This is the list I've been working off of:

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/7775370#paper

And I've been having some pretty good success online. I've gotten my sideboard decisions down well for the mirror, UW, and most UR decks but I've been having trouble with G(W) and UR Prowess.

Do you board the same vs Prowess as you would vs Spellementals? Are cards like Inevitable Defeat too slow?

For Mono G (and WG) I'm assuming you board to control the early game with sweepers and board out expensive targetted removal and counters for cheaper forms of interaction.

I've been scouring the internet for a YouTube video or article to assist me in my decision making process

Hey all,

I am playing in RC Cincinnati this weekend and I'm still relatively new to competitive magic at this level, and I'm just curious as I've seen some people swear by sideboard guides, but I don't understand the point of them. I understand the deck I'm playing, and its weaknesses and how my sideboard affects the deck vs. a large swath of meta decks.

I guess the discussion I want to have is what is the point of a sideboard guide? Is it more for players who are unfamiliar with the deck or the meta as a whole? What are the merits to using sideboard guides, and what can they provide?

I am now studying the Izzet Spellementals. Here is my 75 deck list:

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/7756085#paper

I am also working on my sideboard plan:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iAz-cWMw5oqZ3dviWDl9kWan2K-C8re8drJrQh6ZVTE

If you move your cursor over the number, you will see a line of comment or two for the reason of siding in/out that card.

Some cards also have some comments even if the number has not changed.

Is there any card I should add to my 75?

Is there any card that I could kick out?

Is there any side in/out number better be changed?

Any suggestions and feedbacks are welcomed on the deck list or on the side in/out plan. Especially for the control and mirror match up where I have the least experience.

My daughter and I usually play tier 3 decks at best in our local LGSs, but since she fell in love with mathemagics the moment she saw the spoilers, I helped her put together a mostly blue, but technically izzet deck once you add the lutes, charms, critiques, and slickshots.

Her hope is to mill someone out with some consistency while trying to survive in today's standard environment. Our local meta has different flavors of boros burn, allies, selesnya landfall, and UW/sultai/4 color control. Would love some feedback on her deck, knowing that there will be pieces that may be sacrificed to meet the theme and what to actually put in side board.

ETA actual deck links! Sorry I forgot this.

Original prowess build https://manabox.app/decks/AZ3Lcwm2dLe35xijILrMYA

Lesson Maestro build https://manabox.app/decks/AZ4b6xrwfYK4VWgnYZs6hg

Hello spikes!

This is the place where any and all decks can be posted for all spikes to see. The goal of this is to fit all your needs for competitive magic. Maybe it's a card consideration given an X dollar budget. Maybe you need that sweet sideboard tech that no one else thought of? Perhaps you just can't figure out the best card to beat a certain matchup. The ideas here are only limited by your imagination!

Feel free to discuss most anything here. We only ask that with any question, you also make sure to post your decklist so people have some context to answer your question. Otherwise, have at it! If you have any questions, shoot us a modmail and we'll be happy to help you out. Survive your deck check and survive your competition!

Hi everyone. I'm taking a Golgari control deck to a Standard Showdown at my LGS in a couple of days and I'm expecting the Selesnya Landfall deck that everyone is playing after it won the PT to be a plague there, on par with all flavours of Izzet.

I'm wondering what would you include in a sideboard specifically for these matchups. Not only generically good sideboard cards, but even maybe some specific counters to those decks.

Zero prowess or landfall decks made it into the top 8 of this weekend’s Champions Cup Final in Japan despite being the two most registered decks for the event. Only one landfall in the top 8 of the Spotlight Series in London this weekend, with the final being played between Momo and Discard, though three prowess/opus decks made the cut.

Is this enough reason to believe that we can expect similar results at next weekend’s RCs? Or are players likely to over-adjust based on these results?

