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. In just one week, Pro Tour Edge of Eternities will feature Modern. This event is truly massive, boasting a $500,000 prize pool and the world's top competitors. Check out the viewer's guide for all the details on the event. Then, be sure to tune into the event's coverage, as it's always exciting to watch Modern players showcase their deck-building prowess and gameplay skills.

To give an early indication of what to expect at the Pro Tour, today's article will examine the current Modern metagame, walk through the top fifteen archetypes as of now, and spotlight some intriguing new cards from Magic: The Gathering® | Marvel's Spider-Man.

Modern Before Magic: The Gathering | Marvel's Spider-Man

Modern is a nonrotating 60-card format based on expansion sets, core sets, and straight-to-Modern sets from Eight Edition forward, save for cards on the banned list. With its deep card pool spanning over 20 years of card history, Modern boasts intricate card interactions and a vast array of viable strategies.

To learn which Modern decks were dominating the top tables before the release of Magic: The Gathering | Marvel's Spider-Man, I analyzed over 900 successful tournament decks from the past two weeks. My dataset drew from every published Magic Online list from scheduled events between August 1–15, including the 320-player Modern RC Super Qualifier. It also included all decklists from the Super Sunday RCQ at SCG CON Orlando and the Top 8 decklists from the NRG Series $10,000 Modern Showdown.

To show which decks are dominating the top tables, I assigned points to each deck based on its rectified number of net wins, calculated as the number of match wins minus losses, with negative values adjusted to zero. By combining these points across all events, each archetype's share of the total rectified net wins blends popularity and performance into a single, comprehensive metric: the winner's metagame share.

In this table, each archetype name hyperlinks to a top-performing decklist that closely reflects its aggregate build. The "Other" category collects decks with less than one percent winner's metagame share, including Azorius Blink, Hammer Time, Orzhov Blink, Ascendancy Combo, Esper Reanimator, Simic Ritual, Golgari Broodscale, Mono-Black Eldrazi, Five-Color Creativity, Gruul Broodscale, Izzet Wizards, Mono-Green Broodscale, Izzet Metalcraft, Jeskai Affinity, Mono-Black Necro, Mardu Blink, Golgari Yawgmoth, Mardu Energy, Golgari Soultrader, and more.

In my previous metagame snapshot, which was taken right after the release of Edge of Eternities, there were three decks on the upswing: Grixis Reanimator, Esper Blink, and Izzet Affinity. Since then, the first two have stumbled and lost ground in metagame share while Izzet Affinity has continued to build on its momentum. At the same time, Tameshi Belcher and Eldrazi Tron have surged ahead in prominence. The arrows in the table capture these trends.

Consign to Memory
Thoughtseize
Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury
Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
Fatal Push
Wrath of the Skies
Force of Negation
Kozilek's Command
Solitude

Across all main decks and sideboards combined, the most played nonland cards were Consign to Memory, Thoughtseize, and Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury. This underscores the interactivity available in Modern, with Consign to Memory standing out as a versatile answer to Eldrazi spells, triggered abilities, Goblin Charbelcher, and much more.

The current Modern metagame has a diversity index of 14.4, which indicates strong diversity according to the definition outlined in last week's Modern Pro Tour history overview. With dozens of archetypes capable of claiming victory, anything is possible in the hands of a skilled pilot. Ultimately, success will often come down to players' mastery of their deck. Players thrive when they know their deck's intricate interactions, its sideboard pivots, and the nuances of its most common matchups.

To set the stage for the upcoming Pro Tour, I've constructed aggregate decklists for the top-tier archetypes. I assemble these lists using an algorithm that weighs card popularity, deck performance, and internal synergies. Let's take a closer look at the fifteen most prominent contenders, each representing at least two percent of the winner's metagame over the past two weeks. Note that decks four, five, and six (Esper Goryo's, Izzet Affinity, and Esper Blink) all have essentially the same winner's metagame share, so their ordering is arbitrary.

