Hello, and welcome back to Metagame Mentor, your weekly guide to the top decks and latest Constructed developments on the path to the Pro Tour. This past weekend featured Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair—a high-stakes, two-day open tournament where 682 competitors gathered to test their Modern mettle. There was plenty on the line, with eight Pro Tour invitations, a $50,000 prize pool, special promos, and a Secret Lair-themed prize.

We have a winner at #SpotlightSecretLair! Hunter Ovington (Broodscale Combo) defeats Andrew Bailey (Reanimator) in the finals at #SCGINDY!

Congratulations to Ovington, who not only qualified for the Pro Tour but also earned the opportunity to consult on a future Secret Lair! pic.twitter.com/KR39DSxBk9

— PlayMTG (@PlayMTG) June 1, 2025

Congratulations to Hunter Ovington, who claimed the trophy at Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair! Ovington and the rest of the Top 8 secured coveted Pro Tour invitations. As the overall champion, Ovington walked away with $10,000, a gleaming trophy, a Pro Tour invite, and the unique reward of getting to consult on a future Secret Lair drop.

Although Boros Energy was the most played deck in the field, it failed to crack the Top 8. Instead, the finals showcased a clash between Gruul Broodscale and Esper Goryo's—two relatively off-meta contenders. Their success underscores the incredible depth of Modern, where a wide range of strategies can shine. Drawing from over 20 years of cards, Modern offers intricate interactions and a wide array of competitively viable decks.

In this article, I'll highlight the breakout decks that surged to the top and highlight the archetypes with the strongest records.

The Modern Metagame and Win Rates

Modern is a nonrotating 60-card format based on expansion sets, core sets, and straight-to-Modern sets from Eighth Edition forward, save for cards on the banned list. If you're new to the format or returning after a hiatus, I recommend checking out my latest format primer, which offers an introduction to Modern's top ten deck archetypes.

To capture the latest state of the Modern metagame, the table below presents the metagame breakdown from Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair, along with the match win rates for each deck archetype (excluding mirror matches, byes, and draws). For this analysis, I set aside the archetype labels from Melee and applied my own classifications, based on the specific contents of each deck.

In this table, each archetype name hyperlinks to a top-performing decklist that closely reflects its aggregate build. The "Other" category collects decks with one percent metagame share or less, including Eldrazi Aggro, Dimir Oculus, Belcher Storm, Samwise Gamgee Combo, Mono-Green Broodscale, Jeskai Control, Grixis Wizards, Hollow One, Mardu Energy, Jeskai Dress Down, Hammer Time, Azorius Control, Jeskai Affinity, Jeskai Wizards, Jeskai Prowess, Esper Murktide, Mono-Black Eldrazi, Jund Sagavan, Rakdos Burn, Izzet Twin, Jeskai Energy, Four-Color Omnath, Four-Color Goryo's, Five-Color Creativity, and more.

Overall, the metagame at Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair aligned closely with expectations. Indeed, it resembled the winner's metagame from recent competitive events in May that I covered in last week's format primer. While Boros Energy continued to lose ground, it remains the most played deck in the field.

In terms of performance, seven archetypes clearly stood out: Boros Energy, Domain Zoo, Tameshi Belcher, Orzhov Blink, Esper Goryo's, Azorius Affinity, and Gruul Broodscale. As indicated by checkmarks in the table, the 95% Clopper-Pearson confidence intervals for their win rates sat entirely above the 50% line. In other words, these decks statistically overperformed, considering the available sample size. What's more, most of these decks managed to advance to the Top 8. Let's take a closer look at these seven standout contenders.