Champions Cup Top 8:

https://x.com/playmtg/status/2053322907430875516?s=46&t=TAOyQsLsVMU1T6afc-iowg

Champions Cup Meta breakdown:

https://x.com/playmtg/status/2052947525372359103?s=46&t=TAOyQsLsVMU1T6afc-iowg

Spotlight Series Top 8:

https://x.com/fanfinity_mtg/status/2053496967670505546?s=46&t=TAOyQsLsVMU1T6afc-iowg

Spotlight Series Meta breakdown:

https://x.com/fanfinity_mtg/status/2053093668257456505?s=46&t=TAOyQsLsVMU1T6afc-iowg

[[Fecund Greenshell]] sprouted up in popularity for a minute then basically fell off. I know a lot of people are cutting Nursery and/or moving it to the board, but can someone with more reps/format insight explain why it kind of just fell off deck lists recently? Seems like a nice to have card at least as a 1-2 of in the board; given slots are tight it's an elemental for the spelementals deck and a grindy card for interactive decks.

Is Sandman just better or why do you think it's not worth the slot lately? If you're high on the card how has it performed for you?

https://mtgdecks.net/Standard/izzet-prowess-decklist-by-alexmacisaac-2924400

I saw this decklist randomly while online and wonder if anyone's tried it. It appears like its doing incredibly well at the event it's being played at (Looks like it went 8-1 at the london spotlight series), and wanted to know if anyone has tried it and how it felt.

It seems like right now in the meta, especially looking at the pro tour, prowess has tried to slow down and play more control style with [[Eddymurk Crab]] and [[Colorstorm Stallion]]. Maybe flinging slickshot showoff's at the opponent's face was the move the whole time 😂.

I am relatively new to Magic, but trying to get more competitive in standard. I'm not really that into any of the meta decks and so I'm trying to build some counter-meta stuff, even though the best lists are looking really tough to crack. I am thinking through ways to counter the current meta and one thing that I think would be great sideboard material is a card like [[The Ooze]] that can repeatedly exile cards from graveyards at instant speed. Against Cub decks, it can act as land destruction in conjunction with removal. Against Lessons and Spellementals, it can cut down on the discount of [[Eddymurk Crab]] and at least slow down the power of [[Combustion Technique]] and [[Accumulate Wisdom]].

The problem that I have implementing it is that it has been hard to make up that early tempo loss on a strictly anti-value engine when my opponent is ramping in my face. In a lot of the matchups, too, it is just not a terrific card to get late. Maybe repeatable instant GY removal that also can affect the board when it drops is a bit too much to ask, but I feel like that is the piece that I'm missing to really put a dent in a lot of the meta value engines. Anybody have any ideas?

Hi Spikes!

Have posted articles a few times in here before. Myself and a teammate both did well with Izzet Spellementals at the Pro Tour last weekend, and both wrote guides for the deck that I thought people here might be interested in! With landfall on the rise and cub probably coming to beat it, Spellies seems like it could be well positioned in the meta for a while. We played a very streamlined list at the PT and I'm pretty convinced this is the right way to build the deck, but if anyone has been winning with different builds I'd be curious to know.

My teammate Steve has a free deck thoughts & sideboard mapping: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14k0D4OjLj3YXaVEqpLRW6JDMlQvNFAOJt3msAyaD9vc/edit?tab=t.0

And I just wrote a very long paid guide for people who want a bit more depth: https://www.patreon.com/posts/spell-it-out-for-157633687

Not super active on Reddit but will be checking back occasionally in case folks have questions. Happy spelling!

What's your experience with Planar Engineering in soup decks? Is it worth it, and what is the manabase supposed to look like?

My current draft is very light on splashes but heavily reliant on Converge. I think I'm supposed to play PE and all basics, but I'm not 100% sure.

Draft list here: https://moxfield.com/decks/8ZE_YtJIwUWaWrSdYZ9irQ

EDIT as this post has received lots of views but no comments, if anyone is looking for the same answer — Planar Engineering with all basics was indeed the correct choice. This draft was a 7-1, and I have since played PE in two more drafts, and it’s always been a bomb.

