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. Regional Championship Qualifier (RCQ) events, running through July 20, offer Modern players a shot at securing a spot in their Modern Regional Championships this October–November. And with the release of Magic: The Gathering®—FINAL FANTASY™, Modern's metagame has received an exciting infusion of new cards.

In today's article, I'll begin with a snapshot of the Modern metagame right after the release of the newest set, then dive into the standout newcomers from this new set. I'll highlight the most-played additions and explore the decks they've come to call home.

The Modern Metagame with Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY

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 over 20 years of card history behind it, Modern offers intricate card interactions and a vast array of viable strategies. If you're new to the format or returning after a hiatus, I recommend checking out my latest format primer for an introduction to Modern's top-tier decks.

To learn which Modern decks found success right after the online release of Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY, I analyzed published Magic Online decklists from Modern Challenges held from June 11–19. This represents the first week after the set's release, which is the period where innovation always shines the most.

To show which decks were 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 metagame share, including Jeskai Control, Simic Ritual, Dimir Mill, Mono-Green Broodscale, Izzet Twin, and more.

Many of the archetypes that overperformed at Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair—such as Boros Energy, Tameshi Belcher, Orzhov Blink, and Gruul Broodscale—have ticked up compared to the metagame at that event. Yet the biggest development in the middle of June has been the rise of Mardu Energy, largely on the back off a new card from Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY: Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER.

The Most-Played Cards From Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY

Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY unleashed several potent options into Modern, invigorating both established and emerging archetypes. Below is an overview of the ten new-to-Modern cards that have seen the most play across the decklists I reviewed.

To better understand the impact of these Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY additions, let's explore the archetypes that have incorporated them most successfully.

Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER in Mardu Energy

4 Ajani, Nacatl Pariah 3 Arena of Glory 4 Arid Mesa 1 Blood Crypt 4 Bloodstained Mire 1 Chthonian Nightmare 1 Elegant Parlor 4 Galvanic Discharge 2 Goblin Bombardment 1 Godless Shrine 4 Guide of Souls 1 Lightning, Army of One 4 Marsh Flats 1 Mountain 4 Ocelot Pride 3 Orcish Bowmasters 3 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 1 Plains 3 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 2 Sacred Foundry 3 Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER 1 Shadowy Backstreet 1 Static Prison 1 Thraben Charm 3 Voice of Victory 1 Celestial Purge 2 Clarion Conqueror 1 Ghost Vacuum 1 Nihil Spellbomb 3 Thoughtseize 1 Vexing Bauble 3 Vindicate 2 Wear/Tear 1 Wrath of the Skies

Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER

Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER stands out as one of the best Blood Artist variants ever printed. Not only does this card drain your opponent when creatures die, but it also offers a built-in card draw ability, making it a potent standalone card. This card has found a natural home in Samwise Gamgee Combo and has spearheaded the resurgence of Mardu Energy. Klien7 took 4th place at a Magic Online Challenge with the Mardu Energy list shown above, and the archetype has surged in popularity ever since.

In Mardu Energy, Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER pairs especially well with Voice of Victory, adding two drains to every mobilize token. The card is also excellent alongside Goblin Bombardment, which allows Sephiroth to transform with ease. Beyond that, Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER's life gain supports Ocelot Pride, and the card's sacrifice ability makes it the perfect follow-up to a turn-two Ajani, Nacatl Pariah, helping to transform Ajani as early as turn three. Simply put, this card does it all.

The list also gained Lightning, Army of One, a high-impact threat that can double the damage from your creatures, Galvanic Discharges, or Goblin Bombardments. With haste from Arena of Glory, it can turn a modest board into a surprise lethal attack.

