You know that moment when you have a sweet deck idea… and your “temporary proxy” is a sticky note that says “probably Dockside?” in handwriting that even you can’t read?
Yeah. Let’s fix that.
Our proxy card designer lets you build a clean, readable proxy card from a template and then edit anything: name, mana cost, type line, rules text, power and toughness, loyalty, tokens, artwork, even the little visual bits that make a card feel like a real game piece (without turning it into a counterfeit).
TLDR
- Pick a template that matches what you’re making (commander, token, full-art, retro-style, etc.).
- Swap in your text, mana, and artwork with a live preview.
- Use the “readable across the table” checklist before you export.
- Proxies are for casual play and playtesting. Do not use them in sanctioned events.
What you’re building here
A good proxy card does two things:
- Plays cleanly. Your opponent can read it without squinting like they’re decoding ancient runes.
- Shuffles cleanly. It behaves like a normal card once it’s sleeved.
That’s it. That’s the job.
Everything else is optional seasoning: custom frames, flavor text, set symbols, alt art, and that one inside joke your playgroup will absolutely overuse for six months.
Step 1: Choose a template that matches the job
Templates are how you avoid rebuilding the wheel every time.
Pick the one that matches the card type you’re making, then customize from there. Most people start with one of these:
- Modern-style frame for normal gameplay proxies
- Full-art when the art is the point (or when your rules text is short)
- Retro or old-school look for nostalgia builds and cubes
- Token templates for creature tokens, emblems, reminder cards
- Commander-focused layouts if you want the legend to be loud and obvious
- Custom card layouts when you’re brewing something that does not exist yet
If you’re unsure, choose the most “normal-looking” template first. You can always switch later, and your future self will thank you.
Small print-nerd aside: templates are basically pre-built typography and spacing decisions. This is good, because typography decisions are where confidence goes to die.
Step 2: Add the parts players actually need
Your card can be gorgeous, but if it’s missing a critical line, it’s going to play like a mystery novel with the last chapter torn out.
Here’s what matters most for gameplay:
- Card name
- Mana cost (or whatever resource system applies to your TCG)
- Type line (Creature, Artifact, Instant, etc.)
- Rules text (clean formatting beats clever formatting)
- Power and toughness for creatures
- Loyalty for planeswalker-style cards
- Token stats if you’re making tokens
- Legendary indicator if it matters for your format
Everything else is optional. Nice, but optional.
A quick readability rule that saves lives
If you’re making a proxy for actual games, do not shrink the rules text to make it “fit.” That way lies madness.
Instead, do one of these:
- Shorten flavor text first
- Choose a template with a bigger text box
- Use a full-art frame only if the rules text is short
- Make a separate “reminder” card if the text is a novel
I have personally committed the “8pt rules text” crime before. It’s not a victimless crime. Your friends will remember.
Step 3: Add artwork that still looks good in sleeves
Artwork is the thing everyone notices first, and the thing that causes the most “why does this look weird?” problems.
A few practical guidelines:
- Use high-resolution art when possible. Blurry art looks worse once printed. Printers are honest in a rude way.
- Avoid important faces near the crop edge. Edges are where trimming and sleeve borders steal your joy.
- Increase contrast if the frame is dark. Dark frame + dark art = muddy card.
- Watch text on top of art. If your template uses text overlays, keep the art simple behind the text.
And please, use artwork you have permission to use. “I found it on Google Images” is not a license, it’s a confession.
The “Readable Across the Table” checklist
Before you save/export/print, do this once. It takes 30 seconds and prevents 90% of proxy regret.
- Name is easy to read at arm’s length
- Mana symbols are clear and not tiny or misaligned
- Type line is complete (including Legendary, if relevant)
- Rules text has breathing room (no wall-of-text cram jobs)
- Key numbers are obvious (P/T, loyalty, token stats)
- Contrast is strong (text on background is not “gray on slightly different gray”)
- Nothing important touches the edge (keep critical text away from borders)
- Your card is unambiguous (no “wait, what does this do again?” moments)
If the card passes this checklist, it’s usually a great proxy even if the art is silly.
Good, Better, Best: how much effort should you spend?
Not every proxy needs the same level of polish. Use the effort level that matches your goal.
Good: fast playtest proxy
Best when you’re testing a deck idea this week.
- Clean name, mana, type, rules, stats
- Any decent art, or even none
- Readable text sizes, no fuss
Better: “I’m going to play this a lot”
Best when it’s a long-term commander deck or cube staple.
- High-res art
- Consistent frame choices across the deck
- Extra attention to contrast and text spacing
Best: a custom showpiece
Best when the proxy is the point: gifts, themed decks, special commanders, custom tokens.
- Carefully chosen art
- Frame matches the theme
- Flavor text, watermark, custom set symbol
- Still readable, still unambiguous, still a game piece
The trick is not accidentally putting “Best” effort into 97 cards when you only needed it for your commander and a few signatures. Ask me how I know.
FAQs
Can I use these proxies at FNM or tournaments?
If the event is sanctioned, you generally need real cards. Judge-issued proxies exist in narrow cases when a card is damaged during the event. For casual and unsanctioned play, it depends on the organizer and the table.
What makes a proxy “good” instead of annoying?
Readability and clarity. If your opponent can read it quickly and it matches the real rules text, it plays smoothly.
Do I need fancy art?
No. Clean text and correct gameplay info matter more. Art is a bonus.
Can I make custom cards that don’t exist?
Yep, that’s a common use case. Just be extra clear with templating and wording so the card is understandable.
What’s the biggest mistake people make when designing proxies?
Shrinking text to make it fit. If it’s not readable, it’s not helping anyone.