Documentation

Getting Started

CardForger is a tool for creating custom Magic: The Gathering cards and sets with authentic MTG styling. Design cards, collaborate with others, simulate booster packs, and playtest your creations.

Quick Overview

1. Create a set — sets are collections of cards, like a real MTG expansion
2. Add cards — create cards within your set and edit them inline
3. Upload art — add custom artwork and position it on the card
4. Share & play — publish to the gallery, open booster packs, and playtest

Authentication

To create and edit cards, you need to be logged in. Click Login in the navigation bar to authenticate via email/password or a social provider (Google, Discord, GitHub, Twitch).

Creating a New Set

1. Navigate to the My Sets page
2. Click the + New Set button
3. You'll be taken to the new set page where you can add cards

Creating a New Card

1. Navigate to any set page you have edit access to
2. Enable Edit Mode using the toggle
3. Click the + New Card button
4. A new card is created and you can start editing it inline

Set Management

Sets are the core organizational unit — like a real MTG expansion. Each set has its own cards, settings, icons, and booster configuration.

Set Details

Open the set details panel from the set page to edit your set's properties. Available settings:

Set Icons

Each set can have a custom icon that appears next to the set name and on each card's type bar. You can:

• Upload a custom icon — upload your own SVG or image
• Generate a random icon — automatically create a unique set symbol
• Custom rarity icons — upload different icons for each rarity level (common, uncommon, rare, mythic)

Custom Card Back

Design a custom card back for your set. Navigate to the card back editor from the set details panel to upload an image, position it, and adjust the crop. This card back is used in booster pack simulations and PDF exports.

Publishing to the Gallery

Toggle the Published setting in set details to make your set visible in the public Gallery. Unpublished sets are only visible to the creator and editors.

Set Statistics

Toggle the statistics dashboard on the set page to see breakdowns of your set including:

• Color distribution across all cards
• Mana curve (cards by mana value)
• Rarity distribution (common, uncommon, rare, mythic)
• Card type breakdown

Card Editing

Cards are edited inline — click directly on any field on the card to edit it. Changes are saved automatically.

Edit Mode

On a card page, toggle Edit Mode using the switch in the header. When edit mode is active, all editable fields become clickable and highlighted on hover.

Editable Fields

How to Edit

1. Click on any field to enter edit mode
2. Type your changes
3. Press Enter or click away to save
4. Press Esc to cancel changes

Undo & Redo

Every change you make is tracked in an undo history. Use the undo/redo buttons in the card page header (visible in edit mode) or keyboard shortcuts:

• Ctrl + Z — Undo the last change
• Ctrl + Shift + Z — Redo

History stores up to 20 changes per card and persists for the duration of your browser session. The undo/redo buttons show a label describing what action will be undone or redone.

Mana Symbols

Mana costs and symbols in rules text use a bracket syntax that renders as authentic MTG mana icons.

Basic Mana Symbols

Hybrid & Special Mana

Using the Symbol Picker

When editing the mana cost or rules text, click the Symbols button in the toolbar to open a visual symbol picker. Click any symbol to insert it at your cursor position.

Examples

Rules Text Formatting

Rules text supports rich formatting including bold, italic, bullet points, mana symbols, and special syntax for sagas and planeswalkers.

Text Formatting

Using the Toolbar

When editing rules text, a toolbar appears with buttons for:

• Bold — wrap selected text in bold
• Italic — wrap selected text in italic
• Bullet — add a bullet point
• Symbols — open the mana symbol picker

Saga Chapters

For Saga cards, use Roman numeral chapter markers to denote each chapter's effect. Use the + Chapter toolbar button to automatically insert the next chapter number.

Planeswalker Abilities

Planeswalker loyalty abilities are written with a loyalty cost prefix. The card renderer automatically displays these as the characteristic planeswalker ability layout with loyalty cost badges.

Card Types & Frames

Cards can have one or more types, each with its own frame layout. The card renderer automatically selects the correct frame based on the card's type.

