let you keep the originals safe and still use the deck.
Even if you are a fearless riffle-shuffler, your friends might still flinch when you shuffle something valuable. Proxies remove that anxiety. Your binder stays pretty. Your deck stays playable.
6) You can build decks for other people
This is a huge quality-of-life upgrade that almost nobody talks about.
Proxies let you:
- print a deck for a friend who is curious about Commander
- keep a few “loaner decks” for group nights
- run theme nights where everyone plays the same power band
- support a playgroup where not everyone wants to spend the same amount
If you host game nights, proxies are basically hospitality.
7) You can do bigger projects that are brutally expensive otherwise
Some Magic formats and projects are just naturally proxy-friendly because the alternative is wild:
- Cubes
- battle boxes
- precon-style “boxed metas”
- multiple decks for a draft night or league
When you want a curated play experience (not just one deck), proxies are the simplest way to build it.
8) You can make your decks look the way you want
Proxies are also creative freedom.
Want matching basics. A full retro-frame vibe. A themed cube. Clean, high-contrast layouts that are easier to read than some real printings.
If you are the kind of person who gets weirdly happy when everything matches, proxies are your home.
A simple framework: what to proxy first (highest value per card)
If you’re new to proxies, don’t start by printing 99 cards. Start where the benefit is biggest.
Here’s the order that usually makes the most sense:
- Staples you keep reusing
If you are constantly moving the same cards, proxy those first. - Mana base upgrades that unlock your deck
Good mana makes more decks playable than almost any “spicy tech” card. - Expensive build-arounds you need to test
If the deck revolves around one or two pricey pieces, proxy them and see if you even like the play pattern. - Interaction and consistency tools
The boring cards that make your deck function are often the best “ROI” proxies. - Tokens and utility cards you always forget
If your deck makes tokens and you never have them, proxies fix that problem forever.
Proxies can improve the play experience if you print them right
This is the print-nerd part, but I promise it’s practical.
The biggest proxy failure is not “it looks fake.” The biggest failure is:
it feels different in sleeves or it’s hard to read.
You want proxies that are:
- consistent thickness in the deck
- correctly sized
- readable at arm’s length
- not weirdly dark or muddy
If you have ever printed “fit to page,” congratulations, you’ve created a brand-new card size: Almost-Magic. It fits in sleeves and feels wrong forever.
If you want a quick cheat sheet for home printing, use our Print Settings guide:
MTG proxy print settings
If you want the fastest “I have a decklist, make it real” path, use:
How to order proxies from a decklist
The one downside nobody tells you about: decision overload
Proxies remove scarcity, which is great. It also means you can endlessly tweak, endlessly optimize, and never stop brewing.
If that sounds like fun, amazing. If that sounds like you staying up until 2 a.m. swapping three cards forever, then give yourself a constraint:
- “I only change 5 cards between sessions.”
- “I test for 3 games before I touch the list.”
- “I proxy the mana base and the core plan first, then tune.”
Proxies make iteration easy. Your job is to keep iteration from becoming a lifestyle.
FAQs
Should I proxy a whole deck or just a few cards?
If you’re testing a new idea, proxy the whole thing and get reps.
If you’re upgrading an existing deck, proxy the few cards you keep moving between decks first.
What’s the best reason to use MTG proxies?
Testing. It saves you from buying cards you don’t actually enjoy playing.
Do proxies make you a better deckbuilder?
Usually, yes. More real games with more versions of your list means faster learning and fewer “in theory” decks.