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. It's an exciting time for Standard players as a fresh format approaches. With the arrival of Edge of Eternities, several sets will leave the format.

In this article, I'll break down everything you need to know about the upcoming Standard rotation. Several well-established archetypes may not survive, while others could finally seize the spotlight. I'll highlight the most impactful cards leaving Standard, as well as the resilient decks that escape mostly unscathed. But before diving into the winners and losers of this format shake-up, let's begin with one last metagame snapshot to set the stage.

The Standard Metagame in July 2025

To capture Standard in its totality, I analyzed 480 successful decklists from Standard Challenges held on Magic Online between July 8–22. For each deck, I assigned a number of points equal to its number of match wins minus losses, if positive. Each archetype's total point share blends popularity and performance into a single, comprehensive metric: the winner's metagame share.

Compared to the metagame right after the June 30 bans, Izzet Cauldron has made significant gains, while Dimir Midrange and Mono-White Tokens have seen a modest decline. These shifts are reflected by the arrows in the table.

The most notable late-stage innovation before rotation has been the emergence of Mono-Green Landfall, a deck that pairs Fabled Passage with Traveling Chocobo to grow Sazh's Chocobo or Tifa Lockhart to colossal proportions. As mentioned earlier, several familiar archetypes are about to take a substantial hit from rotation, while others may weather the transition with barely a scratch. Mono-Green Landfall, as I'll explore more deeply later in this article, is one of the fortunate few that loses almost nothing, making its sudden rise all the more compelling.

What Is Standard Rotation?

Rotation is the scheduled removal of older Magic sets from rotating formats like Standard and Alchemy. It makes room for fresh cards from new sets, keeping the format balanced and exciting. Out with the old, in with the new!

Historically, Standard had been on a two-year rotation, but in 2023, this was changed to a three-year rotation. The intention was to make tabletop Standard more enjoyable by giving cards more longevity and allowing mechanics and archetypes to be built on over time.

Rotation happens for tabletop play with the Prerelease of Edge of Eternities on Friday July 25, 2025, and for online play with the digital release of Edge of Eternities on July 29, 2025. The following sets will then rotate out of Standard:

• Dominaria United (DMU)
• The Brothers' War (BRO)
• Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)
• March of the Machine (MOM)
• March of the Machine: The Aftermath (MAT)

These cards remain legal in older formats. For tabletop play, you can still use these cards in Pioneer, Modern, Commander, and other non-rotating formats. On MTG Arena, they remain available in Pioneer, Historic, Timeless, and other MTG Arena formats.

Starting in 2027, Standard rotation will align with the first premier set release in any given calendar year. There will be no rotation in 2026 as we gear up for this change. So, after next week's rotation, Standard will be comprised of the following sets:

• Rotating in early 2027: Wilds of Eldraine, The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, Murders at Karlov Manor, Outlaws of Thunder Junction, Bloomburrow, and Duskmourn: House of Horror
• Rotating in early 2028: Aetherdrift, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, Magic: The Gathering®—FINAL FANTASY™, and Edge of Eternities
• Legal until at least 2029: Magic: The Gathering Foundations

While the new cards from Edge of Eternities are very exciting, the departure of five sets from Standard will probably have a larger competitive impact on the format than the introduction of a single set. With that in mind, let's take a look at the most important cards to leave Standard and the decks most and least affected by their departure. In other words, the winners and losers from rotation.

Losers: Dimir and Golgari Midrange

Cut Down
Go for the Throat

With rotation, black midrange decks will lose their most efficient removal spells: Cut Down and Go for the Throat. These premium interaction pieces have powered Dimir and Golgari Midrange decks for a long time, and their absence will sting. Typical alternatives such as Sheoldred's Edict, Anoint with Affliction, and Tear Asunder will also rotate out of Standard, so players will have to dig deeper. Options like Stab, Nowhere to Run, and Shoot the Sheriff remain, but none match the raw efficiency and versatility of Cut Down or Go for the Throat.

Faerie Mastermind
Glissa Sunslayer
Sheoldred, the Apocalypse

On the creature front, cards like Faerie Mastermind; Glissa Sunslayer; and Sheoldred, the Apocalypse also rotate. While this will reshape creature bases, there are reasonable stand-ins:

• Deep-Cavern Bat, Silent Hallcreeper, or Plumecreed Escort can fill the void left by Faerie Mastermind, offering evasion, though they don't enable Spell Stutter.
• For Glissa Sunslayer, creatures like Sentinel of the Nameless City or Preacher of the Schism provide a solid board presence for three mana.
• Though Sheoldred, the Apocalypse has lost prominence, cards like Oildeep Gearhulk or Blossoming Tortoise can serve as impactful alternatives to Sheoldred.