1. Boros Energy (15.8% of the Winner's Metagame)

4 Galvanic Discharge 4 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 4 Arid Mesa 4 Guide of Souls 4 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 4 Ocelot Pride 4 Ajani, Nacatl Pariah 4 Marsh Flats 4 Flooded Strand 3 Sacred Foundry 3 Arena of Glory 3 Goblin Bombardment 3 Seasoned Pyromancer 2 Plains 2 Elegant Parlor 2 Thraben Charm 2 Voice of Victory 2 Static Prison 1 Mountain 1 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 2 Clarion Conqueror 2 Wear 2 Celestial Purge 2 Blood Moon 2 Orim's Chant 1 Wrath of the Skies 1 Showdown of the Skalds 1 Surgical Extraction 1 Ghost Vacuum 1 Obsidian Charmaw

In the current Modern format, Boros Energy has cemented itself as the deck to beat, commanding 15.8% of the winner's metagame. Powered by Guide of Souls, Galvanic Discharge, and Static Prison, it leverages the energy mechanic to dominate the battlefield. The deck applies relentless pressure through the feline firepower of Ocelot Pride and Ajani, Nacatl Pariah. Meanwhile, Goblin Bombardment lets you sacrifice Cat tokens to chip away at your opponent's life total and transform Ajani into a formidable planeswalker.

But Boros Energy doesn't just excel in the early game. Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury is a resilient late-game threat, and it can swing a race when given haste by Arena of Glory. All in all, Boros Energy is powerful throughout the entire game, has strong individual card quality, and is relatively easy to pick up and play, making it a popular choice in Modern. Still, it's far from invincible. Combo decks like Tameshi Belcher, Esper Goryo's, and Simic Neoform are typically too fast, and Boros Energy tends to struggle in those matchups.

2. Tameshi Belcher (11.1% of the Winner's Metagame)

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

Tameshi Belcher is the premier combo deck in Modern. Since the list contains zero actual lands, a single Belcher activation deals damage equal to the number of cards in your library—typically more than enough to end the game on the spot. To reach the necessary mana to activate Belcher, the deck leans heavily on Lotus Bloom and a suite of modal double-faced cards (MDFCs), which are lands in this case. The blue MDFCs are perfect for this strategy because they enable Disrupting Shoal and facilitate a turn-three Whir of Invention, which can fetch Lotus Bloom just in time for a lethal turn-four Belcher activation.

In addition to this primary plan, the deck also features a potent backup combo: Tameshi, Reality Architect paired with Lotus Bloom can generate immense amounts of mana, often culminating in an enormous Sea Gate Restoration that seals the game. With Suppression Ray to add white for Tameshi's ability, the engine also works when Lotus Bloom is milled by Fallaji Archaeologist. All in all, Tameshi Belcher may look like a glass cannon, but it's deceptively resilient and surprisingly interactive.

3. Eldrazi Tron (10.5% of the Winner's Metagame)

4 Urza's Mine 4 Eldrazi Temple 4 Karn, the Great Creator 4 Kozilek's Command 4 Urza's Tower 4 Expedition Map 4 Urza's Power Plant 4 Ugin's Labyrinth 4 Devourer of Destiny 4 Mind Stone 3 Ugin, Eye of the Storms 3 Thought-Knot Seer 3 Glaring Fleshraker 2 Dismember 2 Sire of Seven Deaths 1 All Is Dust 1 Swamp 1 Wastes 1 Chalice of the Void 1 Warping Wail 1 Vexing Bauble 1 Relic of Progenitus 2 Disruptor Flute 1 Ensnaring Bridge 1 Liquimetal Coating 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Trinisphere 1 Walking Ballista 1 Cityscape Leveler 1 Grafdigger's Cage 1 Extinguisher Battleship 1 Vexing Bauble 1 Chalice of the Void 1 The Stone Brain 1 The Filigree Sylex 1 Torpor Orb

At the heart of Eldrazi Tron lies the iconic trio of lands: Urza's Mine, Urza's Tower, and Urza's Power Plant. These lands enable explosive openings. Together, they can power out seven-mana spells like Devourer of Destiny or Sire of Seven Deaths as early as turn three. These imposing Eldrazi also supercharge Ugin's Labyrinth and Eldrazi Temple into lands that provide two mana. As a result, the deck remains formidable even without the full Urzatron, capable of casting a turn-two Thought-Knot Seer to disrupt the opponent or an early Glaring Fleshraker to set up a devastating Kozilek's Command in this entirely colorless shell.

