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MTG Bench

by mtgbench.com · remote · no sign-in to list tools · v0.52.2 · published by com.mtgbench

Magic: The Gathering card search, rules, rulings, deck analysis, brackets, and combo detection.

Changes · 5

19 tools: 5 change things and 14 only read.

Scanned Oct 21, 2026

No check matched anything in the tool definitions. No finding is not a safety guarantee. How the checks work.

claude mcp add --transport http mtgbench https://mtgbench.com/mcp

Tools

Open a tool for its reasons and full description. Descriptions are the publisher's own words, shown as they are.

19 tools

Changes things 5Claude Code: ask
  • commander_staplesThe cards most commonly played with a given commander, from EDHREC's aggregate inclusion data: 691,958 commander-card pairings across 2,631 commanders.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • Nothing in its name or description says what it does, so it is counted as a write.
    • The server marks it read-only (readOnlyHint: true), but an annotation never lowers a class.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    The cards most commonly played with a given commander, from EDHREC's aggregate inclusion data: 691,958 commander-card pairings across 2,631 commanders. Returns each card's deck count, the share of that commander's decks running it, and its synergy score. Synergy matters as much as popularity: a high deck count with LOW synergy is a card everyone plays anyway (Sol Ring), while high synergy is a card that is unusually good with this commander specifically. Lead with the latter when recommending. Use this to ground deckbuilding in what people actually play instead of guessing.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Commander staples
  • deck_statsDeterministic statistical analysis of a decklist (any format): mana curve with creature split, card types, color pips vs mana sources, functional buckets (ramp/draw/removal/wipes/c…No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • Nothing in its name or description says what it does, so it is counted as a write.
    • The server marks it read-only (readOnlyHint: true), but an annotation never lowers a class.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Deterministic statistical analysis of a decklist (any format): mana curve with creature split, card types, color pips vs mana sources, functional buckets (ramp/draw/removal/wipes/counters/recursion/protection/tutors + bracket signals) with typical Commander bands, opening-hand probabilities (hypergeometric), a suggested land count, meta brew score, deck price, tribal and keyword counts. Pure data — no judgment calls.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Deck statistics
  • rate_deckAssess a Commander deck's official WotC bracket (1-5).No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • Nothing in its name or description says what it does, so it is counted as a write.
    • The server marks it read-only (readOnlyHint: true), but an annotation never lowers a class.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Assess a Commander deck's official WotC bracket (1-5). Returns deterministic signals (Game Changers from WotC's curated list, mass land denial, tutors, fast mana, free interaction), a bracket FLOOR from the official decision tree, and the rubric — then YOU finish the assessment: check for compact two-card win combos and weigh soft signals per the assessmentGuidance, and state the final bracket with evidence.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Rate deck power / bracket
  • upgrade_deckSuggest priced deck upgrades: cards to add (within an optional budget) and cards to cut.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • Nothing in its name or description says what it does, so it is counted as a write.
    • The server marks it read-only (readOnlyHint: true), but an annotation never lowers a class.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Suggest priced deck upgrades: cards to add (within an optional budget) and cards to cut. TWO-PHASE: first call WITHOUT `strategy` to get a deck analysis and instructions for deriving the deck's strategy; then call again WITH your derived `strategy` to get recommendations. Cuts are theme-alignment suggestions relative to the stated strategy, not card-quality judgments. Prices are Card Kingdom/TCGplayer retail USD.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Upgrade a deck
  • what_can_i_buildGiven the user's imported card collection, rank the Commander decks they can most nearly build right now, with the most-played cards they are still missing.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • Nothing in its name or description says what it does, so it is counted as a write.
    • The server marks it read-only (readOnlyHint: true), but an annotation never lowers a class.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Given the user's imported card collection, rank the Commander decks they can most nearly build right now, with the most-played cards they are still missing. Answers "what should I sleeve up tonight" from cards they physically have. Requires a free API key (send it as "X-API-Key: <key>" or "Authorization: Bearer <key>") so the server knows whose collection to read; one is issued instantly at https://mtgbench.com/account/api-keys.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: What can I build?
Only reads 14Claude Code: allow
  • check_deck_legalityValidate a decklist against a constructed format's rules (banned cards, deck size, copy limits, and in Commander the color-identity rule).No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The description's first verb is "validate": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Validate a decklist against a constructed format's rules (banned cards, deck size, copy limits, and in Commander the color-identity rule). Use this rather than recalling ban lists from memory: bans changed four times in 2026 alone, and a model's training cutoff makes stale ban data one of the most common wrong answers in Magic. Pass `commander` for Commander decks: it counts toward the 100, and it is what makes the color-identity check possible (without it the response says color identity went unchecked).

