Pioneer: Aggro decks dominate format now

Pioneer's holding steady, but the Aggro decks are running wild. The format's healthy overall, but the top of the meta is pretty lopsided with red-based strategies.

The Final Health Index is a solid 73.1, but the Metagame Diversity Score at 65.0 is a little concerning. Archetype Distribution is great at 90.4, suggesting many ways to build a successful deck, but those decks mostly fall under the Aggro umbrella. Player Growth is strong online (82.4), but struggling in paper. The B&R Health Score is 75, and with no recent changes, we're left to adapt to the current state of affairs.

Red Deck Wins makes up a whopping 25% of the meta, followed by Rakdos Aggro at 17%. It's an all-out brawl at the top. Beyond that, we see Arclight Phoenix (6%) and then a smattering of other aggressive strategies like Golgari, UR, Spirits, Gruul, Selesnya and Boros. Control decks are struggling to break through the swarm, making up less than 18% of the field. Combo's also down, sitting at just over 15%.

The community is laser-focused on how to beat Rakdos Aggro. Sheoldred, the Apocalypse is still a hot topic, and for good reason – it's a beating in the mirror and a must-answer threat against anything else. Fable of the Mirror-Breaker continues to be a key engine in multiple strategies. The worry is that aggressive decks are pushing out other strategies. While people are brewing and trying new things, the power and consistency of Rakdos is a constant pressure.