Beyond its mana engine, Eldrazi Tron leverages Karn, the Great Creator. The planeswalker shuts off Goblin Charbelcher and can fetch disruptive artifacts from the sideboard, adding a versatile toolbox element. Among the newest options, Extinguisher Battleship from Edge of Eternities shines for its ability to sweep the board, making it a premier option for Karn, the Great Creator.

4. Esper Goryo's (5.7%)

4 Goryo's Vengeance 4 Ephemerate 4 Atraxa, Grand Unifier 4 Psychic Frog 4 Polluted Delta 4 Solitude 4 Quantum Riddler 4 Marsh Flats 4 Faithful Mending 3 Force of Negation 3 Prismatic Ending 2 Flooded Strand 1 Swamp 1 Hallowed Fountain 1 Island 1 Undercity Sewers 1 Shadowy Backstreet 1 Watery Grave 1 Plains 1 Griselbrand 1 Hedge Maze 1 Meticulous Archive 1 Godless Shrine 1 Sink into Stupor 1 Subtlety 1 Ketramose, the New Dawn 1 Teferi, Time Raveler 1 Priest of Fell Rites 4 Consign to Memory 2 Thoughtseize 2 Wrath of the Skies 2 Nihil Spellbomb 1 Teferi, Time Raveler 1 Subtlety 1 Pest Control 1 Mystical Dispute 1 Celestial Purge

Esper Goryo's aims to discard Atraxa, Grand Unifier to Psychic Frog or Faithful Mending, then returns her to the battlefield with Goryo's Vengeance. Atraxa is a massive lifelinker that gives you a fresh grip of cards. Afterward, before Atraxa is exiled by Goryo's Vengeance, you can cast Ephemerate on Atraxa and return her as a new game object, which means that you won't have to exile her at end of turn.

But Esper Goryo's is not just a graveyard combo deck. Between Solitude, Force of Negation, and Prismatic Ending, it can also take a control role, supported further by a new addition from Edge of Eternities: Quantum Riddler. If you use Ephemerate to blink a warped Quantum Riddler on turn three, you'll draw two cards and keep the creature on the battlefield when it returns. This sequence results in an undercosted, difficult-to-remove 4/6 flying creature. In most Esper Goryo's decks, Quantum Riddler has replaced Fallaji Archaeologist. Since the Riddler's card-draw ability rewards you for emptying your hand, Faithful Mending has also supplanted Tainted Indulgence in the aggregate list.

5. Izzet Affinity (5.7%)

4 Thoughtcast 4 Kappa Cannoneer 4 Mox Opal 4 Mishra's Bauble 4 Urza's Saga 4 Pinnacle Emissary 4 Springleaf Drum 4 Memnite 4 Thought Monitor 4 Spirebluff Canal 4 Ornithopter 3 Metallic Rebuke 2 Steam Vents 2 Darksteel Citadel 2 Cranial Plating 2 Shivan Reef 1 Island 1 Lavaspur Boots 1 Shadowspear 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Otawara, Soaring City 3 Whipflare 3 Blood Moon 3 Consign to Memory 3 Force of Negation 2 Galvanic Blast 1 Pithing Needle

Affinity thrives on artifact synergies, quickly enabling metalcraft for powerful resources. Mox Opal provides mana, Kappa Cannoneer grows into an unstoppable threat, and Thoughtcast becomes an efficient draw spell. A crucial new addition from Edge of Eternities is Pinnacle Emissary, which lets you flood the board with tokens. In the most aggressive starts, warping it on turn one and following up with Mox Opal, Mishra's Bauble, and Ornithopter can set the stage for a turn-one Kappa Cannoneer.

Multiple builds see play. The most prominent one relies on Springleaf Drum, Memnite, Ornithopter, and Thought Monitor to maximize speed. Others instead exploit Mox Amber, combining it with Emry, Lurker of the Loch and Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student for a grindier approach. No matter the version, Affinity remains a synergistic deck that rewards meticulous sequencing, artifact-based math, and disciplined mulligan decisions in pursuit of explosive opening hands.

