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, currently offer Modern players a shot at securing a spot in October and November's Modern Regional Championships. With the release of Tarkir: Dragonstorm, Modern's metagame has received a fiery infusion of new cards and strategies.

In today's article, I'll begin with a snapshot of the current Modern metagame, then dive into the standout newcomers from Tarkir: Dragonstorm. I'll highlight the most-played new cards and explore the decks they've come to call home.

The Modern Metagame with Tarkir: Dragonstorm

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 capture a current picture of the metagame with Tarkir: Dragonstorm, I analyzed over 800 successful decklists from competitive events since Tarkir: Dragonstorm Prerelease weekend. Specifically:

• Magic Online events: All published decklists from Challenges and Qualifiers held from April 10–19.
• Premier tabletop events: All published decklists with at least as many wins as losses from (1) the $10,000 RCQ, Sunday ReCQ, Saturday afternoon ReCQ, Saturday morning ReCQ, and Friday ReCQ at SCG CON Denver, (2) the Unity League Grand Prix, Carnicería Campeonato España 2025, and EMEA Destination Qualifier from the Metrópolis Series, and (iii) the RCQs at Il Labirinto and Hareruya Tokyo.

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 includes decks with less than one percent metagame share, including Hollow One, Living End, Mono-Black Eldrazi, Urza ThopterSword, Azorius Miracles, Four-Color Gifts, Golgari Yawgmoth, Esper Goryo's, Dimir Oculus, Hammer Time, Mono-Blue Eldrazi, Izzet Storm, Kethis Combo, Izzet Murktide, Dredge, Jeskai Legends, Sultai Oculus, Bant Martyr, Temur Prowess, Domain Omnath, Jeskai Wizards, Esper Affinity, Orzhov Necro, Hardened Scales, Dimir Shadow, Eldrazi Breach, and more.

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Compared to my previous metagame snapshot, published before the release of Tarkir: Dragonstorm, Ruby Storm has seen a downturn as sideboards have increasingly targeted its combo lines. Yet three archetypes have surged ahead:

• Boros Energy has cemented itself as the deck to beat, now commanding 21.5% of the winner's metagame.
• Izzet Prowess, powered by Cori-Steel Cutter, has rocketed into contention as a fresh, explosive strategy.
• Azorius Affinity has emerged as the premier Mox Opal deck following the banning of Underworld Breach.

Nearly every RCQ hopeful is asking the same question. How do you topple Boros Energy? It's a well-rounded deck that is likely to be the most popular deck in the field. However, Boros Energy often falters against fast combo decks like Tameshi Belcher, Amulet Titan, and Golgari Yawgmoth. Across recent premier events, these decks have proven to be effective against Boros Energy. So, if your mission is to challenge an Energy-heavy metagame, building one of these combo decks could be your strongest path to victory.

The Most-Played Cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm

Tarkir: Dragonstorm has unleashed several potent options into Modern, invigorating both established and emerging archetypes. Below is an overview of the fifteen new-to-Modern cards that have seen the most play across the decklists I analyzed.

By sheer volume, Cori-Steel Cutter takes the crown. This standout card in Standard has proven itself equally indispensable in Modern. By effectively producing a Monastery Swiftspear token every turn, it's a win condition all on its own. Even if the face of heavy spot removal, Cori-Steel Cutter is easy to trigger turn after turn, snowballing into a relentless swarm of Monks. Primarily seen in Prowess shells, it has established itself as a phenomenal multi-format staple.

Yet Cori-Steel Cutter is far from the only new card making an impact. For example, cards like Ugin, Eye of the Storms and Voice of Victory have also carved out important roles. To better understand how all these new Tarkir: Dragonstorm cards are reshaping the Modern metagame, let's explore the archetypes that have embraced them most successfully.