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Check deck legality
  • find_combosDetect known combos in a decklist using Commander Spellbook's curated database — combos fully present, plus near-misses one card away (with that card's price).No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "find_combos" says "find": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Detect known combos in a decklist using Commander Spellbook's curated database — combos fully present, plus near-misses one card away (with that card's price). Pass `format` (and `commander` for Commander) so near-miss suggestions are filtered to legal, in-color-identity adds. Use this instead of recalling combos from memory; also feeds rate_deck's compact-combo check.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Find combos in a deck
  • find_synergiesGiven one or more cards the user ALREADY has, find cards that work with them.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "find_synergies" says "find": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Given one or more cards the user ALREADY has, find cards that work with them. Seeded by example rather than by description: pass the cards, get partners. Use semantic_card_search instead to describe a desired effect in words, and search_cards for structured filters. `limit` defaults to 10 and caps at 100 per call.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Find synergistic cards
  • get_cardFetch full detail for ONE card by exact name or id: oracle text, mana cost, type line, format legalities, and a brief summary of its printings.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "get_card" says "get": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Fetch full detail for ONE card by exact name or id: oracle text, mana cost, type line, format legalities, and a brief summary of its printings. Use get_card_printings instead when the complete printing list matters (choosing a specific art, set, or finish).

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Get card
  • get_card_imageFetch a card's image.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "get_card_image" says "get": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Fetch a card's image. The returned image content block IS the display — the client renders it directly; do not build custom HTML/widgets around the imageUrl, since sandboxed widget environments block external image hosts. Optionally pick a specific printing (setCode) or size (small, normal, large, png, art_crop, border_crop, or WEBP: thumb, grid, display).

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Show card image
  • get_card_printingsList EVERY printing of a card (set, rarity, artist, finish, collector number).No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "get_card_printings" says "get": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    List EVERY printing of a card (set, rarity, artist, finish, collector number). get_card already returns a short printings summary, so reach for this only when the full list is the point.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: List card printings
  • get_card_rulingsFetch the OFFICIAL Wizards rulings for one card, with their dates.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "get_card_rulings" says "get": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Fetch the OFFICIAL Wizards rulings for one card, with their dates. These are Wizards' own answers to the corner cases players argue about. Use this for any "how does this card actually work" question, and quote the ruling rather than paraphrasing from memory — rulings are among the most frequently hallucinated things in Magic. Use search_rules instead for general mechanics not tied to a specific card.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Get official card rulings
  • get_ruleFetch a Comprehensive Rules entry and its lettered subrules by exact number (e.g.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "get_rule" says "get": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Fetch a Comprehensive Rules entry and its lettered subrules by exact number (e.g. "601.2" returns 601.2 and 601.2a-i). Use after search_rules to read a rule's full context.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Get a rule by number
  • my_collectionSummarize the user's imported collection: how many distinct cards, total copies, and where it was imported from.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The description's first verb is "summarize": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Summarize the user's imported collection: how many distinct cards, total copies, and where it was imported from. This is the SUMMARY only. Use search_my_collection to look up individual owned cards, and what_can_i_build to rank commanders they could assemble. Requires a free API key (send it as "X-API-Key: <key>" or "Authorization: Bearer <key>").