6. Esper Blink (5.7%)

4 Flooded Strand 4 Ephemerate 4 Quantum Riddler 4 Solitude 4 Marsh Flats 4 Thoughtseize 4 Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd 4 Fatal Push 4 Overlord of the Balemurk 4 Witch Enchanter 3 Flickerwisp 3 Emperor of Bones 2 Plains 2 Godless Shrine 2 Teferi, Time Raveler 1 Swamp 1 Hallowed Fountain 1 Meticulous Archive 1 Watery Grave 1 Polluted Delta 1 Shadowy Backstreet 1 Boggart Trawler 1 Undercity Sewers 4 Consign to Memory 3 White Orchid Phantom 3 Wrath of the Skies 2 High Noon 2 Clarion Conqueror 1 Damping Sphere

Like Esper Goryo's, Esper Blink thrives on the potent synergy between Quantum Riddler and Ephemerate, and blinking an evoked Solitude is similarly strong, allowing you to massacre opposing boards with surgical precision. Most Esper Blink decks include Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd for additional blink effects along with Overlord of the Balemurk as another powerful target. While some Esper Blink decks have been cutting Phelia and Overlord—reflecting a gradual shift toward a less synergistic midrange approach—the aggregate list still embraces them as defining pieces.

Esper Blink can grind effectively in drawn-out battles, and its greatest strength is a flexible, interactive game plan. With Thoughtseize, Fatal Push, and a well-rounded suite of disruption, the deck adapts well to a wide range of matchups, rounded out by a potent mix of sideboard tools. Even White Orchid Phantom, especially alongside Flickerwisp, can punish greedy mana bases without basics.

7. Izzet Prowess (5.2%)

4 Dragon's Rage Channeler 4 Expressive Iteration 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Scalding Tarn 4 Preordain 4 Mutagenic Growth 4 Cori-Steel Cutter 4 Mishra's Bauble 4 Monastery Swiftspear 4 Slickshot Show-Off 4 Lava Dart 3 Steam Vents 3 Arid Mesa 2 Mountain 2 Fiery Islet 2 Violent Urge 2 Wooded Foothills 1 Thundering Falls 1 Bloodstained Mire 4 Unholy Heat 4 Consign to Memory 2 Spell Pierce 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Spell Snare 1 Into the Flood Maw 1 Murktide Regent

At its core, Izzet Prowess is built for speed. With Dragon's Rage Channeler and Monastery Swiftspear leading the charge, the deck uses Expressive Iteration, Preordain, and other cheap cantrips to churn through spells, sculpt your hand, and buff your creatures. The archetype also features the ability to win out of nowhere: Slickshot Show-Off, when combined with Mutagenic Growth and Violent Urge, can swing for double-digit damage. This potential for sudden kills demands respect.

Cori-Steel Cutter supercharged this already potent strategy. Dropping Cori-Steel Cutter on turn two and following it up with something as simple as Mishra's Bauble can immediately flood the board with Monk tokens. It's easy to trigger flurry every turn thanks to the deck's glut of one-mana spells and effective card draw. By casting and flashing back Lava Dart, you can even make Monks during your opponent's turn. All in all, Izzet Prowess is a powerful and synergistic aggro deck.

8. Domain Zoo (4.3%)

4 Territorial Kavu 4 Arid Mesa 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 4 Leyline of the Guildpact 4 Wooded Foothills 4 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 4 Leyline Binding 4 Scion of Draco 4 Flooded Strand 3 Stubborn Denial 3 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 2 Arena of Glory 2 Doorkeeper Thrull 1 Temple Garden 1 Plains 1 Steam Vents 1 Mountain 1 Thundering Falls 1 Indatha Triome 1 Lush Portico 1 Consign to Memory 1 Blood Crypt 1 Sacred Foundry 3 Consign to Memory 2 Nihil Spellbomb 2 Wrath of the Skies 2 Mystical Dispute 1 Clarion Conqueror 1 Doorkeeper Thrull 1 Wear 1 Pest Control 1 Damping Sphere 1 Stubborn Denial

Domain Zoo is a disruptive aggro deck that leverages a variety of dual and three-color lands to unleash the full power of Territorial Kavu and Scion of Draco. These creatures can attack for 4 or 5 damage early in the game, swiftly putting opponents on the back foot. They also enable powerful interaction by turning Stubborn Denial into a reliable hard counter. With additional answers like Lightning Bolt and Doorkeeper Thrull, which prevents Quantum Riddler's card draw, Domain Zoo has a robust toolkit for disrupting the wide variety of decks that populate Modern.