Boros Energy

2 Elegant Parlor 4 Ajani, Nacatl Pariah 4 Flooded Strand 3 Seasoned Pyromancer 4 Arid Mesa 3 Windswept Heath 3 Arena of Glory 1 Thraben Charm 1 Blood Moon 2 Static Prison 4 Guide of Souls 1 Sunbaked Canyon 1 Mountain 4 Galvanic Discharge 3 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 3 Goblin Bombardment 3 Sacred Foundry 4 Ocelot Pride 4 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 2 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 2 Plains 2 Voice of Victory 1 Surgical Extraction 1 Exorcise 1 Ghost Vacuum 2 Deafening Silence 2 Orim's Chant 1 Wrath of the Skies 3 Molten Rain 2 Showdown of the Skalds 1 Wear // Tear 1 Celestial Purge

Boros Energy continues to be the most played deck in Modern, making up 13.6% of the field at Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair. While no copies reached the Top 8, the deck posted an above-average performance, as it recorded a 53.6% win rate in non-mirror, non-bye, non-draw matches.

The highest-finishing Boros Energy list came from Levi Gaines, who secured 23rd place with a solid 11-4 record. His build was a largely stock version of the archetype, blending early pressure from Guide of Souls, Ocelot Pride, and Ajani, Nacatl Pariah with efficient interaction like Galvanic Discharge and robust late-game threats such as Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury. Two other 11-4 decks featuring a black or blue splash posted slightly better tiebreakers, but those variants don't count as Boros.

Over the course of the tournament, Boros Energy demonstrated favorable matchups against Dimir Murktide and Izzet Prowess, but it struggled notably against Orzhov Blink, Tameshi Belcher, and Azorius Affinity. That's a promising indicator for the health of the format: when the most played deck has a balanced slate of good and bad matchups, it reflects a metagame shaped by deck selection, matchup dynamics, and sideboard skills.

Domain Zoo

1 Thundering Falls 1 Lush Portico 4 Territorial Kavu 4 Flooded Strand 3 Stubborn Denial 4 Arid Mesa 4 Lightning Bolt 1 Temple Garden 3 Tribal Flames 2 Arena of Glory 1 Mountain 1 Consign to Memory 4 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 4 Leyline of the Guildpact 4 Wooded Foothills 1 Sacred Foundry 4 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 1 Plains 2 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 1 Steam Vents 1 Indatha Triome 4 Leyline Binding 1 Godless Shrine 4 Scion of Draco 2 Nihil Spellbomb 2 Mystical Dispute 3 Consign to Memory 2 Deafening Silence 2 Wrath of the Skies 1 Pyroclasm 1 Wear // Tear 2 Clarion Conqueror

Domain Zoo had a strong showing at Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair, posting a 55.7% win rate and claiming a Top 8 spot in the hands of Ian Starkebaum. The archetype can be tailored across a spectrum from aggro to midrange, and Starkebaum opted for a build that leaned into mid-game value rather than early-game aggression. His list deliberately left out Wild Nacatl, Nishoba Brawler, and Spectral Denial in favor of additional copies of Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury and Fable of the Mirror-Breaker—cards that provide card advantage and staying power deeper into the game.

Interestingly, the only Tarkir: Dragonstorm card to make the cut was Clarion Conqueror. Starkebaum included two copies in the sideboard, offering a potent answer to activated abilities from Goblin Charbelcher; Mox Opal; Eldrazi Spawn; Emry, Lurker of the Loch; and other key threats.

Orzhov Blink

1 Swamp 4 Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd 4 Flickerwisp 4 Flooded Strand 4 Witch Enchanter 4 Thoughtseize 4 Fatal Push 3 Ephemerate 2 Orcish Bowmasters 2 March of Otherworldly Light 2 Recruiter of the Guard 2 Shadowy Backstreet 2 Bleachbone Verge 4 Emperor of Bones 4 Solitude 2 Plains 1 Boggart Trawler 3 Godless Shrine 4 Marsh Flats 4 Overlord of the Balemurk 2 Ashiok, Dream Render 2 High Noon 4 White Orchid Phantom 2 Vindicate 3 Wrath of the Skies 2 Clarion Conqueror

Blink-based strategies made a major impact at the tournament, claiming three spots in the Top 8: two Orzhov builds and one Esper build. Among them, Orzhov Blink stood out with an impressive 59% win rate against the rest of the field.