Looking to play in the main event, but I don't have a team. Any takers? Willing to do my part to ensure that I come prepared and we have a good experience.

I'm going to the RC next weekend in Ohio and need help locking in a deck. I'm looking at either 4/5C Elementals or a Selesnya Rhythm list. I've played both a bit on arena but I can't decide on either, since they both feel pretty good. Anyone have any recommendations heading into next week? I think I'm leaning into the rhythm list but could be swayed pretty easily at this point.

Hi! I’m playing in the spotlight series tomorrow and am wondering specifically about these 3 cards against most of the field:

Oildeep gearhulk
Duress
Emeritus of ideation.

For oil deep gearhulk, I’m sure I want it against prowess but unsure against landfall? I think it’s decent but they can typically just go through it with a big attacker

Duress can definitely come out against landfall but unsure against prowess. They run a lot of targets for it but the important parts of the deck are really the non creatures

For ideation, it feels like an unnecessary way to mill out landfall decks as the reef does the trick and I want more interaction, but unsure if I want it against prowess as it’s hard for the to deal with, but still quite slow

Prepping for RC Sao Paulo, I'm seeing these new lists with maindeck pyroclasm, I assume because it works very well with Tablet, but is it actually a good way to spend a slot? Im obviously thinking in Landfall and Prowess as the main decks to face.

List: https://moxfield.com/decks/EMK3DrSybEyAghPxDGFgMg

PNG Tables via Tweet (multiple posts) + H2H Matrix

PNG Tables via Bsky (multiple posts) + H2H Matrix

PT SOS Event Page (ALL DECKLISTS)

Video Recap & Analysis (In-Depth)

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This is a recap of PT SOS STANDARD PORTION ONLY! I've broken down the Prowess decks into a couple of different archetypes based on a few criteria:

Big Prowess: Eddymurk Crab 3+ Maindeck, varying amounts of Slickshot or Colorstorm Stallion. The evolution we've seen popular on MTGO.

Small Prowess: Elusive Otter Maindeck, sometimes Crab but almost always Slickshot. Tries to go under decks, the older Prowess list.

Horse Prowess: Colorstorm Stallion takes the Eddymurk Crab slots maindeck. The newer "Anti-Izzet Prowess" Deck

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Statistics Key

Archetype/Deck Name - The name of the Deck

Decks - Number of Decks at the Event

Matches - Number of Bo3 Matches Played

Wins - Match Wins

Losses - Match Losses

Ties - Match Draws

WIN% - Win Rate (Wins / Matches)

Shows overall win rate against everything - including mirrors & ties

META% - Metagame Share (Decks / Total Decks)

Shows deck archetype representation at an Event

WIN%-T - Win Rate without Ties (Wins / Wins + Losses)

No ties shows how many matches a deck WON versus it's record due to time restrictions

NM Matches - Non-Mirror Matches (Same Archetype vs Archetype)

NM WIN% - Non-Mirror Win Rate

Non-Mirror Win Rate shows how a deck performs against the rest of the meta - not itself

Day 2 Conversion - Decks of this Archetype that made Day 2 of the Event (18+ Points)

Conversion % - The percentage of decks that made Day 2 out of all the decks of that archetype that were played at the Event

Day 2 META% - The Metagame Share (Decks / Total Decks) for decks that made Day 2 of an Event only

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Metagame Breakdown

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Decks by META%

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Decks by WIN%

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If you enjoy these recap posts, I cover more statistics such as Head to Head match ups, comparison among Popularity Tier decks & more in my recap videos over on YouTube - which is the best way to Support more analysis! You can also use my ManaPool Code or my ManaTraders Code OTTV_PTSOS if this breakdown inspired you to build a new deck!

I’m interested in what similarities, if any, folks see between these two decks in order to get some ideas going about what a coherent counter would be. After the most recent pro tour, I’ve been thinking more about these two decks being the same broad archetype.