Synergies deepen when Leyline of the Guildpact begins the game on the battlefield: the mana base becomes painless, Leyline Binding drops to a single white mana, and Scion of Draco gives your entire board vigilance, hexproof, lifelink, first strike, and trample. Leyline plus Scion is a formidable combination that many Boros Energy decks can't answer.

9. Ruby Storm (3.9%)

4 Pyretic Ritual 4 Reckless Impulse 4 Ruby Medallion 4 Mountain 4 Desperate Ritual 4 Wrenn's Resolve 4 Manamorphose 4 Ral, Monsoon Mage 3 Past in Flames 3 Scalding Tarn 3 Arid Mesa 2 Wish 2 Bloodstained Mire 2 Valakut Awakening 2 Wooded Foothills 2 Artist's Talent 2 Glimpse the Impossible 2 Strike It Rich 1 Gemstone Caverns 1 Elegant Parlor 1 Sacred Foundry 1 Grapeshot 1 Sunbaked Canyon 4 Prismatic Ending 4 Orim's Chant 2 Fire Magic 1 Past in Flames 1 Grapeshot 1 Empty the Warrens 1 Galvanic Relay 1 Glimpse the Impossible

Ruby Storm is a blisteringly fast combo deck centered around Ruby Medallion and Ral, Monsoon Mage. With either card on the battlefield, spells like Pyretic Ritual and Desperate Ritual cost just a single red mana, unlocking a massive mana boost. The cost reduction also applies to card-draw spells like Reckless Impulse and Wrenn's Resolve, allowing you to churn through your library with startling speed.

The core game plan is to cast a storm of spells in a single turn, flash them back with Past in Flames, then finish the game with a lethal Grapeshot. It's a combo deck in its purest, most tempestuous form. If opponents lack removal for Ruby Medallion or Ral, or if they are not prepared with hate pieces like Orim's Chant, Damping Sphere, Trinisphere, or High Noon, then Ruby Storm threatens a blazing firestorm.

10. Eldrazi Ramp (3.5%)

4 Utopia Sprawl 4 Ugin's Labyrinth 4 Forest 4 Eldrazi Temple 4 Kozilek's Command 4 Malevolent Rumble 4 Sowing Mycospawn 4 Talisman of Impulse 4 Herigast, Erupting Nullkite 4 Wooded Foothills 3 Emrakul, the Promised End 3 Kozilek's Return 3 Icetill Explorer 2 Stomping Ground 2 Devourer of Destiny 2 World Breaker 1 Commercial District 1 Sanctum of Ugin 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Ghost Quarter 1 Windswept Heath 3 Trinisphere 3 Disruptor Flute 2 Dismember 2 Surgical Extraction 2 Void Mirror 1 Vexing Bauble 1 Ghost Quarter 1 Soulless Jailer

Like Eldrazi Tron, Eldrazi Ramp is fueled by powerful lands like Eldrazi Temple and Ugin's Labyrinth. Instead of Urza lands, this version has a Forest-heavy mana base for Utopia Sprawl and aims to cast Emrakul, the Promised End as soon as possible. A key enabler to discount Emrakul's cost is Malevolent Rumble, which is supported by a diverse ramp suite across different card types. Icetill Explorer from Edge of Eternities is another synergistic addition; it replays Wooded Foothills from your graveyard, fills your graveyard for Emrakul, and paves the way for colossal threats far earlier than expected.

Lately, many Eldrazi Ramp players have found success with Herigast, Erupting Nullkite. The dream is to lead with Sowing Mycospawn on turn two or three to fetch Sanctum of Ugin, then emerge Herigast, Erupting Nullkite on the subsequent turn by sacrificing the Mycospawn. Since you're casting a massive colorless spell, Sanctum of Ugin lets you tutor Emrakul, the Promised End, which can potentially be cast right away by sacrificing Herigast. This is a devastating sequence that can win the game on the spot.

