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. Last month's banned and restricted announcement was a seismic shift, shaking up the Modern metagame and revitalizing the format. With a wealth of new possibilities now on the table, Modern has become one of the most exciting Constructed formats in Magic. This comes at the perfect time, aligning with the highly anticipated Modern cycle of Regional Championships.

Modern Regional Championship Schedule

Regional Championships are marquee events, featuring up to eighteen grueling rounds of high-stakes competition among the finest players in each region. The schedule for the upcoming Modern cycle spans several months:

• January 25–26: Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Brazil, and Canada
• February 1–2: No Regional Championship
• February 8–9: United States and Japan/Korea
• February 15–16: Chinese Taipei
• February 22–23: No Regional Championship (due to Pro Tour Aetherdrift)
• March 1–2: China
• March 8–9: Australia/New Zealand and United States
• March 15–16: South America, Southeast Asia, and Mexico/Central America/Caribbean (coinciding with Magic Spotlight: Modern in Utrecht)

The first five locations listed above link to their respective Melee pages, where decklists and standings will be posted as events unfold. Starting with this cycle, the United States Regional Championships will be divided into two separate events per round.

Select events will feature live video coverage. For instance, during the first weekend, Fanfinity will broadcast the Ultimate Guard European Magic Series Regional Championship on Twitch and YouTube, beginning at 9 a.m. Central European Time (3 a.m. Eastern Time/5 p.m. Japan Standard Time) on January 25 and 26.

With substantial cash prizes and coveted invitations to Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering®—FINAL FANTASY™ on the line, these Modern Regional Championships are pivotal events. If you'd like to learn more, this article outlines the various ways to qualify for the Pro Tour in 2025. Each Regional Championship participant in this cycle will receive a non-foil copy of this Secret Lair Nexus of Fate prize card, while top finishers will receive a traditional foil version. Winners of each Regional Championship, along with finalists from events held in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan, will also secure their spots at Magic World Championship 31.

With an exhilarating season of Modern tournaments ahead, my column over the next two weeks will deeply examine the evolving metagame. This week, I'll spotlight the top 20 deck archetypes to beat, based on recent tournament results following the bans of The One Ring, Amped Raptor, and Jegantha, the Wellspring, with this article acting as an in-depth, post-ban format primer. Next week, I'll shift focus to the four unbanned cards—Splinter Twin, Green Sun's Zenith, Faithless Looting, and Mox Opal—and explore their current impact on Modern and their rich competitive histories. First, though, let's dive into the numbers!

The Post-Announcement Modern Metagame

Modern, the beloved nonrotating 60-card format introduced in 2011, has long captivated Magic: The Gathering players with its vast array of strategies and dynamic gameplay. Encompassing cards from expansion sets, core sets, and straight-to-Modern sets from Eighth Edition forward—except for those on the banned list—Modern thrives on diversity and innovation. The most recent banned and restricted announcement has breathed fresh life into the format. There, we saw the banning of The One Ring, Amped Raptor, and Jegantha, the Wellspring, alongside the unbanning of Splinter Twin, Green Sun's Zenith, Faithless Looting, and Mox Opal.

To capture a snapshot of the evolving metagame, I analyzed decklists from the past two weeks, aggregating data from January 2025's Modern Challenges on Magic Online (812 decklists) and the $5,000 RCQ at SCG CON Atlanta (172 decklists). While the dataset skews toward online play, it provides valuable insights into Modern's shifting landscape. The most-played cards across these main decks offer a bird's-eye view of the new Modern environment.

666820 662349 Guide of Souls 662190 Ajani, Nacatl Pariah Malevolent Rumble 662274 662351 522335 571383

To predict which decks are likely to dominate 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 links to a top-performing decklist that closely reflects its aggregate build. The "Other" category encapsulates a wild mix of strategies, including Merfolk, Esper Goryo's, Living End, Four-Color Omnath, Golgari Grist, Eldrazi Aggro, Izzet Wizards, Mono-Red Burn, Temur Prowess, Samwise Gamgee Combo, Lantern Control, Izzet Phoenix, Eldrazi Metalcraft, Ponza, Twiddle Breach, Urza ThopterSword, Eldrazi Breach, Esper Blink, Golgari Necro, Izzet Twin, Song of Creation, Grixis Oculus, Azorius Control, Rakdos Twin, and Hardened Scales. Modern is a haven for Magic veterans, rewarding deep knowledge and mastery of favored decks.

What Are the Best Decks in Modern?

The metagame has shifted dramatically since my last format snapshot, reflecting the impacts of the bans and unbans. Energy decks featuring Guide of Souls and Galvanic Discharge remain at the forefront of Modern, but they have waned in popularity due to the loss of Amped Raptor. Similarly, other The One Ring–based strategies, such as Mono-Green Broodscale, have declined. In contrast, archetypes that leverage the newly unbanned cards, such as Mox Opal–powered Grinding Breach, are surging. Dimir Oculus and Eldrazi Ramp have also risen as well-rounded contenders, capitalizing on the format's turbulence.

662349 Abhorrent Oculus 51229

At present, three archetypes currently dominate over half of the winner's metagame, forming a classic rock-paper-scissors dynamic:

• Boros Energy defeats Dimir Oculus.
• Dimir Oculus defeats Grinding Breach.
• Grinding Breach defeats Boros Energy.

These matchup trends, grounded in pre-ban dynamics, offer a useful foundation for navigating the format. Beneath this trio, however, lies a plethora of decks vying for a competitive edge, each bringing unique strategies to the table.

To explore Modern's post-announcement metagame further, the following section provides a format primer on the 20 archetypes with the highest winner's metagame shares. To do so, I've used a decklist aggregation algorithm that considers the popularity, performance, and synergy of individual card choices to showcase a single representative list for each archetype.

