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 marked the kickoff of the new cycle of Regional Championships in the Standard format, beginning with the event for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Out of a formidable field of 1,071 top-tier Magic: The Gathering players, it was Jelco Bodewes who rose to the top, clinching the title with Izzet Prowess.

Bodewes's winning list, which we'll examine more closely later, was built on the foundations of Cori-Steel Cutter, a powerful new artifact from Tarkir: Dragonstorm that floods the battlefield with prowess-fueled Monk tokens. The card, in Bodewes's words, offers "Modern-level power in a Standard deck." Several other top-performing decks leaned on cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm, making it clear that the latest set is already reshaping the metagame.

In this article, we'll break down the standout Standard decks from the weekend and highlight the most-impactful additions from the new release.

The Standard Metagame and Win Rates

A total of 1,067 Standard decklists were available for analysis from the Ultimate Guard European Magic Series – Regional Championship in Bologna. After standardizing archetype names and resolving discrepancies, I compiled the overall metagame share and match win rates for each deck archetype (excluding mirror matches, byes, and draws). These metrics are provided in the table below, which also links each archetype name to a top-performing decklist that best represents its aggregate build.

The "Other" category encompassed a wide range of archetypes such as Jeskai Convoke, Boros Mice, Dimir Bounce, Gruul Leyline, Azorius Bunnicorn, Boros Monument, Rakdos Leyline, Temur Otters, Selesnya Gearhulk, Rakdos Reanimator, Mono-Black Demons, Dimir Control, Golgari Dragons, Golgari Demons, Simic Terror, Azorius Artifacts, Rakdos Prowess, Abzan Roots, Dimir Enchantments, Orzhov Tokens, Golgari Graveyard, Orzhov Sacrifice, Esper Artifacts, Bant Mill, Golgari Obliterator, and more.

Compared to my most recent metagame snapshot from two weeks ago, decks like Jeskai Oculus, Jeskai Control, and Azorius Omniscience surge further ahead, buoyed by powerful new tools from Tarkir: Dragonstorm. These trends are reflected by the arrows in the table. Yet Cori-Steel Cutter was the most impactful new card by far: 22% of the field featured Cori-Steel Cutter, primarily in Izzet Prowess and Gruul Prowess builds.

In terms of performance, Izzet Prowess stood out with a 55.8% non-mirror win rate—significantly over the 50% baseline. It was the most played deck, the best-performing deck, and both finalists piloted it, leading to a mirror match in the finals. If you're preparing for a Standard event right now, having a solid plan against Cori-Steel Cutter is essential.

On the flip side, archetypes like Azorius Control and Golgari Midrange struggled to keep pace, underperforming relative to the field.

To spotlight the weekend's most successful strategies and showcase the latest shifts in Standard, let's dive into seven decks you need to know from this Regional Championship.

Izzet Prowess Dominated the Event

4 Cori-Steel Cutter 2 Into the Flood Maw 4 Opt 4 Monstrous Rage 4 Mountain 4 Monastery Swiftspear 4 Island 4 Sleight of Hand 4 Slickshot Show-Off 4 Burst Lightning 4 Stock Up 4 Stormchaser's Talent 4 Riverpyre Verge 4 Shivan Reef 1 Spell Pierce 4 Spirebluff Canal 1 Thundering Falls 2 Ghost Vacuum 2 Sunspine Lynx 2 Spell Pierce 3 Torch the Tower 1 Lithomantic Barrage 1 Abrade 1 Pyroclasm 2 Screaming Nemesis 1 Witchstalker Frenzy

Cori-Steel Cutter proved to be a multi-format juggernaut and was the linchpin of Bodewes's championship run. Backed by a flurry of one-mana spells and efficient card draw, it becomes trivial to trigger flurry turn after turn. The result? A relentless wave of ever-growing Monk tokens that can rapidly overpower most opponents. Given the right sequencing, it's virtually impossible for opponents to answer Cori-Steel Cutter with spot removal.