The subtle variations among the three decks underscored the archetype's flexibility. Geoff Mullin piloted a fairly stock list to a 7th-place finish, with two main deck copies of March of Otherworldly Light as additional interaction. Like most contemporary iterations of Orzhov Blink, his deck moved away from Ketramose, the New Dawn and Relic of Progenitus, as main-deck graveyard hate has become less essential in the evolving Modern metagame. Christopher Kral also reached the Top 8 with Orzhov Blink, opting for the less-common inclusion of four Aether Vials to accelerate the game plan. Raja Sulaiman, rounding out the trio, brought Esper Blink featuring Psychic Frog, whose graveyard-exiling utility justified keeping Ketramose in the main deck.

All in all, it was a triumphant weekend for Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd, who likely spent the tournament happily blinking permanents for sweet, incremental value.

Tameshi Belcher

4 Suppression Ray 4 Sea Gate Restoration 3 Flare of Denial 4 Whir of Invention 4 Fallaji Archaeologist 1 Razorgrass Ambush 4 Disrupting Shoal 2 Spell Snare 4 Thundertrap Trainer 1 Into the Flood Maw 2 Stern Scolding 2 Jwari Disruption 1 Snapback 4 Lotus Bloom 2 Beyeen Veil 4 Goblin Charbelcher 2 Waterlogged Teachings 4 Sink into Stupor 4 Hydroelectric Specimen 4 Tameshi, Reality Architect 1 Portable Hole 1 Stern Scolding 1 Snapback 1 Force of Negation 1 Mountain 2 Flusterstorm 2 Consign to Memory 1 Into the Flood Maw 1 Stock Up 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Tezzeret the Seeker 2 Harbinger of the Seas

Tameshi Belcher posted an impressive 59.5% win rate against the rest of the field, dominating matchups against Boros Energy and Eldrazi Ramp in particular. Mitch Mazzei led the charge for the archetype, finishing in 11th place with a strong 12-3 record.

His list was a textbook example of the deck, featuring all the usual card choices. Its classic game plan still delivers. Ramp into Goblin Charbelcher and activate it to unleash lethal damage equal to the number of cards left in your library. It's a simple strategy on the surface, but one that remains brutally effective in execution.

Azorius Affinity

4 Thoughtcast 3 Portable Hole 1 Otawara, Soaring City 4 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student 1 Lavaspur Boots 1 Hallowed Fountain 3 Razortide Bridge 4 Spire of Industry 2 Force of Negation 2 Mox Amber 1 Island 1 Pithing Needle 4 Kappa Cannoneer 4 Mox Opal 1 Shadowspear 1 Aether Spellbomb 3 Thought Monitor 4 Emry, Lurker of the Loch 1 Seachrome Coast 4 Mishra's Bauble 1 Tormod's Crypt 2 Darksteel Citadel 1 Haywire Mite 3 Metallic Rebuke 4 Urza's Saga 3 Damping Sphere 2 Force of Negation 4 Consign to Memory 3 Dispatch 2 Whipflare 1 Wear // Tear

Once upon a time, Affinity revolved around Arcbound Ravager, Cranial Plating, and Springleaf Drum. Today, it has a different core: Mox Opal; Mox Amber; Emry, Lurker of the Loch; Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student; Mishra's Bauble; Portable Hole; and Urza's Saga—a powerful package that endured even after the banning of Underworld Breach.

This foundation can pivot into an Ascendancy Combo shell if supplemented with Narset, Jeskai Waymaster; Cori-Steel Cutter; and Jeskai Ascendancy. But Azorius Affinity charts a different course. By leaning on artifact lands like Razortide Bridge along with a slew of one-mana artifacts, it can reduce the cost of Thought Monitor, Kappa Cannoneer, Thoughtcast, and Metallic Rebuke, enabling powerful plays at explosive speeds.

