Hello, and welcome back to Metagame Mentor, your weekly guide to the top decks and latest Constructed developments on the path to the Pro Tour. This round of Regional Championship Qualifier (RCQ) events, running through July 20, feature Modern. Players will be able to punch their ticket to the Regional Championship events coming this October and November. Meanwhile, this weekend's Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair event will put Modern in the spotlight, featuring a two-day, open-field tournament with 8 Pro Tour invitations, a $50,000 prize pool, and special prizes up for grabs.

With so many high-stakes Modern tournaments on the horizon, today's article takes a deep dive into the current state of the format. I'll provide a snapshot of the metagame, break down the top ten deck archetypes, and close with a look at some intriguing new-to-Magic cards from Magic: The Gathering?—FINAL FANTASY? that could soon make their mark on Modern.

The Modern Metagame in May 2025

Modern is a nonrotating 60-card format based on expansion sets, core sets, and straight-to-Modern sets from Eighth 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.

To capture a current picture of the metagame, I analyzed over 1,700 successful decklists from competitive events over the past two weeks. This data set includes:

• Magic Online events — Published decklists from scheduled events held from May 12 through May 26.
• Premier tabletop events — Published decklists from (i) SCG CON Hartford events, including Friday's Oversized Modern, Saturday's Oversized Modern, Saturday morning's ReCQ, Saturday afternoon's ReCQ, Sunday's ReCQ, and the $5,000 RCQ, (ii) Axion Now's Modern for Goodies and MEGA Modern, and (iii) the RCQs held at Playtime Merate, Mont Card Shop, and Hareruya Kawasaki.

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 metagame share, including Esper Oculus, Dimir Mill, Hollow One, Jeskai Control, Dimir Oculus, Belcher Storm, Jeskai Dress Down, Dice Factory, Golgari Yawgmoth, Hardened Scales, Mardu Energy, Grixis Wizards, Azorius Miracles, Domain Rhinos, Jeskai Prowess, Mono-White Midrange, Gruul Broodscale, Song of Creation, Mono-Black Necro, Four-Color Omnath, Jeskai Legends, Azorius Stoneblade, Eldrazi Breach, Samwise Gamgee Combo, Hammer Time, Jund Sagavan, Asmo Goryo's, Dimir Reanimator, Twiddle Lotus, and more.

Since the release of Tarkir: Dragonstorm, Dimir Murktide has been on a gradual decline while Izzet Prowess has steadily climbed the ranks as a major contender. These trends were already apparent two weeks ago, and while the broader metagame has remained largely stable since then, a few noteworthy changes stand out. Boros Energy, though still dominant, has lost some ground, slipping from 23.6% to 17.5% of the winner's metagame. At the same time, Domain Zoo has gained traction. Perhaps most surprisingly, Neobrand has experienced a striking resurgence in recent weeks.

Across all main decks and sideboards combined, the two most played non-land cards were Consign to Memory and Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury. The former provides a versatile answer to Eldrazi spells, triggered abilities, Goblin Charbelcher, and more. The latter provides both mid-game interaction and late-game inevitability across a range of archetypes. Meanwhile, Lightning Bolt and Galvanic Discharge continue to excel as efficient answers to fast threats like Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer and Guide of Souls. Modern remains a speed-centric format, but disruption is also key; there's no shortage of cheap removal and countermagic to keep things honest.

To prepare you for upcoming RCQs and Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair, I've constructed aggregate decklists for the top-tier archetypes. These lists are assembled using an algorithm that weighs card popularity, deck performance, and internal synergies. Let's take a closer look at the ten most prominent contenders, each representing at least 3% of the winner's metagame over the past two weeks.

1. Boros Energy (17.5% of the Winner's Metagame)

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

In the current Modern format, Boros Energy has cemented itself as the deck to beat, commanding 17.2% of the winner's metagame. Powered by the potent combination of Guide of Souls and Galvanic Discharge, it dominates the battlefield with ruthless efficiency.

At its core, Boros Energy is aggressive. Bolstered by the feline firepower of Ocelot Pride and Ajani, Nacatl Pariah, the deck can apply relentless pressure. Goblin Bombardment supports this plan. Sacrificing Cat tokens chips away at the opponent's life total and lets Ajani transform into a formidable planeswalker.

