Archived Analysis

Legacy maintains a solid overall footing with a Final Health Index of 72.5, demonstrating a generally functional environment. The format continues to display remarkable structural balance, reflected in the exceptional Archetype Distribution Score hitting 94.8. However, the data highlights a clear point of stress: participation. Paper play is rapidly declining at a significant -3.8% monthly rate, pulling the overall Player Growth Score down to 64.3. While online (MTGO) numbers are nearly stable, this trend indicates a significant challenge in sustaining local event support moving forward, despite event counts appearing steady over the last year.

Despite the participation slump, the metagame itself remains structurally sound. The Metagame Diversity Score is high at 76.5, indicating a broad array of competitive strategies. The current super-archetype distribution—43.1% Aggro, 38.4% Combo, and 18.5% Control—closely mirrors the historical 5-year average, suggesting internal stability is largely intact. The B&R Health Score sits at 65.0, suggesting some systemic pressure, although the latest announcement maintained the status quo, choosing caution over intervention even while noting concerns about decks like Oops! All Spells.

Looking at the Top 10 decks, the metagame currently orbits around UR Aggro, which holds a decisive lead at 10.8% of the field. The aggressive strategy is clearly viable, followed by Eldrazi Aggro at 7% and Dimir Tempo at 6%. The rest of the Top 10 is heavily populated by aggressive strategies—including Mardu Aggro, Grixis Aggro, Mono Black Aggro, and Boros Aggro—emphasizing that Aggro is indeed the overall dominant super-archetype.

The community is navigating intense flux driven by *Modern Horizons 3* integration. Discussion is dominated by "Nadu Legacy," built around *Nadu, the Wisp-Bred*, which is causing anxiety due to its perceived consistency and resilience. Traditional blue decks, including Izzet Delver and Control, continue to thrive, utilizing the powerful *Flare of Denial* to maintain parity. Non-blue hopefuls are turning to prison decks leveraging *Chalice of the Void* and *Magus of the Moon* to exploit blue mana requirements. *Orcish Bowmasters* remains the most complained-about non-blue card, serving as a ubiquitous check on card advantage. Consensus suggests the format is currently defined by proactive power, demanding immediate answers from all competitors.