Despite these losses, I expect decks like Dimir Midrange and Golgari Midrange to remain competitive. The elimination of Cut Down and Go for the Throat will hurt more than losing creatures, as these removal spells defined how the decks controlled the board. Nevertheless, replacements exist. On the bright side, powerhouse cards like Kaito, Bane of Nightmares and Mosswood Dreadknight remain intact.

Loser: Izzet Cauldron

Voldaren Thrillseeker

The Izzet Cauldron deck, which seized an impressive 25.7% of the winner's metagame over the past few weeks, will lose a key win condition: Voldaren Thrillseeker. Exiling this creature card with Agatha's Soul Cauldron could deliver a surprise kill, as it allows any counter-laden creature to become a lethal fireball. Now, with Voldaren Thrillseeker rotating out, the deck loses one of its key knockout lines.

That said, Izzet Cauldron still retains its core synergy of exiling Vivi Ornitier with Agatha's Soul Cauldron for an explosive mana boost. Several alternative cards can shore up the loss of Voldaren Thrillseeker. For example, the activated abilities of Blazing Bomb, Gingerbrute, or Draconautics Engineer can deliver lethal damage when given to your entire board. Alternatively, the deck might shift course, trimming creatures and a copy of Cauldron for more spell-based synergies. Cards like Astrologian's Planisphere and Opt, which are hallmarks of Izzet Prowess, could plug those gaps.

Loser: Domain Overlords

Leyline Binding
Zur, Eternal Schemer
Atraxa, Grand Unifier

The deck that won Pro Tour Aetherdrift had been dealt a significant blow with the banning of Up the Beanstalk, but the upcoming rotation may deliver the final nail in the coffin. The Domain Overlords strategy revolved around Zur, Eternal Schemer, who could animate Overlord of the Hauntwoods into a massive lifelinking threat. Leyline Binding was another key card, as it was easy to cast for a single white mana, and Zur could turn the enchantment into a 6/6 lifelinker.

With both Zur, Eternal Schemer and Leyline Binding rotating out of Standard, this particular strategy will no longer be viable. Atraxa, Grand Unifier, which Matt Nass ran a single copy of at Pro Tour Aetherdrift, is also leaving the format. While a deck based around Overlords and Yuna, Hope of Spira may still be viable, it will bear little resemblance to the Domain Overlords deck that once ruled Standard earlier this year.

Losers: Boros and Jeskai Convoke

Gleeful Demolition
Knight-Errant of Eos

Boros and Jeskai Convoke decks could curve out Novice Inspector into Gleeful Demolition to convoke Knight-Errant of Eos as early as turn two. Over the past year, this go-wide strategy had been outclassed by Heartfire Hero and Monstrous Rage, but it regained momentum following the recent bans, either as a streamlined, two-color deck build or as a Jeskai deck that splashes blue for Spyglass Siren. Unfortunately, two of its key cards—Gleeful Demolition and Knight-Errant of Eos—are rotating, and both formed the very beating heart of the deck.

Some payoffs like Warden of the Inner Sky and Imodane's Recruiter remain, still rewarding token swarms, while enablers such as Frontline Rush can continue to generate enough creatures. However, without Gleeful Demolition and Knight-Errant of Eos, this strategy will need to reinvent itself. Even if it does, it will be significantly weaker. Of all the top Standard archetypes, Boros and Jeskai Convoke will arguably suffer the greatest loss of crucial cards.

Loser: Mono-White Tokens

Lay Down Arms
Sunfall

Mono-White Tokens will lose some of its removal suite, most notably, Lay Down Arms and Sunfall. While Sunfall can be fairly easily replaced by Day of Judgment or Ultima, finding a substitute for Lay Down Arms presents a bigger challenge. The most natural workaround is to splash another color (black, for example) for efficient spot-removal spells, which is made simpler as the deck no longer needs an all-Plains mana base to support Lay Down Arms.

Token-based control strategies that lean on Carrot Cake; Caretaker's Talent; and Elspeth, Storm Slayer will surely remain viable, as all these key cards stay legal. However, without Lay Down Arms, I expect these decks to gradually shift away from being mono-white, instead opting to splash a color to shore up their removal options.

