Archived Analysis

Legacy is holding steady, but the combo matchup is becoming a defining factor. The format feels a bit like a pressure cooker, with players trying to find the right build to exploit weaknesses and beat the top dogs.

The overall health index is a respectable 72.1, but the metagame diversity score is a middling 67.6, suggesting that certain decks are overrepresented. Event growth is solid at 85.7, but player growth is lagging at 57.4, with paper play declining and MTGO seeing a slight rise. The archetype distribution score is very high at 90.1, hinting at decent breadth beyond the very top-tier lists.

Right now, UR Aggro and Dimir Tempo are leading the charge, with Dragon Stompy and Death & Taxes right behind. The biggest takeaway is the shift toward Combo, which makes up a staggering 53.2% of the metagame, way up from the historical average of 40.1%. Aggro is down considerably (29.8% vs 41.6% historically), so the pressure is on to adapt or fall behind.

Community chatter revolves around Oops! All Spells and other hyper-efficient combo decks as a point of concern. Players are testing new sideboard strategies and hate cards, trying to find ways to slow down the format. With no recent B&R changes, the community is left to self-regulate. The focus is clearly on disruption and finding answers to the dominant combo strategies.