The core game plan of Izzet Prowess is well-established by now, and Bodewes's list is as close to a stock build as it gets. Still, there was plenty of variation among top-performing builds. Notably diverse standouts that went 10-3-1 or better:

• Ivan Lausevic focused on consistency and control, opting for additional copies of Torch the Tower and Wrenn's Resolve while trimming a few copies of Monstrous Rage.
• Luis Martin leaned into the synergy between This Town Ain't Big Enough and Thundertrap Trainer, showcasing an Otter-themed build that cut Slickshot Show-Off and Monstrous Rage.
• Adrian Perdyan leveraged Drake Hatcher and Hearth Elemental, shaving down on Stock Up to make room.
• Michele Carretta used Roaring Furnace // Steaming Sauna alongside This Town Ain't Big Enough, forgoing both Slickshot Show-Off and Monstrous Rage.

Overall, Izzet Prowess decks that included zero, one, or two copies of Monstrous Rage had a better win rate than versions running three or four. The data suggests that Monstrous Rage, while explosive in some scenarios, isn't a core necessity—especially when you don't focus on valiant or double strike synergies like the Mice decks.

I caught up with the newly crowned champion, Jelco Bodewes, while we were both waiting for a delayed flight home from Bologna. He was pleased with the composition of his list, which including 21 lands and two copies of Screaming Nemesis in the sideboard. He credited these choices for bolstering his matchups against red aggro decks and Temporary Lockdown. As a potential change, he mentioned that he might consider turning the single Lithomantic Barrage in his sideboard into a second copy of Witchstalker Frenzy.

While he hadn't tested Drake Hatcher himself, Bodewes acknowledged its potential, especially against Mono-Red Aggro and Esper Pixie. But the challenge is finding room in a tightly built deck. His tentative suggestion was to shave a copy of Into the Flood Maw, though he worried that doing so might weaken his plan against Temporary Lockdown. Personally, I'd consider trimming one copy of Monstrous Rage.

Bodewes also shared his initial sideboard notes, which he prepared as a reference before the event. He emphasized that while these plans provided a helpful foundation, he frequently made real-time adjustments based on evolving matchup insights, his opponents' exact lists and play styles, who was on the play, and other considerations. The best players are always ready to adapt mid-tournament.

Here's what the Regional Champion had written down beforehand.

Vs Izzet Prowess

• -2 Into the Flood Maw, -1 Stock Up, -1 Burst Lightning
• +1 Abrade, +3 Torch the Tower
• Additionally on draw: -1 Stock Up, +1 Pyroclasm
• Additionally on play: -1 Burst Lightning, +1 Screaming Nemesis

Vs Mono Red Aggro

• -1 Spell Pierce, -1 Monstrous Rage, -1 Stock Up, -1 Stormchaser's Talent
• +3 Torch the Tower, +2 Screaming Nemesis
• Additionally on draw: -1 Stock Up, -2 Slickshot Show-Off, +1 Pyroclasm, +1 Witchstalker Frenzy
• Additionally on play: -1 Shock

Vs Esper Pixie

• -2 Into the Flood Maw -4 Burst Lightning, -1 Slickshot Show-Off
• +1 Lithomantic Barrage +1 Spell Pierce, +3 Torch the Tower, -2 Sunspine Lynx

Vs Jeskai Oculus

• -4 Burst Lightning, -1 Spell Pierce, -3 Slickshot Show-Off, -1 Stock Up
• +2 Ghost Vacuum, +1 Lithomantic Barrage, +1 Witchstalker Frenzy, +2 Screaming Nemesis, +3 Torch the Tower

Vs Azorius Omniscience

• -4 Monstrous Rage
• +2 Ghost Vacuum, +2 Spell Pierce

Vs Jeskai Control

• -4 Burst Lightning, -3 Monstrous Rage
• +1 Lithomantic Barrage, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 Sunspine Lynx, +2 Screaming Nemesis

Vs Domain Overlords

• -4 Burst Lightning, -1 Spell Pierce, -1 Stormchaser's Talent
• +2 Sunspine Lynx, +2 Screaming Nemesis, +1 Witchstalker Frenzy, +1 Lithomantic Barrage

Azorius Omniscience Embraced a New Path to Victory

4 Abuelo's Awakening 3 Adarkar Wastes 2 Blast Zone 4 Ephara's Dispersal 4 Floodfarm Verge 1 Founding the Third Path 4 Island 4 Marang River Regent 4 Meticulous Archive 1 Mistrise Village 4 Moment of Truth 4 Omniscience 3 Plains 4 Roiling Dragonstorm 3 Seachrome Coast 3 Spell Pierce 4 Stock Up 4 Temporary Lockdown 2 Beza, the Bounding Spring 2 Change the Equation 2 Clarion Conqueror 1 Day of Judgment 2 Get Lost 1 Ghost Vacuum 1 Negate 2 Overlord of the Mistmoors 2 Voice of Victory

For much of its existence, Azorius Omniscience followed a familiar script: cast Abuelo's Awakening to return Omniscience, then win the game using Invasion of Arcavios and a selection of bounce spells from the sideboard. But at the Regional Championship in Bologna, a new win condition from Tarkir: Dragonstorm became more prominent.