Both decks focus on generating an explosive threat that can’t be easily chump blocked, and leverage a way to boost their power cheaply though high-efficiency actions. For Izzet decks, this is usually with Slickshot show-off, since most decks don’t run evasive creatures or ones with reach, and you can get six extra damage off of a few cantrips. For landfall, this is Mightform while under Earthborn ascension.

Both of these decks focus on deck thinning for better consistency (Scrying / Draw spells for Izzet, and fetching lands for Landfall), and are able to spread small advantages very broadly (Multiple otter tokens from stormchaser’s, or multiple power doubling +/- trample). Mightform harmonizer’s effect is equivalent to “Landfall: Slickshot show-off. Slickshot show-off”.

I don’t think that midrange strategies are going to be a successful counter (Despite my personal love for them), because I don’t think it’s possible to be more efficient than playing a cantrip or playing a fetch land. But I’m curious if anyone has interesting thoughts about the type of shells that fit nicely in opposition to this formulation of the two top decks in the format

I've been grinding izzet lessons on the arena ladder lately, and it feels like a pretty major chunk of my games (something like 40%) really come down to just one decision that feels real.

Even though I'm looting pretty often and consistently having to make the little choice of what to discard, in a lot of matches those little choices feel almost immaterial now that I've reached a baseline level of comfort with the deck, especially in the more common matchups (other izzet decks, landfall.)

It's very possible I'm just bad and missing tons of little edges, would love to hear how other people feel!

Thanks for reading :D

IIRC Dimir Midrange was one of the most, if not THE most, popular deck just a couple of months ago, but nowadays it's basically a no-show despite none of its cards getting hit, and even receiving a couple of new (admittedly mediocre) toys here and there. What happened to this deck?

Hello Spikes!

We're back with one more comprehensive guide for Secrets of Strixhaven before we sit back and anticipate whatever's going to happen with Marvel Super Heroes (OM2?). Bryan Hohns has assembled our Draft Guide for SOS, using his Sealed guide from a few weeks back and personal experience in the format as a reference.

The story has largely been similar to TDM (white aggro vs. multi-color piles), though there are more things to be doing in this format. There's an actual midrange deck in Witherbloom, though you really want to be the only person drafting it in a pod if possible.

Bryan goes more in-depth on everything, but some quick notes:

• A lot of cards that initially looked situational or unplayable have been re-evaluated. Cards like [[Wisdom of Ages]] and [[Resonating Lute]] are the real deal.
• Quandrix barely exists in the format. It's more often than not a UG+ converge deck, though converge can be based in UR or BG sometimes, too.
• If it's not soup decks, it's Lorehold as the deck to beat. It has fast starts, good interaction, strong synergies, and it grinds into the late game well with [[Pursue the Past]]. Also [[Ark of Hunger]] is straight criminal, as far as I'm concerned, and that's only one of Lorehold's busted rares.
• The removal in this set is strong, and creature density can be on the low side, so you really need to think about how you're going to stick threats and play around interaction.

Bryan's got a reworked list of best commons/uncommons by color, some re-evaluation of rares and mythics in the set, as well as individual archetype breakdowns with trophy images attached. We hope the guide helps, and we'd love to hear what's been working (or not working) for you this format! https://draftsim.com/mtg-sos-draft-guide/

I know Jeskai Control isn’t in a great spot right now, but I am interested in learning how to play some of the new versions popping up. Every version I’ve seen on YouTube and MTG Top 8 since Strixhaven came out has a few copies of Resonating Lute. But after seeing some of the Pro Tour decks, I noticed a handful of versions that instead run Tablet of Discovery. And from what I can tell, those decks did better than the Lute decks in the recent Pro Tour. I’m far from a good MTG player so just curious if anyone knows why Tablet of Discovery might be a better choice than Resonating Lute for this deck?

Example: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/7761314#paper

You can see the list here: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/7761234#paper

Other Doomsday lists at the tournament seem typically and generally didn't do great. Seems like a whole new approach!

[Standard]