Available Types

Select a type below to see how its frame renders:

Legendary & Token

The Legendary supertype is a separate toggle in the type editor — it adds the legendary crown decoration and "Legendary" prefix to the type line. The Token toggle marks the card as a token with a simplified frame (no mana cost display).

Subtypes

Subtypes (like "Human Wizard" or "Equipment") are entered as plain text in the subtype field, separated by spaces. They appear after the em dash on the type line.

Frame Variants

Each card can use a different frame variant to change its visual presentation:

Card Templates

Templates layer special structure on top of the standard card frame: a chapter-driven Saga, a creature with an embedded Adventure spell, or a creature that becomes a Prepared spell. Each is created from the card editor — no schema or frame switch required.

Sagas

A Saga is an enchantment that resolves in numbered chapters. Sagas are driven by the card subtype: any card with Saga in its subtype line automatically switches to the Saga frame — the rules text region becomes a chapter column and a Saga reminder banner is added down the left edge.

Creating a Saga

1. Set the card type to Enchantment.
2. Add Saga to the subtype line.
3. Open the rules text editor and use the + Chapter toolbar button to insert each chapter marker. The button auto-numbers (I, II, III, …) based on what’s already in the text.

Chapter Syntax

Each chapter is a line that starts with a Roman numeral followed by an em-dash. Multiple numerals separated by commas share a single effect.

Saga Creatures

A Saga can also be a creature. Add Creature to the type line alongside Enchantment, then place a Creature — marker on its own line in the rules text. Everything after the marker becomes the bottom creature text box; everything above stays in the chapter column. Set the power/toughness as you would on any creature.

Adventures

An Adventure is a creature card with an embedded Instant or Sorcery spell printed on the left page. You cast the spell first; the creature half stays in exile until you cast it later.

Adding an Adventure

1. Build the card as a normal creature (type, mana cost, P/T, art).
2. Click the rules text region to open the editor.
3. Open the Templates dropdown in the toolbar and choose Adventure.
4. The editor inserts a template block, commits the change, and reopens the card in the split Adventure layout. Edit each half by clicking directly into its region.

Prepared Cards

A Prepared card is a creature that comes with a one-shot spell sitting next to it on the battlefield. The spell is rendered alongside the creature, and the creature’s rules text typically explains how the spell is cast (“When this creature enters, it becomes prepared with the spell on the right”).

Adding a Prepared Spell

1. Build the card as a normal creature.
2. Open the rules text editor.
3. Open the Templates dropdown and choose Prepared.
4. The card re-renders in the Prepared layout: the creature text on the left, the spell card on the right. Each half is edited independently by clicking into the region you want to change.

To remove the spell, open either region and click Clear Prepared in the toolbar. The creature reverts to a normal layout with whatever rules text was on the left.

Card Art

Each card can have custom artwork. Upload an image and use the transform editor to position, scale, and crop it to fit your card.

Uploading Art

1. Enable edit mode on the card page
2. Click on the art area of the card
3. Select an image file from your computer
4. The image is uploaded and displayed on the card

Art Transform Editor

After uploading art, click the art area again to open the transform editor. This gives you full control over how the art is positioned on the card:

• Drag — click and drag to pan the image
• Resize handles — drag the corner or edge handles to scale the image
• Mouse wheel — scroll to zoom in or out

The dimmed area around the card viewport shows context for positioning. Click outside the editor or press Esc to close and save.

Recommended Image Size

For best results, use images that are at least 744 x 1039 pixels (standard MTG card ratio). Larger images give you more room to pan and zoom. The art is stored at full resolution and cropped on display.

Double-Faced Cards

Double-faced cards (DFCs) have two faces that can be edited independently, like transform or modal double-faced cards in real MTG.

Creating a DFC

Toggle the Double-Faced option in the card editor to enable the back face. Once enabled, a Transform button appears on the card page to flip between faces.

