Rules · Draft
2HG Draft rules
The two cards a team takes from its first pack belong to neither player yet. In a 2HG draft, teammates sit together and take 2 cards from each pack into one shared pool. They build two decks of at least 40 cards from it afterwards.
From there it plays like 2HG Sealed: 30 shared life and one game per match. This page covers what happens at the draft table.
- Boosters per team (MTR)
- 6
- Cards taken per pack
- 2, by the team
- Picks go to
- One shared pool
- Pass direction
- Alternates every pack
- Each deck
- 40+ cards
- Shared starting life
- 30
- Poison counters to lose
- 15
- Build and register (MTR)
- 40 minutes
Teams draft, players don't
Teams, not players, sit in the pod, and teammates sit next to each other. Each team opens a pack, takes 2 cards from it together, and passes the rest face down to the next team.
The cards taken aren't assigned to either player. They go into one pool, and both decks are built from it once the draft ends.
MTR 9.7
The pass direction flips every pack
A team drafts from 6 boosters, the number the Tournament Rules recommend. The first pack passes left, the second right, and so on, so the direction alternates across all of them.
The judges' annotation to the rule recommends pods of three or four teams rather than the six to eight of an individual draft.
MTR 9.6 · MTR 9.7
The pick timer starts at 50 seconds
Each pick runs against a clock that shortens as the pack empties. Teams get 60 seconds to review their picks between packs.
- pick 1: 50s · pick 2: 45s · pick 3: 40s · pick 4: 30s · pick 5: 20s · pick 6: 10s · pick 7: 5s
- The seventh pick only exists in a 15-card booster. The last card or two in a pack need no time.
MTR Appendix B
Talk all you like, write nothing down
Teammates may talk throughout the draft, which is the exception that makes the format work. Written notes are banned during any draft, team drafts included.
At Regular enforcement you may look back through your picks between picks, unless the head judge says otherwise. At Competitive enforcement you can't.
MTR 9.2 · MTR 4.6 · MTR 7.7
Then it becomes a Sealed build
After the draft, the team builds two decks of at least 40 cards from its pool, adding basic lands freely. Unused cards are a shared sideboard. The Tournament Rules allow 40 minutes for building and registering together.
Everything after that follows the Sealed page: one game per match, shared life, and a sideboard both players can use.
MTR 7.1 · MTR 7.2 · MTR 9.6 · MTR Appendix B
Where to go from here
- 2HG Sealed rulesHow the team's pool becomes two decks, and how matches are played.
- Cards that hit each opponentThe commons and uncommons that quietly double in 2HG.
- Fog effectsOne fog stops two attackers' worth of creatures in a team combat.
- Search any cardCheck how 2HG moves a card before you take it.
Common questions
How does a Two-Headed Giant draft work?
Teams sit together in a pod. Each team opens a pack, takes 2 cards from it together, and passes the rest to the next team. The picks go into one shared pool, and both teammates build a 40-card deck from it after the draft.
How many packs does each team draft in 2HG?
The Magic Tournament Rules recommend 6 boosters per team for 2HG Booster Draft. The pass direction alternates with each pack. A store running a casual draft can choose a different number.
Can teammates talk during a 2HG draft?
Yes. Teammates may communicate at any time, including during the draft. Written notes are not allowed during any draft, team drafts included.
Who gets the cards in a 2HG draft?
Neither player, at first. The cards a team takes are not assigned to a particular teammate. They form one pool, and the team decides who plays what when it builds its two decks.
How much life do you get in 2HG Draft?
Each team shares 30 life and loses at 15 poison counters, the standard Two-Headed Giant numbers. A match is a single game.
Sources
- Magic Tournament Rules (sections 4.6, 7, 9.6, 9.7, Appendix B)
- Annotated Magic Tournament Rules: 9.7 Two-Headed Giant Booster Draft
- Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules (rule 810)
Rules summarised from Wizards of the Coast's Comprehensive Rules, Magic Tournament Rules and event pages. Where a store runs house rules, theirs win.