Cori-Steel Cutter Ignites a Prowess Renaissance

693583 1 Arid Mesa 2 Bedlam Reveler 3 Bloodstained Mire 4 Cori-Steel Cutter 4 Dragon's Rage Channeler 4 Expressive Iteration 4 Lava Dart 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Manamorphose 4 Mishra's Bauble 4 Monastery Swiftspear 3 Mountain 4 Preordain 3 Spirebluff Canal 3 Steam Vents 2 Stormchaser's Talent 1 Thundering Falls 2 Unholy Heat 4 Wooded Foothills 4 Consign to Memory 2 Dismember 2 Meltdown 1 Mystical Dispute 2 Pyroclasm 2 Spell Pierce 2 Surgical Extraction

Cori-Steel Cutter has led to the resurgence of Izzet Prowess: a lightning-fast archetype that maximizes the explosive potential of Dragon's Rage Channeler and Monastery Swiftspear alongside Expressive Iteration, Manamorphose, and other card draw spells. Cori-Steel Cutter seamlessly fits into this strategy . By playing Steel Cutter into Mishra's Bauble, your Monk tokens can hit the battlefield as early as turn two. From there, the path the victory becomes clear.

Packed with one-mana spells and efficient card draw, the deck makes it remarkably easy to trigger flurry across multiple turns. Thanks to tricks like casting and flashing back Lava Dart, it can even generate Monks during the opponent's turn. Each pair of noncreature spells not only expands your army of tokens but also supercharges them through the prowess mechanic, turning even modest 1/1 creatures into serious threats.

Baku_91 showcased the raw power of this strategy by winning a Modern Showcase Qualifier on Magic Online with the list above. While Izzet Prowess, making up 6.4% of the winner's metagame, remains the flagship shell for Cori-Steel Cutter, it's hardly the only one. A Jeskai version featuring Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury and Prismatic Ending took down a Modern Challenge, while a Temur version with Questing Druid also made a deep run. Moreover, Cori-Steel Cutter is also finding a home in various Mox Opal shells, which we'll explore later in this article.

Ugin, Eldrazi, and Ramp Payoffs

693481 2 All Is Dust 4 Ancient Stirrings 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Cavern of Souls 1 Devourer of Destiny 4 Eldrazi Temple 2 Emrakul, the Promised End 4 Forest 4 Karn, the Great Creator 4 Kozilek's Command 4 Malevolent Rumble 1 Misty Rainforest 1 Sanctum of Ugin 4 Sowing Mycospawn 4 Talisman of Resilience 3 Ugin, Eye of the Storms 4 Ugin's Labyrinth 1 Underground Mortuary 4 Utopia Sprawl 1 Verdant Catacombs 2 Windswept Heath 2 Wooded Foothills 2 World Breaker 1 Chalice of the Void 1 Cityscape Leveler 2 Dismember 1 Engineered Explosives 1 Ensnaring Bridge 1 Haywire Mite 1 Liquimetal Coating 1 Pithing Needle 1 Soulless Jailer 1 The Stone Brain 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Trinisphere 1 Void Mirror 1 Walking Ballista

Ugin, Eye of the Storms has cemented itself as a powerhouse in Eldrazi decks. As the ultimate ramp payoff, Ugin offers an imposing suite of abilities: it exiles almost any nonland permanent upon entry, draws you cards and gains you life each turn, and unleashes further exile triggers whenever you cast colorless spells. Given Eldrazi's colorless nature, Ugin's potential ceiling is sky-high.

This planeswalker truly shines in Eldrazi Tron, where Urza's Mine, Urza's Power Plant, and Urza's Tower can provide the seven required mana as early as turn three. In my data set, Eldrazi Tron lists ran more copies of Ugin (an average of 2.4 copies per deck) than Eldrazi Ramp lists (an average of 1.4 per deck). Nevertheless, the Eldrazi Ramp builds—centered around Malevolent Rumble and Emrakul, the Promised End—remain more prevalent in today's Modern metagame.

Sorathrix demonstrated Ugin's impact with a Top 8 finish at a Modern Challenge, trimming Sire of Seven Deaths and Devourer of Destiny to include three copies of Ugin in the list above. Many players have followed suit, cutting seven-drop Eldrazi to make room. That said, Ugin doesn't benefit from the Eldrazi Temple discount, nor does it trigger Kozilek's Return. Due to this tension, the perfect number of copies for this archetype remains an ongoing debate.