Fire Magic in Eldrazi Ramp

2 Ancient Stirrings 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 1 Cavern of Souls 1 Commercial District 2 Devourer of Destiny 4 Eldrazi Temple 3 Emrakul, the Promised End 2 Fire Magic 3 Forest 3 Herigast, Erupting Nullkite 4 Kozilek's Command 1 Kozilek's Return 4 Malevolent Rumble 1 Misty Rainforest 1 Sanctum of Ugin 1 Shifting Woodland 1 Sire of Seven Deaths 4 Sowing Mycospawn 2 Stomping Ground 4 Talisman of Impulse 1 Ugin, Eye of the Storms 4 Ugin's Labyrinth 4 Utopia Sprawl 1 Windswept Heath 1 Wooded Foothills 3 Writhing Chrysalis 3 Blood Moon 2 Force of Vigor 2 Soulless Jailer 1 The Stone Brain 3 Trinisphere 2 Unholy Heat 2 Untimely Malfunction

Fire Magic

Fire Magic offers multiple modes, all of which can shine against Boros Energy and other creature-heavy strategies. On turn one, it can immediately neutralize early threats like Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer or Ocelot Pride. And by turn-three mode can clear the entire board. Thanks to its instant-speed versatility, Fire Magic is beginning to carve out a niche in Modern.

Primarily a sideboard option, it has been picked up by a wide range of decks, including Amulet Titan, Eldrazi Ramp, Jeskai Dress Down, Grixis Wizards. But in Lightspirit's Eldrazi Ramp deck, which finished second at a Magic Online Challenge, two copies even appeared in the main deck. That placement underscores the spell's power and versatility, especially when Boros Energy remains the top dog in the metagame.

Vivi Ornitier in Izzet Metalcraft

1 Aether Spellbomb 4 Cori-Steel Cutter 4 Emry, Lurker of the Loch 3 Flame of Anor 2 Flooded Strand 4 Galvanic Blast 2 Island 2 Metallic Rebuke 4 Mishra's Bauble 3 Mox Amber 4 Mox Opal 1 Otawara, Soaring City 4 Repeal 4 Scalding Tarn 1 Sink into Stupor 1 Soul-Guide Lantern 2 Spirebluff Canal 2 Steam Vents 4 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student 1 Thundering Falls 4 Urza's Saga 3 Vivi Ornitier 2 Ashiok, Dream Render 4 Consign to Memory 1 Counterspell 1 Flame of Anor 2 Force of Negation 1 Metallic Rebuke 1 Pithing Needle 1 Shadowspear 2 Whipflare

Vivi Ornitier

Vivi Ornitier has shown up in a variety of Izzet decks. This Wizard supports Flame of Anor in Wizard builds, complements Ruby Medallion in Storm builds, and, most notably, powers up Metalcraft decks. Arbitraryarmor, for example, piloted the above-shown Mox Opal list to a Top 8 finish at a Modern Challenge.

In this archetype, Vivi Ornitier can immediately grow into a massive threat by chaining zero-cost artifacts. On turn three, if you play Vivi Ornititer and follow it up with Mox Opal, Mox Amber, and Mishra's Bauble, this yields an enormous creature along with an immediate mana surge. It's easy to win from there. While three mana for a removal-prone creature might feel steep in Modern's fast-paced environment, Vivi Ornitier's potential for both damage and acceleration is undeniable. This card is making waves as a promising multi-format staple.

Cecil, Dark Knight in Dimir Shadow

4 Bloodstained Mire 1 Boggart Trawler 3 Cecil, Dark Knight 4 Death's Shadow 1 Dismember 4 Fatal Push 1 Hex Parasite 1 Lavaspur Boots 1 Marsh Flats 4 Mishra's Bauble 4 Nethergoyf 1 Nihil Spellbomb 4 Polluted Delta 4 Psychic Frog 4 Street Wraith 3 Stubborn Denial 2 Swamp 3 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student 4 Thoughtseize 4 Urza's Saga 3 Watery Grave 4 Consign to Memory 1 Grafdigger's Cage 1 Graveyard Trespasser 3 Harbinger of the Seas 1 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares 1 Pithing Needle 2 Surgical Extraction 2 Toxic Deluge

Cecil, Dark Knight

Cecil, Dark Knight is a powerful new one-drop that can eventually transform into a 4/4 lifelinker, but only if you can get your life total down to 10 quickly. Fortunately, that's already Dimir Shadow's specialty. With cards like Thoughtseize, Street Wraith, and a self-damaging mana base, the deck naturally sets up the conditions that this card needs for a swift transformation.

But Cecil, Dark Knight doesn't just benefit from the life loss,it helps enable it. By adding to the damage you take in the early turns, Cecil, Dark Knight makes it easier to power out a massive Death's Shadow ahead of schedule. Groot02 showcased the synergies between these cards to great effect with the list shown above, finishing in 9th place at a Magic Online Challenge. The list is brimming with synergy and potential.

Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant in Boros Energy

4 Ajani, Nacatl Pariah 3 Arena of Glory 4 Arid Mesa 1 Dalkovan Encampment 2 Elegant Parlor 3 Flooded Strand 4 Galvanic Discharge 3 Goblin Bombardment 4 Guide of Souls 2 Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant 4 Marsh Flats 1 Mountain 4 Ocelot Pride 4 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 2 Plains 4 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 3 Sacred Foundry 2 Seasoned Pyromancer 2 Static Prison 2 Thraben Charm 2 Voice of Victory 2 Blood Moon 2 Celestial Purge 1 Ghost Vacuum 4 Molten Rain 2 Orim's Chant 2 Vexing Bauble 1 Wear/Tear 1 Wrath of the Skies

Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant

To complement Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury in the three-drop slot, Boros Energy has traditionally relied on cards like Seasoned Pyromancer or Fable of the Mirror-Breaker. Now, Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY has offered a compelling new option: Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant. LaRougeMTG ran two copies to a third-place finish at a Magic Online Challenge, and Joshua also found success in Domain Zoo, where the card fills a similar role.

This three-drop filters your draws, blocks effectively, and survives three-damage burn effects like Lightning Bolt or a trigger from Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury. In the late game, it can transform into a powerful Saga creature that can easily take over. A 4/4 flying lifelinker can swing any damage race, and the final chapter's reanimation ability allows you to flood the board with Modern's best one-drops and two-drops, allowing you to go over the top in grindy matchups. With such an excellent set of abilities, this card is an exciting new option for aggro or midrange decks alike.

The Wandering Minstrel in Amulet Titan

1 Aftermath Analyst 4 Amulet of Vigor 4 Arboreal Grazer 3 Boseiju, Who Endures 4 Crumbling Vestige 1 Dryad Arbor 1 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove 1 Echoing Deeps 2 Forest 3 Green Sun's Zenith 3 Gruul Turf 1 Hanweir Battlements 2 Lotus Field 1 Mirrorpool 1 Otawara, Soaring City 4 Primeval Titan 4 Scapeshift 1 Shifting Woodland 4 Simic Growth Chamber 4 Spelunking 2 Summoner's Pact 1 The Mycosynth Gardens 1 The Wandering Minstrel 1 Tolaria West 1 Urza's Cave 4 Urza's Saga 1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle 1 Vesuva 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Cavern of Souls 1 Collector Ouphe 3 Dismember 1 Elvish Reclaimer 2 Fire Magic 2 Force of Vigor 1 Forest 1 Insidious Fungus 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Six

The Wandering Minstrel

The Wandering Minstrel provides an ability similar to Amulet of Vigor or Spelunking, allowing lands to enter the battlefield untapped. While its other abilities are irrelevant in this context—the deck doesn't use any Towns—enabling untapped lands remains crucial to Amulet Titan's core strategy. As a creature, The Wandering Minstrel is much more vulnerable to spot removal like Lightning Bolt or Fatal Push, so it's generally less reliable than its artifact or enchantment counterparts. However, being a creature also means that it's the perfect Green Sun's Zenith target.

VitorCarvalho01 capitalized on this synergy, finishing in 2nd place with this Amulet Titan list featuring a singleton copy of The Wandering Minstrel. The card adds consistency to the deck's main game plan, and its inclusion might herald the return of Green Sun's Zenith to the archetype. Thanks to this Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY upgrade, the deck gains yet another powerful tool.

What's Next for Modern?

With the Modern RCQ season in full swing, it's exiting to see the fresh innovations sparked by Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY. Still, the enduring appeal of Modern lies in its incredible diversity: Dozens of archetypes remain competitively viable, and success often hinges on piloting skill and familiarity. In the hands of a seasoned player, nearly any deck can succeed.

To find a Regional Championship Qualifier near you, check the store and event locator or visit your regional organizer's website. For a broader look at the various paths to Pro Tour qualification, this article offers a helpful overview. So grab your deck, learn it inside and out, and maybe we'll see you on the big stage next.