Proxying a normal one-faced Magic card is straightforward: put the correct name and readable rules on a card, use the same sleeves as the rest of the deck, and make sure your group permits playtest cards. Tokens and double-faced cards are different. One may never belong in your deck at all; the other has two relevant faces but must look indistinguishable from every other card while hidden.
The easiest solution: keep tokens and reference cards outside the library, use opaque matching sleeves for double-faced cards, label every representation clearly, and agree on which actual card each placeholder represents before the game. For sanctioned events, the rules are stricter: a homemade proxy is not a substitute for an authentic tournament-legal card.
First, separate three things people call "proxies"
A lot of table confusion begins because players use one word for different objects.
| Object | What it represents | Goes in your main deck? | Best practical treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual playtest card | A named deck card you don’t have or don’t want to shuffle | Yes, only where permitted | Readable front, uniform card size and sleeve feel |
| Token marker | A token permanent created by an effect | No | Labeled token card, dry-erase card, or unambiguous marker |
| Double-faced substitute card | A real two-faced card while its identity is concealed | Yes, under applicable game rules | Official substitute card with the corresponding real DFC available |
This distinction has a rules consequence. A Treasure token is not an extra Treasure card in your library. A substitute card for a double-faced permanent, by contrast, temporarily represents that very card in your library or hand. And a casual custom-printed playtest card isn’t an official tournament substitute simply because its back looks appropriate.
What you actually need for tokens
A token needs to communicate what it is, how big it is, what it can do, and its current state. Art is nice, but game information wins.
For creature tokens, show power and toughness and any keywords. For example, a 1/1 Soldier, a 2/2 flying Bird, and a 3/3 Wurm with deathtouch are not interchangeable pieces of cardboard. A player looking across the table should not have to guess which token can block a flyer.
For noncreature tokens, display the exact function: Treasure sacrifices for mana; Clue pays mana and sacrifices to draw; Food is another kind of artifact with its own activation. If several token types share artwork, add a large readable label.
Keep token cards separate from your library
Store them in a token pouch or a divided deck box. Put the pieces on the battlefield only when an effect creates them. You can keep five blank dry-erase cards for surprise tokens and common preprinted tokens for effects your deck creates repeatedly.
If an effect makes many identical tokens, a single token card plus a die can work in an uncomplicated board state. But split stacks whenever a difference matters: tapped versus untapped, summoning sickness, counters, equipped versus unequipped, or which token has a particular effect. One die on one card cannot accurately represent a mix of 12 tokens in different states.
Our guide to MTG tokens explains the broader rules. Here the emphasis is on keeping playtest pieces clean, legible, and difficult to misread.
Double-faced Magic cards: two legitimate physical approaches
A transforming double-faced card (TDFC) has two playable faces and can transform between them, such as many Werewolves. A modal double-faced card (MDFC) presents alternate faces to play or cast, often including a spell or a land. Both can reveal their identity if your sleeves are translucent.
Option A: opaque sleeves and the real double-faced card
For many Commander decks, this is the simplest approach. Sleeve the double-faced card with its front face visible. When it changes or you need to display its other face, remove it from the sleeve or use a clearly identified reference copy in the battlefield area. Confirm that the sleeve is genuinely opaque under light, not merely dark-colored; double-faced artwork can sometimes be seen through a thin back.
If you’re using casual playtest DFCs, the same physical principle applies: sleeve backs must not reveal which card is next. Do not mix thicker printed cards, paper inserts, and ordinary singles in a way you can identify by touch while shuffling.
Option B: an official substitute card
Magic also has official substitute cards for double-faced cards. These are the descendants of older "checklist cards." In tournament play, a substitute represents the corresponding actual double-faced Magic card while the card’s identity is hidden. You must have the real card available, and you switch to displaying it in the appropriate public zones.
The official Kaldheim release notes explain the requirement: either opaque sleeves or substitute cards may conceal the identity, and the actual DFC must accompany an official substitute. The Zendikar Rising notes describe the same system for modal double-faced cards.
A handmade piece that says "back face here" can be a handy casual reminder when everyone agrees, but don’t assume it meets sanctioned-event substitute requirements.
A practical setup for a double-faced playtest card
For casual games where your group allows proxies, I recommend printing a clear front-face card for the deck and a separate back-face reference for use outside the library. Put the front in the same opaque sleeves as every other deck card. Keep its back reference next to your tokens.
When a transform or modal choice becomes relevant, display the corresponding back reference beside or on top of the actual sleeved card while maintaining which object it represents. When that permanent leaves the battlefield, restore the correct card handling and keep the reference out of your library.