11. Azorius Control (2.8%)

4 Flooded Strand 4 Narset, Parter of Veils 4 Solitude 4 Orim's Chant 3 Hallowed Fountain 3 Prismatic Ending 3 Teferi, Time Raveler 2 Day's Undoing 2 Island 2 Meticulous Archive 2 Mystic Gate 2 Plains 2 Spell Snare 2 Supreme Verdict 2 Consult the Star Charts 2 Counterspell 2 Wrath of the Skies 2 Scalding Tarn 2 Force of Negation 1 Lórien Revealed 1 Geier Reach Sanitarium 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Subtlety 1 Isochron Scepter 1 Monumental Henge 1 Marsh Flats 1 March of Otherworldly Light 1 Watery Grave 1 Thundering Falls 1 Arid Mesa 4 Consign to Memory 3 Mystical Dispute 2 Celestial Purge 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Kaheera, the Orphanguard 1 Spell Snare 1 Isochron Scepter 1 High Noon

Azorius Control seeks to dictate the pace of the game through efficient interaction. The deck runs almost no creatures, which renders opposing creature removal largely useless while simultaneously unlocking Kaheera, the Orphanguard as a companion. At the heart of the archetype are control staples like Prismatic Ending, Supreme Verdict, and Counterspell, supported by an excellent lineup of planeswalkers. Narset, Parter of Veils stands out, as her static ability threatens to create an overwhelming advantage when paired with Day's Undoing or Geier Reach Sanitarium. Recently added to the arsenal, Consult the Star Charts is a flexible new source of card draw from Edge of Eternities.

The central distinction among Azorius Control builds lies in whether they embrace Orim's Chant. This one-mana instant can derail a Ruby Storm combo, stop a suspended Lotus Bloom from being cast, or prevent an opponent from casting spells or attacking during a pivotal turn. When imprinted on Isochron Scepter, Orim's Chant can completely lock the opponent out of the game. Historically, Chant-based builds have diverged from traditional control decks, so I used to treat them as separate archetypes. Yet as the two versions have converged, I've now come to regard them as variations of the same overarching Azorius Control archetype.

12. Amulet Titan (2.7%)

4 Arboreal Grazer 4 Amulet of Vigor 4 Simic Growth Chamber 4 Crumbling Vestige 4 Primeval Titan 4 Spelunking 4 Urza's Saga 3 Gruul Turf 3 Scapeshift 3 Summoner's Pact 3 Boseiju, Who Endures 3 Explore 2 Forest 2 Lotus Field 2 Green Sun's Zenith 1 Echoing Deeps 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Tolaria West 1 Shifting Woodland 1 Aftermath Analyst 1 Hanweir Battlements 1 Mirrorpool 1 Vesuva 1 The Mycosynth Gardens 1 Urza's Cave 1 Hedge Maze 3 Dismember 2 Vexing Bauble 2 Mystical Dispute 1 Collector Ouphe 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Green Sun's Zenith 1 Force of Vigor 1 Soul-Guide Lantern 1 Keen-Eyed Curator 1 Six 1 Forest

Amulet Titan is one of Modern's most intricate ramp decks, built around the explosive synergy between Amulet of Vigor and bounce lands like Simic Growth Chamber. With Amulet in play, those lands effectively enter untapped and generate additional mana, enabling you to cast Primeval Titan ahead of time. Even when Amulet of Vigor doesn't show up, Spelunking and Urza's Saga serve as redundant copies. Once Primeval Titan hits the battlefield, it can fetch Hanweir Battlements to give the Titan haste, shifting the game in your favor. Mastering the deck requires a deep knowledge of its available lines of play, making it a high-skill, high-reward archetype.

Most Amulet Titan decks use Scapeshift as an alternative route to victory. With Amulet of Vigor in play and enough lands on the battlefield, casting Scapeshift to fetch two Lotus Fields, Simic Growth Chamber, Tolaria West, and Shifting Woodland kicks off a sweet chain reaction. Simic Growth Chamber returns Tolaria West, which you can transmute for Summoner's Pact, which finds Aftermath Analyst. The Analyst recurs the Lotus Fields, generating even more mana. At that point, Shifting Woodland can become a copy of Aftermath Analyst, allowing you to sacrifice and reanimate it and generate infinite mana. Eventually, the deck's infinite Mirrorpool and Hanweir Battlements activations can produce a horde of hasty creatures. The combo may be complex, but it can win the game on the spot.

