TLDR
- A proxy decklist to PDF is just your decklist converted into 9-up (or similar) printable pages at true MTG size.
- Your two biggest enemies are paper size mismatch (Letter vs A4) and printer scaling (“Fit to page”). Print at 100% / Actual size.
- If you want fast, use a decklist-to-PDF tool that accepts paste-in lists and downloads a ready PDF.
- If you want control (bleed, crop marks, offsets for duplex), use a tool that lets you tweak layout settings.
- Print one test page first. Printers can sense confidence and punish it.
What “proxy decklist to PDF” actually means
When people say “decklist to PDF,” they usually mean one of two things:
- A text decklist exported as a PDF (useful for lists, not for playing)
- A print-ready proxy sheet PDF where each card image is sized correctly and laid out on pages you can print and cut
This post is about #2: taking a proxy decklist to PDF so you end up with physical, readable playtest cards that fit in sleeves and don’t come out mysteriously 5% too small.
The 3 decisions that make the whole thing easy
Before you click anything, decide these three things. It saves you from printing the same page six times while muttering at your printer like it owes you money.
Decision 1: Where are you using these proxies?
- Casual play / Rule 0 pods / kitchen table / webcam Commander: usually fine if everyone agrees and the cards are readable.
- Sanctioned tournaments: bring real cards. Player-made proxies are not the lane. (Judge-issued proxies are a specific exception for specific situations.)
Decision 2: How “pretty” do you need them to be?
- Text-only (sharpie land, or printed name boxes): fastest and most socially frictionless.
- Full card images: best play experience, best for SpellTable readability when your lighting is decent.
Decision 3: Do you need control over layout?
- No: you just want a PDF that prints at the right size.
- Yes: you want crop marks, bleed, A4 vs Letter switching, double-faced handling, or duplex alignment offsets.
Once you’ve picked those, the rest is just the pipeline.
Step 1: Clean your decklist so tools stop choking
Most decklist-to-PDF tools are happiest with a simple format like:
1 Sol Ring
1 Command Tower
1 Rhystic Study
If your export includes category headers like “Creatures (28)” or weird separators, many tools will still work, but you’ll get more random failures.
Decklist prep checklist
- Use quantities + exact card names on every line (no nicknames, no “Bolt (the good one)”).
- Decide what to do with basics (include or skip). Many tools have a “skip basics” toggle.
- Sideboard / maybeboard: either remove it or make sure the tool supports it.
- Tokens and emblems: decide if you want them in the PDF. Some tools let you add tokens by name.
- Double-faced cards (DFCs): decide if you want both faces printed, or if you’re doing a front-only proxy and handling the back another way.
If you’re not sure what format your tool wants, the safest move is to export in a clean “Arena style” list and paste that.
Step 2: Pick your PDF path (fast vs controllable)
There are a lot of ways to do decklist to PDF. Most of the internet will pretend there’s One True Way. There isn’t.
Here’s the honest comparison table.
Decklist to PDF options that people actually use
| Method | Speed | Layout control | DFC handling | Best for | What you give up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple paste-in “deck to PDF” tool | Fast | Low to medium | Varies | “I need this tonight” | Less control over margins, bleed, duplex alignment |
| Advanced proxy sheet builder (settings for DPI, bleed, cut marks) | Medium | High | Often good | Print nerds (compliment) | More knobs, more ways to overthink it |
| Deckbuilder “get proxies” / print view | Fast | Low | Basic | Quick testing | Layout may be less print-accurate depending on site |
| Manual layout (Word/Docs/Canva) | Slow | High | Manual | Weird custom needs | You become the layout engine |
My rule of thumb
- If you want a working proxy decklist to PDF in 5 minutes, use a tool that outputs a PDF directly.
- If you want it to feel clean and consistent in sleeves, use a tool that lets you control paper size, scaling, crop marks, and DPI.
A “fast” path: MTG Print style workflow
Some tools let you paste a deck in a common export format and download a PDF laid out for printing. MTG Print is a common example: paste a list (often Arena format), generate the PDF, print, cut. Their FAQ also calls out the two classic failures: paper size mismatch and non-100% scaling.
A “control” path: adjustable proxy sheet builders
Tools like Proxxied and MTGProxy.net-style generators focus on giving you control:
- Paper size (Letter, A4, etc.)
- Rows/columns
- Bleed and spacing
- Crop marks
- Export DPI (sharp text vs smaller file)
- Alignment offsets for duplex printing (because home duplex is… an adventure)
If you’ve ever printed fronts and backs and discovered your printer shifts the back by a couple millimeters, you already know why those offset settings exist. This is thrilling if you work in print. It is also why you should test one page first.
Step 3: Print without wrecking card size
This is where most “my proxies came out wrong” stories begin.
The non-negotiables
- Pick the right paper size in the PDF tool AND in your print dialog.
Printing an A4-generated PDF on Letter paper is a classic way to lose the bottom row. - Print at 100% scale / Actual size.
Do not use “Fit to page” or “Fit to printable area.” That’s how you get cards that are mysteriously small and you start compensating with 105% scaling like a gremlin.
The one-sheet calibration (takes 2 minutes)
- Print a single page.
- Measure one card with a ruler.
- If it’s off, fix scaling first (100% / actual size), then paper size, then borderless settings.
Borderless printing is a trap (sometimes)
Borderless/full-bleed modes can slightly resize or shift content depending on printer driver logic. If your cards are too large or drifting, turn borderless off and print with normal margins at 100% scale.
Print quality settings that matter
- Draft mode: don’t. Your tiny rules text will look like it’s been through a bad upload pipeline.
- Higher quality: better for text and mana symbols, especially if you’re sleeving and playing a lot.
- DPI choice: 300 DPI is often “good enough,” 600 DPI is nicer, and very high DPI can bloat file size without changing your life.
Step 4: Cut, sleeve, and move on with your life
You have two realistic cutting strategies:
Strategy A: Quick-and-playable
- Cut roughly.
- Sleeve the printout in front of a bulk common/basic land.
- You’re done. Your deck is playable and consistent in hand.
Strategy B: Neat and tidy
- Use crop marks if your PDF has them.
- Cut with a paper trimmer for straight lines.
- Round corners if you care (most people stop caring after card #18).
If you’re printing for webcam play, readability beats perfection. Clean name line, clean mana cost, not a glare-fest.
Troubleshooting quick fixes
“My cards are too small”
- Your print dialog is scaling. Set Actual size / 100%.
“The bottom row is cut off”
- You generated for A4 and printed on Letter, or vice versa. Make them match.
“Front and back don’t align”
- Duplex printing often shifts. Use a tool with back-side offset settings, or print fronts only and sleeve with a backing card.
“Double-faced cards are weird”
- Some tools always print both faces. If that’s annoying, pick front-only proxies and use a placeholder method for the back side.
“The images look blurry”
- Check print quality settings first. If the source art is low resolution, no print setting can magically create detail that isn’t there. (Ask me how I know.)