Archived Analysis

Standard's taking a hard turn! A massive banlist update has nuked a bunch of cards, trying to fix what was looking like a pretty stalled-out meta. Will it work? That’s the big question.

The numbers paint a clear picture: Aggro was utterly dominant, making up over 85% of the meta, while Control was struggling and Combo was practically non-existent. Diversity scores were bottoming out, and while player growth is good, the event growth is tanking. The B&R Health Score is now a solid 80, reflecting optimism that the bans will improve things, but the initial health index sits at just 63.5, reflecting the pre-ban state of the format.

UR Aggro and Dimir Aggro were the kings of the hill pre-ban, making up a combined 41% of the metagame. Golgari, Gruul, and Boros Aggro were also putting up numbers, proving that if you weren't slamming creatures, you were losing. Essentially, the format was whoever could curve out the fastest and close the game the soonest.

The ban hammer hit hard, removing tools from a lot of aggro strategies. Hopeless Nightmare, Monstrous Rage, and Cori-Steel Cutter are all gone. The community is buzzing, trying to figure out what survives and what new decks can rise from the ashes. Atraxa, Grand Unifier, and the Domain Ramp decks that use her, are being scrutinized, and players are looking for ways to attack them with efficient removal like Cut Down. Whether this banlist creates a healthier, more balanced Standard remains to be seen, but at least things are interesting again.