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Exalted, and core-set legends
What this set is
Magic 2013 is the fourth year-named core set, and the first of them to include new legendary creatures. Five rare legends, one per color, joined the planeswalkers, and two of them, Krenko, Mob Boss and Talrand, Sky Summoner, became popular Commander picks.
Exalted is the returning mechanic, back from Shards of Alara: whenever a creature you control attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 for each exalted instance you control. Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis carries it, and it gives several colors a reason to attack with one big creature.
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker was reprinted here, and the set also printed Worldfire, Omniscience and a reprint of Akroma's Memorial. Magic 2013 is the last set before Pioneer begins.
Themes
Every mechanic in Magic 2013
Exalted
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each instance of exalted among permanents you control. Back from the Shards of Alara block on eleven cards.
Where You Can Play It
Format legality
Magic 2013 shipped under a single code. It released three months before Return to Ravnica, so it predates Pioneer and is legal in Modern and the eternal formats. Some of its cards were reprinted later and are Pioneer-legal through those printings.
Not Standard-legal. Standard only ever holds the last few years of sets, so everything this old has long since left it. These cards are still playable in Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander. Commons from any set are Pauper-legal; that isn't listed per set here.
Limited
The draft format
A core set format with exalted as its one theme, so attacking with a single big creature was a real plan in white, black and green.
Exalted
One big attacker
Stack exalted creatures and attack with one. Each copy adds +1/+1, so the deck wants to protect its attacker rather than go wide.
Two colors and removal
Fundamentals
The usual core set plan otherwise: removal, fliers and a curve.
Commanders
The most played commanders from Magic 2013
The legends this set is best known for. Tap one for its printings and what it costs.
Boosters, precons and singles from Magic 2013 are on TCGplayer.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Krenko, Mob Boss from Magic 2013?
Yes. Krenko was first printed in Magic 2013 as one of five rare legends, one per color.
Is Magic 2013 legal in Pioneer?
No. Pioneer starts with Return to Ravnica, which released in October 2012, three months after Magic 2013. M13 cards are legal in Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander, and reprints in later sets may be Pioneer-legal.
What does exalted do?
Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each exalted instance among your permanents.
All card names, art, and mechanics belong to Wizards of the Coast. Magic 2013 released on Jul 13, 2012; details reflect the set as published. Sources: Wizards of the Coast set pages and release notes, Draftsim, Untapped.gg.
Playing Magic 2013 in Commander?
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