Tag

Standard

All articles tagged with #standard

gaming14 days ago•18 min saved

Post-Ban Standard Emerges: Four Pillars Define RCQ Meta

After the August 10 bans erased Badgermole Cub, Stormchaser's Talent, and Gran-Gran, the RCQ scene for Standard centers on four pillars—Four-Color Control, Izzet Spellementals, Dimir Excruciator, and Mardu Discard—while other decks adapt and slower strategies gain breathing room. Each pillar relies on different engines: Tablet of Discovery/Jeskai Revelation for control; cheap cantrips and Sunderflock for Spellementals; Doomsday Excruciator lines for Dimir; and discard-driven value for Mardu Discard. Speculative options include Temur Omniscience, Dimir Midrange, and Boros Dragons influenced by The Hobbit set. RCQs begin this weekend (Aug 15); promos Sunpearl Kirin and Pinnacle Starcage are awarded, with Pro Tour invitations on the line.

via magic.gg|

#four-color-control #gaming #magic-the-gathering

gaming18 days ago•5 min saved

Three Standard Power Cards Banned as MTG Seeks a Slower Pace

Wizards of the Coast banned Badgermole Cub, Gran-Gran, and Stormchaser’s Talent in Standard to slow the format and curb fast, mana-accelerated strategies, while The Fantasticar was banned in Legacy and restricted in Vintage, signaling a shift toward more diverse, interaction-heavy play.

via Star City Games|

#banned-and-restricted #gaming #magic-the-gathering

news18 days ago•21 min saved

MTG Ban Wave Targets Five Cards, Reshaping Standard and Beyond

MTG announced a surprise ban wave across formats: Standard loses Badgermole Cub, Gran-Gran, and Stormchaser’s Talent after Arena data showed a dominant 57% win-rate deck (driving Izzet Lessons and Prowess). The Fantasticar is banned in Legacy and restricted in Vintage due to format-ruining power. These moves aim to curb outliers and mix up the metagame, with Jeskai Control and Mardu Discard largely unaffected. Wizards also signaled more bans to come, noting an October 12 ban window following the Reality Fracture release, and promising further details on the changes in tomorrow’s WeeklyMTG.

via MTG Rocks|

#arena #ban #legacy

gaming2 months ago•23 min saved

MTG bans and restrictions update shakes Legacy and Brawl on June 29, 2026

Magic's June 29, 2026 bans and restrictions cover multiple formats: Standard, Pioneer, Modern, Vintage, Historic, Alchemy, and Timeless show no changes; Legacy bans Candelabra of Tawnos; Pauper bans Seeker of Skybreak for a fast Hawkeye's Bow combo; Brawl bans Force of Will, Subtlety, Wash Away, Time Warp, and Temporal Manipulation. Next update is August 10, 2026. The announcement highlights Standard's continued diversity and Four-Color Control's rise, and notes an upcoming Pro Tour while formats are monitored for future adjustments.

via Magic: The Gathering|

#bans-restrictions #brawl #gaming

games3 months ago•23 min saved

Pro Tour Bound: Nineteen Standard Archetypes Fuel Metagame Shuffle

Over the weekend four Regional Championships handed out 62 Pro Tour invitations across 19 Standard archetypes, with champions Yuchen Liu (China, Izzet Prowess), Rafael Kenji (South America, Dimir Excruciator), Dawson Courson (Canada, Mardu Discard), and Zachary Aymie (US, Four-Color Control). The piece canvasses the full metagame, showing no single deck dominates as Izzet Prowess remains most-played but waning, while Four-Color Control, Selesnya Landfall, and several fringe strategies gain traction. It highlights build-varieties within key archetypes (e.g., Izzet Prowess variants) and notes Four-Color Elementals and other decks posting strong results. In short, Standard remains diverse and dynamic, with invitations spread across many decks, and ongoing store championships RCs ahead to test new innovations.

via magic.gg|

#games #magic-the-gathering #metagame

games3 months ago•16 min saved

Landfall Surges as Izzet Struggles at Pro Tour Secrets of Strixhaven

At Pro Tour Secrets of Strixhaven, Izzet decks dominated in popularity (nearly 49% of the field) but Landfall strategies—especially Selesnya Landfall and Mono-Green Landfall—led in performance, with Nathan Steuer winning the title using Selesnya Landfall and other Landfall variants reaching the Top 8; Izzet variants posted mid‑pack win rates and failed to produce a Top 8, while new decks like Mardu Discard and Azorius Prison showed promise. The event signals a shifting Standard metagame in the coming weeks as regional championships approach.

via magic.gg|

#games #landfall #magic-the-gathering

games3 months ago•12 min saved

Eight Spicy Strixhaven Standard Decks Steal the Pro Tour Spotlight

The Pro Tour Secrets of Strixhaven drew 325 Standard deck submissions, with Izzet Prowess and Mono-Green Landfall dominating, yet the piece highlights eight innovative builds using Secrets of Strixhaven—Izzet Maestro, Sultai Control, Golgari Midrange, Boros Discard, Golgari Kona, Temur Lute, Four-Color Control, and Bant Rhythm—explaining their engines and why they could rise to the trophy in the evolving metagame.