If your group prefers two-sided printed casual cards, that’s also workable, but sleeve opacity is nonnegotiable. Readability on both faces matters more than squeezing in decorative elements.
Face-down cards are another category entirely
Manifest, manifest dread, morph, disguise, and cloak can put cards onto the battlefield face down. These are actual cards represented by face-down permanents, not interchangeable 2/2 creature tokens. A manifested card is normally a colorless 2/2 with no name or abilities while face down, but its identity matters if it turns face up or moves zones.
In Duskmourn, manifest dread tells you to look at the top two cards of your library, put one face down onto the battlefield, and the other into the graveyard. A manifested creature card can be turned up by paying its mana cost. That choice creates information and sequencing responsibilities that a pile of anonymous 2/2 markers doesn’t solve. Wizards’ Duskmourn mechanics guide specifically requires face-down permanents to remain distinguishable, including their order of entry.
Good practice: write "A," "B," and "C" on separate helper markers and place each next to the actual face-down card. Don’t rearrange face-down cards to make opponents forget which one attacked last turn. A generic 2/2 token must not masquerade as a real manifested deck card.
How to keep cards from becoming marked
A stack of casual proxy cards can look correct but still be mechanically marked if the physical stock varies. Check these details:
- Same sleeves: use matching brand, finish, size, and wear level throughout the library.
- No readable backs: hold the deck up to a lamp to confirm both DFC faces and custom backs stay hidden.
- Consistent thickness: avoid inserting loose paper in only some sleeves if those cards can be distinguished when shuffled.
- No clipped corners or unusual trimming: a few oversized pieces reveal themselves during cuts.
- Correct orientation: the visible face, not the sleeved back, tells the table which side is active.
- Readable names: at a glance, players should identify the card without a magnifying glass.
For webcam games, a shiny foil effect that looks wonderful in person can wash out completely under overhead lighting. Our SpellTable readability guide covers glare and camera setup. You can also test a couple of sleeve materials before printing an entire deck.
A quick Commander packing list
Here’s a sensible kit for a deck that makes Treasures, Clues, and 2/2 bodies while also using several transforming or modal double-faced cards.
| Bring | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Four to eight common token types | No improvisation during a complex turn |
| A few blank dry-erase token cards | Unexpected copied or stolen tokens |
| Separate back-face reference cards | Clear DFC presentation without revealing your library |
| Opaque replacement sleeves | Fix a worn, transparent, or split sleeve immediately |
| Small dice or counter markers | Track +1/+1 counters, quantities, and power/toughness changes |
| A card list or Oracle-text reference | Verify unusual interactions without arguing from memory |
Do not build the kit around card art alone. A matching set of beautiful tokens is useful only if you can distinguish the tokens produced by different cards and track their changing states.
What changes for an LGS or tournament?
For a sanctioned Magic event, authentic Magic cards are ordinarily required. Wizards’ official proxy-policy explanation narrowly describes judge-issued replacements for cards damaged during that event. Proper DFC substitute cards are a different, expressly covered procedure; they require the corresponding actual cards.
Independent, unsanctioned Commander or cEDH events sometimes permit custom printed playtest decks. Their rules may set limits on artwork, cardstock, dimensions, and legibility. Ask the organizer beforehand. A store can permit casual playtests while still running sanctioned events that require authentic cards.
FAQs
Can I print a token instead of buying an official one?
For ordinary casual games, yes. A token marker need only represent the required game information clearly. Tokens generally aren’t cards in the deck, and you should not slip a printed token into the library by mistake.
Can I use the same printed card for both faces of an MDFC?
You can print both faces on one casual card if the sleeves hide its identity. A two-piece front-plus-reference setup is often easier to read and handle. Official tournament substitute rules are separate and require authentic underlying cards.
Can I use regular 2/2 tokens for manifested cards?
Not as interchangeable replacements for the hidden cards themselves. You can use a 2/2 helper marker alongside the actual face-down card to remind everyone of its characteristics; maintain the identity and order of each face-down permanent.
Are handmade checklist cards legal in sanctioned play?
Don’t assume so. The game has specific official substitute-card procedures; verify those with the event’s judge or organizer, and bring the authentic DFC the substitute represents.
The takeaway
Use tokens for tokens, substitute cards for real DFCs, and clearly labeled playtest cards only where permitted. Keep anything outside your library physically separate. The goal is not simply to make the cards look finished; it’s to eliminate accidental hidden information and let everyone understand the board without stopping every two minutes.