metagame | Quiet Speculation

Repeating on Us: November ’21 Metagame Update

David Ernenwein — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 17:00:56 +0000

This month's metagame report is mostly unchanged from last month but includes a new topmost performing deck. What is it? David has the details.

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Return of Paper: Analyzing MTG Las Vegas

David Ernenwein — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 17:00:16 +0000

Results are in from the largest Modern event since the start of the pandemic. What decks made it to the top tables? David has all the details.

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Hammer It In: October ’21 Metagame Update

David Ernenwein — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 16:00:10 +0000

It's metagame update time again. Is a big hammer still the right tool to smash your opponents with? What other options are on the radar? David has the answers.

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Don’t Level Yourself: Metagame Limitations

David Ernenwein — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 16:00:26 +0000

How valuable is metagame data? What can it actually tell us? How does studying it translate into winning more games? David answers these questions and more.

The post Don’t Level Yourself: Metagame Limitations first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Reality Check: The Real Metagame Driver

David Ernenwein — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 16:00:32 +0000

Is Lurrus of the Dream-Den the most broken card in Modern right now? David examines the effect this companion has on the modern metagame. Is it banworthy?

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Exploring Vintage, the Original Magic Format

Paul Comeau — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

With his LGS holding an upcoming 15-proxy Vintage tournament, Paul is looking to the history of the original Magic format for ideas on what to play.

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Modern’s Health: Metagame Musings

David Ernenwein — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 16:00:15 +0000

How do you measure the health of a metagame? Is the Modern metagame healthy right now? David attempts to unpack these questions, and what their answers mean.

The post Modern’s Health: Metagame Musings first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Metagame Evolving: September ’21 Metagame Update

David Ernenwein — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 16:00:22 +0000

It's time for spooky season in the US, and for the monthly metagame update. Can anything challenge the boogeyman that is HammerTime?

The post Metagame Evolving: September ’21 Metagame Update first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Understanding Metagames for Success and Profit

Paul Comeau — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 11:00:15 +0000

Paul goes over the concept of a competitive metagame, focusing on the changing landscape of Modern and how it applies to Magic finance.

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A Building Wildfire: April ’21 Metagame Update

David Ernenwein — Mon, 03 May 2021 16:00:48 +0000

The new month brings a new metagame update. And this time, there's nothing disruptive to report. No bannings, no weird and still-unexplained data gaps; just a perfectly normal bit of data gathering. Which means that I'll be delivering a straightforward metagame update. Which will be nice, since there's another Modern Horizons coming, and that might […]

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Meet the New Boss: March ’21 Metagame Update

David Ernenwein — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 16:00:33 +0000

First Tuesday of a new month? Must be time for the metagame update. Yes, I realize that there wasn't one last time, but those were special circumstances. A major ban invalidated more than half of February's data. There's really nothing statistically valid from ten days of results. Of course, March wasn't much better. Thanks to […]

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The Latest Contender? Analyzing Heliod Company

David Ernenwein — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 16:00:26 +0000

And now, back to our regularly scheduled metagame analysis. Let me just take a look at what's been winning... oh. MTGO's reporting system is bugged; there's been no new data since March 10. Huh. Ok, well, let me just see what's happening in the community... wait, really? Heliod Company is considered the best deck now? […]

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Challenge Accepted: January ’21 Metagame Update

David Ernenwein — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 17:00:59 +0000

Hot on the heels of my practical examination last week, it's time to formally close the books on the old metagame. Or at least that expression of the old metagame. Who knows how Kaldheim will actually affect Modern, but regardless, the old metagame will see turmoil and change. I expect whatever emerges from Kaldheim to be similar […]

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So It Ends: December 2020 Metagame Update

David Ernenwein — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 17:00:20 +0000

And now, to formally close the books on a terrible year. Yes, it is in fact 2021; time did truly progress, and we're not trapped in a Doctor Who-style loop. However, a new month means a new metagame update, which means that I must remind everyone of the past year. Sorry! The data set is […]

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Ramp Rising: November 2020 Metagame Update

David Ernenwein — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 17:00:01 +0000

Alright, no more delays. All the data is finally in, and so it's time to do November's Metagame Update. So far, the metagame has generally been dynamic. The top deck hasn't been consistent between months, though Rakdos Prowess and its descendant Scourge Shadow have been consistently Tier 1 since I started doing these again. Will […]

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Flat Curve: September ’20 Metagame Update

David Ernenwein — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 16:00:38 +0000

October is upon us, which means that it's time to do another metagame update. Modern continues to chug along in this paperless world. And better for me, Wizards seems to have finally gotten its act together and is regularly reporting results. Ever since I started caring about MTGO, I've had to deal with really inconsistent […]

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Arena: Deckbuilding with Zero Wildcards

Adrian Tan — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:47:28 +0000

In this installment of his series on Magic Arena, Adrian outlines his deckbuilding process with a starting collection to stretch your gold farther.

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August ’20 Metagame Update: Red’s Ahead

David Ernenwein — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 16:00:50 +0000

It's the start of a new month, and that means it's time for a new metagame update. Yes, I do intend this to be a regular monthly feature. Based on how discussions are going, there's never been a greater need for clear data. Additionally, I've been doing it piecemeal via events for quite some time […]

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A Positioning Gift: Metagamed Merfolk

David Ernenwein — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 16:00:24 +0000

Decks come, and decks go. The metagame has no sacred cows. A deck must find its niche and then hold it to maintain relevance. Strength in a vacuum doesn't matter, nor does the dedication of the player base. Three years ago, Grixis Death's Shadow was an absolute monster of a deck, to the point that […]

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Switchblade Combat: UW vs Bant Stoneblade

David Ernenwein — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 16:00:58 +0000

In case you haven't noticed, Magic can be weird. I'm not just talking about cards or mechanics, though mutate, Goblin Game, and Raging River are certainly out there. I'm talking about how counter-intuitive the game can be. Again, not in the Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth still works under Blood Sun sense (though that absolutely qualifies). I […]

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