Archived Analysis

Standard is currently sitting at a Final Health Index of 63.1, suggesting it's in reasonably good shape, though there's room for improvement. The data shows a format in flux, with shifts in player participation and deck popularity influencing the overall health. Let's dive into the specifics.

Key health metrics reveal a mixed bag. The Metagame Diversity Score is 51.8, which is middling. This suggests that while there's variety, it could be wider. The Archetype Distribution Score is a robust 80.4, implying that decks within those archetypes are relatively balanced. However, the Growth scores are worrying. The Event Growth Score is only 40.7, and Player Growth Score isn’t much better at 45.6. This means fewer people are playing in events and overall paper player numbers are down. MTGO, on the other hand, is experiencing slight growth.

The Top 10 Decks paint a clear picture: Aggro reigns supreme. UR Aggro is the undisputed king with a massive 36.6% share. Dimir Aggro is a distant second at 20%. Red Deck Wins clocks in at 7%. Esper Aggro and Boros Aggro both sit at 3%, followed by Gruul, Golgari, and Orzhov Aggro each at 2%, Mono Black Aggro at 2%, and Mono Green Aggro at 1%. In terms of super-archetypes, Aggro comprises a whopping 83.3% of the meta, dwarfing Control at 15.5% and Combo at a meager 1.2%.

According to Reddit updates, the Standard format is experiencing stability, with discussions around Esper Legends, Rakdos Midrange, and the emergence of Mono-Red Aggro and Domain Ramp. Sheoldred, the Apocalypse is also a major talking point. The data also indicates that extensive bans took place to address problematic cards, and increase metagame diversity. These include Cori-Steel Cutter, Abuelo's Awakening, Monstrous Rage, Heartfire Hero, Up the Beanstalk, Hopeless Nightmare, and This Town Ain't Big Enough. The B&R Health Score is a high 80.0, which suggests the bans were a good move.