Two-Headed Giant Format MTG

Two-Headed Giant (2HG) is a multiplayer variant where you team up with one other player. Each team acts as a single entity with a shared life total. In most cases, teams start at 30 life in constructed formats or 25 life in limited events. You take your turns together, drawing and attacking at the same time. You can also talk to your teammate about strategy, but opponents can hear what you say.

Two-Headed Giant isn’t a separate card pool format like Standard or Modern. Instead, you can play 2HG using many existing formats, such as Sealed, Draft, Standard, or Commander. The rules adjust slightly. For example, any mention of “each opponent” affects each player on the other team. And if a card says “target opponent,” you can only choose one person on the opposing team.

2HG is popular at casual events because it fosters a social atmosphere. Instead of playing one-on-one, you and a friend work together. That can be helpful if one of you is new to Magic. You can share advice and correct mistakes. Many local game stores run 2HG prerelease events, where you open sealed packs and build two decks to face other teams. It can be a fun break from traditional one-on-one games.

In competitive play, 2HG sometimes appears in limited tournaments. Communication and teamwork become part of the challenge. It’s not just about building a strong deck. You also need to coordinate attacks, blocks, and spells. If you enjoy planning with a friend and want a different pace of play, 2HG might be worth trying. It often leads to memorable moments because of the shared decision-making and bigger board states. Sometimes, both decks combine forces for explosive combos. Two-Headed Giant adds a unique spin to Magic’s usual head-to-head structure.