Modern: Participation declines despite diverse metagame

The Modern format presents a mixed bag this week, landing a Final Health Index of 63.3. While not a failing grade, this score suggests areas needing attention, primarily related to format participation and growth.

Specifically, the Diversity score is a solid 73.6, indicating a reasonable spread of viable strategies. The Archetype Distribution score is excellent at 95.9, reinforcing the sense that a variety of play styles are possible. However, the Event Growth and Player Growth scores are lackluster, sitting at 32.9 and 37.0 respectively. These numbers paint a picture of declining participation, which is a key area of concern. The B&R Health Score is high at 80.0, suggesting that the current banlist isn't a major issue affecting the format's health.

Looking at the Top 10 Decks, Boros Aggro is leading the pack with a 15.2% share. Death and Taxes is also a significant player at 9%. Affinity represents 7% of the metagame, followed by 4/5c Aggro at 6% and UR Aggro at 4%. The remaining decks in the top 10, like Simic Birthing Ritual (1%), Mono Black Aggro (0.5%), and others, each represent a smaller slice of the competitive pie. Aggro strategies collectively dominate, comprising 44.4% of the meta, while Control makes up 23.7% and Combo 31.9%. These numbers are very similar to the historical averages for the format.

Reddit discussions mention the continued strength of "Rakdos Evoke", with players discussing its consistency, resilience, and potential weaknesses. Cards like "Grief" and "Fury" are also being discussed, with some players suggesting bans due to their impact on the game. There is also interest in new iterations of "Amulet Titan", as well as the resurgence of "Yawgmoth, Thran Physician". As the format seems to be self-correcting, there were no changes in the latest B&R announcement.