Card Search Syntax

Spellbinder supports a focused subset of Scryfall-style syntax for card searches. Most of the time, you can use the built-in filters on the Cards page, then reach for syntax when you want to combine several conditions or use fields the UI does not expose directly.

Quick start

If you want to...	Try this
Find red instants	`c:red t:instant`
Find cheap creatures	`t:creature mv<=2`
Find an exact oracle phrase	`o:"draw a card"`
Find Bant legendary creatures	`id<=bant t:legendary t:creature`
Find mythics from Modern Horizons 3	`e:mh3 r:mythic`

How queries work

Plain words search card names, so lightning bolt finds cards whose names contain both words.
Spaces combine terms with AND, so t:artifact mv<=2 means "artifact cards with mana value 2 or less."
Prefix a term with - to exclude it, like -t:creature.
Use field prefixes such as o:, t:, c:, or year: when you want to search something other than the card name.

Quoted text and exact matching

"Lightning Bolt" matches the full card name exactly.
name:"Ajani Goldmane" searches for that exact phrase in the name field.
!name:"Black Lotus" uses exact equality for the name field.
o:"draw a card" searches for an exact phrase in oracle text.

Supported operators

Operator	Meaning	Example
`:`	Matches text fields and equals numeric fields	`o:draw`, `mv:3`
`=`	Exact equality	`c=azorius`, `id=wr`
`!=`	Does not match	`r!=rare`
`>`	Greater than	`pow>3`
`>=`	Greater than or equal	`year>=2020`
`<`	Less than	`mv<3`
`<=`	Less than or equal	`tou<=2`

Common searches

Names, oracle text, and types

Use these for names, rules text, and type line searches. Unqualified text searches names by default.

Query	What it does
`lightning bolt`	Finds cards whose names contain both words.
`"Lightning Bolt"`	Matches the full card name exactly.
`name:ajani`	Searches within the name field.
`o:draw`	Finds cards whose oracle text mentions "draw."
`o:"draw a card"`	Searches for an exact oracle-text phrase.
`-o:sacrifice`	Excludes cards whose oracle text mentions "sacrifice."
`t:creature`	Finds cards with "creature" in the type line.
`t:"Legendary Creature"`	Matches an exact type-line phrase.
`t:creature t:elf`	Finds Elf creatures by combining two type filters.

Colors and identity

c: uses a card's actual colors. id: uses Commander color identity.

Both fields accept single-letter colors (w, u, b, r, g), full color names, guild and shard names like azorius and bant, four-color names such as artifice, and wubrg.

Query	What it does
`c:red`	Finds red cards, even if they have other colors too.
`c=azorius`	Finds cards that are exactly white-blue.
`c<=bant`	Finds cards whose colors stay within Bant.
`c:m`	Finds multicolored cards.
`c:c`	Finds colorless cards.
`id<=bant`	Finds cards legal in Bant Commander decks.
`id=wr`	Finds cards with exactly Boros color identity.
`id:grixis`	Finds cards whose color identity overlaps with Grixis colors.

Mana, stats, and release info

Use these for mana costs, creature stats, planeswalkers, battles, and release year filters.

Query	What it does
`m:{R}{G}`	Finds cards with exactly that mana cost.
`mv=3`	Finds cards with mana value 3.
`mv<=2`	Finds cards with mana value 2 or less.
`mv=even`	Finds cards with an even mana value.
`mv=odd`	Finds cards with an odd mana value.
`pow>=4`	Finds cards with power 4 or greater.
`tou<=2`	Finds cards with toughness 2 or less.
`loyalty>=4`	Finds planeswalkers with starting loyalty 4 or greater.
`defense=5`	Finds battles with defense 5.
`year>=2020`	Finds cards released in 2020 or later.

Print details and legality

These fields can return specific printings rather than merged oracle-card results.

Query	What it does
`e:mh3`	Finds printings from Modern Horizons 3.
`e:fdn\|mh3`	Finds printings from either Foundations or Modern Horizons 3.
`r:rare`	Finds rare printings.
`r>=rare`	Finds rare, mythic, or special-rarity printings.
`r:rare\|mythic`	Finds rare or mythic printings.
`a:"Seb McKinnon"`	Finds printings by that artist.
`ft:mishra`	Finds printings whose flavor text mentions Mishra.
`wm:phyrexian`	Finds printings with the Phyrexian watermark.
`kw:flying`	Finds printings that list flying as a keyword.
`f:modern`	Finds cards legal in Modern.
`legal:duel-commander`	Finds cards explicitly marked legal in Duel Commander.
`banned:legacy`	Finds cards banned in Legacy.
`restricted:vintage`	Finds cards restricted in Vintage.

Layouts and special card kinds

These are the currently supported is: values:

Query	What it does
`is:split`	Finds split cards.
`is:flip`	Finds flip cards.
`is:transform`	Finds transform double-faced cards.
`is:dfc`	Finds transform or modal double-faced cards.
`is:modal`	Finds modal double-faced cards.
`is:adventure`	Finds Adventure cards.
`is:saga`	Finds Saga cards.
`is:planeswalker`	Finds planeswalkers.
`is:creature`	Finds creatures.
`is:instant`	Finds instants.
`is:sorcery`	Finds sorceries.
`is:enchantment`	Finds enchantments.
`is:artifact`	Finds artifacts.
`is:land`	Finds lands.
`is:multicolored`	Finds multicolored cards.
`is:monocolored`	Finds monocolored cards.
`is:colorless`	Finds colorless cards.

Multiple values in one field

Some fields accept several values separated by |:

Query	What it does
`t:instant\|sorcery`	Matches either instants or sorceries in the type line.
`e:fdn\|mh3`	Matches printings from either set.
`r:rare\|mythic`	Matches either rarity.
`f:modern\|legacy`	Matches cards legal in either format.

This is useful when you want one field to match any of several values without running separate searches.

Current limits

OR and parenthesized alternative groups are not supported yet.
Cross-field comparisons such as pow>tou are not supported.
The parser recognizes some fields that are not yet implemented in the /cards experience, including block, date, devotion, usd, eur, tix, prints, sets, artists, and not:.
Spellbinder only supports the is: values listed above, even if Scryfall supports more.

Last updated Mar 16, 2026