When playtesting in any given meta, it's a good idea to test your deck against meta decks, that is decks that make up the majority of the metagame.
But we are right now in a transition from one meta to another. In order to playtest right now, we must first determine what the new meta will look like. It's no point to playtest vs the old meta decks such as rakdos vehicles or Hazoret decks.
As a brewer, I'm in a limbo right now as I have no way to test my brews against meta decks since there is no such thing yet.
So my question is: can we compile a list of say 10 decks that are potential meta candidates?
My first call is Nexus of Fate turbofog.
Second call is some sort of Red Deck Wins, but how it will look I don't know.
Third: some UW or esper control with Teferi. Will it be creatureless or contain some creature wincon?
Gx Stompy may have lost the least from rotation and gets Pelt Collector. I would try to find the best Boros Mentor and Selesnya Tokens decks to test against.
1st: Nexus Turbo Fog
2nd: Jeskai / Grixis Control
3rd: mono blue flyers
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Expecting Rw Aggro to be the biggest threat early, with grindy UWx and GBx decks gradually forming as they try to balance competition with Aggro with competition among themselves.
I too hold green stompy positioned well to come strong out of the gate in the new standard, given how linear and powerful the strategy is.
8 one drops rather than 4 one drops makes a huge difference. I'd also not downplay Nullhide Ferox. This card is a big tempo win as the cheapest way to deal with him costs 4 mana and red basically can't touch it like MC Hammer. Which makes up for the fact that Chainwhirler has a field day with the green one drops.
Talking about Chainwhirler, I stand firm on my prediction that the goblin will remain a prominent player in the meta.
Talking about goblins, in my testing so far, Goblin Cratermaker has been a very versatile card. I'ts basically never a poor draw. It's quite splashable too.
I'd be interested to brew a Favourable Winds deck. What I miss is a earthquake effect in standard or some effect that taps down or bounces non-flying creatures.
There will always be some form of RDW so that's one. Aggro decks exist in a greater proportion right after rotation so you can expect Boros mentor, Gx stompy, and given the hype for the new browbeat a burn deck of some kind. Midrange you are looking at some kind of GY Golgari deck, a three color GBx deck of some kind probably Junk given the mana bases. Control is going to be tough in the beginning until the meta shakes out. A general esper control and UR izzet list would be good. Combo wise I think Bant nexus is the only real option. So if I were to make 10 decks for a gauntlet to test for right after rotation I'd pick:
RDW
Burn
Boros Mentor
GxStompy
Golgari GY
GBx Midrange
Esper control
Izzet Control
Bant Nexus
I expect Gx Stompy to be top of the meta. Golgari and Dimir got the best cards in my book and Green Stompy is only really losing Heroic Intervention and Vehicles to fly over the top. But Rb Aggro took massive hits at every place on the curve leaving Chainwhirler and some worse Boros Options. Although maybe a Red Wizard or Red Goblin deck can get off, I bet more on the Wizards, tokens seem way too easy to kill. UWx Control similairly hit although most of the damage is from Trophy and a much worse mana base. Doesn't help that Izzet doesn't look that great.
I don't think Esper is a choice for a 3 color deck yet; only 1 set of shocks for it; I would be looking at Jeskai, Abzan, Grixis, Sultai, and Naya because of the double shocks
I don't think Esper is a choice for a 3 color deck yet; only 1 set of shocks for it; I would be looking at Jeskai, Abzan, Grixis, Sultai, and Naya because of the double shocks
With Glacial Fortress, Isolated Chapel and Field of Ruin a light splash esper is feasible. Double white spells are probably out, but going UB splashing for Teferi or Ixalans Binding is pretty reasonable.
I don't think Esper is a choice for a 3 color deck yet; only 1 set of shocks for it; I would be looking at Jeskai, Abzan, Grixis, Sultai, and Naya because of the double shocks
With Glacial Fortress, Isolated Chapel and Field of Ruin a light splash esper is feasible. Double white spells are probably out, but going UB splashing for Teferi or Ixalans Binding is pretty reasonable.
I share this analysis. UBw. This means no settle the wreckage. So a meta-meta prediction is that creatures that are weak to settle will become better. UBw will rely on black spot removal, bounce and possibly situational sweepers.
I was shredded by a UR wizards deck a couple weeks ago. The deck is keeping a lot of pieces and a few of the jumpstart cards or ionize could make it fairly potent. Burn/aggro gets better with shocks in the mix.