Loser: Multicolor Decks

Shivan Reef
Underground River
Darkslick Shores

Iconic pain lands like Underground River and ally fast lands like Darkslick Shores are set to rotate out of Standard. This change significantly weakens several decks' mana bases.

The impact is somewhat softened by the reprinting of five shock lands—Breeding Pool, Godless Shrine, Sacred Foundry, Stomping Ground, and Watery Grave—in Edge of Eternities. Additionally, options like Starting Town and Fabled Passage offer alternative forms of mana fixing, and the Verge lands, enemy fast lands, surveil lands, and Restless lands stick around as well.

Since enemy fast lands will remain legal and Edge of Eternities's shock lands are a mixture of ally and enemy shock lands, we'll have a disparity among color combinations. Three ally-color pairs (Selesnya, Azorius, and Rakdos) lose a fast land without gaining a shock land, so they will struggle to keep pace. Selesnya Cage, for example, is a deck that could be hampered substantially by a weaker mana base. Meanwhile, three enemy-color pairs (Simic, Orzhov, and Boros) retain their fast land while gaining a shock land, so they will enjoy an early advantage following rotation.

Loser: Sideboards

Lithomantic Barrage
Gix's Command
Destroy Evil
Obstinate Baloth
Nissa, Ascended Animist
Urabrask's Forge

Sideboard cards rarely define an entire archetype, but they enable important strategic pivots and provide crucial answers tailored to the metagame. After rotation, we lose access to the unmatched efficiency of cards like Lithomantic Barrage and several other popular sideboard staples, some of which even found their way into main decks from time to time.

While removal spells won't disappear entirely, Standard players will need to make do with slightly less-powerful alternatives. As we say goodbye to these steadfast sideboard workhorses, it's worth reflecting on the invaluable roles they played in shaping competitive Standard over the years.

Winner: Mono-Green Landfall

16 Forest 4 Llanowar Elves 4 Mossborn Hydra 4 Sazh's Chocobo 4 Tifa Lockhart 4 Traveling Chocobo 4 Snakeskin Veil 4 Fabled Passage 4 Bushwhack 3 Bristly Bill, Spine Sower 3 Springbloom Druid 3 Escape Tunnel 2 Sazh Katzroy 1 Royal Treatment 3 Pawpatch Recruit 2 Nissa, Ascended Animist 2 Insidious Fungus 2 Soul-Guide Lantern 2 Scavenging Ooze 2 Sazh Katzroy 1 Pick Your Poison 1 Wrenn and Realmbreaker

The rise of Mono-Green Landfall is among the most significant developments in recent weeks of Standard. In this deck, when you play and sacrifice Fabled Passage or Escape Tunnel, you get two landfall triggers right away. Springbloom Druid accomplishes the same. As a result, creatures like Sazh's Chocobo and Bristly Bill, Spine Sower get two +1/+1 counters, while the power of Tifa Lockhart and Mossborn Hydra quadruples. These effects become even stronger with Traveling Chocobo, which doubles your landfall triggers.

The best part is that none of the main deck cards rotate out, meaning the core of the deck remains fully intact and can only be improved with additions from Edge of Eternities. From the newest set, Icetill Explorer or Mightform Harmonizer look to be strong new inclusions. In the sideboard, Nissa, Ascended Animist and Wrenn and Realmbreaker will rotate out, making it somewhat harder to pivot into sweeper-resistant threats, though Vivien Reid could serve as a solid alternative. Overall, Mono-Green Landfall is poised to remain one of the top archetypes following rotation.

Winner: Izzet Prowess

5 Island 4 Vivi Ornitier 4 Stormchaser's Talent 4 Opt 4 Riverpyre Verge 4 Shivan Reef 4 Spirebluff Canal 4 Sleight of Hand 4 Stock Up 4 Torch the Tower 4 Astrologian's Planisphere 3 Mountain 2 Into the Flood Maw 2 Get Out 2 Thundertrap Trainer 1 Ral, Crackling Wit 1 Agatha's Soul Cauldron 1 Obliterating Bolt 1 Roaring Furnace 1 Thundering Falls 1 Wild Ride 2 Fire Magic 2 Disdainful Stroke 2 Faerie Mastermind 2 Enduring Curiosity 2 Abrade 1 Spell Pierce 1 Agatha's Soul Cauldron 1 Ral, Crackling Wit 1 Lithomantic Barrage 1 Unable to Scream

Izzet Prowess will lose Shivan Reef and a few minor sideboard cards like Lithomantic Barrage and Faerie Mastermind. However, the deck retains access to Spirebluff Canal and Riverpyre Verge, ensuring consistent access to both colors. By adding Starting Town and/or extra copies of Thundering Falls or basic Islands, the mana base should remain solid without Shivan Reef.