1. Boros Energy

4 Marsh Flats 4 Arid Mesa 4 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 4 Ajani, Nacatl Pariah 4 Galvanic Discharge 4 Guide of Souls 4 Ocelot Pride 4 Seasoned Pyromancer 3 Goblin Bombardment 3 Static Prison 3 Sacred Foundry 3 Plains 2 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 2 Arena of Glory 2 Elegant Parlor 2 Thraben Charm 2 Flooded Strand 2 Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd 2 Blood Moon 1 Mountain 1 Windswept Heath 3 Obsidian Charmaw 2 Wear // Tear 2 Drannith Magistrate 2 Orim's Chant 1 Ghost Vacuum 1 Surgical Extraction 1 Chained to the Rocks 1 Stony Silence 1 Meltdown 1 Fear, Fire, Foes!

Boros Energy, commanding a 20.1% share of the winner's metagame, continues to shine as the revitalized Modern format's premier deck to beat. Powered by the explosive synergy of Guide of Souls and Galvanic Discharge, it dominates the battlefield with remarkable efficiency. Meanwhile, the feline firepower of Ocelot Pride and Ajani, Nacatl Pariah gives the deck a notable board presence. The interaction between Ajani and Goblin Bombardment—sacrificing Cat tokens to transform Ajani—can also create a devastating offensive pivot. In longer games, Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury provides formidable staying power, especially when it's given haste by Arena of Glory.

571456 489791 662192

Before the bans, Boros Energy relied on The One Ring in the mirror match, but its loss has had minimal impact against the rest of the metagame. Most Boros Energy lists have adapted by incorporating Seasoned Pyromancer as a replacement card-advantage engine. Seasoned Pyromancer's rummaging ability also lets you cycle away Blood Moon in matchups where it's dead, leading to the enchantment's resurgence in the main deck. For Regional Championship competitors, the lesson is clear: fetch basic lands in Game 1 to mitigate the threat of Blood Moon.

As for the other banned cards, Jegantha, the Wellspring impacted only a small subset of games. Its removal, however, unlocked the inclusion of Seasoned Pyromancer in the main deck, and it frees a sideboard slot for options like Obsidian Charmaw. The most significant loss was Amped Raptor, which had previously bolstered the deck's consistency and explosive potential. However, Boros Energy has found viable replacements. Many lists now lean on Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd in the two-drop slot. Phelia provides versatility by either blinking Seasoned Pyromancer for additional value or neutralizing big blockers on the opponent's side.

While Boros Energy remains a top-tier contender, its dominance is less oppressive without Amped Raptor, leaving space for other archetypes to thrive. Fast combo decks should be able to defeat it. Additionally, Boros Energy's enduring popularity may simply reflect player familiarity and its ability to punish untuned experimental decks in the evolving online metagame. As noted in the banned and restricted announcement: "We'd like to ensure that we reduce the overall win and play percentages of Boros Energy directly, though we don't want to eliminate it from the format."

2. Dimir Oculus

4 Polluted Delta 4 Abhorrent Oculus 4 Fatal Push 4 Psychic Frog 4 Unearth 4 Thought Scour 4 Counterspell 3 Spell Snare 3 Consider 3 Force of Negation 2 Sink into Stupor 2 Island 2 Undercity Sewers 2 Watery Grave 2 Murktide Regent 2 Flooded Strand 2 Bloodstained Mire 2 Orcish Bowmasters 1 Swamp 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Scalding Tarn 1 Shoot the Sheriff 1 Darkslick Shores 1 Spell Pierce 1 Harbinger of the Seas 3 Consign to Memory 2 Nihil Spellbomb 2 Mystical Dispute 2 Harbinger of the Seas 2 Stern Scolding 1 Toxic Deluge 1 Engineered Explosives 1 Thoughtseize 1 Surgical Extraction

Dimir Oculus, claiming a 17.8% share of the winner's metagame, exemplifies the power of a fine-tuned midrange strategy. This deck disrupts opponents with precise countermagic, efficient spot removal, and potent card-draw spells, all while steadily filling the graveyard for its win conditions: Psychic Frog, Murktide Regent, and Abhorrent Oculus. Abhorrent Oculus is a powerhouse, capable of amassing an army of face-down creatures to overwhelm most opponents.

662351 Abhorrent Oculus Murktide Regent

The deck's graveyard-filling efficiency is fueled by Consider and Thought Scour, enabling Abhorrent Oculus to be cast naturally with surprising consistency. However, the deck's most explosive plays often revolve around milling or discarding Abhorrent Oculus—frequently via Psychic Frog—and bringing it back to life with Unearth for just a single black mana. Unearth's versatility extends beyond its primary role; it can cycle into a fresh card or retrieve Psychic Frog when needed. Still, its ability to resurrect Abhorrent Oculus is so impactful that the deck runs a full playset.

Interestingly, Dimir Oculus has been largely unaffected by the recent bans and unbans, with its core card choices remaining unchanged. Instead, the shifting metagame has allowed the deck to shine, solidifying its position as one of the most formidable contenders in Modern.

3. Grinding Breach

4 Mishra's Bauble 4 Mox Opal 4 Underworld Breach 4 Urza's Saga 4 Malevolent Rumble 4 Emry, Lurker of the Loch 4 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student 4 Preordain 4 Scalding Tarn 4 Unholy Heat 3 Grinding Station 3 Mox Amber 1 Soul-Guide Lantern 1 Steam Vents 1 Shifting Woodland 1 Breeding Pool 1 Thundering Falls 1 Stomping Ground 1 Island 1 Hedge Maze 1 Haywire Mite 1 Misty Rainforest 1 Thassa's Oracle 1 Mountain 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Sink into Stupor 2 Nature's Claim 2 Consign to Memory 2 Spell Pierce 2 Veil of Summer 2 Pyroclasm 1 Pithing Needle 1 Flame of Anor 1 Jace, Wielder of Mysteries 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Engineered Explosives

With 13.1% of the winner's metagame, Grinding Breach stands as the most played deck leveraging an unbanned card: Mox Opal. This iconic artifact not only enables explosive starts but also powers the deck's signature combo: sacrificing a zero-mana artifact to Grinding Station, replaying it with Underworld Breach, and repeating the loop until a win condition is secured—typically Thassa's Oracle or Grapeshot.