But the deck doesn't just excel in the early game. Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury is a resilient late-game threat, especially when given haste by Arena of Glory. All in all, Boros Energy is powerful throughout the entire game and can be quickly understood, making it a popular choice for many Modern players. Still, it's far from invincible. Combo decks like Tameshi Belcher and Amulet Titan are typically too fast, and Boros Energy tends to struggle in those matchups.

The latest addition from Tarkir: Dragonstorm is Voice of Victory. Ever since the banning of Amped Raptor, Boros Energy players have been hunting for a new two-drop threat, and this one does it all. Voice of Victory protects your spells on your turn while pumping out 1/1 Warrior tokens that synergize with the rest of the deck. Those 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. Given all of these synergies, Voice of Victory has become a staple inclusion in Boros Energy.

2. Izzet Prowess (9.7% of the Winner's Metagame)

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

The release of Tarkir: Dragonstorm brought a fiery new contender to Modern's upper echelon: Cori-Steel Cutter. This Equipment has singlehandedly reignited Izzet Prowess, transforming it from a fringe strategy into one of the format's most explosive archetypes.

At its core, Izzet Prowess is built for speed. With Dragon's Rage Channeler and Monastery Swiftspear leading the charge, the deck churns through spells at a blistering pace, using Expressive Iteration, Preordain, and other cheap cantrips to fill their graveyard, sculpt their hand, and buff its creatures. But what truly sets the latest builds apart is their ability to win out of nowhere. Slickshot Show-Off, when combined with Mutagenic Growth and Violent Urge, can suddenly swing for double-digit damage. This potential for sudden kills is something that every RCQ competitor must now respect.

Cori-Steel Cutter supercharges this already potent strategy. Dropping the 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, the power of Cori-Steel Cutter has allowed Izzet Prowess to rocket into contention as a top-tier Modern deck.

3. Eldrazi Ramp (7.6% of the Winner's Metagame)

4 Utopia Sprawl 4 Ugin's Labyrinth 4 Eldrazi Temple 4 Kozilek's Command 4 Malevolent Rumble 4 Sowing Mycospawn 4 Talisman of Impulse 3 Forest 3 Emrakul, the Promised End 3 Kozilek's Return 3 Writhing Chrysalis 3 Devourer of Destiny 3 Ancient Stirrings 2 Stomping Ground 2 World Breaker 2 Wooded Foothills 1 Commercial District 1 Sanctum of Ugin 1 Cavern of Souls 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Windswept Heath 1 Ghost Quarter 1 Misty Rainforest 1 Sire of Seven Deaths 4 Trinisphere 4 Stone Rain 2 Lightning Bolt 2 Force of Vigor 1 Kozilek's Return 1 Soulless Jailer 1 Nature's Claim

Eldrazi decks have always come in many shapes and sizes, but the most prominent variant in today's Modern metagame is Eldrazi Ramp. Fueled by the two-mana lands Eldrazi Temple and Ugin's Labyrinth, this archetype consistently leaps ahead of the curve, aiming to cast Emrakul, the Promised End several earlier than opponents can reasonably prepare for.

The deck operates like a well-oiled machine, combining graveyard synergies and mana acceleration to devastating effect. At its core is Malevolent Rumble, an essential enabler to discount Emrakul's cost. Supplemented by a diverse ramp suite featuring Utopia Sprawl, Talisman of Impulse, Sowing Mycospawn, and Kozilek's Command, Eldrazi Ramp assembles absurd amounts of mana with alarming consistency.

While Emrakul is the deck's end boss, there are many other ramp payoffs. Many players have experimented with Ugin, Eye of the Storms from Tarkir: Dragonstorm, hoping its imposing suite of abilities would shine. But it turned out that Ugin is a better fit for Eldrazi Tron, which can easily reach seven colorless mana on turn three. Ugin doesn't benefit from Eldrazi Temple and can't trigger Kozilek's Return, making it a less synergistic option for Eldrazi Ramp. Instead, the aggregate list includes Sire of Seven Deaths, World Breaker, and Devourer of Destiny.

Some Eldrazi Ramp players have also found success with Herigast, Erupting Nullkite. After emerging Herigast using Sowing Mycospawn or Writhing Chrysalis, you can tutor Emrakul via Sanctum of Ugin and emerge Emrakul herself by sacrificing Herigast. This is a devastating sequence that can win the game on the spot.

