MTG Card Conditions Explained: NM, LP, MP, HP, DMG — What Do They Mean?

Card condition directly affects price and playability. Here's what each grade means.

Near Mint (NM)

The card looks new or almost new. Minimal to no signs of wear. No scratches, no edge whitening, no surface marks. This is the condition most players want for their collection.

Expect: A card that looks like it came out of a pack recently. Minor factory imperfections are acceptable.

Lightly Played (LP)

Minor wear visible on close inspection. Slight edge whitening, a small surface scratch, or minor corner softening. The card is fully playable in a sleeve and looks good from arm's length.

Expect: A card that's been played in a sleeved deck for a while. Slightly discounted from NM.

Moderately Played (MP)

Noticeable wear that's visible at a glance. Multiple scratches, moderate edge wear, slight creasing, or minor discoloration. Still fully playable in a sleeve.

Expect: A card that's been played extensively or stored loosely. Typically 15-25% cheaper than NM.

Heavily Played (HP)

Significant wear throughout. Heavy scratching, noticeable creasing, water damage staining, or major edge wear. Playable in an opaque sleeve but not pretty.

Expect: A card that's been through a lot. 30-50% cheaper than NM. Good for budget decks where you care about gameplay, not aesthetics.

Damaged (DMG)

Structural damage. Tears, heavy creasing, writing on the card, liquid damage, or missing pieces. May not be tournament-legal even in a sleeve.

Expect: The cheapest option. Only buy damaged cards if you just need the gameplay and don't care about condition. 50-70% off NM price.

Our Grading at Tapped Decks

We grade conservatively. If we're unsure between LP and MP, we list it as MP. You should never be surprised by a card's condition being worse than listed. Every card in our shop has its condition clearly marked.

Which Condition Should You Buy?

• - Collectible/display: NM only
• - Competitive decks: NM or LP
• - Casual/Commander: LP or MP (save money, same gameplay)
• - Proxies exist: If condition matters less than price, consider our proxy service at $0.15/card