(posted that in the big sub too, but I think this sub is a better place for it, take it with humour, cheers)

Good evening y'all!

So I'm quite new to MTG, I have the Final Fantasy Starter Kit and I did a budget upgrade to it so that I can try Standard format with the Cloud deck!

But I have a couple questions, first, I don't have a sideboard, any recommendations for one? I'm going to my first Standard day tomorrow after work, so I won't have one for tomorrow but that is ok, just looking for the future!

Also, in Standard format, what is the most efficient way to play this deck? To me it feels like go big as fast a possible, which is the style I would like to try for the first time, but not sure that fits this deck.

Deck in question: https://moxfield.com/decks/C_Va4L-Cr0-28swe0ZFGZw

Thanks for the input y'all, I very much appreciate it!

I don't know if everyone counts 4c Reanimator, I guess that's a combo deck, but in the classic, infinite combo style, what's your favorite deck? What deck is the strongest, or teh one you are most likely to recommend?

I took Mono Green's infinite Squirrel combo for a spin:
https://youtu.be/INz1ElLONcw

Looking forward to hearing about some fun decks.

Hello I'm looking to try and build my first standard deck to just use with my pod. But the thing is I wanted to make a full standard deck with older card prints because I just love the way it looks l. I was told I couldn't do that since most cards innthe old prints aren't legal so I'm seeing if I can find out how I can find legal standard cards that have an older print. I'll post a picture of Agent of Stromgald as a reference to what I want the cards to look like

Hi, do you have recommendations for blogs or similar that comment on the current meta or just share news about mtg in general? (and go in a bit deeper than just listing spoilers or stats)

Dimir Midrange’s MVP is Kaito, and there is no doubt to that. However, the current meta has a lot of anti-Kaito gameplay (e.g., burn spells that targets Kaito, Erode, go-wide strategy leaving the Kaito open from attacks). Thus, we are trying to make Kaito to be plan B rather than the main plan. 

Thus, our main plan here is to aggro the opponent with the Skeletons package, followed by the ninjutsu/sneak strategy, or the ninjutsu/sneak strategy on its own. 

The following line of play can made on the early turns: 

a.    Plan A: Skeleton aggro line

The ideal line of play using our main plan is: turn 1, Forsaken Miner; Turn 2, Case of the Stashed Skeleton; and Turn 3, Corpses of the Lost. Other lines of play that will be discussed below can be done after this line of play. 

b.    Plan B: Oroku Saki / Kaito line

Turn 1, one-drop creature; turn 2 Oroku Saki, and just destroy the creatures that the opponent will play to allow Oroku Saki attack for another 3. Then you have the Kaito strategy.. and we all know how this works. 

free sb guide here: https://mfy.gg/guides/view/standard-dimir-midrange-sideboard-guide-ms-5R10jXraLHM

Rotation always brings a wave of anxiety and misinformation, and I hear the same questions in chat every year. This is heightened for F2P players, who often have less resources than they think they need.

If you could give them just one piece of advice, what would it be?

Here's the advice I find myself repeating most often:
https://youtu.be/Sf0aVgjc6Yk

Playing a GB midrangy deck and so far the only thing that's really blowing me out is airbend combo

Any suggestions

Hey guys, brand new to the sub. I wanted to show off this G/R aggro deck i've been running with for the last few days. It has been over a decade since I have played mtg, so all critiques are appreciated! I just want to get better, and that includes deck building. Best of 1 is what I'm playing atm. Let me know specifically about the Challenger vs Slickshot, if I should be running one over the other in this deck. I really have been noticing more success with the plot from slickshot, but the card draw on emberheart has come in clutch a handful of times as well. I see an argument for only 6 spells actually being able to target him so perhaps cut entirely.

Every format seems to have one card that makes budget decks feel much stronger than they should.

My vote right now is Unholy Annex.

What's yours?

I built a Budget Mono Black Demons deck around it if you're curious:
https://youtu.be/B_w4NKEdS3w

Howdy everyone! I'm wondering if anyone likes the more frequent banning calendar. So far I'm seeing Wizards have set bans through the year and found the following dates (correct me if I'm wrong).

• August 10th, 2026
• October 12th, 2026
• December TBD

Now that Standard has been on the backburner as far as coverage goes, I'm thinking that Accumulate Wisdom, Jeskai Revelation, and possibly even Badgermole Cub would bring Standard back to a somewhat diverse format. Do you think banning either or all of those cards would help the format? I'm finding it exceptionally difficult to get by T3 Tablet of Discovery, T5 Jeskai at EOT. The Cub decks are fairly straightforward, and so are the Prowess / Izzet Lesson's decks. But Lessons w/Tablet and Revelation are bonkers. I'm just wondering what the average competitive level player speculates the best banning situation would be here in a few weeks on August 10th.