13. Grixis Reanimator (2.6%)

4 Persist 4 Thoughtseize 4 Fatal Push 4 Unearth 4 Abhorrent Oculus 4 Archon of Cruelty 4 Psychic Frog 4 Faithless Looting 4 Polluted Delta 4 Bloodstained Mire 4 Thought Scour 3 Emperor of Bones 2 Watery Grave 2 Swamp 2 Spell Pierce 1 Undercity Sewers 1 Raucous Theater 1 Blood Crypt 1 Island 1 Scalding Tarn 1 Steam Vents 1 Troll of Khazad-dûm 4 Consign to Memory 2 Pyroclasm 2 Meltdown 2 Mystical Dispute 2 Harbinger of the Seas 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Nihil Spellbomb

Grixis Reanimator employs Faithless Looting and Psychic Frog to put Archon of Cruelty into the graveyard, then brings it back to life with Persist or Emperor of Bones. Alternatively, the deck can cast Unearth to revive Abhorrent Oculus. All of this is wrapped in a midrange shell, with staple interaction spells like Thoughtseize, Fatal Push, and Spell Pierce keeping opponents off balance.

While the deck's 18 lands may seem low for a deck without additional MDFCs or artifact mana, it fits the deck because nearly every spell that is intended to be cast costs only one or two mana. Moreover, a suite of one-mana card-draw effects help make your land drops.

14. Simic Neoform (2.2%)

4 Neoform 4 Planar Genesis 4 Eldritch Evolution 4 Misty Rainforest 4 Allosaurus Rider 4 Summoner's Pact 4 Pact of Negation 4 Consign to Memory 3 Hedge Maze 3 Flooded Strand 3 Generous Ent 2 Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant 2 Disciple of Freyalise 2 Veil of Summer 2 Bridgeworks Battle 1 Griselbrand 1 Breeding Pool 1 Hooting Mandrills 1 Xenagos, God of Revels 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 1 Atraxa, Grand Unifier 1 Forest 1 Island 1 Ureni, the Song Unending 1 Nourishing Shoal 1 Windswept Heath 4 Mystical Dispute 2 Veil of Summer 2 Hooting Mandrills 2 Nature's Claim 2 Into the Flood Maw 2 Hexdrinker 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

Simic Neoform aims to sneak Allosaurus Rider onto the battlefield by exiling two green cards then transform it with Neoform or Eldritch Evolution into a game-winning creature. Whereas older builds leaned on Griselbrand and Nourishing Shoal to draw through the entire deck, more recent lists instead feature a menagerie of high-impact creatures. For example, Atraxa, Grand Unifier provides an overwhelming surge of cards, and Ureni, the Song Unending offers a two-turn clock with protection against most of Modern's top removal spells.

Towering above them all is Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant, capable of flooding the battlefield with an army of finishers. You can deploy Disciple of Freyalise to convert Ghalta into 12 life and 12 cards, or you might use Xenagos, God of Revels to turn Ghalta into a 24/24 trampler with haste, ready to swing for lethal. With Summoner's Pact to fetch the right pieces and Pact of Negation to protect them—along with Consign to Memory to gracefully sidestep the otherwise fatal Pact triggers—the deck is surprisingly consistent and resilient.

15. Dimir Midrange (2.0%)

4 Counterspell 4 Thoughtseize 4 Fatal Push 4 Psychic Frog 4 Polluted Delta 3 Watery Grave 3 Subtlety 3 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student 3 Orcish Bowmasters 3 Preordain 2 Force of Negation 2 Spell Snare 2 Undercity Sewers 2 Sink into Stupor 2 Island 2 Darkslick Shores 2 Sheoldred's Edict 2 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares 2 Murktide Regent 2 Flooded Strand 1 Cling to Dust 1 Swamp 1 Scalding Tarn 1 Gloomlake Verge 1 Bloodstained Mire 4 Consign to Memory 2 Stern Scolding 2 Harbinger of the Seas 2 Force of Negation 1 Nihil Spellbomb 1 Dreams of Steel and Oil 1 Mystical Dispute 1 Cut Down 1 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares

Dimir Midrange remains a premier interactive midrange deck in Modern, utilizing a mix of countermagic, discard effects, and removal spells to dismantle opposing plans. With Counterspell, Orcish Bowmasters, and a wide arsenal of interactive spells, the deck excels at playing on your opponents' turn. Orcish Bowmasters is a good way to punish Quantum Riddler, which is quickly becoming one of the defining cards in Modern.