More importantly, unlike Izzet Cauldron, all of the main deck spells remain legal. Stormchaser's Talent and Astrologian's Planisphere can continue to excel in decks built around Sleight of Hand and Opt. The deck can still include one or two copies of Agatha's Soul Cauldron to exile Vivi Ornitier for added value, with Vivi becoming even tougher to answer as Cut Down leaves Standard. All things considered, Izzet Prowess looks set to remain a powerful and competitive option after rotation.

Winner: Naya Yuna

4 Fear of Missing Out 4 Overlord of the Boilerbilges 4 Yuna, Hope of Spira 4 Dredger's Insight 4 Torch the Tower 4 Starting Town 4 Thornspire Verge 4 Esper Origins 3 Elegant Parlor 3 Lush Portico 3 Hushwood Verge 2 Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant 2 Summon: Fenrir 2 Terra, Magical Adept 2 Cavern of Souls 2 Forest 2 Mountain 1 Get Lost 1 Plains 1 Sunbillow Verge 1 Summon: Bahamut 1 Summon: Knights of Round 1 Abrade 1 Chandra, Spark Hunter 2 Get Lost 2 Fire Magic 2 Ghost Vacuum 2 Clarion Conqueror 2 Exorcise 2 Nissa, Ascended Animist 1 Day of Judgment 1 Chandra, Spark Hunter 1 Elspeth, Storm Slayer

Naya Yuna, a Standard deck powered by additions from Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY, has been showing solid results lately and will emerge from rotation almost entirely intact. The only notable loss is Nissa, Ascended Animist from the sideboard, which is far from essential. In fact, the mana base may improve with the arrival of Sacred Foundry and Stomping Ground in Edge of Eternities. It's notable that shock lands will enable the Verge lands, so the mana consistency should be smooth.

While most other decks are weakened post-rotation, the core synergy between Yuna, Hope of Spira and Overlord of the Boilerbilges can truly shine. Count on plenty of games where the Overlord is discarded or milled, only to be reanimated by turn five. This delivers a massive board presence and a satisfying, lifelinking source of pings that can turn the tide of a game.

Winners: Gruul and Boros Aggro

7 Mountain 4 Hired Claw 4 Monastery Swiftspear 4 Screaming Nemesis 4 Slickshot Show-Off 4 Boros Charm 4 Burst Lightning 4 Lightning Helix 4 Opera Love Song 4 Battlefield Forge 4 Inspiring Vantage 4 Starting Town 4 Boltwave 2 Shock 2 Sunbillow Verge 1 Case of the Crimson Pulse 2 Sheltered by Ghosts 2 Fire Magic 2 Get Lost 2 Urabrask's Forge 2 Destroy Evil 2 Shardmage's Rescue 2 Rest in Peace 1 Case of the Crimson Pulse

Aggro decks aren't going anywhere after rotation, especially with Cut Down leaving the format. Gruul Aggro, for example, can patch up the loss of Copperline Gorge and Karplusan Forest by leaning on Stomping Ground and Starting Town. While Monastery Swiftspear is rotating, it can be replaced by a variety of one-drops, including Kellan, Planar Trailblazer; Greasewrench Goblin; or Ghitu Lavarunner. So, Gruul Aggro looks to be decently positioned following rotation.

But it's Boros Aggro that really stands to gain from rotation for two key reasons. First, its mana base will be smoother than Gruul Aggro's. The deck's access to Inspiring Vantage, Sacred Foundry, Sunbillow Verge, and Starting Town enables fast, consistent starts. Gruul, by contrast, will lack a fast land post-rotation. This disparity in mana bases should not be underestimated. Second, with shock lands back in the mix, many opponents will effectively begin the game at 18 life, which creates an ideal environment for burn strategies to thrive. While Boros Mice builds may also be viable, it might be an even better time to break out your copies of Boltwave and Boros Charm for Edge of Eternities Standard.

