Standard is Magic: The Gathering's premier competitive 60-card format, and one of the format's most beautiful characteristics is its annual rotation. Unlike eternal formats like Modern or Pioneer, old cards regularly leave Standard to let new cards breathe and shake up a stagnating meta. Rotation is supposed to happen every year, but this next rotation will be a little different.

Starting at the beginning of 2027, rotation will be moving from August to February. It will also be a larger rotation than usual, as sets will now rotate in batches based on what year they came out in. For example, in 2027, all sets that came out in 2024 (except Foundations) and two sets from 2023 will rotate, the next rotation will be all sets from 2025, and so on.

The next rotation is still several months away, but it never hurts to prepare early. So, here are the sets and notable cards exiting Standard in February, 2027.

Wilds of Eldraine

It's the oldest set rotating next year, and Wilds of Eldraine's impact on Standard has had many ups and downs. It once boasted some of the most powerful cards in the format, but eventually, Monstrous Rage, Up the Beanstalk, and Hopeless Nightmare all got banned. Sadly, there aren't many cards from the set left in the metagame today, but the few that see play are quite popular.

Elusive Otter is a key card in Izzet Prowess decks, Hearth Elemental is one of the Izzet Spellementals deck's win conditions, and Scalding Viper is now a popular card in Aggro decks like Mono-Red. We're also losing the first half of the Restless Lands, with Restless Cottage being the most notable loss. Finally, Disdainful Stroke, a very popular sideboard card, will be leaving Standard for the first time in seven years. Although this one will probably get reprinted before too long.

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan

When The Lost Caverns of Ixalan rotates, Standard is really going to feel its loss. This set is home to many format staples. It brought us incredible midrange Creatures like Tishana's Tidebinder and Preacher of the Schism. The set was home to top-tier removal spells like Bitter Triumph and Get Lost. Standard will surely miss Lands like Cavern of Souls, Restless Anchorage, and Restless Reef.

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan is also home to a few cards that pop up from time to time depending on the meta, like Roaming Throne, Bringer of the Last Gift, Deep-Cavern Bat, and Kutzil's Flanker.

Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might is a staple of Mono-Red Aggro, comboing with many of the deck's burn spells like the aforementioned Scalding Viper to quickly close games. Finally, Bloodthorn Flail and Inti, Seneschal of the Sun are also rotating, both key cards in the recently established Rakdos Discard deck. Every deck in the current meta is going to miss this set in some way, from Jeskai Control to Mono-Red Aggro.

Murders at Karlov Manor

Like Wilds of Eldraine, there aren't many Murders at Karlov Manor cards making an impact on the meta, especially since the set's strongest card, Proft's Eidetic Memory, was banned last year. The most impactful rotation will definitely be the Surveil Lands, a cycle of ten dual Lands with basic Land types that enter tapped but let you Surveil on entry.

There are also a few board wipes and removal spells that will be missed, like Deadly Cover-up, Ill-Timed Explosion, Lightning Helix, and Assassin's Trophy. Escape Tunnel is also a heavily-played card in the format's Landfall decks, but it will likely be swiftly replaced with Evolving Wilds.

Outlaws of Thunder Junction

This set may have been a bit of a mess flavorfully, but Outlaws of Thunder Junction and its ancillary set, The Big Score, are home to some very important Standard cards. Rest in Peace and Torpor Orb are the biggest ones right now, being essential sideboard cards that hate on the formats strongest archetypes.

Slickshot Show-Off has also been a backbone of aggro and burn decks since its printing. Aven Interrupter and High Noon have picked up steam lately thanks to the popular Azorius Tempo deck, but they can also be found in the sideboard of many decks playing White.

Simulacrum Synthesizer and Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius will also be rotating, which will remove one of the best win conditions in Artifact decks and the Bant Airbending deck's infinite combos. Shoot the Sheriff is one of Black's best removal spells, and it's going to hurt when those decks lose both it and Bitter Triumph in one fell swoop.

Finally, while it hurts to say, Three Steps Ahead will be another big loss for the format. This modal spell can counter spells, make copies of your Creatures and Artifacts at Instant speed, and replace itself with some card draw and selection. It has been a staple of Control decks since it was printed, and it will be sorely missed.

Bloomburrow

When Bloomburrow rotates, Standard will lose some of its cutest and most charming cards, as well as some of the strongest cards in the format. Stormchaser's Talent will be the biggest loss, with it showing up everywhere from Prowess to Lessons to the various builds of Self-Bounce.

The other Talents will also be missed, with Artist's Talent and Caretaker's Talent being very important cards for discard and token decks respectively. Mockingbird, a popular card in various Green and Blue Ouroboroid decks, will also rotate, as well as a couple of key Lands for Control and Landfall decks like Fabled Passage and Fountainport.

Into the Flood Maw is another very important removal spell leaving the format, as it gave Blue decks access to temporary removal for most of the hate cards players run in their sideboards. Mono-Red Aggro decks will also lose some strong threats like Hired Claw, Emberheart Challenger, and Hearthborn Battler. Finally, a few cards that see a lot of sideboard play will rotate, like Cruelclaw's Heist, Keen-Eyed Curator, Ral, Crackling Wit, and Beza, the Bounding Spring.

Duskmourn

Of all the sets rotating, Duskmourn: House of Horror has arguably had the biggest impact on Standard. Cards from this set have been the backbone of multiple tier one decks like Dimir Midrange, Excruciator Combo, Kona Combo, and many more. Two of the format's best combo decks rely on Doomsday Excruciator and Kona, Rescue Beastie, and with no replacement for these cards, the decks will most likely fade away entirely.

The biggest losses for Dimir Midrange will be Kaito, Bane of Nightmares, Enduring Curiosity, and Floodpits Drowner. Many White decks will lose Sheltered by Ghosts, yet another powerful removal spell, and Mono-Red Aggro will lose Razorkin Needlehead.

While the Overlords may be past their prime with the banning of Up the Beanstalk, Overlord of the Hauntwoods and Overlord of the Balemurk are the two that still see a ton of play in various ramp and graveyard decks. Finally, Duskmourn will also take with it the ally-colored Verge Lands, which have long been a staple of two- and three-color mana bases.

With these sets rotating, what will remain?

The following sets will still be legal post-rotation:

• Foundations
• Aetherdrift
• Tarkir: Dragonstorm
• Final Fantasy
• Edge of Eternities
• Spider-Man
• Avatar: The Last Airbender
• Lorwyn Eclipsed
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• Secrets of Strixhaven
• Marvel Super Heroes
• The Hobbit
• Reality Fracture
• Star Trek

As well as the unannounced set that will be released at the start of 2027.

Conclusion

And that does it for this rotation breakdown. This will be one of the largest and most impactful rotations in Standard's history, but ultimately I think it will be good for the format. If you want to learn more about past Standard rotations, check out these articles about the 2025 rotation and the 2024 rotation.

Until next time!