Voice of Victory Is Boros Energy's New Synergistic Two-Drop

693513 4 Ajani, Nacatl Pariah 2 Arena of Glory 4 Arid Mesa 2 Elegant Parlor 3 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 4 Flooded Strand 4 Galvanic Discharge 3 Goblin Bombardment 4 Guide of Souls 3 Marsh Flats 1 Mountain 4 Ocelot Pride 4 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 2 Plains 3 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 3 Sacred Foundry 2 Seasoned Pyromancer 2 Static Prison 2 Tersa Lightshatter 1 Thraben Charm 2 Voice of Victory 1 Windswept Heath 2 Celestial Purge 3 Deafening Silence 2 Magmatic Hellkite 1 March of Otherworldly Light 3 Molten Rain 2 Orim's Chant 1 Wear // Tear 1 Wrath of the Skies

Ever since Amped Raptor's ban, Boros Energy players have been searching for a replacement twodrop that smooths their curve and advances their game plan. Voice of Victory from Tarkir: Dragonstorm might fill that gap. It not only prevents the opponent from countering spells on your turn but also creates 1/1 Warrior creature tokens that accelerate your damage output and synergize with the deck's existing cards. The tokens fuel Guide of Souls; contribute to the city's blessing; get copied by Ocelot Pride; count as red permanents for Ajani, Nacatl Avenger; and serve as ammunition for Goblin Bombardment. That's a lot of synergy potential.

In a Magic Online Challenge, Jev_ took a list featuring Voice of Victory to a runner-up finish, also using the new Tersa Lightshatter as a spicy new alternative to Seasoned Pyromancer. While Tersa hasn't caught on, Voice of Victory has rapidly become a staple in topperforming Boros Energy lists. To accommodate it, many lists have trimmed a few flex slots. For instance, several players are shaving a single copy of Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer or Thraben Charm.

Voice of Victory has also found a home in various Samwise Gamgee Combo decks, where it serves as a silver bullet for Chord of Calling that can prevent opponents from interaction. And if you draw it naturally, then its tokens can help as sacrifice fodder for Viscera Seer. All in all, this versatile two‑drop deserves a close look from any Boros Energy or creature-combo player.

Spectral Denial Is Domain Zoo's New One-Mana Counterspell

Spectral Denial 1 Indatha Triome 1 Arena of Glory 1 Steam Vents 1 Temple Garden 1 Sacred Foundry 1 Blood Crypt 1 Forest 1 Plains 3 Arid Mesa 4 Wooded Foothills 4 Flooded Strand 2 Consign to Memory 4 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 4 Scion of Draco 4 Tribal Flames 4 Leyline of the Guildpact 4 Lightning Bolt 3 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 4 Leyline Binding 4 Territorial Kavu 1 Windswept Heath 3 Psychic Frog 3 Spectral Denial 1 Thundering Falls 3 Obsidian Charmaw 2 Wear // Tear 2 Prismatic Ending 2 Hidetsugu Consumes All 2 Consign to Memory 1 Unmoored Ego 1 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 2 Meltdown

Domain Zoo combines sizable and timely interaction, and now Spectral Denial from Tarkir: Dragonstorm has emerged as an efficient new counterspell. Where Stubborn Denial once held the interactive slot, Spectral Denial offers broader coverage, able to stop any spell—not just noncreature ones. When you control multiple ferocious creatures, it effectively transforms into a hard counter, akin to a one-mana Mana Leak. And even in the worst-case scenario where you control zero ferocious creatures, it still functions as a two-mana Force Spike on turn two.

Spectral Denial isn't the only Tarkir: Dragonstorm newcomer that has made a splash in Domain Zoo. Innovators have also found success with Winternight Stories, which shines alongside high-power creatures to easily enable harmonize, and Dragonfire Blade, which can be equipped for free if you control Leyline of the Guildpact. There's a plethora of fresh, new options for Domain Zoo.

