Is Legendary a Card Type in MTG?
TLDR
- No. Legendary is a supertype, not a card type.
- Card types are the nouns (creature, land, artifact, instant, sorcery, etc.). Supertypes are the adjectives (legendary, basic, snow, world, ongoing).
- Legendary mostly matters because of the legend rule: you can’t control two legendary permanents with the same name at the same time.
- Yes, legendary instants and sorceries exist, and they have a casting restriction.
If you’re here because you typed “is legendary a card type mtg” and then stared at a type line like it personally offended you, welcome. Magic has multiple label systems stacked on top of each other because one label system would be too calm and reasonable.
Is legendary a card type in MTG?
Nope. Legendary is a supertype. It sits in front of the card type on the type line and modifies it.
Think of the type line as three layers:
- Supertypes (adjectives): legendary, basic, snow, world, ongoing
- Card types (nouns): creature, land, artifact, enchantment, instant, sorcery, planeswalker, battle, plus some specialty ones (like kindred, scheme, plane, dungeon, and more)
- Subtypes (the specific kind): Elf, Equipment, Forest, Aura, Zombie, etc.
Example type line: Legendary Creature - Human Wizard
- Supertype: Legendary
- Card type: Creature
- Subtypes: Human, Wizard
So when you see “Legendary Creature,” the card type is still just Creature. Legendary is the fancy prefix that comes with rules consequences.
And yes, in case you want it in plain English the second time: is legendary a card type mtg? Still no.
What does “legendary” actually do?
Two big things matter in real games.
1) The legend rule
If you control two or more legendary permanents with the same name, you choose one to keep and the rest go to the graveyard.
Two important notes:
- It only checks one player’s battlefield. You and an opponent can each control the same legendary creature and the game doesn’t melt.
- It comes up constantly with copy effects. If you copy your own legendary permanent, you usually just created a brief administrative problem you must immediately solve by choosing one to keep.
2) Legendary instants and sorceries (yes, really)
Legendary can appear on instants and sorceries, too. Those have a special restriction: you can’t cast a legendary instant or sorcery unless you control a legendary creature or a legendary planeswalker.
Magic’s logic here is basically: “No main character on screen, no dramatic plot twist.”
Why this matters for proxies and casual Commander
Most of the time, “legendary” is a word you ignore until you copy something and suddenly the rules show up with a clipboard.
If you’re using playtest cards / proxies for casual games, the practical takeaway is simple: make sure the type line is readable, because legendary status changes real gameplay decisions (copying, board states, and a whole lot of Commander nonsense).
If you want the short version of proxy etiquette and where proxies are not allowed, start here: How to use MTG proxies responsibly.
And if you’re playing Commander with strangers, save yourself the awkwardness and do the pregame chat: How to have a great Commander Rule Zero discussion (without the awkward vibes).
FAQs
Is “legendary” the same thing as “commander”?
Not exactly. Commander is a format rule. “Legendary” is a rules label on cards. They overlap a lot because most commanders are legendary, but they’re not the same concept.
Can a land or artifact be legendary?
Yes. Legendary is a supertype that can apply to many card types, including lands, artifacts, enchantments, and planeswalkers.
Does the legend rule stop my opponent from playing the same legendary card as me?
No. The legend rule only cares if one player controls multiples with the same name. Your opponent can have their own copy.