I don't think Esper is a choice for a 3 color deck yet; only 1 set of shocks for it; I would be looking at Jeskai, Abzan, Grixis, Sultai, and Naya because of the double shocks
With Glacial Fortress, Isolated Chapel and Field of Ruin a light splash esper is feasible. Double white spells are probably out, but going UB splashing for Teferi or Ixalans Binding is pretty reasonable.
yeah I mean, that's exactly what is was before the rotation... UB with a splash just for teferi.
Yeah, Settle is definitely better in a control list.
I'm going to run two Ritual of soot in my sultai midrange deck's sideboard though. I think it'll be very good against low to the ground aggro and go wide token decks.
personally i feel like GBX control, midrange, and stompy decks will be up at the top. best removal access to alot of the best value/efficient creatures in the up coming format.
RDW is always a thing just after a rotation and figuring that its already the best deck now cant figure it will change much
either grixis(or ub splashing red) or jeskai will be your premier control decks though i could see a grixis midrange deck as well
gw tokens ior midrange will probably be around its viability is uncertain but the card pool is definitely there for it.
Tokens depends purely on the viability of any Red Deck....basically is there a good Rx Deck that can splash for it. The 1-2 drops for Red Aggro decks seems a massive step down from the glory days.
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But we are right now in a transition from one meta to another. In order to playtest right now, we must first determine what the new meta will look like. It's no point to playtest vs the old meta decks such as rakdos vehicles or Hazoret decks.
As a brewer, I'm in a limbo right now as I have no way to test my brews against meta decks since there is no such thing yet.
So my question is: can we compile a list of say 10 decks that are potential meta candidates?
My first call is Nexus of Fate turbofog.
Second call is some sort of Red Deck Wins, but how it will look I don't know.
Third: some UW or esper control with Teferi. Will it be creatureless or contain some creature wincon?
Please fill in with speculations.
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
2nd: Jeskai / Grixis Control
3rd: mono blue flyers
-Stay Frosty
8 one drops rather than 4 one drops makes a huge difference. I'd also not downplay Nullhide Ferox. This card is a big tempo win as the cheapest way to deal with him costs 4 mana and red basically can't touch it like MC Hammer. Which makes up for the fact that Chainwhirler has a field day with the green one drops.
Talking about Chainwhirler, I stand firm on my prediction that the goblin will remain a prominent player in the meta.
Talking about goblins, in my testing so far, Goblin Cratermaker has been a very versatile card. I'ts basically never a poor draw. It's quite splashable too.
I'd be interested to brew a Favourable Winds deck. What I miss is a earthquake effect in standard or some effect that taps down or bounces non-flying creatures.
RDW
Burn
Boros Mentor
GxStompy
Golgari GY
GBx Midrange
Esper control
Izzet Control
Bant Nexus
By week 2 or 3 the more Ravnica heavy cards will start showing up like BGx. Graveyard decks will take a while to develop.
In terms of three color decks, Grixis and Sultai are the most likely, followed by Abzan and Esper.
Standard: BG Golgari Midrange
Modern: U Merfolk GWUBR 5 Color Humans UBW Esper Gifts GW Bogles
With Glacial Fortress, Isolated Chapel and Field of Ruin a light splash esper is feasible. Double white spells are probably out, but going UB splashing for Teferi or Ixalans Binding is pretty reasonable.
I share this analysis. UBw. This means no settle the wreckage. So a meta-meta prediction is that creatures that are weak to settle will become better. UBw will rely on black spot removal, bounce and possibly situational sweepers.
yeah I mean, that's exactly what is was before the rotation... UB with a splash just for teferi.
Yeah, Settle is definitely better in a control list.
I'm going to run two Ritual of soot in my sultai midrange deck's sideboard though. I think it'll be very good against low to the ground aggro and go wide token decks.
According to this list:
http://www.starcitygames.com/articles/37544_Nexus-Of-Fate-Is-A-Dangerous-Magic-Card.html
it seems they need to cut out Secrets of the Golden City but this card should be possible to replace with other card draw.
Also Search for azcanta and anticipate can't be reliably cast on turn 2.
RDW is always a thing just after a rotation and figuring that its already the best deck now cant figure it will change much
either grixis(or ub splashing red) or jeskai will be your premier control decks though i could see a grixis midrange deck as well
gw tokens ior midrange will probably be around its viability is uncertain but the card pool is definitely there for it.