Archived Analysis

Pauper is currently exhibiting solid foundational health, marked by a strong Final Health Index of 77.9. However, the metagame data tells a clear story: Aggro rules. Aggressive strategies currently dominate, comprising 72.6% of the current Super-Archetype Breakdown, significantly higher than the historical 66.5% average. Despite this tilt toward speed, the Archetype Distribution Score remains exceptionally high at 88.2, suggesting that while the flavor is fast, there are many varieties of fast decks available in the competitive landscape.

Looking deeper into the metrics, Metagame Diversity sits comfortably at 78.0. However, the Player Growth Score lags far behind at 43.9. This low number is heavily influenced by the stark contrast in participation trends: while Paper events and players are growing steadily at 1.5% monthly, MTGO participation shows a catastrophic -100.0% monthly decline, culminating in zero reported players in September 2025. Conversely, the Event Growth Score remains robust at 87.9, demonstrating continued interest in the format overall, fueled primarily by the paper scene.

If you want to succeed right now, you need to beat Aggro. The Top 10 Decks list is led by Mono Blue Aggro at 9.9%, closely followed by Red Deck Wins at 9%. Affinity, Jund, and Burn are all tightly grouped at 8% representation each, creating a crowded and potent upper tier. Below the leading pack, decks like Gruul Aggro (5%), Rakdos Aggro (4%), and Elves (4%) show that rapid damage output is the expected mode of play in the current competitive environment, accounting for the massive 72.6% Aggro share.

The community pulse confirms the data, with ongoing debates centering on the speed induced by Mono-Red Kuldotha and Affinity, which collectively make up over 40% of top competitive finishes. Players are split on zero-mana interaction: *Snuff Out* is viewed as both a necessary evil for black decks and a contributor to non-interactive games. Furthermore, *Glint Hawk* is under heavy scrutiny, as its ability to enable Affinity’s consistency makes it a prime candidate for future regulatory action. Brewers are fighting back, leveraging Domain strategies with *Nacatl War-Pride* and refining Dimir Faeries. Regarding the B&R policy, the committee chose caution, postponing any decision on *High Tide*. This suggests confidence in the format's current 70.0 B&R Health Score, even if it leaves the aggressive monarchs temporarily unchallenged, despite recurring calls for the unbanning of *Prophetic Prism*.