Premodern: Archetype split creates perfect balance.

Premodern is showing massive structural strength this week, boasting a Final Health Index of 79.0. The metagame has achieved an almost perfect equilibrium, demonstrated by an Archetype Distribution Score of 95.8. The current breakdown sees Aggro at 34.4%, Control at 32.7%, and Combo holding 32.9% of the field—a tight three-way split that sharply contrasts with the historical distribution that heavily favored Control and Aggro.

Looking deeper into the metrics, the Metagame Diversity Score is high at 83.8, confirming the format’s breadth. While the Event Growth Score (79.4) and Player Growth Score (78.1) remain impressive, the underlying trend shows minor contraction, with paper participation declining at -0.6% per month and event count stable at -0.5% decline per month. However, the bounce in Historical Diversity, reaching a score of 77.6 in 2025 after a four-year slide, suggests the recent evolution is keeping the metagame fresh.

The aggressors are clearly defining the decks to beat. Sligh (RDW) leads the field at 7.8%, followed closely by Goblins at 7%, and Mono Black Aggro at 5%. The rest of the Top 10 is deeply scattered, with Elves, Terrageddon, Madness, and Machine Head all holding a 2% share. This push is heavily influenced by the community seeking ways to punish slower blue archetypes like UW Standstill and Counter-Sliver, according to community discussions.

With no B&R announcement this period, focus remains on innovation. The community is buzzing about the refined 'Domain Zoo' strategy, which leverages Tribal Flames, and an experimental UB tempo-control shell using Psychatog and Upheaval. Meanwhile, the power level of Brainstorm remains a hot topic of debate regarding blue's consistency. Overall sentiment is positive, though players express concern over the rising cost of staples like Gaea's Cradle and Mishra's Factory driving up the barrier to entry.