4. Tameshi Belcher (5.9% of the Winner's Metagame)

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

Tameshi Belcher is the premier combo deck in Modern right now. With once prevalent hate cards like Stony Silence; Karn, the Great Creator; and Collector Ouphe largely absent after Underworld Breach's ban, the deck thrives in the current metagame.

Since Tameshi Belcher runs no actual lands, a single Belcher activation reliably 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 for this activation while technically remaining landless, the deck leans heavily on Lotus Bloom and a suite of modal double-faced cards (MDFCs). The blue MDFCs support Disrupting Shoal and facilitate a mono-blue mana base for 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. Tameshi Belcher may look like a glass cannon, but it's deceptively resilient and surprisingly interactive.

5. Domain Zoo (5.7% of the Winner's Metagame)

4 Territorial Kavu 4 Lightning Bolt 4 Tribal Flames 4 Leyline of the Guildpact 4 Leyline Binding 4 Scion of Draco 4 Flooded Strand 4 Wooded Foothills 4 Arid Mesa 4 Wild Nacatl 3 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer 2 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury 2 Stubborn Denial 2 Nishoba Brawler 2 Spectral Denial 1 Temple Garden 1 Plains 1 Steam Vents 1 Mountain 1 Arena of Glory 1 Sacred Foundry 1 Blood Crypt 1 Lush Portico 1 Xander's Lounge 4 Consign to Memory 2 Wear // Tear 2 Pyroclasm 2 Wrath of the Skies 2 Mystical Dispute 1 Surgical Extraction 1 Orim's Chant 1 Ghost Vacuum

Domain Zoo is a disruptive aggro deck that leverages a variety of dual and tri-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, putting opponents on the back foot almost immediately.

They also enable powerful interaction by turning Stubborn Denial into a reliable hard counter and reducing the cost of Spectral Denial—a new addition from Tarkir: Dragonstorm. This new piece of countermagic can stop any spell and effectively transforms into a hard counter when backed by multiple ferocious creatures. As a result, Domain Zoo has a robust toolkit for disrupting the wide variety of combo decks that populate Modern.

Simultaneously, the deck delivers blistering pressure. More than half of recent lists have included Wild Nacatl. While it's not a universal inclusion, it speaks to the deck's early aggression.

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, Tribal Flames turns deadly, and Scion of Draco bestows your entire board with vigilance, hexproof, lifelink, first strike, and trample. Leyline plus Scion is a formidable combination that many Boros Energy decks can't answer.

6. Amulet Titan (4.9% of the Winner's Metagame)

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

Amulet Titan is one of Modern's most intricate ramp decks, built around the explosive synergy between Amulet of Vigor and bounce lands like Gruul Turf or 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 often fetches Hanweir Battlements, which gives the Titan haste and immediately shifts 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.

Over the past months, most Amulet Titan decks have embraced the Scapeshift combo line as a powerful alternate-win condition. 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. The bounce land returns Tolaria West, which transmutes 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, infinite Mirrorpool and Hanweir Battlements activations can produce a horde of hasty attackers. The combo may be complex, but the result is simple: when playing against Amulet Titan, don't let Scapeshift resolve!

7. Orzhov Blink (4.1% of the Winner's Metagame)

4 Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd 4 Witch Enchanter 4 Solitude 4 Overlord of the Balemurk 4 Marsh Flats 3 Emperor of Bones 3 Fatal Push 3 Thoughtseize 3 Ephemerate 3 Flickerwisp 3 Ketramose, the New Dawn 2 Shadowy Backstreet 2 Plains 2 Godless Shrine 2 Boggart Trawler 2 Bleachbone Verge 2 Orcish Bowmasters 2 Arid Mesa 2 Recruiter of the Guard 1 Swamp 1 Concealed Courtyard 1 White Orchid Phantom 1 Skyclave Apparition 1 Aven Interrupter 1 Relic of Progenitus 3 White Orchid Phantom 2 Wrath of the Skies 2 Vindicate 2 Aven Interrupter 1 Thoughtseize 1 Fatal Push 1 Celestial Purge 1 Deafening Silence 1 Sanctifier en-Vec 1 Clarion Conqueror

Orzhov Blink thrives on the potent synergy between Overlord of the Balemurk and Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd. When blinked with Phelia, Overlord returns without its time counters, making it an undercosted threat that provides repeatable card advantage. Similarly, evoking Solitude and blinking it with Ephemerate allows you to strip opposing boards of creatures with ruthless efficiency.

