Pauper: Format speed causes player decline.

Pauper's overall health score remains robust at 79.5 this week, but the data tells a story of aggressive dominance. While the format appears healthy on the surface, a look at the Super-Archetype breakdown shows a massive shift: Aggro now commands 71% of the field, significantly higher than the historical 66.5% average. If you aren't slamming threats fast, you are likely falling behind, and this aggressive environment is defining current deck construction.

Digging into the key health scores reveals a nuanced picture. We see excellent Metagame Diversity (77.3) and Archetype Distribution (88.8), suggesting that while the style of play is highly aggressive, there are still many unique viable strategies within that style. Event growth is fantastic, scoring 87.9 and tracking 1.5% growth monthly, with September hitting a peak of 261 events. However, Player Growth scores an alarming 60.0; Paper participation is stable, but MTGO player counts are declining rapidly at -5.7% per month, suggesting the current aggressive meta might be causing fatigue online.

Looking at the Top 10, Mono Blue Aggro is the undisputed frontrunner, claiming 12.1% of the meta. It is followed closely by the artifact powerhouse Affinity at 9%, and then a tie between Burn and Red Deck Wins, both clocking in at 8%. The message is clear: if you aren't prepared to fight through fast damage and overwhelming board presence, you won't survive the current landscape.

The community pulse confirms this feeling, centered on the speed of the format and the "overwhelming efficiency" of aggressive artifact strategies. Players are frustrated that games are often decided by turn three or four. *Kuldotha Rebirth* is consistently cited as the engine driving this accelerated pace, while *Tolarian Terror* remains the defensive benchmark against the onslaught. Regarding format governance, the B&R Health Score sits at 70.0. Wizards postponed a decision on *High Tide*, indicating a cautious approach. While this signals confidence in the format's stability, the community's intense focus on breaking the aggressive deadlock suggests that pressure for targeted action against the most efficient enablers will only continue to mount.