Clarion Conqueror Is a Perfect New Sideboard Tool for Living End

693485 4 Ardent Plea 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 1 Brazen Borrower 1 Breeding Pool 1 Colossal Skyturtle 1 Commandeer 4 Curator of Mysteries 4 Endurance 1 Flare of Denial 3 Force of Negation 1 Forest 4 Generous Ent 1 Hallowed Fountain 1 Hedge Maze 1 Island 3 Living End 1 Lush Portico 1 Meticulous Archive 4 Misty Rainforest 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Press the Enemy 4 Shardless Agent 2 Sink into Stupor 4 Street Wraith 3 Striped Riverwinder 4 Subtlety 1 Temple Garden 2 Waker of Waves 2 Clarion Conqueror 1 Commandeer 1 Deafening Silence 2 Force of Vigor 1 Foundation Breaker 2 Inevitable Betrayal 3 Mystical Dispute 1 Stony Silence 2 Teferi, Time Raveler

Clarion Conqueror is a versatile hate piece that shuts down key activated abilities, including the ones from Goblin Charbelcher; Mox Opal; Eldrazi Spawn; Talisman of Impulse; Ral, Leyline Prodigy; and Emry, Lurker of the Loch. While many white decks may favor options like Stony Silence, Clarion Conqueror has broader coverage. Additionally, Living End decks can turn Conqueror's three-mana cost into an asset. In matchups where Stony Silence doesn't win you the game on the spot, you'd rather cascade into Living End, and you'll never accidentally cascade into Clarion Conqueror!

Piloting the list above, Niuwaid001 secured a fifthplace finish in a Magic Online Challenge—proof that Clarion Conqueror is a strong sideboard addition for Living End. The card was also found in the sideboards of various Boros Energy and Orzhov Blink decks, which can also make good use of its ability to lock down key engines.

Stormscale Scion Is a Fiery Finisher for Resource-Light Storm Hands

693603 2 Artist's Talent 1 Deep Analysis 4 Desperate Ritual 2 Fiery Islet 1 Gemstone Caverns 1 Grapeshot 1 Island 4 Manamorphose 2 Misty Rainforest 1 Mountain 1 Otawara, Soaring City 2 Past in Flames 4 Pyretic Ritual 4 Ral, Monsoon Mage 4 Reckless Impulse 4 Scalding Tarn 1 Shatterskull Smashing 2 Spirebluff Canal 2 Steam Vents 4 Stock Up 4 Stormcatch Mentor 1 Stormscale Scion 2 Strike It Rich 2 Thundering Falls 1 Valakut Awakening 2 Wish 1 Wrenn's Resolve 1 Alchemist's Gambit 2 Brotherhood's End 4 Defense Grid 2 Flame of Anor 1 Grapeshot 1 Into the Flood Maw 1 Past in Flames 2 Soul-Guide Lantern 1 Stormscale Scion

Stormscale Scion introduces a potent alternate win condition for Storm decks, turning modest storm counts into lethal board states. Imagine a sequence beginning with a turn-two Ral, Monsoon Mage or Stormcatch Mentor. Then on turn three, you play Desperate Ritual, Pyretic Ritual, and Stormscale Scion, spawning three 6/6 Dragons in an instant. That board presence can overwhelm opponents where a mere three-point Grapeshot would falter. With additional mana, you can even Wish for Alchemist's Gambit, clinching victory before opponents can mount a response.

The list above, which went 4-1 in its tournament, runs Stormcatch Mentor instead of Ruby Medallion to support the cost reduction on Stock Up. Those extra points of combat damage from Stormcatch Mentor could make the difference when you're racing in with a handful of Dragons. While Stormscale Scion doesn't overhaul the classic combo engine, it exemplifies why every storm spell should be respected, and this one seems particularly potent for resource-light draws.