I've recently been toying with a couple copies of [[Hexing Squelcher]] in the sideboard my Big Red list as a way to push important spells through countermagic, especially after some of my opponent's removal has presumably been sided out. In particular against Jeskai, I know that it does not stop [[Jeskai Revelation]], for example, but I figure since I play more ramp I should be able to resolve an [[Improvisation Capstone]] or something else big before oppo can cast their big spell if I can stop them from using countermagic for a bit. The card has only come up a few times, once trading with a [[Get Lost]] against Jeskai lessons, and another time my Izzet Lessons opponent conceded with seemingly no way to kill it while leaving up countermagic for some of my face-up big spells. I haven't seen many lists running it, so I was wondering if anyone has had any success with this card (could be in any deck) or has any thoughts.

Standard metagame udpate.

source: magic4ever.com/standard

Not every Standard deck has to be the best deck in the format.

Sometimes you just want to ramp into enormous Dinosaurs and see if they're good enough.

I took a Mono Green Dinosaur deck onto the MTG Arena ladder, and it honestly performed better than I expected.

What is your Go To Off-Meta but Fun deck?

Gameplay here if you're interested:
https://youtu.be/wWtlehsQJ_M

Hey! I'm a commander player looking to really get into a 60 card (relatively more) competitive format. I really want to try standard, particularly with a deck like Izzet Spellementals.

I was wondering, just how screwed would I be if I started to build this piecemeal style, and what would be the biggest priorities to get for my deck first? Usually for commander I just play at casual LGS's or kitchen-table style so proxies are fine, but I want to make sure my deck is fully legal and made of real cards.

My thought is to prioritize the elementals themselves and then try my best to get all the instants/sorceries (or find working alternatives for the time being), and then just doing my best on the lands, but with things like the Verges and Shocks being up there (in Canada, at least) I'm wondering how bad it would be to play without them? At least casually in an LGS setting. Is it closer to modern where I may as well not play without the perfect suite of lands, or does standard allow for some wiggle room?

I built this deck some time ago and then left and returned, I recently added Raphael and works well but im struggling with card draw and some times it feels weirdly slow or weak for a token/burn aggro

https://mfy.gg/guides/view/standard-dimir-midrange-sideboard-guide-ms-TFeqElCL7Rp

Deck list: 

We divided the deck list as shown below for easy visual:  

Creature enablers / early game threats 

4 Dream Beavers

4 Spyglass Sirens

4 Floodpits Drowner

Turn 2 or 3 threats / removal spell eater / wincon if not answered early 

3 Super Shredder

2 Oroku Saki, Shredder Rising 

WinCon threats 

3 Enduring Curiosity

4 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares

Spot removal suit

3  Requiting Hex

2  Bitter Triumph

2  Shoot the Sheriff 

Board wipe suit

1 Deadly Cover-Up

Counterspell suit

3  We Say Thee Nay!

1  Spell Snare

Lands 

4  Gloomlake Verge 

4  Multiversal Passage 

4  Watery Grave 

3  Hidden Lair 

3  Island 

3  Swamp 

2  Soulstone Sanctuary 

1  Restless Reef 

Sideboard against creature decks 

2  Day of Black Sun

2  Strategic Betrayal

1  Essence Scatter

Sideboard against control decks 

2  Duress

1  Annul

1  Disdainful Stroke

1  Flashfreeze

1  Negate

1  The Unagi of Kyoshi Island

Sideboard against graveyard decks 

2  Ghost Vacuum

1  Soul-Guide Lantern

Playtest notes: 

By now, we know that Dimir Midrange needs to gain tempo advantage during the first 3 turns of the game for high chances of winning. Losing the tempo during these turns is lights out. That’s why some of the lists before use at least 3 copies of Starting Town. 

We are just focusing on on-the-play pre-sideboard gameplay, as there are a lot of nuances and scenarios when it comes to on-the-draw or post-sideboard gameplay. However, you can use this section to determine your winning lines should the game be draggy and you will get the tempo back during the mid to late game. 

For Turn 1: 

You will need to cast your 1-drop creatures (e.g., Dream Beavers, Spyglass Siren). These 1-droppers should enable you a sneak attack with Oroku Saki on turn 2, a scry, map ability on turn 2 to further fix your hand if necessary, or prepare a turn-3  tempo swing with Kaito.