Back Face Fields

The back face has its own complete set of editable fields:

• Face Name — the back face's own name (instead of the front's card name)
• Mana Cost (optional — many back faces have no cost)
• Card Colour
• Card Type & Subtypes
• Rules Text & Flavour Text
• Power/Toughness (for creatures)
• Card Art (separate artwork for each face)

DFC in Other Features

• Search — searching checks both faces of DFCs, so you can find a card by its back face name or rules text
• Booster packs — DFCs appear as their front face in pack openings
• PDF export — both faces are included on separate pages, properly aligned for double-sided printing
• Image generation — both front and back face preview images are generated

Keywords & Reminder Text

CardForger automatically detects MTG keywords in your rules text and can display reminder text. You can also define custom keywords for your set.

Automatic Keyword Detection

When you write rules text containing standard MTG keywords (like Flying, Deathtouch, Haste, Trample, etc.), the card renderer automatically recognises them. If reminder text is enabled, it will appear in italics after the keyword.

Keyword Categories

• Evergreen — keywords that appear in most sets (Flying, First Strike, Deathtouch, Lifelink, Trample, Vigilance, Menace, Reach, Ward, Flash, Defender, Haste, Hexproof, Indestructible, etc.)
• Deciduous — keywords used occasionally (Cycling, Kicker, Flashback, etc.)
• Custom — keywords you define specifically for your set

Custom Keywords

Define custom keywords in your set's details panel under the Keywords section. Each keyword needs:

Reminder Text Templates

Reminder text supports placeholder syntax for keywords that take a value (like Equip {2} or Ward {1}):

Search System

Search for cards across all sets using a Scryfall-like query syntax. Use the search bar in the navigation or visit the full search page.

Search Operators

Combine operators to build precise queries. All text searches are case-insensitive.

Numeric Comparisons

The pow:, tou:, and mv: operators support comparison operators:

• pow:3 or pow:=3 — exactly 3 power
• pow:>3 — greater than 3
• tou:<=4 — 4 or less toughness
• mv:>=5 — mana value 5 or more

Query Tips

• Quoted values — use quotes for multi-word searches: o:"destroy target creature"
• Multiple terms — terms are AND'd together: t:creature c:w pow:>3 finds white creatures with power greater than 3
• Multiple colours — colours in a single term are OR'd: c:wu finds cards that are white OR blue
• Double-faced cards — search checks both faces, so you can find a DFC by its back face text

Examples

Gallery

The Gallery is a public showcase of published sets. Browse community creations, get inspired, and share your own work.

Browsing Sets

Visit the Gallery to browse all published sets. Each set shows its icon, name, card count, view count, description, and a preview of 3 sample cards.

Sorting & Filtering

• Search — filter by set name or set code
• Sort — by newest, most viewed, most cards, or alphabetical

Publishing Your Set

To make your set appear in the gallery, open the set details panel on your set page and enable the Published toggle. Your set will immediately become visible to everyone in the gallery. You can unpublish at any time to make it private again.

Collaboration

Work with others on your custom sets. Add editors, leave comments on cards, and get notified when people interact with your creations.

Permission Model

There are three roles that determine what a user can do within a set:

Managing Editors

As a set creator, you can add editors from the set details panel:

1. Open the set details panel on your set page
2. Find the Editors section
3. Enter the email address of the person you want to add
4. They'll have editor access immediately (they must have an account)

Only the set creator can add or remove editors.

Comments

Each card page has a comments section where set creators and editors can leave feedback and discuss card design. Comments appear below the card preview with author name, avatar, and timestamp.

• Only authenticated set creators and editors can post comments
• You can edit or delete your own comments
• Comments are visible to all authenticated users who can view the set

Notifications

When someone comments on a card you created, you'll receive a notification. The bell icon in the navigation bar shows your unread notification count. Click it to see recent comments and navigate directly to the card.

• Notifications show the commenter's name, a text preview, and when it was posted
• Click a notification to go to the card
• Mark individual notifications as read, or mark all as read

Booster Packs & Sealed

Simulate opening booster packs from your custom set. Configure pack contents, open individual packs with animations, or run a full sealed event with deck building.