489948 658551 476412

Once an excellent home for The One Ring, Grinding Breach underwent significant reconstruction following the changes to the format. The updated build now generally leans on Preordain, which not only digs for essential combo pieces but also helps find artifacts to achieve metalcraft early. Building around Mox Opal presents its own challenge: achieving 90% consistency for turn-two metalcraft on the play requires 26 additional artifacts besides 4 Mox Opal. While this aggregate list contains only 12 supporting artifacts alongside 4 Mox Opal, it compensates by incorporating cards that create or find artifacts quickly, such as Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student; Malevolent Rumble; Preordain; and Urza's Saga. Some innovative deck builders have even splashed white for Portable Hole, introducing another enabler to this predominantly Temur deck.

As the premier combo deck in the post-ban format, Grinding Breach has firmly secured its place at the top—but not without drawing significant attention from sideboards. Effective answers include anti-graveyard tools, as well as enchantment and artifact hate. Notably, the unbanning of Mox Opal has elevated Meltdown to a standout sideboard option in the new Modern metagame.

4. Eldrazi Ramp

4 Eldrazi Temple 4 Kozilek's Command 4 Malevolent Rumble 4 Sowing Mycospawn 4 Ugin's Labyrinth 4 Utopia Sprawl 4 Ancient Stirrings 3 World Breaker 3 Devourer of Destiny 3 Emrakul, the Promised End 3 Forest 3 Misty Rainforest 2 Talisman of Impulse 2 Kozilek's Return 2 Talisman of Curiosity 2 Nulldrifter 1 Stomping Ground 1 Cavern of Souls 1 Sanctum of Ugin 1 Verdant Catacombs 1 Shifting Woodland 1 Breaker of Creation 1 Breeding Pool 1 Hedge Maze 1 Wooded Foothills 3 Trinisphere 3 Force of Vigor 2 Kozilek's Return 2 Soulless Jailer 2 Consign to Memory 2 Mystical Dispute 1 Dismember

Eldrazi decks come in a variety of builds, but they all capitalize on the power of Eldrazi Temple and Ugin's Labyrinth. The most prominent version, which has climbed to a respectable 7.1% of the winner's metagame, blends a diverse array of card types to ramp into Emrakul, the Promised End. With a combination of Utopia Sprawl, Malevolent Rumble, Sowing Mycospawn, Talisman of Impulse, and Kozilek's Command, you'll find yourself ramping ahead and casting massive Eldrazi way ahead of schedule.

The key enabler that ties this all together is Malevolent Rumble. Not only does it provide consistent ramp, but it also fills your graveyard, reducing the cost of casting Emrakul, the Promised End. Moreover, milling cards like World Breaker or Kozilek's Return offers free value, further enhancing the deck's already formidable power.

As Eldrazi decks are flavorfully devoid of color, I now prefer to categorize them based on their strategic choices rather than their color identity. The card selections mentioned above distinguish this Eldrazi Ramp archetype, as I call it, from other Eldrazi variants. Those variants include Eldrazi Tron with Urza's Tower, Eldrazi Aggro with Eldrazi Linebreaker, Eldrazi Metalcraft with Mox Opal, and Eldrazi Breach with Through the Breach. In past analyses, I've used labels like Gruul Eldrazi, but I've found these color-based distinctions often combine strategically different builds and lead to unnecessary debates. For example, should a deck with Nulldrifter or a sideboard splash for Consign to Memory be considered Temur instead? Some Eldrazi Ramp lists even omit Kozilek's Return, skewing toward mono-green. To avoid these complications, I'll stick with strategic labels for Eldrazi decks moving forward.

Regardless of the color choices, this Eldrazi Ramp build remains the most prominent home for the multiversal devourers. Losing The One Ring was a significant blow, as it essentially acted as both Ancestral Recall and Time Walk. After its ban, common replacements for card draw in the deck include Nulldrifter and Ancient Stirrings. While Eldrazi strategies now lack a reliable way to protect themselves from aggressive decks during the mid-game, they still maintain a powerful presence in the metagame.

5. Tameshi Belcher

4 Suppression Ray 4 Tameshi, Reality Architect 4 Whir of Invention 4 Hydroelectric Specimen 4 Thundertrap Trainer 4 Goblin Charbelcher 4 Lotus Bloom 4 Sink into Stupor 4 Disrupting Shoal 4 Jwari Disruption 4 Sea Gate Restoration 4 Fallaji Archaeologist 4 Flare of Denial 3 Beyeen Veil 2 Pact of Negation 2 Spell Pierce 1 Harbinger of the Seas 3 Consign to Memory 2 Into the Flood Maw 2 Harbinger of the Seas 2 Spell Snare 2 Mystical Dispute 1 Portable Hole 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Unable to Scream 1 Mountain

Tameshi Belcher, also known as Mono-Blue Belcher, is the fifth-most prominent archetype in my analysis, with a modest 5.2% share of the winner's metagame. At its core, it's a combo deck that operates without any lands, ensuring that a Goblin Charbelcher activation deals damage equal to the number of cards in your library—typically enough to secure a victory. To reach the necessary mana for this activation, Tameshi Belcher relies on Lotus Bloom and a variety of modal double-faced cards (MDFCs).

The blue MDFCs support Disrupting Shoal and enable a mono-blue mana base for Whir of Invention, which can fetch Lotus Bloom for a lethal Goblin Charbelcher activation on turn four. Additionally, the deck features a secondary combo built around Tameshi, Reality Architect and Lotus Bloom. Together, these cards can generate three mana for each land you control. If one of the returned lands happens to be Sea Gate Restoration, you can cast it, draw into Goblin Charbelcher, and win immediately.