Affinity had a solid performance. While only eleven players brought Azorius Affinity to Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair, they excelled with a stellar 62.1% win rate against the rest of the field. Burke Methena showcased the archetype's potential, piloting it all the way to the Top 8 and reaffirming its rightful place in Modern's metagame.

Esper Goryo's

1 Swamp 4 Goryo's Vengeance 2 Late to Dinner 3 Fallaji Archaeologist 3 Flooded Strand 2 Griselbrand 4 Ephemerate 3 Tainted Indulgence 1 Hedge Maze 1 Hallowed Fountain 1 Pest Control 2 Otherworldly Gaze 1 Island 3 Force of Negation 4 Atraxa, Grand Unifier 1 Undercity Sewers 4 Psychic Frog 1 Shadowy Backstreet 1 Meticulous Archive 1 Watery Grave 3 Polluted Delta 3 Prismatic Ending 4 Solitude 1 Waterlogged Teachings 1 Plains 1 Godless Shrine 4 Marsh Flats 1 Ashiok, Dream Render 1 Pest Control 1 Mystical Dispute 2 Subtlety 1 Teferi, Time Raveler 4 Consign to Memory 2 Deafening Silence 2 Wrath of the Skies 1 Thoughtseize

Only fourteen players brought Esper Goryo's to Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair, all aiming to reanimate Atraxa, Grand Unifier with Goryo's Vengeance and blink Atraxa with Ephemerate for cascading card advantage. The archetype delivered, posting a 63% win rate. Andrew Bailey's impressive 2nd-place finish underscored the deck's latent power.

Bailey's build included some notable deviations. Instead of relying on traditional hand disruption like Thoughtseize, he opted for two main-deck copies of Otherworldly Gaze to sculpt his graveyard proactively. He also played two copies of Late to Dinner as supplemental reanimation tools. While most lists preferred Emperor of Bones in that role, Late to Dinner can be pitched to Solitude. In a tight, synergistic shell where every slot counts, such an edge can make a meaningful difference.

Gruul Broodscale

4 Blade of the Bloodchief 2 Forest 1 Stomping Ground 4 Basking Broodscale 4 Eldrazi Temple 2 Cavern of Souls 4 Writhing Chrysalis 1 Springleaf Drum 3 Wooded Foothills 4 Kozilek's Command 4 Grove of the Burnwillows 4 Malevolent Rumble 4 Walking Ballista 4 Ancient Stirrings 4 Glaring Fleshraker 1 Vexing Bauble 1 Haywire Mite 1 Soul-Guide Lantern 2 Boseiju, Who Endures 2 Emrakul, the Promised End 4 Urza's Saga 1 Nature's Claim 1 Gemstone Caverns 2 Damping Sphere 1 Vexing Bauble 1 Pithing Needle 2 Dismember 3 Thief of Existence 1 Grafdigger's Cage 3 Pyroclasm

The tournament's biggest surprise—and ultimate champion—was Gruul Broodscale. The deck is named after the infinite combo of Basking Broodscale and Blade of the Bloodchief. Sacrificing an Eldrazi Spawn for mana triggers the Blade, which puts a +1/+1 counter on the Broodscale, creating another Spawn in return. This loop produces an infinitely large Broodscale and infinite mana. Add a finisher like Glaring Fleshraker or Walking Ballista (which can be tutored up by Kozilek's Command), and you've got infinite damage.

While earlier versions of the deck were mono-green, Gruul builds with Writhing Chrysalis have surged in recent weeks. With a 62.1% win rate and the trophy in hand, it was the breakout deck of the event. The red splash complicates the mana base—you now need colorless, green, and red mana—but Grove of the Burnwillows smooths things out beautifully.