At the same time, Dimir Midrange wields formidable threats that can quickly seize control of a game. A turn-two Psychic Frog, if left unchecked, often snowballs into a commanding advantage. While Murktide Regent is no longer an auto-include, it still threatens to soar in as an 8/8 flier for just two mana, ending games in short order.

The Impact of Magic: The Gathering | Marvel's Spider-Man

What might Magic's latest set add to Modern? Magic: The Gathering | Marvel's Spider-Man will be legal at Pro Tour Edge of Eternities, and several standout synergies from this set have already caught my eye.

Urza's Saga
Doc Ock's Tentacles [3wG5fg575sAj2DtoX3a7t4]
Peter Parker's Camera [6e0psm1Q4EMslgjAMMIpi3]

I'm intrigued by Doc Ock's Tentacles and Peter Parker's Camera, which might find a home in Izzet Affinity as Urza's Saga targets. Doc Ock's Tentacles can auto-equip itself to Kappa Cannoneer or Thought Monitor, while Peter Parker's Camera could copy the enters ability of Thought Monitor, the Construct-creating ability of another Urza's Saga, and other powerful abilities.

Spider-Punk [24j2MhEnCszf3TgjRGZNMm]
Consign to Memory

Eldrazi Ramp decks may be interested in Spider-Punk to circumvent Consign to Memory after sideboarding.

Lady Octopus, Inspired Inventor
Lotus Bloom

Lady Octopus, Inspired Inventor lets you cast Lotus Bloom as early as turn two, potentially allowing you to deploy Goblin Charbelcher on that turn and win the game on turn three. Lady Octopus can also be sacrificed to Flare of Denial, meaning she might find a home in Tameshi Belcher.

Strength of Will [1NDfLgVf4pOlqPO4uFsl39]
Hardened Scales
Walking Ballista

Strength of Will introduces a unique suite of abilities that enables an infinite combo. With Hardened Scales and a Walking Ballista with at least two counters on it in play, you can cast Strength of Will targeting the Ballista. Then, have the Ballista ping itself for one. It survives thanks to indestructible and gains two +1/+1 counters. You can loop until your Ballista is enormous. Afterward, you can shoot infinite damage at your opponent.

Scarlet Spider, Ben Reilly [n8eypr4wbg9g6WYg4XrNu]
Scion of Draco
Thud

Three-card combos may ultimately be too unreliable to make the cut, but it's worth pointing out a new way for Domain Zoo decks to win on turn three. After using Indatha Triome and Steam Vents to cast Scion of Draco on turn two, letting you attack for 4 damage on turn three and return Scion of Draco to your hand with Scarlet Spider, Ben Reilly's web-slinging ability. Finally, cast Thud to fling the 16-power creature at your opponent for the win.

Faithless Looting
Carnage, Crimson Chaos [5bcOV1lUPwdYqYMXjTmgYk]

Besides web-slinging, the new set also introduces the mayhem ability, which works well with Faithless Looting. I could imagine discarding Carnage, Crimson Chaos for value, casting it from the graveyard for two mana, and returning Fear of Missing Out or Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury for free. Even though Hollow One decks remain fringe, Carnage might be a suitable addition.

Prepare for Pro Tour Edge of Eternities

I can't wait to see what the Pro Tour metagame will look like, and we won't have to wait long to find out. Pro Tour Edge of Eternities takes place September 26–28, featuring Edge of Eternities Draft and Modern Constructed.

You can experience the excitement in person at MagicCon: Atlanta, or you can follow the action live on YouTube or Twitch on all three days. With $500,000 in prizes on the line and the best players in the world battling for glory, it promises to be a showcase of high-level gameplay. Ultimately, the champion will add their name to competitive Magic history.