Tameshi Belcher is well-positioned in a metagame dominated by Boros Energy, providing an explosive and unique combo strategy that can catch opponents off guard. However, there are various popular sideboard cards in the metagame that shut down Belcher's combo, such as Consign to Memory and Stony Silence.

6. Ruby Storm

4 Mountain 4 Ral, Monsoon Mage 4 Ruby Medallion 4 Desperate Ritual 4 Pyretic Ritual 4 Manamorphose 4 Reckless Impulse 4 Wrenn's Resolve 3 Arid Mesa 3 Past in Flames 3 Wish 2 Bloodstained Mire 2 Glimpse the Impossible 2 Wooded Foothills 2 Elegant Parlor 2 Valakut Awakening 2 Scalding Tarn 2 Artist's Talent 2 Strike It Rich 1 Gemstone Caverns 1 Sacred Foundry 1 Sunbaked Canyon 4 Orim's Chant 2 Prismatic Ending 2 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 1 Grapeshot 1 Underworld Breach 1 Past in Flames 1 Empty the Warrens 1 Brotherhood's End 1 Pyroclasm 1 Wear // Tear

Ruby Storm is a combo deck built around Ruby Medallion and Ral, Monsoon Mage. With either of these cards on the battlefield, Pyretic Ritual and Desperate Ritual cost just one red mana, unlocking a massive mana boost. This reduction also applies to Reckless Impulse and Wrenn's Resolve, enabling you to sift through your deck at a rapid pace. The game plan revolves around casting multiple spells in a single turn at a reduced cost, then repeating the process with Past in Flames, ultimately finishing with a lethal Grapeshot via Wish. It's combo at its purest.

While turn-three kills are the deck's main plan, Ruby Storm can win as early as turn two with a perfect draw. However, the strategy is prone to variance—if Ruby Medallion and Ral, Monsoon Mage don't show up, it can struggle to get going. To ensure consistency, recent successful builds have included copies of Artist's Talent, a five-mana "Ruby Medallion at home" that provides some much-needed redundancy.

To disrupt the combo turns, strong interaction is essential. In the current Modern metagame, cards like Orim's Chant, Drannith Magistrate, and Damping Sphere are commonly used in sideboards to slow the deck down. Ruby Storm remains a force to be reckoned with, demanding respect in the format.

7. Mardu Energy

4 Ajani, Nacatl Pariah 4 Arid Mesa 4 Guide of Souls 4 Marsh Flats 4 Ocelot Pride 4 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 4 Thoughtseize 3 Bloodstained Mire 3 Fatal Push 3 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 3 Galvanic Discharge 2 Goblin Bombardment 2 Plains 2 Sacred Foundry 2 Arena of Glory 2 Orcish Bowmasters 2 Seasoned Pyromancer 1 Blood Crypt 1 Elegant Parlor 1 Godless Shrine 1 Mountain 1 Raucous Theater 1 Shadowy Backstreet 1 Static Prison 1 Thraben Charm 3 Obsidian Charmaw 2 Nihil Spellbomb 2 Wrath of the Skies 2 Drannith Magistrate 2 Showdown of the Skalds 2 Orim's Chant 1 Stony Silence 1 Surgical Extraction

Mardu Energy shares the same core as Boros Energy but trades Blood Moon and a smoother mana base for higher card quality. Notably, Fatal Push offers an advantage against other creature decks, while Thoughtseize provides an efficient tool to disrupt combo strategies.

The black splash also unlocks Orcish Bowmasters, which, though no longer able to punish opponents activating The One Ring, still generates massive value by pinging threats like Ocelot Pride or tokens from Malevolent Rumble. Copying Orcish Bowmasters with the back side of Fable of the Mirror-Breaker can also be a potent play, which may explain why the enchantment is slightly preferred over Seasoned Pyromancer in Mardu builds.

It's not immediately clear whether the black splash improves the deck, as each version offers its own advantages and drawbacks. Ultimately, the choice between Boros and Mardu Energy boils down to a metagame call.

8. Amulet Titan

4 Spelunking 4 Amulet of Vigor 4 Green Sun's Zenith 4 Gruul Turf 4 Primeval Titan 4 Urza's Saga 3 Boseiju, Who Endures 3 Arboreal Grazer 3 Forest 2 Scapeshift 2 Simic Growth Chamber 2 Summoner's Pact 2 Crumbling Vestige 2 Lotus Field 1 Expedition Map 1 Mirrorpool 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Vesuva 1 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove 1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle 1 Urza's Cave 1 Lumra, Bellow of the Woods 1 Tolaria West 1 Aftermath Analyst 1 Echoing Deeps 1 Commercial District 1 Hanweir Battlements 1 Shifting Woodland 1 Dryad Arbor 1 Cavern of Souls 1 Explore 2 Dismember 2 Vampires' Vengeance 2 Force of Vigor 2 Defense Grid 1 Collector Ouphe 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 1 Vexing Bauble 1 Grist, the Hunger Tide 1 Tireless Tracker 1 Cavern of Souls

Amulet Titan is an intricate ramp deck that leverages the synergy between Amulet of Vigor and bounce lands like Gruul Turf or Simic Growth Chamber to accelerate into Primeval Titan. While drawing Amulet of Vigor isn't guaranteed every game, Spelunking and Urza's Saga provide redundant copies of the effect. With Amulet of Vigor on the battlefield, Primeval Titan can fetch Hanweir Battlements, attacking immediately to establish a dominant board position. Alternatively, if you anticipate spot removal, you can fetch Tolaria West, pick it up with Simic Growth Chamber, transmute it into Summoner's Pact, and tutor for another Primeval Titan. Mastering this deck requires a deep understanding of the available lines of play, making it both challenging and rewarding.