While capable of grinding through protracted games, Orzhov Blink's real strength lies in its balanced, interactive game plan. Armed with Thoughtseize, Fatal Push, and a suite of efficient disruption, the deck adapts well to a wide range of matchups. Ketramose, the New Dawn further enhances the value engine by letting you draw a card each time you exile something with Emperor of Bones, Phelia, Ephemerate, Solitude, Flickerwisp, or Relic of Progenitus on your turn.

From Tarkir: Dragonstorm, a single Clarion Conqueror has made its way into the sideboard. This versatile hate piece shuts down key activated abilities from the likes of Goblin Charbelcher and Mox Opal to Eldrazi Spawn; Talisman of Impulse; Ral, Leyline Prodigy; Emry, Lurker of the Loch; and more. Although it may require sideboarding out Relic of Progenitus to avoid anti-synergy, the Conqueror's broad disruptive net and ability to be grabbed by Overlord of the Balemurk make it a strong inclusion in the sideboard.

8. Ruby Storm (3.5% of the Winner's Metagame)

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

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.

Disrupting these combo turns is vital. If your sideboard includes cards like Orim's Chant, Deafening Silence, Soulless Jailer, Damping Sphere, or Trinisphere, you have the tools to grind Ruby Storm to a halt. Cheap removal for artifacts or creatures can also pick off Ruby Medallion or Ral before the fireworks begin. Either way, Ruby Storm is a blazing presence that demands serious respect.

9. Dimir Murktide (2.9% of the Winner's Metagame)

4 Counterspell 4 Fatal Push 4 Orcish Bowmasters 4 Psychic Frog 4 Polluted Delta 4 Thoughtseize 3 Murktide Regent 3 Force of Negation 3 Preordain 2 Undercity Sewers 2 Spell Snare 2 Watery Grave 2 Island 2 Sink into Stupor 2 Subtlety 2 Darkslick Shores 2 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student 2 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares 1 Swamp 1 Flooded Strand 1 Dismember 1 Scalding Tarn 1 Sauron's Ransom 1 Misty Rainforest 1 Bloodstained Mire 1 Marsh Flats 1 Cling to Dust 4 Consign to Memory 3 Harbinger of the Seas 2 Stern Scolding 2 Nihil Spellbomb 1 Engineered Explosives 1 The Meathook Massacre 1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor 1 Subtlety

Dimir Murktide uses a mix of countermagic, discard, and removal to dismantle opposing plans. A turn-two Psychic Frog can snowball into a commanding advantage, and Murktide Regent often soars in as an 8/8 flier for just two mana.

While the archetype has been on a gradual decline in recent weeks, primarily due to a rough matchup against the format-dominating Boros Energy, it still excels at dismantling combo strategies. With access to Thoughtseize, Counterspell, and Force of Negation, Dimir Murktide is a nightmare for fragile glass-cannon decks. Combining disruption and pressure, the deck remains a solid contender.

10. Neobrand (2.8% of the Winner's Metagame)

4 Allosaurus Rider 4 Disciple of Freyalise 4 Eldritch Evolution 4 Neoform 4 Misty Rainforest 4 Windswept Heath 4 Summoner's Pact 4 Planar Genesis 3 Gemstone Mine 3 Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant 3 Atraxa, Grand Unifier 3 Eladamri's Call 3 Consign to Memory 2 Boseiju, Who Endures 2 Pact of Negation 1 Griselbrand 1 Forest 1 Hallowed Fountain 1 Meticulous Archive 1 Breeding Pool 1 Ureni, the Song Unending 1 Hedge Maze 1 Terastodon 1 Xenagos, God of Revels 3 Orim's Chant 2 Force of Vigor 2 Veil of Summer 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 1 Endurance 1 Voice of Victory 1 Into the Flood Maw 1 Consign to Memory 1 Pact of Negation 1 Colossal Skyturtle 1 Island

A novel version of Neobrand has gained significant traction in recent weeks, particularly on Magic Online. At its core, the game plan remains the same. You cheat Allosaurus Rider onto the battlefield by exiling two green cards, then transform it with Neoform or Eldritch Evolution into a game-winning creature. But unlike older builds that defaulted to Griselbrand and Nourishing Shoal to draw their entire deck, the latest lists have cut Nourishing Shoal and included a menagerie of high-impact creatures.