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Collection summary
  • resolve_card_namesCheck whether card names are REAL, in bulk.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "resolve_card_names" says "resolve": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Check whether card names are REAL, in bulk. Returns exact / not_found per name, with the canonical spelling and id for the ones that exist. Call this reflexively before presenting any decklist or card recommendation you generated: the most common failure in Magic assistance is confidently naming cards that do not exist, or that exist with different text. Cheap, batched, and safe to call on every card you are about to mention. Accepts either a `names` array or a pasted `text` decklist.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Verify card names
  • search_cardsFind cards by NAME or by structured filters (colors, color identity, types, mana value, format legality, sets).No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "search_cards" says "search": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Find cards by NAME or by structured filters (colors, color identity, types, mana value, format legality, sets). Use when the query can be expressed as filters: "red instants under 3 mana", "legendary artifacts in Standard", "cards named Bolt". Use semantic_card_search instead when the user describes an EFFECT rather than a filter ("cards that make a treasure when I attack"). Use find_synergies instead when they name cards they already have and want things that pair with them. Searches every Magic card; use search_my_collection to search only what the user owns. `limit` defaults to 25 and caps at 100 per call.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Search cards
  • search_my_collectionSearch only the cards the user OWNS, by name, colors, or type.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "search_my_collection" says "search": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Search only the cards the user OWNS, by name, colors, or type. Set notInDecks to surface owned cards not currently used in any of their decks (the "what is sitting idle in my binder" question). Use search_cards instead to search every Magic card regardless of ownership. Returns at most 100 owned cards per call, with the full match count in `total`. Requires a free API key (send it as "X-API-Key: <key>" or "Authorization: Bearer <key>").

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Search my collection
  • search_rulesSemantic search over the Magic Comprehensive Rules, glossary, and 84k card-specific rulings.No findings

    Why it is in this group

    • The name "search_rules" says "search": a word for reading.
    Description, as the server wrote it
    Semantic search over the Magic Comprehensive Rules, glossary, and 84k card-specific rulings. Use for any rules/interaction question; answer FROM the returned chunks and cite rule numbers (e.g. 601.2a). Filter kinds to ["ruling"] for card-specific questions or ["rule","glossary"] for general mechanics.

    Annotations the server declares

    • openWorldHint: false
    • readOnlyHint: true
    • title: Search the rules

This is not a safety rating, and no finding is not a safety guarantee. The groups and findings come from fixed checks of the tool definitions the server returned on the date shown, not from its code or what it does when called. How the checks work.

Install

Pinned to version 0.52.2. Values in angle brackets are yours to fill in.

claude mcp add --transport http mtgbench https://mtgbench.com/mcp

Run in a terminal.

Claude Code permissions

Allow the reads, ask before a change, deny the deletes. Paste into .claude/settings.json.

.claude/settings.json
{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "mcp__mtgbench__check_deck_legality",
      "mcp__mtgbench__find_combos",
      "mcp__mtgbench__find_synergies",
      "mcp__mtgbench__get_card",
      "mcp__mtgbench__get_card_image",
      "mcp__mtgbench__get_card_printings",
      "mcp__mtgbench__get_card_rulings",
      "mcp__mtgbench__get_rule",
      "mcp__mtgbench__my_collection",
      "mcp__mtgbench__resolve_card_names",
      "mcp__mtgbench__search_cards",
      "mcp__mtgbench__search_my_collection",
      "mcp__mtgbench__search_rules",
      "mcp__mtgbench__semantic_card_search"
    ],
    "ask": [
      "mcp__mtgbench__commander_staples",
      "mcp__mtgbench__deck_stats",
      "mcp__mtgbench__rate_deck",
      "mcp__mtgbench__upgrade_deck",
      "mcp__mtgbench__what_can_i_build"
    ],
    "deny": []
  }
}

Tools that only read are allowed, tools that change things ask first, tools that delete or cancel are denied. It assumes the server is installed as mtgbench. Review it before you use it.