Recently, Amulet Titan has incorporated an alternative infinite combo involving Lumra, Bellow of the Woods. If your graveyard contains Lotus Field, Crumbling Vestige, Mirrorpool, and another land when Lumra enters, all of your lands untap due to Amulet of Vigor or Spelunking. Lotus Field, Crumbling Vestige, and Forest generate six mana (including one colorless). After sacrificing all of them to Lotus Field's trigger, you sink five mana into Mirrorpool to create a copy of Lumra and repeat the loop, adding one mana each time. Eventually, you'll mill your entire deck, turn Shifting Woodland into Dryad of the Ilysian Grove, and win with Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle. Though this combo requires a substantial setup, cards like Aftermath Analyst and Scapeshift help find the necessary lands.

The banned and restricted announcement was a blessing and a curse for the deck. While losing The One Ring was a massive blow to the deck's draw engine, it regained Green Sun's Zenith, providing consistency and versatility. It can fetch Dryad Arbor on turn one or key combo creatures mid-game, replacing some of The One Ring's card advantage. It also tutors for silver bullets like Collector Ouphe after sideboarding. However, Dryad Arbor is less appealing in Amulet Titan than in many other decks, as it enables your opponents' otherwise-dead removal spells like Fatal Push. Nonetheless, with the ability to find Primeval Titan, Amulet Titan has become the most prominent home for Green Sun's Zenith.

489791 522335

Amulet Titan excels against decks with low interaction but struggles against Blood Moon. Speaking of Blood Moon, there are two critical interactions to keep in mind. First, since Dryad of the Ilysian Grove and Blood Moon affect land types in the same layer, the one with the latest timestamp "wins." Second, Blood Moon doesn't just disable Urza's Saga—it destroys it. It turns into a Mountain Saga without chapter abilities and, as a result, will be sacrificed as a state-based action.

9. Golgari Yawgmoth

4 Green Sun's Zenith 4 Yawgmoth, Thran Physician 4 Malevolent Rumble 4 Verdant Catacombs 4 Delighted Halfling 4 Chord of Calling 3 Blooming Marsh 3 Grist, the Hunger Tide 3 Wall of Roots 3 Young Wolf 3 Agatha's Soul Cauldron 3 Orcish Bowmasters 2 Boseiju, Who Endures 2 Misty Rainforest 2 Overgrown Tomb 2 Shifting Woodland 2 Underground Mortuary 2 Forest 1 Dryad Arbor 1 Swamp 1 Prosperous Innkeeper 1 Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons 1 Endurance 1 Walking Ballista 3 Fatal Push 2 Thoughtseize 2 Force of Vigor 1 Endurance 1 Soulless Jailer 1 Fulminator Mage 1 Abrupt Decay 1 Outland Liberator 1 Reclamation Sage 1 Collector Ouphe 1 The Meathook Massacre

Golgari Yawgmoth is a deck built around undying creatures and Yawgmoth, Thran Physician, using his ability to generate card advantage and facilitate infinite combos. One such loop involves Yawgmoth, Thran Physician and two copies of Young Wolf, one with a +1/+1 counter and the other without. When Yawgmoth sacrifices the counterless Young Wolf, it returns with a +1/+1 counter. Meanwhile, the other Young Wolf receives a -1/-1 counter, which cancels out the +1/+1 counter. This cycle can be repeated to draw many cards. Blood Artist could convert this into a straightforward win, but more convoluted approaches are possible, too. For instance, the aggregate build can gain life through Prosperous Innkeeper and Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons, exile Walking Ballista to Agatha's Soul Cauldron, and then set up a loop where you ping the opponent with Young Wolf, sacrifice it through Yawgmoth targeting itself, and repeat.

Though Green Sun's Zenith can only fetch green creatures, excluding the deck's black namesake as a target, it has still become an integral tool in Golgari Yawgmoth's strategy. Common tutor targets include Dryad Arbor for turn-one ramp, Grist, the Hunger Tide for mid-game value, and Young Wolf to enable game-winning undying loops. Additionally, some variants, which I've labeled as Golgari Grist decks, have emerged by opting to forgo Yawgmoth, Thran Physician altogether. These decks focus on exiling Grist with Agatha's Soul Cauldron, allowing its loyalty abilities to be granted to all creatures with +1/+1 counters. With the addition of Green Sun's Zenith, these strategies have become much more reliable.

10. Orzhov Blink

4 Marsh Flats 4 Overlord of the Balemurk 4 Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd 4 Solitude 4 Witch Enchanter 4 Recruiter of the Guard 4 Ephemerate 4 Aether Vial 3 Plains 3 Orcish Bowmasters 3 Arid Mesa 3 Fatal Push 2 Flickerwisp 2 Godless Shrine 2 Shadowy Backstreet 2 Skyclave Apparition 1 Aven Interrupter 1 Boggart Trawler 1 Emperor of Bones 1 Swamp 1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire 1 Tidehollow Sculler 1 White Orchid Phantom 1 Concealed Courtyard 3 White Orchid Phantom 2 Wrath of the Skies 2 Thoughtseize 2 Drannith Magistrate 2 Stony Silence 1 Faerie Macabre 1 Sanctifier en-Vec 1 Plague Engineer 1 Fatal Push

Orzhov Blink has emerged as a potent archetype following the release of Duskmourn: House of Horror, with Overlord of the Balemurk taking center stage. This powerful creature can enter on turn two or three with five time counters, allowing you to grab a utility creature from your top four cards. However, the true value of Overlord of the Balemurk shines when it is blinked with Flickerwisp or Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd. When it is blinked, it returns as a new game object with no time counters. This results in an undercosted threat that can attack on the next turn, replenishing your hand in the process.

With this powerful value engine generating card advantage each turn, you will soon find yourself constrained by mana, which is where Aether Vial comes in. Much like the old Death and Taxes decks, Aether Vial enables you to deploy three-mana creatures onto the battlefield with ease, helping you maintain board parity while disrupting your opponent with cards like Skyclave Apparition and Aven Interrupter, both of which can be conveniently tutored with Recruiter of the Guard. While lists for this emerging archetype vary widely, there is considerable potential for this innovative deck. And that's not even accounting for the possibility of blinking Solitude with its evoke trigger still on the stack!