For example, Atraxa, Grand Unifier offers card advantage and helps reload to set up another Allosaurus Rider and Neoform on the next turn. Terastodon can destroy opposing lands, delaying combo strategies. And Ureni, the Song Unending—a powerful addition from Tarkir: Dragonstorm against aggro and midrange decks—has become a standout. With protection from white and black, Ureni dodges most of Modern's top removal spells, from Solitude and Leyline Binding to Static Prison and Vindicate, while threatening a lethal clock in just two turns.

The deck also has flashier kill lines. If your hand is already stocked with haymakers, Neoform can summon Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant to flood the battlefield with game-ending creatures. If one of those is Disciple of Freyalise, you can sacrifice Ghalta to gain 12 life and draw 12 cards. Better yet, if Xenagos, God of Revels is part of the ensemble, Ghalta becomes a 24/24 trampler with haste, which is usually enough to end the game on the spot.

With Eladamri's Call, Summoner's Pact, and Planar Genesis to fetch the right threats and Pact of Negation to protect them, the deck can be surprisingly consistent. Even the looming "lose the game" triggers from those Pacts can be sidestepped with Consign to Memory. All told, Neobrand has roared back as a formidable combo archetype in Modern.

What Might Magic's Latest Set Add?

Magic: The Gathering?—FINAL FANTASY? Prerelease events begin June 6. Among the many intriguing new cards, several could stand out in Modern. Here are four that have caught my eye so far.

Vivi Ornitier could be a powerful new piece for Izzet Prowess decks, effectively turning Mutagenic Growth into Black Lotus. While three mana for a creature that is vulnerable to removal might feel steep in Modern's fast pace, Vivi's potential for damage output and mana acceleration is impressive. Vivi also synergizes with Flame of Anor, Mox Amber, and Ruby Medallion, so there are a lot of Modern shells that could consider him.

Cloud, Midgar Mercenary is Steelshaper's Gift on a 2/1 body. If you attach Cori-Steel Cutter to him, then the Monk-creation ability will trigger twice. I can easily envision two copies of Cloud serving as the fifth and sixth Stoneforge Mystics in Hammer Time decks.

Ultima is a potent sweeper, simultaneously dealing with creatures and Cori-Steel Cutter. At five mana, it's a bit pricey for Modern, especially with options like Wrath of the Skies around. However, paired with Teferi, Time Raveler, you can cast Ultima during your opponent's upkeep, ending their turn before they can draw a card or play spells. That interaction opens up intriguing strategic possibilities for control decks.

Fire Magic

Finally, Fire Magic could find a home as a flexible sideboard card. Against Boros Energy and other creature decks, all its modes come into play. It can immediately neutralize early threats like Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer or Ocelot Pride on turn one. Its sweep ability, Fira, can clear the board on turn three. With instant-speed versatility, Fire Magic has a real shot at carving out a niche in Modern sideboards.

What's Next for Modern?

While I've spotlighted the top ten archetypes currently shaping the Modern metagame, countless other strategies remain highly competitive. For a deeper dive, check out my previous Modern article where I highlighted some of the spiciest decks that have been making waves over the past month. The beauty of Modern lies in its vast diversity—anything is possible in the hands of a skilled pilot. Ultimately, success comes down to mastering your deck: knowing its intricate interactions, sideboard pivots, and the nuances of its most common matchups.

The Modern RCQ season is still in full swing. To find a Regional Championship Qualifier near you, be sure to visit the store and event locator or your regional organizer's website.

This coming weekend, I'm especially excited for the fierce competition and breakout Modern decks at Magic Spotlight: Secret Lair, taking place at SCG CON Indianapolis on May 31–June 1. This flagship two-day open tournament awards Pro Tour invitations to the Top 8, features a $50,000 prize pool, and offers exclusive promo cards. You can catch live-streaming coverage both days starting at 9 a.m. ET on Star City Games's Twitch and YouTube channels. Don't miss the chance to witness the next stage of Modern!