Writhing Chrysalis plays multiple roles in the deck. It helps you ramp into Emrakul, the Promised End, which takes a more pronounced role in the deck. In fact, Hunter Ovington won the finals by casting two back-to-back copies of Emrakul, hijacking his opponent's turns. Writhing Chrysalis is also explosive with Glaring Fleshraker, turning Eldrazi Spawn tokens into burn. Consider this line: turn-two Fleshraker into turn-three Chrysalis off Eldrazi Temple, then turn-four Kozilek's Command to create six Eldrazi Spawn tokens. That's enough to present lethal on the spot.

"Splashing red is insane," Hunter Ovington said in his winner's interview. As he explained, the Broodscale combo is now the secondary game plan, while the primary game plan is to bury opponents with Fleshraker, Chrysalis, and Emrakul. "You're not all-in like Mono-Green is, where you're relying on Broodscale. You can just go big, clog up the board, and then sooner or later when they're answering your threats, you go Broodscale and kill them."

It's a demanding deck, where every line matters and sequencing is everything. But that's the beauty of Modern—when power meets precision, anything is possible.

Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair Top 8 and Other Archetypes

While I've highlighted the seven archetypes that posted significant win rates above 50%, many other strategies remain highly competitive. Modern is in an excellent place right now. Its beauty lies in its diversity—almost anything is viable in the hands of a skilled pilot. Success comes not just from the deck you choose but from how well you know it, how you anticipate the metagame, and how you navigate the ever-crucial post-board games. In short, mastery and preparation still reign supreme.

This weekend's wild, unexpected Top 8 reinforced just how wide open the format truly is. We saw Gruul Broodscale and Esper Goryo's battle it out in the finals. We saw Azorius Affinity, Domain Zoo, Izzet Prowess, and three distinct Blink variants round out the rest. That kind of variety is exciting, and it's a sign of a healthy, deep format.

If you've been keeping track, there's one Top 8 competitor I hadn't mentioned until now, but his story deserves special attention. Justin Schabel wasn't a Modern specialist. In fact, he only had four days to prepare, so he simply registered an archetype he already knew: Izzet Prowess with Cori-Steel Cutter. "I had four days to prepare, so I played my Standard deck," he explained dryly. Of course, most of his Modern decklist wasn't Standard-legal, but the core of the deck looked familiar. His run reinforced Cori-Steel Cutter's status as a true multi-format all-star, and it shows that proficiency from one format can easily translate to another.

A Rules Update on Sagas

If you're preparing for an upcoming Modern event, it's important to be aware of a recently announced rules update concerning Sagas. Under the old rules, a Saga that lost all of its abilities would have at least as many lore counters as its total number of chapter abilities (zero), which forced you to sacrifice it as a state-based action. This interaction meant that cards like Blood Moon and Harbinger of the Seas effectively removed Urza's Saga from the battlefield.

Starting with the release of Magic: The Gathering®—FINAL FANTASY™, that is no longer the case. The aforementioned state-based action will no longer apply to Sagas without chapter abilities. Moreover, they also stop receiving lore counters each turn. This update was made largely due to the advent of the new Saga creatures in Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY, which otherwise had unintuitive interactions with cards like Dress Down.

For Modern, it means Blood Moon no longer forces Urza's Saga to be sacrificed. And due to the way layers work, if Urza's Saga had already reached its second chapter—gaining the ability to create Construct tokens—it will retain that ability even under Blood Moon. What you're left with is a Mountain that sticks around indefinitely at two lore counters, capable of building an ever-growing army of Construct tokens. It's an unusual interaction, so make sure you keep it in mind as you prepare for your next Modern event.

What's Next for Modern and Organized Play?

As for what comes next, the Modern RCQ season is still in full swing. If you're hoping to qualify for your Regional Championship, be sure to visit the store and event locator or your regional organizer's website to find the next event near you.

And looking further ahead across formats, MagicCon: Las Vegas is just around the corner, taking place June 20–22. It will host Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY, featuring the world's best players, a $500,000 prize pool, and intense high-stakes competition. The Constructed format will be Standard, so we can expect Cori-Steel Cutter alongside bold innovations, dramatic moments, and one worthy champion who will rise above the rest to claim the trophy.