11. Rhinos

4 Shardless Agent 4 Subtlety 4 Scion of Draco 4 Crashing Footfalls 4 Force of Negation 4 Fire // Ice 4 Ardent Plea 4 Leyline of the Guildpact 4 Leyline Binding 4 Arid Mesa 4 Flooded Strand 4 Misty Rainforest 1 Thundering Falls 1 Breeding Pool 1 Island 1 Lush Portico 1 Plains 1 Sacred Foundry 1 Steam Vents 1 Temple Garden 1 Xander's Lounge 1 Hallowed Fountain 1 Stomping Ground 1 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 3 Brotherhood's End 3 Endurance 3 Obsidian Charmaw 2 Mystical Dispute 2 Force of Vigor 2 Drannith Magistrate

Rhinos follows a straightforward game plan. Simply cast Shardless Agent or Ardent Plea on turn three and cascade into Crashing Footfalls, unleashing a duo of 4/4 Rhinos to overpower your opponent. Despite the cascade restriction, the deck contains a surprising amount of cheap interaction, running Fire // Ice, Force of Negation, Leyline Binding, and Subtlety.

Around half of Rhinos decks utilized Leyline of the Guildpact and Scion of Draco, while the other half incorporates disruption tools like Dead // Gone instead. However, Domain versions have proven slightly more successful, which is reflected in the build favored by my aggregation algorithm.

Rhinos was not a major presence in Modern during the fall of 2024, as it struggled against The One Ring, which provided opponents with a brief respite from the Rhinos' aggression. Following the ban of The One Ring, the deck is now making a resurgence. With a consistent and proactive game plan in nearly every matchup, Rhinos remains an excellent deck choice for newcomers to the format.

12. Jund Creativity

4 Thoughtseize 4 Faithless Looting 4 Indomitable Creativity 4 Wrenn and Six 4 Dwarven Mine 4 Archon of Cruelty 4 Persist 4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 3 Arid Mesa 3 Raucous Theater 3 Wooded Foothills 3 Bloodstained Mire 2 Cling to Dust 2 Lightning Bolt 2 Fatal Push 2 Bitter Reunion 2 Scalding Tarn 1 Commercial District 1 Mountain 1 Blood Crypt 1 Stomping Ground 1 Inquisition of Kozilek 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 3 Terastodon 3 Brotherhood's End 2 Fatal Push 2 Pawpatch Formation 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Alpine Moon 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

Archon of Cruelty is another card that improved markedly after the ban of The One Ring. Previously, the legendary artifact could annul the attack and enters triggers for a turn, but with that option now removed, Jund Creativity is making a strong return. This deck can cheat the Archon onto the battlefield via Indomitable Creativity, targeting one or more Dwarven Mine tokens. Since any fetch land can grab Dwarven Mine, it acts like a one-card combo.

Jund Creativity also serves as an ideal home for another recently unbanned card: Faithless Looting. It sets up a turn-two Persist perfectly, enabling the deck to begin accumulating Archon of Cruelty triggers as early as turn two. Furthermore, in grindier matchups, Faithless Looting synergizes with Wrenn and Six, turning excess lands into actual card advantage.

13. Domain Zoo

4 Flooded Strand 4 Wooded Foothills 4 Scion of Draco 4 Territorial Kavu 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Leyline Binding 4 Leyline of the Guildpact 4 Arid Mesa 4 Wild Nacatl 3 Orcish Bowmasters 3 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 3 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 3 Stubborn Denial 3 Tribal Flames 1 Lush Portico 1 Arena of Glory 1 Blood Crypt 1 Sacred Foundry 1 Steam Vents 1 Temple Garden 1 Xander's Lounge 1 Mountain 1 Plains 3 Consign to Memory 3 Pyroclasm 2 Obsidian Charmaw 2 Wear // Tear 2 Ghost Vacuum 1 Mystical Dispute 1 Prismatic Ending 1 Damping Sphere

Domain Zoo is a disruptive aggro deck that leverages a variety of dual and tri-lands to power up Territorial Kavu and Scion of Draco. These creatures, which can attack for 4 or 5 early in the game, quickly put pressure on your opponent. They also turn Stubborn Denial into a hard counter and make Tribal Flames a lethal burn spell.

When Leyline of the Guildpact starts the game on the battlefield, the entire deck is supercharged. You don't have to worry about taking damage from fetch lands, Leyline Binding costs only a single white mana, and Scion of Draco grants all of your creatures vigilance, hexproof, lifelink, first strike, and trample. Many Boros Energy decks are ill-equipped to deal with this overwhelming threat. While The One Ring was once a great tool for buying time against Scion of Draco, its absence bodes well for Domain Zoo players.

14. Hammer Time

4 Urza's Saga 4 Mox Opal 4 Puresteel Paladin 4 Ornithopter 4 Stoneforge Mystic 4 Sigarda's Aid 4 Colossus Hammer 4 Esper Sentinel 3 Inkmoth Nexus 3 Leyline Axe 3 Plains 3 Flooded Strand 3 Windswept Heath 2 Razorgrass Ambush 2 Hallowed Fountain 2 Memnite 1 Steelshaper's Gift 1 Shadowspear 1 Nettlecyst 1 Forge Anew 1 Lavaspur Boots 1 The Reality Chip 1 Springleaf Drum 2 Rest in Peace 2 Orim's Chant 2 Consign to Memory 2 Spell Pierce 2 Sanctifier en-Vec 1 Pithing Needle 1 March of Otherworldly Light 1 Grafdigger's Cage 1 Surge of Salvation 1 Disruptor Flute

Hammer Time treats the metagame like a Colossus Hammer striking an equally colossal nail. By leveraging Sigarda's Aid, Puresteel Paladin, and Forge Anew, the deck sidesteps the hefty equip cost of Colossus Hammer, creating a gigantic attacker. A turn-two kill is possible with Sigarda's Aid and Ornithopter on turn one, followed by double Colossus Hammer on turn two. However, turn-three or turn-four kills are more typical, especially when Urza's Saga and Stoneforge Mystic are needed to fetch the Hammer.

