Proxy cards and where the line is drawn

A proxy card is a stand-in for a real card, used when the original is too expensive or not at hand. In friendly games at home it is common and unproblematic. In sanctioned tournaments it is never allowed, while a local or unofficial tournament may allow it if the organiser chooses to. A proxy card sold as genuine is always a counterfeit. The difference lies in the intent and in whether the card pretends to be something it is not.

Quick facts

What it is	A stand-in for a card in a deck
At home	Common, and a matter between the players
At a sanctioned tournament	Never allowed
Local or unofficial tournament	The organiser decides
Sold as genuine	Then it is a counterfeit, not a proxy card
We sell them	No

Three things that get mixed up

Proxy	A clearly marked stand-in in your own deck. Not made to fool anyone.
Official replacement version	Some games have their own rules for how a damaged card is replaced during a match. The replacement is then made by the judge, not by the player.
Counterfeit	A copy made to be sold or played as genuine. Illegal and harmful to the whole hobby.

Why tournaments don't allow them

1. The cards must be verifiable. A judge must be able to determine what is on the table.
2. The backs must be identical. A card that differs can be recognised in the deck.
3. The card pool is part of the game. Acquiring the cards is part of it.
4. The line against counterfeits becomes hard to draw as soon as proxy cards are accepted in competition.

Those reasons apply to sanctioned tournaments with official rules. A local or unofficial tournament, for example one that a shop or play group runs itself, may allow proxy cards if the organiser chooses to.

Playing at home

If you want to try a deck before buying the cards, proxy cards are a reasonable tool, and most play groups accept them. Make them clearly marked, write by hand or print on paper and put them in a sleeve in front of a regular card. The point is that nobody should be able to mistake them for real cards, either at the table or later.

Why we don't sell them

• We sell official products.
• A printed card that resembles an original is hard to tell apart from a counterfeit on the second-hand market.
• Counterfeits damage trust in the entire second-hand market, and that hurts our customers.

Frequently asked questions

• Are proxy cards illegal? Making a stand-in for your own use is one thing. Making or selling copies that pretend to be genuine is another.
• Can I play with them at a tournament? Not at a sanctioned tournament. A local or unofficial tournament may allow it if the organiser chooses to.
• How do I tell a proxy card from a counterfeit? The intent. A counterfeit is made to pass as genuine. See the authenticity guide.
• Do you sell them? No.
• What do I do if I have bought a counterfeit? Contact the seller, and preferably buy from someone who takes responsibility. See the guide on complaints.

How to make proxy cards that can't be misunderstood

1. Write by hand or print on plain paper. Never aim to imitate the original.
2. Put the slip in a sleeve in front of a regular card, so the back matches the rest of the deck.
3. Write the card's name and rules text clearly, so your opponent can see what it does.
4. Mark the slip as a proxy, so it can't be mixed up later.
5. Remove them when you are done. They don't belong in a collection.

Counterfeits are a different problem

Copies printed to pass as genuine circulate on the second-hand market, and they get better made over the years. They harm not only the person who buys one, but trust in every deal between private individuals. That is one of the reasons many choose to buy more expensive cards graded.

How to recognise a counterfeit is covered in the authenticity guide, and what applies if you have already bought one is covered in the guide on right of withdrawal and complaints.

Why the question comes up at all

1. Some cards are very expensive. A deck can cost more than the player wants to spend.
2. Older cards are not reprinted in every game, which locks the supply.
3. People want to try before they buy. A deck feels different in the hand than on the screen.
4. The tournament meta shifts and an expensive card can become unplayable next season.

These are reasonable reasons, and they explain why proxy cards are common in games at home. They do not, however, explain why anyone would sell copies as genuine, which is a completely different matter.

Alternatives that work

• Preconstructed decks are built to be playable straight away and cost a fraction of a tournament deck.
• Reprint editions make expensive classics available again in several games.
• Formats with their own rules for which cards are allowed keep costs down.
• Trading with your play group is cheaper than buying, and the duplicates already exist.

Read more about how to recognise genuine cards, the secondary market and sleeves.

Shop: trading cards at Bangerpack.

Written by those of us who run Bangerpack. Range and prices change continuously. What applies when you read this is shown in the category.