Narset Is Amazing in Mox Amber Decks

693689 4 Arid Mesa 4 Cori-Steel Cutter 4 Emry, Lurker of the Loch 2 Expressive Iteration 2 Flooded Strand 4 Galvanic Blast 1 Hallowed Fountain 1 Island 3 Lightning Bolt 4 Mishra's Bauble 1 Mountain 4 Mox Amber 4 Mox Opal 4 Narset, Jeskai Waymaster 1 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 1 Plains 4 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 1 Sacred Foundry 4 Scalding Tarn 2 Steam Vents 4 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student 1 Thundering Falls 4 Consign to Memory 1 Lightning Bolt 2 Mystical Dispute 3 Portable Hole 2 Pyroclasm 3 Wear // Tear

In Modern, any new legend has to be evaluated in the context of Mox Amber synergy, and Tarkir: Dragonstorm's Narset, Jeskai Waymaster is no exception. In a shell running four copies of Mox Amber, four copies of Mox Opal, and a smattering of one-mana spells, you can easily empty your hand by turn three and use Narset to refill with multiple new cards. Alongside Ragavan or Emry, then you can even find yourself drawing five cards per turn with Narset, which quickly becomes an unstopable engine.

This Jeskai Legends list was further bolstered by Cori-Steel Cutter, which meshes brilliantly with Mox Opal. That same pairing has also surfaced in Ascendancy Combo decks, where Cori-Steel Cutter offers an alternate win condition against disruption-heavy opponents. A hybrid of Jeskai Legends and Ascendancy Combo could very well become a formidable new Modern strategy—one worth testing for any deck builder seeking a cutting-edge approach.

Nature's Rhythm Is a Perfect Fit for Devoted Druid Combo

693630 1 Birds of Paradise 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 1 Brightglass Gearhulk 2 Chord of Calling 3 Delighted Halfling 4 Devoted Druid 2 Dryad Arbor 1 Duskwatch Recruiter 1 Endurance 1 Forest 3 Giver of Runes 1 Godless Shrine 4 Green Sun's Zenith 1 Grist, the Hunger Tide 4 Leyline of Abundance 1 Lush Portico 1 Luxior, Giada's Gift 2 Marsh Flats 4 Nature's Rhythm 1 Overgrown Tomb 1 Plains 1 Postmortem Lunge 1 Shifting Woodland 1 Sylvan Safekeeper 1 Temple Garden 4 Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler 1 Urza's Saga 1 Underground Mortuary 4 Verdant Catacombs 1 Vizier of Remedies 1 Walking Ballista 4 Windswept Heath 1 Deafening Silence 1 Drannith Magistrate 1 Endurance 1 Ethersworn Canonist 3 Fatal Push 2 Force of Vigor 1 Haywire Mite 1 Kraul Harpooner 1 Masked Vandal 1 Surrak, Elusive Hunter 2 Veil of Summer

Nature's Rhythm is a compelling new tool for creature-based combo decks. In Devoted Druid Combo decks, it can fetch either the namesake Druid or Vizier of Remedies. While that mana cost is steep, the consistency is undeniable. Once both creatures are in play, you can untap Devoted Druid repeatedly to generate infinite green mana.

But the fun doesn't stop there. With unlimited green mana, you can cast Nature's Rhythm from your graveyard with harmonize, this time finding Duskwatch Recruiter. Eventually, you'll find Walking Ballista and direct infinite damage at your opponent. Nature's Rhythm thus stands as both an enabler and a finisher, all while bolstering the deck's resilience against discard and counterspells. As a result, it's an excellent addition to the deck.

What's Next for Modern?

With the Modern RCQ season already underway, the format is bursting with innovation led by Tarkir: Dragonstorm. As the metagame evolves, the months ahead promise fierce competition, surprising breakouts, and ongoing refinement as players push their decks to the limit and unearth powerful new options.

To find a Regional Championship Qualifier near you, check the store locator or your regional organizer's website. While multiple paths lead to Pro Tour qualification, the infographic below provides a visual overview of the journey from RCQs through Regional Championships to Pro Tour glory.

Ultimately, the sheer number of viable Modern archetypes means that anything is possible in the hands of a skilled pilot. Success often comes down to knowing your deck inside and out—its interactions, its sideboard pivots, and its most common matchups. So, choose a deck you enjoy, master its intricacies, and tune it for the expected field!

Looking ahead, another marquee Modern event is Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair at SCG CON Indianapolis on May 31–June 1. This flagship two-day open tournament awards Pro Tour invitations to the Top 8, boasts a $50,000 prize pool, and offers exclusive promo cards. With plenty of chances to showcase your Modern expertise, now is the time to lock in your deck and start practicing!