Winner: Jeskai Control

4 Shiko, Paragon of the Way 4 Lightning Helix 4 Elegant Parlor 4 Floodfarm Verge 4 Meticulous Archive 4 Stock Up 3 Beza, the Bounding Spring 3 Get Lost 3 Plains 3 Riverpyre Verge 3 Sunbillow Verge 2 Marang River Regent 2 Fire Magic 2 Three Steps Ahead 2 Thundering Falls 2 Split Up 1 Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant 1 Cori Mountain Monastery 1 Island 1 Rediscover the Way 1 Dispelling Exhale 1 Ultima 1 Abrade 1 Day of Judgment 1 Lightning, Army of One 1 Change the Equation 1 Elspeth, Storm Slayer 3 Tishana's Tidebinder 2 Clarion Conqueror 2 Lithomantic Barrage 2 Kutzil's Flanker 2 Magmatic Hellkite 1 Exorcise 1 Loran of the Third Path 1 High Noon 1 Twinmaw Stormbrood

Control decks won't be going anywhere either. As long as there's a healthy mix of counterspells, removal, card draw, and sweepers, the archetype will remain viable. Stock Up in particular is extremely powerful. Prior to rotation, the two leading control variants were Azorius and Jeskai, and between the two, Jeskai emerges as the better-positioned option. Looking at the aggregate list shown above, Change the Equation and Loran of the Third Path are easily replaced, and new tools like Consult the Star Charts and Sacred Foundry may even strengthen the archetype. Again, shock lands will enable the Verge lands more consistently, so three-color mana bases should be smooth.

By contrast, Azorius Control takes a slightly bigger hit. It loses Adarkar Wastes; Seachrome Coast; Change the Equation; Destroy Evil; Temporary Lockdown; and Jace, the Perfected Mind. While there are functional replacements for all of these cards (such as Pinnacle Starcage from Edge of Eternities), the overall downgrade may prove more disruptive. Jeskai, by comparison, looks fully ready to control the post-rotation metagame.

Winner: Tapped Payoffs

Deeproot Pilgrimage
Wylie Duke, Atiin Hero
Kona, Rescue Beastie

Edge of Eternities not only leads to the rotation of Standard's oldest sets but also introduces several new mechanics. Chief among them is station, an activated ability that lets you tap an untapped creature to add charge counters. When a new mechanic like station arrives, it's worth reevaluating older cards through a fresh lens. In particular, creatures that care about being tapped will become much stronger.

Take cards like Deeproot Pilgrimage; Wylie Duke, Atiin Hero; and Kona, Rescue Beastie, all of which become significantly more powerful when you have a reliable way to tap creatures on demand. For example, after playing Evendo, Waking Haven or Sledge-Class Seedship in the early game, you can trigger your tapped abilities at will. As a result, these previously overlooked tap payoffs may finally get their moment in the spotlight. Similarly, creatures with enormous powers, such as The Ancient One or Pugnacious Hammerskull may also become more prized due to their ability to station.

Winner: Exile Payoffs

Charming Prince
Ketramose, the New Dawn
Dour Port-Mage

Edge of Eternities also debuts warp, a new mechanic that lets you cast permanent spells for an alternative cost, only for them to be exiled at the end of the turn, meaning cards that benefit from permanents being exiled and cards that blink warped permanents suddenly shoot up in value.

For example, suppose you warp in Exalted Sunborn for two mana. Then, when it's put into exile at end of turn, Ketramose, the New Dawn and Dour Port-Mage draw you a cards, keeping your hand stocked. Alternatively, you can use your Charming Prince; Fortune, Loyal Steed; or Parting Gust to blink the warped creature, effectively resetting it as a fresh, permanent Angel at a reduced cost. Suddenly, older exile and blink synergies are back in the conversation.

Chart a Course Toward the Standard RCQs

Rotation is what keeps Magic fresh, and the post-rotation Standard format promises to be wide open for innovation. It's a perfect moment for players to explore uncharted strategies and uncover new synergies. Join me next week as I take a deeper dive into Edge of Eternities Standard, showcasing new post-rotation decklists as we gear up for the next cycle of Regional Championship Qualifiers.

This next round of RCQs, featuring Standard as the designated Constructed format for in-store qualifiers, kicks off on August 2, 2025, and runs through November 9, 2025. With rotation shaking things up just a week beforehand, expect a rapidly evolving metagame brimming with fresh ideas and developments. You can find RCQs near you at your local game store or by checking your regional organizer's website.