Archived Analysis

Modern is running hot this week, posting a Final Health Index of 67.5, suggesting a successful environment even without recent intervention. The main story is the sheer speed of the format. Aggro strategies make up an astonishing 59.5% of the current metagame, significantly outpacing the historical 5-year average of 44.3%. The format’s recent ability to adapt without official changes is reflected in a high B&R Health Score of 80.0, aligning with the AI assessment that the format is self-correcting through player adaptation and new card innovations.

Looking closer at the raw metrics, Modern is showing polarization. While the Archetype Distribution Score is high at 87.8, the Metagame Diversity Score sits lower at 69.6, indicating that while many different types of decks exist, they often belong to the same few macro-archetypes. Crucially, participation is surging: Paper play is growing at 7.0% per month, driving the high Player Growth Score of 86.7. However, the scene is not universally healthy; Event Growth is struggling significantly, scoring only 36.0 and declining at a rate of -6.0% per month.

The data clearly establishes Boros Aggro (15.5%) and Death And Taxes (14%) as the two critical decks defining the current battleground. Affinity trails far behind at 8%. The format heavily rewards focused aggression and resilience, pushing Combo strategies to a solid 29.2% share, while traditional Control struggles mightily, holding only 11.3% of the overall metagame. The top slots are highly clustered, demanding serious sideboard preparation for these centralized, aggressive strategies.

Community discussion remains intense, focusing on the dominance of Rakdos Scam and Domain Zoo, alongside fatigue over early-turn disruptions. However, players are actively finding solutions, leading to specific rising archetypes. New tech includes optimized colorless strategies, with players experimenting with Eldrazi builds that leverage utility lands and powerful artifacts to go over the top. Furthermore, Temur Rhinos is evolving, adapting its counter suite and threat density to better handle disruptive elements. Financially, Tribal Flames and specific triomes are climbing due to Domain’s success, while players have successfully adapted their sideboards against The One Ring, leading to a slight dip in its perceived invincibility, though it remains a powerful format staple.