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The new path to victory centers around Marang River Regent. Once Omniscience is on the battlefield, you can cast a Regent, bounce another Regent, and loop the process indefinitely. Add Roiling Dragonstorm to the mix, and the loop draws your entire deck. From there, bounce Founding the Third Path over and over to mill your opponent into oblivion.

This updated approach offers two key advantages. First, it increases the deck's consistency. Invasion of Arcavios often felt clunky, as the five-mana card is slow and an awkward draw in opening hands. By contrast, Roiling Dragonstorm and Marang River Regent provide a reasonably efficient way to dig for Omniscience or Abuelo's Awakening. Second, it frees up valuable sideboard space. Rather than dedicating slots to Invasion of Arcavios, you can now include creatures and other interactive elements to pivot into a more traditional control plan post-board.

The numbers support the change. Azorius Omniscience lists with zero or one copy of Invasion of Arcavios posted a 53.5% win rate against the field—significantly higher than the 47.7% win rate for versions that ran two or more copies of the Siege.

Jeskai Oculus Solidified a Leaner Curve

4 Abhorrent Oculus 4 Spirebluff Canal 4 Shivan Reef 4 Fear of Missing Out 2 Glacial Dragonhunt 4 Helping Hand 4 Seachrome Coast 1 Restless Anchorage 3 Marauding Mako 4 Proft's Eidetic Memory 1 Mountain 1 Island 4 Inspiring Vantage 2 Spell Pierce 1 Battlefield Forge 3 Spyglass Siren 2 Adarkar Wastes 2 Tersa Lightshatter 4 Torch the Tower 4 Steamcore Scholar 1 Sheltered by Ghosts 1 Winternight Stories 1 Negate 1 Destroy Evil 2 Ghost Vacuum 1 Loran of the Third Path 1 Disdainful Stroke 2 Sheltered by Ghosts 2 Chandra, Spark Hunter 1 Abrade 1 Get Lost 1 Exorcise 1 No More Lies 1 Kaito, Cunning Infiltrator

At the Regional Championship, Jeskai Oculus emerged with a lower curve and a different focus. On average, lists featured 2.5 Glacial Dragonhunt, 2 Tersa Lightshatter, and 0.9 Winternight Stories, showing that the archetype embraced several impactful additions from Tarkir: Dragonstorm. These new draw-and-discard effects didn't just enable Helping Hand—they also unlocked Marauding Mako and supercharged Proft's Eidetic Memory. A particularly explosive line involves Marauding Mako into Proft's Eidetic Memory, followed by Tersa Lightshatter. This leads to a 3/3 Mako and a 5/5 Tersa with haste on turn three.

Adriano Moscato showcased the deck's potential by winning a Magic Online Challenge in the days before Bologna, then converting that momentum into a 17th-place finish at the Regional Championship with nearly the same list. "[The deck] is insanely good," he said. "With the new additions, it should be called Jeskai Proft, not Oculus!"

Now faster and more aggressive, Jeskai Oculus posted a strong 54.6% win rate in non-mirror, non-bye, non-draw matches, making it one of the top-performing archetypes in the field. It went 64-55 against Izzet Prowess, which often struggles to answer an unchecked Abhorrent Oculus. Jeskai still has some soft spots—it had a tough time against Dimir Midrange and Domain Overlords—but it's clearly a Standard contender on the rise.