While Hammer Time was on the periphery of Modern throughout most of 2024, it's now experiencing a powerful resurgence for several reasons. The ban of The One Ring removed a key obstacle, as its protection trigger often disrupted one-turn lethal attacks. Additionally, the recently introduced Leyline Axe from Magic: The Gathering Foundations, which has replaced Kaldra Compleat, can turn Puresteel Paladin into a massive early-game threat. Most importantly, the unbanning of Mox Opal has supercharged the deck. This iconic artifact, enabled by Leyline Axe, Ornithopter, and other cheap artifacts, can produce mana as early as turn one, significantly accelerating Hammer Time's already blistering kill potential.

15. Affinity

4 Razortide Bridge 4 Darksteel Citadel 4 Kappa Cannoneer 4 Mox Opal 4 Thought Monitor 4 Thoughtcast 4 Urza's Saga 4 Mishra's Bauble 3 Portable Hole 3 Metallic Rebuke 3 Emry, Lurker of the Loch 2 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student 2 Mox Amber 2 Tormod's Crypt 2 Seachrome Coast 2 Spire of Industry 1 Lavaspur Boots 1 Shadowspear 1 Grafdigger's Cage 1 Welding Jar 1 Soul-Guide Lantern 1 Glimmervoid 1 Aether Spellbomb 1 Island 1 Sink into Stupor 4 Consign to Memory 3 Force of Negation 2 Dispatch 2 Damping Sphere 2 Whipflare 1 Grafdigger's Cage 1 Pithing Needle

Affinity is back, and the world is healing. While this new build doesn't feature nostalgic staples like Arcbound Ravager or Cranial Plating, it makes excellent use of the unbanned Mox Opal. This iconic artifact enables explosive starts, effectively contributing two mana to cast affinity spells like Thought Monitor or Thoughtcast. These spells allow you to churn through your deck with ease, quickly finding Kappa Cannoneer to deliver crushing blows.

Mox Opal also shines as a zero-cost spell that helps flip Erayo, Soratami Ascendant as early as turn two. Once flipped, Erayo counters the first spell your opponent casts each turn, significantly hindering their development. This isn't the combat-centric aggro strategy of a decade ago, but it's thrilling to see Affinity reclaim its place in Modern. And, for what it's worth, I retain hope that someone might win a Regional Championship with Arcbound Ravager and Cranial Plating.

16. Dimir Mill

4 Archive Trap 4 Hedron Crab 4 Ruin Crab 4 Drown in the Loch 4 Tasha's Hideous Laughter 4 Fractured Sanity 4 Fatal Push 4 Island 4 Polluted Delta 3 Surgical Extraction 3 Field of Ruin 3 Flooded Strand 3 Preordain 2 Undercity Sewers 2 Watery Grave 2 Glimpse the Unthinkable 1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds 1 Swamp 1 Shelldock Isle 1 Crypt Incursion 1 Misty Rainforest 1 Visions of Beyond 3 Extirpate 2 Ensnaring Bridge 2 Nihil Spellbomb 2 Bloodchief's Thirst 2 Glimpse the Unthinkable 2 Consign to Memory 1 Toxic Deluge 1 Crypt Incursion

Dimir Mill has a simple yet devastating strategy: deplete the opponent's library as fast as possible. When you control both Hedron Crab and Ruin Crab, each fetch land can mill nearly 20% of your opponent's starting library, and sorceries like Fractured Sanity or Tasha's Hideous Laughter deliver crushing crustacean blows.

When facing this deck, be mindful of Archive Trap. Avoid searching your library unless absolutely necessary. Skipping a single fetch land activation can significantly slow the mill deck's clock. That said, if your opponent controls Field of Ruin, it can force a shuffle regardless of your intentions, so Archive Trap will always remain a looming threat.

17. Hollow One

4 Nethergoyf 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Orcish Bowmasters 4 Bloodstained Mire 4 Burning Inquiry 4 Detective's Phoenix 4 Faithless Looting 4 Hollow One 4 Street Wraith 4 Mishra's Bauble 4 Dragon's Rage Channeler 3 Blackcleave Cliffs 3 Blood Crypt 2 Arena of Glory 2 Fear of Missing Out 2 Wooded Foothills 1 Raucous Theater 1 Mountain 1 Tarfire 1 Swamp 4 Leyline of the Void 4 Meltdown 3 Blood Moon 2 Magebane Lizard 1 Pyroclasm 1 Disruptor Flute

Hollow One was once a prominent Modern archetype, but the banning of Faithless Looting in 2019 caused the deck to fall from the competitive spotlight. In 2024, however, newly released discard payoffs like Nethergoyf and Detective's Phoenix hinted at a potential revival. With Faithless Looting unbanned, Hollow One is back and stronger than ever.

With Faithless Looting and Street Wraith in your opening hand—or a fortunate Burning Inquiry—you can deploy multiple Hollow Ones on turn one, instantly applying immense pressure. By turn two, a bestowed Detective's Phoenix can join the fray, allowing you to deliver aerial beats with a 6/6 flier. These explosive starts, combined with newfound synergies, have restored Hollow One to competitive relevance in Modern.

18. Eldrazi Tron

4 Expedition Map 4 Eldrazi Temple 4 Urza's Power Plant 4 Urza's Mine 4 Urza's Tower 4 Ugin's Labyrinth 4 Kozilek's Command 4 Karn, the Great Creator 4 Thought-Knot Seer 4 Devourer of Destiny 4 Sowing Mycospawn 3 All Is Dust 3 Talisman of Resilience 3 Chalice of the Void 2 Dismember 1 Relic of Progenitus 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 1 Forest 1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger 1 Sire of Seven Deaths 2 The Stone Brain 1 Chalice of the Void 1 Sundering Titan 1 Cityscape Leveler 1 Ensnaring Bridge 1 Liquimetal Coating 1 Trinisphere 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Wurmcoil Engine 1 Haywire Mite 1 Pithing Needle 1 Walking Ballista 1 Disruptor Flute 1 Engineered Explosives

Eldrazi Tron shares several key components with the more popular Eldrazi Ramp archetype, such as the two-mana lands Eldrazi Temple and Ugin's Labyrinth, along with Devourer of Destiny as suitable exile fodder. Both decks also utilize Sowing Mycospawn and Kozilek's Command for mid-game acceleration. However, from there, the strategies diverge significantly.