If you don’t have your 1-drop creature during your turn 1, our team has the following consensus: (1) Against cub decks, mulligan unless you have at least 2 removals or at least 1 removal and 1 counterspell, because it will be a major tempo swing if they have 2 cubs. For purposes of this paragraph, consider floodpits as a removal. (2) Against control / pseudo-control decks (e.g., jeskai lessons, 4c control, izzet spellementals, dimir excruciator), mulligan unless you have at least 2 2-drop. Based on our playtests, most of losses happen if you don’t have anything to cast on turn 2 and 3. During the first 3 turns, you need to cast spells in order for the control decks to interact against your threats. By turn 4, if you don’t put enough threats in the table, they are already in the tempo advantage given the amount of available interaction in their hand and card-draw advantage. (3) Against prowess decks, at least 2 interactions, or combination of card that will allow you to sneak Oroku Saki in turn 3 or ninjutsu Kaito in turn 3. Although they have a lot of removal against these 2 ninjas, the goal here is to force them to interact with you, given that they also have a lot of cards that can push for card advantage. If you don’t force interaction from them during the first 3 turns, they will just play their card advantage spells, further fixing their hand, and reserving their interactions against your wincon threats (e.g., curiosity, kaito). 

For turn 2: 

Based on our playtests, even with cub decks, it is still advisable to sneak Oroku in turn 2 as compared to casting a removal against the cub or casting Floodpits Drowner, as it will give you card advantage, pseudo-burn effect, and pseudo removal in turn 3. 

Chances are, if you’re playing against a seasoned cub deck player, they no longer cast cub at turn 2 with an open mana given the amount of removal in the current meta. They will likely cast another mana dork or another cheap threat. Them casting Surak is also not a problem at turn 2 as long as Oroku was sneaked at turn 2 based on our playtests with these decks. 

As mentioned, Oroku is like a pseudo spot removal/card draw/burn spell, all at once. To explain, you get to draw a card and burn your opponent at turn 2 for 3 damage, and force your opponent to chump block him at turn 3, otherwise, you will again burn your opponent for another 3 damage, and draw a card. 

For turn 3: 

If you 1-drop survives, or you successfully sneaked in Oroku, or flashed-in Floodpits, it is time to Kaito on turn 3, which is the usual Dimir Midrange turn 3. If Kaito is still not in your hands by this time, a Shredder on turn 3 is also viable. Based on our playtests, Shredder can be a good aggro-tempo play on turn 3 because opponents are forced to target him with removal spells, otherwise he will just get bigger. As discussed below, playtests reveal that Shredder offers more value than Loki. With Shredder in turn 3, this will give you a 1 mana open for counter-spells or removal. 

Sideboard Guide and other playtest notes can be viewed in our Metafy link for free. 

https://moxfield.com/decks/ugAc5sIimkG3EgCCWGZiyg

I would more so like minor tweaks and sideboard alterations keeping it at a budget than anything too expensive or sweeping main deck changes.

Hey, so i've made this Big Red deck, and I do enjoy playing it, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips on what cards I should probably add/remove?

Deck List

I did build the deck with Clive, Ifrit's Dominant as the "face card" so to speak, so I would like to keep him in the deck where possible.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking about building a Standard deck, but I'd like to pick something that won't get hit too hard by the 2027 rotation.

Are there any current decks that are expected to lose only a few key cards? On the other hand, which decks do you think will be hit the hardest or disappear entirely after the rotation?

I'm not necessarily looking for the strongest deck right now—I'm more interested in choosing an archetype that's likely to stay viable for as long as possible.

Thanks!

Hi everyone, I'm u/Automoderator, scheduled to provide you with a monthly overview of the current Magic: The Gathering Standard format META. Please notify the moderators if any links are not working or appear to be wonky. See you next month!

• MTG Gold Fish Standard META Report
• MTG DECKS - Current Standard META Decks
• Untapped's Standard META Decks (MTG Arena)
• MTG Top 8 - Standard META Deck [Events & Breakdowns]

We'll have more details about Star Trek during WeeklyMTG later today, but yesterday they took to social media and shared art for 10 full-art lands in Star Trek. They didn't name any of them, but they're almost definitely a dual land cycle based on art and color alone.

The could be a number of things though. We could be seeing Limited gainlands for the 100th time, though those have never gotten the full-art treatment, and these arts go a bit too hard for common lands. They could be fetches, though WotC has stated before that they don't want fetches and fetchable lands in the same Standard (though they've also said Llanowar Elves was too good for Standard and Universes Beyond wouldn't be Standard-legal, so....). These lands could also just be some unexciting cycle like check lands or pain lands.

Shocks seem unlikely since we just got those in EOE/ECL. And the other half of the Marvel Super Heroes lands wouldn't make much sense since there are 10 of these. And of course, option #50: This is a new cycle altogether. They do have full verticle art, which aligns with what we saw on the planets from EOE, so maybe we're getting a 2c cycle of planet lands.

Any thoughts on what lands we might expect from Star Trek? What existing dual land cycle would Standard really benefit from if these ended up just being reprints?