via magic.gg|

#combo-decks #decklists #games

features4 months ago•23 min saved

Strixhaven Spoilers Spotlight: Top Cards Redefining Multiple Formats

MTG Rocks’ Secrets of Strixhaven spoiler roundup highlights standout cards across Standard, Pioneer, and Commander, including Traumatic Critique, The Dawning Archaic, Improvisation Capstone, Planar Engineering, Erode, Witherbloom, Flow State, and others, explaining how they could enable explosive plays, new combos, and price movements as a set that could reshape multiple formats.

via MTG Rocks|

#commander #features #magic-the-gathering

games6 months ago•18 min saved

Donatello’s Technique Poised to Be the TMNT Set’s MVP

A TMNT crossover spoiler centers on Donatello’s Technique, a one-mana common that draws two cards and could enable new infinite combos. While not fitting every deck, it shines in Standard (e.g., Esper Pixie, Dimir Midrange) and looks like an easy upgrade for Commander (Yuriko ninjutsu, Blink decks), making it a strong candidate for the set’s best card.

via MTG Rocks|

#commander #donatellos-technique #games

games7 months ago•8 min saved

Belacca's Jeskai Control Goes Unbeaten as Pro Tour Lorwyn Eclipsed Opens

Pro Tour Lorwyn Eclipsed kicked off in snowy Richmond with 300+ competitors as players navigated a new five-archetype Limited format and a reshaped Standard dominated by Badgermole Cub and Izzet Rhythm. Marco Belacca led Day One undefeated with a near-creature-free Jeskai Control, while others showcased diverse builds—from five-color vivid drafts to Dimir Control and Sunderflock variants—setting the stage for Day Two's Draft and a final Standard sprint toward Sunday’s Top 8.

via MAGIC PLAY|

#draft #games #lorwyn-eclipsed

gaming7 months ago•12 min saved

Nine Innovative Standard Decks Shine at Pro Tour Lorwyn Eclipsed

At Pro Tour Lorwyn Eclipsed, 306 Standard decks showcased a metagame dominated by Simic/Bant/Sultai rhythms, but nine spicy builds stood out: Dimir Excruciator with Superior Spider-Man; Sultai Elementals driven by Formidable Speaker; Jeskai Elementals featuring Beza, the Bounding Spring; Four-Color Reanimator blending Ashling with Ill-Timed Explosion; Selesnya Landfall led by Doorkeeper Thrull; Golgari Gravefall’s Beifong’s Bounty Hunters loop; Abzan Roots using Dawnhand Dissident for graveyard synergy; Temur Harmonizer’s Mightform combo; and Rakdos Monument around Moonshadow. Each leverages Lorwyn Eclipsed cards to push innovative lines with real tournament potential.

via MAGIC PLAY|

#decklists #gaming #lorwyn-eclipsed

games7 months ago•15 min saved

Simic Ouroboroid Takes Spotlight as Standard Meta Shifts

Over 1,500 players competed in Magic Spotlight: The Avatar in Lyon and Atlanta, earning 16 Pro Tour invites and $100k. Simon Nielsen won Lyon with Simic Ouroboroid, while Kye Nelson won Atlanta with Bant Airbending, and six Top 8s went to Ouroboroid across the events. Mono-Green Landfall posted the highest win rate (about 58%), Badgermole Cub decks around 56%, and Izzet Lessons remained a top archetype (~52–54%). Jeskai Control offers a viable answer to Ouroboroid, Boros Aggro showed gains with white splash, and Esper Pixie/Dimir Bounce were present in the mix. The piece emphasizes Standard’s fluid meta and tees up Pro Tour Lorwyn Eclipsed and RCQs as the next big tests.

via MAGIC PLAY|

#deckbuilding #games #magic-the-gathering

technology7 months ago•1 min saved

Aliro to Launch Smart Lock Standard This Year

Aliro, the new open standard for smart locks that enables NFC-based tap-to-unlock and UWB hands-free unlocking, is set to launch in early 2026, allowing Android and other smart device users to access smart locks seamlessly, similar to Apple's Home Key feature, through collaboration among major tech and lock manufacturers.

via The Verge|

#aliro #nfc #smart-lock

games9 months ago•10 min saved

MTG Implements Major Ban Update Across Multiple Formats

Wizards of the Coast announced significant bans across multiple Magic: The Gathering formats, including banning Vivi Ornitier in Standard to curb deck dominance, along with bans on Proft’s Eidetic Memory, Screaming Nemesis, and others to promote diversity and balance. Additionally, they banned Entomb and Nadu in Legacy, and re-banned High Tide in Pauper due to problematic gameplay. Several pre-bans were also issued in Historic and Brawl, reflecting a focus on maintaining format health. The next bans are scheduled for February 9th, with hopes for a more balanced metagame.

via MTG Rocks|

#ban #games #legacy

games9 months ago•5 min saved

Magic: The Gathering Implements Major Ban Updates Across Multiple Formats

Wizards of the Coast banned Vivi Ornitier and Proft’s Eidetic Memory in Standard to address their dominance, along with banning Screaming Nemesis to balance Mono-Red Aggro, and made additional bans across Pioneer, Legacy, and Pauper formats to maintain game health and diversity.

via Star City Games|

#ban #games #magic-the-gathering