Introduction

In the complex and expensive world of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), "proxying" has become a standard practice for players who want to test decks before investing hundreds—or thousands—of dollars. As a proxy and data expert, I approach this not just as a craft, but as a data scraping and rendering challenge.

This guide covers the technical workflow of creating high-fidelity proxies: from sourcing raw image data to the physical assembly of the card.

*Disclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes and personal use only (e.g., playtesting cards you own, or casual play). Selling proxies infringes on Wizards of the Coast's intellectual property.*

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Phase 1: Sourcing and Rendering the Data

The quality of your proxy is determined by the resolution of your source material. An MTG card is roughly 63mm x 88mm. To print this at standard quality (300 DPI), your image needs to be at least 745 x 1040 pixels.

The Image Scrape

You can manually download images, but if you are creating a batch of tokens or an entire 100-card Commander deck, manual scraping is inefficient. We can use a simple Python script to scrape card data from public APIs like Scryfall or Gatherer.

Python Script for Bulk Image Downloading:

import requests
import json import os
def download_mtg_cards(card_list, output_dir='proxies'): if not os.path.exists(output_dir): os.makedirs(output_dir)
# Scryfall API allows fetching multiple cards by name # Format: 'card_names' is a list of strings endpoint = "https://api.scryfall.com/cards/collection"
data = { "identifiers": [{"name": card} for card in card_list] }
try: response = requests.post(endpoint, json=data) response.raise_for_status() card_data = response.json()
for item in card_data.get('data', []): if item['object'] == 'card': name = item['name'].replace(' ', '_').replace('/', '-') # Prefer high-res borderless if available, else normal image_uri = item.get('image_uris', {}).get('large')
if not image_uri and item.get('card_faces'): # Handle double-sided cards image_uri = item['card_faces'][0].get('image_uris', {}).get('large')
if image_uri: img_response = requests.get(image_uri) file_path = f"{output_dir}/{name}.jpg" with open(file_path, 'wb') as f: f.write(img_response.content) print(f"Downloaded: {name}")
except Exception as e: print(f"Error: {e}")
Usage
my_deck = ["Black Lotus", "Ancestral Recall", "Time Walk"] download_mtg_cards(my_deck) 

The "Feel Real" Problem: Foil and Texture

A common question in the PAA data is: *"how to make proxy mtg cards feel real"*.

Standard paper prints feel flat. To replicate the "holofoil" or "etch" foil texture of modern cards: 1. Holofoil Sheets: You can purchase "holo stamp" stickers online (often triangular or oval) that mimic the ellipses found on rare/mythic cards. 2. Faux Foil Technology: Some advanced hobbyists use specialized foil transfer films that can be ironed onto the card stock before printing, though this requires a laser printer capable of toner transfer.

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Phase 2: Frontend Generation Tools

Once you have the raw images, you need to arrange them for printing. Most players do not want to manually crop 100 images in Photoshop.

Top Tools for Card Layout

1. MPCFill: The industry standard for "MakePlayingCards" orders. It automatically aligns card images into the specific PDF grid required by print-on-demand services. It includes a "bleed" zone (the area beyond the card edge) to ensure no white borders appear after cutting. 2. MTGSnapcards: Excellent for generating fronts and backs of cards simultaneously. It handles the logic of double-sided cards seamlessly. 3. Tabletop Simulator (TTS) Export: If you have your deck built in TTS, there are community plugins that extract the card faces and assemble them into a printable PDF.

Sizing Specifications

Standard MTG Poker Size: 2.5" x 3.5" (63mm x 88mm).

If you are printing for "Perfect Fit" sleeves ( discussed in the 'how to make proxy mtg cards to size' query), you must print at 100% scale. Do not scale to fit page margins, or your card will be millimeters too small and slide around inside the sleeve.

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Phase 3: The Printing Process

Paper vs. Cardstock

• Standard Paper (80-90gsm): Only acceptable if you are using the "Sandwich Method" (sleeving the paper between a real card and the sleeve). The paper provides the image, the real card provides the stiffness.
• Cardstock (250-300gsm): Required if you want the proxy to be playable without a backing card. This thickness mimics the 350gsm weight of a real MTG card (which is actually a black core sandwiched between white paper).

Printer Settings

• Resolution: 600 DPI or higher.
• Color: Photo quality settings. MTG colors are saturated; ensure you don't use "Draft" mode or the blacks will look grey.
• Type: Laser is superior for durability (waterproof), but Inkjet provides better color depth for dark arts (e.g., Swamps, Black creatures).

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Phase 4: Physical Assembly Techniques

This is where the "Web Scraping" ends and the "Arts & Crafts" begin. There are three tiers of proxy assembly quality.

Tier 1: The "Sleeve Sandwich" (Easiest)

Pros: Fastest, completely reversible, feels like a real card because you are playing on a real card's back. Cons: Visible thickness/opacity issues if the paper is thin.

Steps: 1. Print the card on standard paper. 2. Take a junk Magic card (basic land). 3. Place the junk card in a Perfect Fit sleeve. 4. Slide your printed proxy in front of the junk card, inside the sleeve. 5. Put the Perfect Fit into a normal opaque sleeve.

The tightness of the Perfect Fit sleeve holds the two together firmly.

Tier 2: The Glue Stick Method

Pros: Better shuffle feel than the sandwich method. Cons: Permanent damage to the host card.

Steps: 1. Use a glue stick (e.g., Elmer's) rather than liquid glue. Liquid glue warps the paper. 2. Apply a thin, even layer to the *back* of your printed proxy. 3. Align it perfectly over a basic land card. 4. Place the card under a stack of heavy books to dry flat. If you don't do this, the card will curl due to moisture tension.

Tier 3: The Blue Core / Professional Proxy

If you are asking *"how to make proxy mtg cards to size"* for tournament play (casual unsanctioned, of course), you need the right thickness.

Real MTG cards have a Blue Core (to prevent see-through light transmission).

1. Purchase "Blue Core Poster Board" or specialized MTG proxy blanks online. 2. Print your cards on full-sheet adhesive label paper. 3. Cut out the card and affix it to the blue core blank. 4. Use a corner rounder punch (approx 3mm radius) to round the corners. Crucial: A square corner feels wrong to the touch and looks wrong.

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Use Cases: Why Proxy?

1. Playtesting

Before buying a $200 Underground Sea, you want to know if the mana base works. Proxies allow you to test the deck mechanics.

2. Cube Drafting

Running a 360-card Power Cube requires $10,000+ worth of cards. Most Cubists use high-quality proxies so they can play the format without the financial barrier.

3. Alter Art

Many artists create digital alters and proxy them onto cards to have a unique version of a commander.

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Comparison of Methods

| Feature | Sleeve Sandwich | Glue Stick | Blue Core/Blanks | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Cost | Low ($0.05/card) | Low ($0.05/card) | Medium ($0.25/card) | | Shuffle Feel | Stiff (2 cards thick) | Good | Excellent (Real feel) | | Opacity | Good | Varies | 100% Blockout | | Difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced | | Reversibility| Yes | No | No |

Final Word on Ethics

While creating proxies is technically a violation of copyright to distribute, the community generally accepts it for personal playtesting and "Cube" environments. However, never attempt to sell these as real cards, and do not use them in official tournaments (WPN events).

By using the Python script above and the "Perfect Fit" method, you can have a playable, high-quality test deck ready in under an hour.