Orzhov Pixie Crushed Izzet Prowess

1 Beza, the Bounding Spring 4 Bleachbone Verge 4 Caves of Koilos 4 Concealed Courtyard 1 Get Lost 4 Hopeless Nightmare 1 Loran of the Third Path 4 Momentum Breaker 4 Nowhere to Run 4 Nurturing Pixie 4 Plains 4 Preacher of the Schism 3 Restless Fortress 1 Shadowy Backstreet 1 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse 4 Sunpearl Kirin 4 Temporary Lockdown 2 Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber 4 Swamp 2 Liliana of the Veil 1 Beza, the Bounding Spring 2 Wilt-Leaf Liege 2 Get Lost 1 Grim Bauble 1 Kutzil's Flanker 1 Loran of the Third Path 2 Rest in Peace 2 Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber 3 Duress

Among all major archetypes at the Regional Championship, Orzhov Pixie fared the best against Izzet Prowess. The black-white deck posted a 64% win rate thanks in large part to Temporary Lockdown, one of the most effective answers to Cori-Steel Cutter available in Standard. Originally brought to prominence by Ben Stark at Pro Tour Aetherdrift, the archetype gained a major boost from Tarkir: Dragonstorm with the arrival of Sunpearl Kirin.

The synergy between Sunpearl Kirin and Temporary Lockdown is what truly elevated the deck. Picture this: you control a Temporary Lockdown that has exiled Hopeless Nightmare, Nurturing Pixie, and several of your opponent's permanents. Your opponent, out of cards, draws for their turn and tries to move to their main phase—but you stop them. During their draw step, you flash in Sunpearl Kirin, bouncing Temporary Lockdown and returning everything to the battlefield. Hopeless Nightmare immediately forces your opponent to discard the card they just drew, and Nurturing Pixie returns the Kirin to your hand. On the following turn cycle, you repeat the sequence, effectively locking your opponent out of all non-instant cards.

It's a devastating interaction that wasn't previously available—Nurturing Pixies can't bounce other Faeries—but Sunpearl Kirin opened a powerful new dimension for the archetype. Jin Liu showcased the deck's potential with a 10-4 finish in Bologna, falling just one win short of a Pro Tour invitation.

Spice Alert: The Wildest Decks in the Field

While many tables were dominated by mainstays like Prowess and Pixie, there were a handful of decks that broke away from the crowd. Here are three of the most eye-catching builds I saw at the event.

Azorius Artifacts Finished in 10th

4 Candy Trail 4 The Irencrag 4 Spring-Loaded Sawblades 2 Clay-Fired Bricks 4 Simulacrum Synthesizer 2 Repurposing Bay 4 Perilous Snare 2 Cryptic Coat 3 Braided Net 1 Thousand Moons Smithy 4 United Battlefront 2 Kayla's Reconstruction 4 Seachrome Coast 2 Restless Anchorage 2 Meticulous Archive 1 Fomori Vault 4 Adarkar Wastes 4 Floodfarm Verge 4 Plains 3 Island 2 Rest in Peace 2 High Noon 3 Get Lost 2 Negate 2 Disdainful Stroke 4 Temporary Lockdown

Thomas Chenery crushed his first-ever Regional Championship with a spicy Azorius Artifacts deck. Packing four copies of the newly printed United Battlefront alongside four copies of The Irencrag, his deck could potentially slam two Simulacrum Synthesizers onto the battlefield as early as turn three. It's wild, it's powerful, and it looks like a blast to play.

Chenery qualified for the RC with a similar build, so bringing the archetype back felt like the right call. But Tarkir: Dragonstorm gave the deck a significant upgrade, which resulted in a bit of an overhaul. Previously, Fabrication Foundry was an ideal turn-two ramp piece for artifacts, but it could not tap to play United Battlefront. The Irencrag offered a better fit, enabling early United Battlefronts and later turning into value with Repurposing Bay.

It all came together beautifully. "It's just a load of fun … The fact that I'm doing well is a bonus," Chenery said. And with a 10th-place finish, it's safe to say the fun was backed up by results.

Craterhoof Behemoth Crashes Into 22nd

4 Llanowar Elves 4 Pawpatch Recruit 1 Haywire Mite 1 Nurturing Pixie 3 Sheltered by Ghosts 2 Tender Wildguide 2 Sanguine Evangelist 4 Sandstorm Salvager 4 Brightglass Gearhulk 3 Elspeth, Storm Slayer 1 Craterhoof Behemoth 2 Overlord of the Mistmoors 4 Brushland 3 Restless Prairie 4 Hushwood Verge 4 Razorverge Thicket 6 Plains 3 Forest 1 Dusk Rose Reliquary 4 Collector's Cage 4 Aven Interrupter 1 Ghost Vacuum 1 Haywire Mite 3 Wilt-Leaf Liege 2 Split Up 1 Sheltered by Ghosts 1 Get Lost 1 Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines 1 Basilisk Collar

Carlo Tummolillo was the only player to qualify for the Pro Tour with Elspeth, Storm Slayer and Craterhoof Behemoth! These spicy additions from Tarkir: Dragonstorm proved to be excellent fits for this Selesnya Cage build, which goes wide with an army of tokens before swinging for lethal.

