Ali from Cairo

Standard	Not Legal
Pioneer	Not Legal
Modern	Not Legal
Legacy	Never Banned
Vintage	Unbanned since April 1, 1996
Commander	Never Banned
Pauper	Never Banned
Oathbreaker	Never Banned
Extended	Not Legal

View on Scryfall

Timeline

• December 17, 1993 - Released
• January 25, 1994 - Status changed to Restricted in Vintage
• April 1, 1996 - Status changed to Unbanned in Vintage

Rationale

Ali from Cairo is included in the Limited List, a category established to restrict cards that, when combined with other elements, create situations deemed detrimental to game balance. The inclusion of Ali from Cairo alongside other highly potent cards—such as *Black Lotus*, *Ancestral Recall*, and various Moxen—reflects the rules' goal of limiting specific combinations of effects to maintain competitive equilibrium within the structured tournament environment.

This summary was generated by gemma4 on September 14, 2026. It has not yet been reviewed by a human editor and may contain some inaccuracies. Learn more.

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