Friday Night Magic: what it is and how to join
Friday Night Magic, usually shortened to FNM, is the weekly in-store event for Magic: The Gathering. Wizards of the Coast describes it as the weekly heartbeat of in-store Magic play. Each participating store runs its own night, chooses the format and sets the entry fee, and registers the event through Wizards EventLink.
Which formats are played
Any format is allowed. Since 2015 stores have been free to run FNM in Commander, Legacy and other formats rather than only Standard or Draft. The most common choices are:
- Standard - constructed decks built from the most recent sets.
- Booster Draft - players open packs at the table and pass them around to build a 40-card deck.
- Pioneer and Modern - constructed formats with larger card pools.
- Commander - casual multiplayer games with 100-card singleton decks.
Rounds are usually paired Swiss style, and rules enforcement is Casual or Regular, which means judges and players focus on learning and fair play rather than strict penalties.
Prizes
FNM had dedicated promo cards from 2000. Starting with Core Set 2020 in 2019, Wizards switched to Promo Packs, and today stores hand out Promo Packs or additional rewards at their discretion. FNM now runs in seasons that line up with each new Magic set, and many stores add themed Commander nights during a season.
What to bring
- A deck legal in the announced format, or just money for packs if it is a Draft night.
- Card sleeves and a deck box.
- Dice or a counter to track life totals.
- A Wizards account so the store can register you in EventLink.
How to find an FNM
Use the official Wizards Store & Event Locator at locator.wizards.com and filter by Magic events. Call the store before your first visit to check the format, the start time and whether it caps the number of players.