At the heart of Eldrazi Tron lies the iconic trio of lands: Urza's Mine, Urza's Tower, and Urza's Power Plant. Dubbed the "Urzatron" as a nod to the Voltron TV series—where individual robots combine to form a greater whole—these lands enable explosive openings. Together, they can power out seven-mana spells like Sire of Seven Deaths or All Is Dust as early as turn three. Notably, Sire of Seven Deaths benefits from the deck's core synergies, being both an Eldrazi for Eldrazi Temple and a seven-drop for Ugin's Labyrinth.

Additionally, the deck leverages Karn, the Great Creator, whose ability to fetch disruptive artifacts from the sideboard adds a toolbox element to the strategy. Assembling the lands by turn three allows Karn to shine, disrupting opponents before they have a chance to execute their own plans.

19. Mono-Green Broodscale

4 Mox Opal 4 Eldrazi Temple 4 Basking Broodscale 4 Glaring Fleshraker 4 Kozilek's Command 4 Ancient Stirrings 4 Urza's Saga 4 Forest 4 Malevolent Rumble 4 Karn, the Great Creator 3 Darksteel Citadel 3 Blade of the Bloodchief 3 Grove of the Burnwillows 2 Boseiju, Who Endures 2 Springleaf Drum 2 Walking Ballista 1 Haywire Mite 1 Ghost Vacuum 1 Soul-Guide Lantern 1 Mystic Forge 1 Snow-Covered Forest 2 Thief of Existence 2 Dismember 1 Mystic Forge 1 Walking Ballista 1 Pithing Needle 1 Relic of Progenitus 1 Blade of the Bloodchief 1 Damping Sphere 1 Vexing Bauble 1 The Stone Brain 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Veil of Summer 1 Nature's Claim

Mono-Green Broodscale centers around the infinite combo of Basking Broodscale and Blade of the Bloodchief. Each time an Eldrazi Spawn is sacrificed for mana, Blade of the Bloodchief puts a +1/+1 counter on Basking Broodscale, triggering its ability to generate another Eldrazi Spawn. This loop generates an infinitely large Broodscale and unlimited mana. To capitalize on this, the deck employs finishers like Glaring Fleshraker or Walking Ballista, with Kozilek's Command offering a reliable way to tutor them up and end the game with infinite damage.

The deck rose to prominence a few months ago, claiming a significant share of the metagame. However, the banning of The One Ring necessitated a major overhaul to the deck's early game. Previously, Mono-Green Broodscale used Delighted Halfling to ramp into The One Ring, whose unparalleled card-draw engine helped assemble the combo pieces with ease. Post-ban builds pivoted to Karn, the Great Creator as a four-mana replacement, moving one copy of Blade of the Bloodchief into the sideboard to be tutored with Karn. Additionally, the archetype has embraced Mox Opal as a ramp tool, supported by artifact lands like Darksteel Citadel to ensure its activation. While the deck remains a viable option, it now occupies a smaller niche in the metagame.

20. Selesnya Ritual

4 Birthing Ritual 4 Ephemerate 4 Flagstones of Trokair 4 Guide of Souls 4 Ocelot Pride 4 Ranger-Captain of Eos 4 Solitude 4 White Orchid Phantom 4 Windswept Heath 3 Eternal Witness 3 Plains 3 Skyclave Apparition 3 Temple Garden 3 Witch Enchanter 2 Arid Mesa 2 Lush Portico 2 Thraben Charm 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 1 Forest 1 Haywire Mite 3 Sanctifier en-Vec 2 Collector Ouphe 2 Damping Sphere 2 Endurance 2 Gaddock Teeg 2 Haywire Mite 1 Skyclave Apparition 1 Orim's Chant

Selesnya Ritual is a relatively new archetype in Modern, built around the power of Birthing Ritual from Modern Horizons 3. The deck thrives on a suite of creatures with enters abilities, including Ranger-Captain of Eos, White Orchid Phantom, and Eternal Witness. Sacrificing one of these creatures to Birthing Ritual allows you to cheat another onto the battlefield for free, creating steady card advantage. Notably, White Orchid Phantom synergizes beautifully with Flagstones of Trokair, letting you to target your own lands for added value.

The deck is capable of explosive starts, leveraging aggressive early threats like Guide of Souls and Ocelot Pride to apply pressure. For control and disruption, it can blink Solitude with Ephemerate, dismantling opposing boards and swinging momentum in your favor. If you enjoy clean, interactive Magic centered around card advantage and combat math, Selesnya Ritual offers an innovative choice in Modern.

What's Next for the Modern Format?

With over two decades of card history, a vast array of viable archetypes, and the ever-shifting tides of bans and unbans, the Modern metagame is more dynamic than ever. While Boros Energy, Dimir Oculus, and Grinding Breach reign supreme—at least on Magic Online—there's a sense of experimentation among players. In Modern, a skilled player who understands their deck's interactions and matchups and adapts their list to the evolving metagame can succeed with almost any strategy. The format is brimming with innovation and variety right now.

I eagerly await the metagame's progression and the performance of different decks in the upcoming Regional Championships. From January 25–26 onward, archetype experts and Modern specialists will have the chance to showcase their skills at these prestigious events. Don't miss the live coverage from Europe, where multiple Hall of Famers and the reigning Modern Pro Tour champion will provide insightful commentary!