In this list, Elspeth, Storm Slayer pairs beautifully with Sandstorm Salvager, doubling the tokens it produces while threatening to pump the entire board for a sudden knockout. But the real finisher is Craterhoof Behemoth. While difficult to cast from hand, it acts as a surprising finisher when it bursts out of a Collector's Cage. And with Llanowar Elves and Tender Wildguide in the mix, even hard casting the Behemoth isn't out of the question.

Boros Monument Digs Up a Solid Record

4 Battlefield Forge 2 Tersa Lightshatter 4 Monument to Endurance 4 Sunbillow Verge 4 Screaming Nemesis 4 Fear of Missing Out 3 Sheltered by Ghosts 4 Inspiring Vantage 4 Elegant Parlor 1 Helping Hand 4 Torch the Tower 4 The Mycosynth Gardens 1 Scrapwork Mutt 4 Phyrexian Dragon Engine 1 Soul Partition 4 Recommission 4 Guardian of New Benalia 1 Burst Lightning 3 Mountain 2 Pyroclasm 2 Destroy Evil 3 Loran of the Third Path 1 Soul Partition 1 Get Lost 3 Ghost Vacuum 3 Chandra, Spark Hunter

Boros Monument was one of the spiciest decks to earn a Pro Tour invitation this weekend. The key card in the deck is Monument to Endurance, which can turn discards into devastating sequence of card draw, Treasure generation, and life loss for the opponent. The more copies of Monument in play, the better, and The Mycosynth Gardens ensures the triggers stack up quickly. The deck fuels this engine with discard outlets like Guardian of New Benalia, Fear of Missing Out, and Tarkir: Dragonstorm's Tersa Lightshatter.

But the real star is Phyrexian Dragon Engine. When unearthed with exactly three cards in hand, its ability forces you to discard them all before drawing three new ones. With two Monuments in play, that sequence alone nets two cards, two Treasure tokens, and a 6-point life swing. On your opponent's turn, you can discard a card to Guardian of New Benalia, triggering the Monuments again. While Phyrexian Dragon Engine's ability requires it to return from the graveyard, unearthing it for five mana isn't the only option—Recommission or Helping Hand can also cheat it back into play for even more value.

As Adria Martin explained, the idea stemmed from the Monument lists that appeared at Pro Tour Aetherdrift. Intrigued, he tested the deck on Magic Online and at local events, finding it to be "absurdly bonkers." He convinced three friends to play the exact same 75, and the group—the only Boros Monument pilots in the room—posted a combined 24-17 record (59%), including a promising 5-4 matchup result against Izzet Prowess. With Martin's Pro Tour qualification as the headline, this spicy archetype looks poised for further exploration.

What's Next for Standard?

The Regional Championship for Europe, Middle East, and Africa—the first of this Standard cycle—firmly established Izzet Prowess as a top-tier contender. While it dominated the field, answers have already emerged: Jeskai Oculus and Orzhov Pixie both posted strong win rates against it. Meanwhile, a variety of off-meta brews proved they can also go toe to toe with the format's frontrunners. Now that the rules of engagement are clear, the coming weeks promise a thrilling period of Standard refinement across the rest of the globe.

Regional Championships are high-stakes events where the best players in each region come to test their skill and earn coveted Pro Tour and World Championship invites. Here's the upcoming schedule:

• May 3–4: United States (Minneapolis, MN), Brazil, Japan, and Southeast Asia
• May 10–11: Australia/New Zealand
• May 17–18: China and Chinese Taipei and United States (Hartford, CT)
• May 24–25: Canada
• May 31–June 1: South America and Mexico/Central America/Caribbean

If you're eager to catch high-level Standard play with English-language commentary, don't miss the livestream of this weekend's US Regional Championship at SCG CON Minneapolis!