Booster Configuration

Enable booster packs in the set details panel under Draft Simulator. Configure how packs are assembled:

Booster Slots

Each booster pack is made up of slots. A slot defines how many cards of a certain rarity are included. For example, a typical 15-card booster might have:

• 1 slot for 10 commons
• 1 slot for 3 uncommons
• 1 slot for 1 rare (with a chance of mythic, based on rarity weights)
• 1 slot for 1 common or uncommon (wildcard)

Each slot has a rarity distribution — weighted probabilities that determine which rarity is picked for each card in that slot. For example, a rare slot might have 80% rare and 20% mythic.

Holo & Foil Effects

Enable holographic effects in the booster configuration. Set a holo chance percentage — each card in a pack has that probability of appearing with a foil/holo effect during the pack opening animation.

Opening a Single Pack

From the set page, click Open a Booster to open a single pack. The experience includes:

• Pack tearing animation to reveal cards
• Sequential card flip reveals
• Holo/foil effects on eligible cards
• Click any card for a fullscreen preview
• Open Another to generate a new pack

Sealed Simulator

From the set page, click Sealed Simulator to run a full sealed event:

1. Open 6 booster packs sequentially (with pack animations)
2. Cards accumulate into your sealed pool
3. Build a deck by moving cards between your pool and deck — drag and drop cards to organise
4. Click Playtest Deck to take your built deck into playtest mode

You can skip the pack reveal animation to add cards directly to your pool, or start a new sealed pool at any time. Your pool and deck state are saved in your browser so you can return to it later.

Playtest Mode

Test your custom cards in a simulated game environment. Track life totals, manage card zones, and play through turns with proper MTG phase structure.

Getting Started

Enter playtest mode from the sealed simulator after building a deck. Click Playtest Deck to launch the game table with your sealed deck as your library.

Life Counter

Your life total is displayed prominently with + and - buttons. Starting life defaults to 20 (standard MTG), and you can pick a different total on the playtest setup screen — 30, 40 for Commander, or any custom value.

Turn & Phase Tracker

Track your current turn and phase. The game follows MTG's phase structure:

Click the phase buttons to advance through your turn, or jump directly to a specific phase.

Card Zones

Cards are organised into zones that mirror a real MTG game:

• Library — your draw pile (face-down)
• Hand — cards you've drawn (visible to you)
• Lands — land permanents on the battlefield
• Creatures — creature permanents on the battlefield
• Other Permanents — artifacts, enchantments, planeswalkers
• Stack — spells and abilities being cast
• Graveyard — discarded and destroyed cards
• Exile — exiled cards

Card Actions

• Click a card on the battlefield to tap or untap it
• Right-click (or long-press on mobile) to open a context menu with additional actions:

• Move to any zone (hand, battlefield, graveyard, exile)
• Add or remove counters (+1/+1 and custom counters)
• Turn face-down or face-up
• Reveal or hide the card

Export & Print

Generate preview images for your cards, export print-ready PDFs, and automatically create token cards from your set's rules text.

Bulk Image Generation

Generate rendered preview images for all cards in your set. These images are used for card thumbnails in the grid view, booster pack reveals, and PDF exports.

• Open the generation modal from the set page toolbar
• Choose to generate all cards or only cards missing previews
• A progress bar shows real-time generation status with a live card preview
• Double-faced cards generate both front and back face images
• You can cancel at any time — already generated images are kept

Export / Print PDF

Export your set as a print-ready PDF with cards arranged in a 3×3 grid at standard MTG card dimensions (63.5 × 88.9mm).

PDF Options

• Double-faced cards — back faces are placed on separate pages, aligned for double-sided printing
• Card backs — optionally include your set's custom card back on the reverse side of each page
• A progress indicator shows export status as pages are assembled

Token Generation

Automatically detect and create token cards based on your set's rules text. The token generator scans all cards for patterns like "create a 1/1 white Human creature token" and offers to bulk-create the matching token cards.

• Auto-detect — scans all card rules text for token creation patterns
• Predefined tokens — recognises common tokens like Treasure, Food, Clue, Blood, and Emblem
• Duplicate detection — shows which tokens already exist in your set
• Bulk create — select which tokens to create and generate them all at once