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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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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?

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July ’20 Metagame Update: Post-Astrolabe Ban

David Ernenwein — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 16:00:53 +0000

Another month gone in quarantine. At least, I think it's been a month. Time is steadily losing all meaning to me. What even is this year, and what was I talking about? Oh yeah, it's August now, so I need to take another look at Modern's metagame. Fire up the spreadsheets and break out the […]

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Balance and Blades: Honing Stoneforge Mystic

David Ernenwein — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 16:00:13 +0000

Unbannings always trigger a surge of interest, articles, and brewing. When the card's utility and thus its home is obvious, the cards is quickly adopted, as was the case for Bloodbraid Elf. For those whose power is tougher to unlock, interest and visibility wanes while the hard work is done. Such is the case for […]

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Happy Endings for Throne of Eldraine Spoilers

David Ernenwein — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 16:00:25 +0000

All good stories must come to an end. Hopefully, they'll be paced better than Game of Thrones's was. The Throne of Eldraine prerelease is this weekend and the spoiler is finished, so it's time to wrap up my set review. There haven't been many interesting individual cards spoiled since my last article, but a number of […]

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Punishing Fire: Qualitative Results and Conclusion

David Ernenwein — Tue, 21 May 2019 16:00:01 +0000

Last week, I unveiled the first part of my Punishing Fire test. With the data compiled and revealed, it's time for the less-concrete part. The data is the data and speaks for itself. However, that's not the whole story. Magic isn't just a numbers game; there are a lot of intangibles. For instance, it's also supposed […]

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Testing Punishing Fire: Quantitative Data

David Ernenwein — Tue, 14 May 2019 16:00:01 +0000

And now it's time for everyone's favorite part of the banlist test: the experimental data. With 500 matches of Jund with and without Punishing Fire under my belt, I have developed a very strong opinion on unbanning the card. Today, I will reveal the hard numbers and their statistical significance. As always, these data are […]

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Testing Punishing Fire: Experimental Setup

David Ernenwein — Tue, 07 May 2019 16:00:51 +0000

The time has come to start rolling out the results of my latest foray into the Modern banlist. In the past, the return of this series was hailed with a public vote for which card I'd work on, followed by months of silence while I actually did the work. This time, extenuating circumstances dictated the […]

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Fighting for Space: War of the Spark Edition

David Ernenwein — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 16:00:10 +0000

With War of the Spark's spoiler season winding down, testing and brewing is accelerating. As per my usual, I've been working through interesting cards to find out how useful they'll be in Modern. And as is usually the case, the result has been a swath of interesting results, though nothing especially groundbreaking. I expect there to […]

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The Time War: Teferi, Time Raveler in UW

David Ernenwein — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 16:00:42 +0000

A new set is on the horizon, so it's spoiler time again! War of the Spark is the first set designed as a planeswalker set, which means there are an unprecedented number about to drop. More interestingly, most of them have static abilities rather than the traditional plus, minus, and ultimate combo we've become accustomed to. […]

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Metagame Snapshot: SCG Regionals Analysis

David Ernenwein — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 16:00:51 +0000

With data reduced to a relative trickle and the overall metagame picture clouded, there hasn't been much information to work with. However, the data from SCG Regionals is always a strong indicator of the US metagame, so today I'll be looking at the data. While there is very significant result to dig into, the overall […]

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Hindsight 20/18: Metagame Review

David Ernenwein — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:00:34 +0000

The Modern metagame cycles, though the process is slow and hard to see. This complicates determining which trends are just flashes in the pan and which must be accounted for and adapted to. Metagame-specific decks, like Death and Taxes at GP Las Vegas 2017, can look like real decks, at times frustrating players trying to […]

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Final Grind: LCQ and Metagame Shifts

David Ernenwein — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 17:00:10 +0000

The competitive drive always burns, no matter how many setbacks I suffer. After all, what's the point in doing anything unless you strive to improve and grow? So, it's once more into the breach for the last PPTQ. I failed to win a PPTQ this year, but that didn't mean giving up on making the […]

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Green Sun’s Zenith Testing: Quantitative Results

David Ernenwein — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 17:00:34 +0000

Finally, it's time for everyone's favorite part of the banlist test: the experimental data. After playing 500 matches with GB Elves over several months, I can finally put some data to the speculation about the impact of unbanning Green Sun's Zenith. I will be revealing the hard numbers and their statistical significance. As always, these […]

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Green Sun’s Zenith Testing: Experimental Setup

David Ernenwein — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 17:00:18 +0000

It's finally time for another banlist testing report. Back in May, readers chose Green Sun's Zenith as the next banned card to test, which I'll just call GSZ from here on out. I've spent the intervening months grinding games and recording results to test its effect on Modern. This week, I'll explain my test procedure, […]

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Fighting Control: A Beginner’s Guide

David Ernenwein — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 16:00:20 +0000

The Beginner's Guide series offers advice to new to Modern players and dispels common myths about the format's workings. This week, inspired by some consistent misplays I've observed, I am going to be tackling Modern's control decks. There appears to be a perception that they're something to tread carefully around. But control is just another […]

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Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #15

Edward Eng — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 21:04:39 +0000

Another week of Guilds of Ravnica, another set of recommendations. Eddie provides the latest moves in his portfolio, including some Modern breakouts and a few odd foils.

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Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #14

Edward Eng — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 17:30:05 +0000

Week one of new Standard is upon us, with an SCG Standard Open in the books. Eddie looks at the latest holds and folds in the context of the emerging metagame.

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Colorless Matchup Guide: Jeskai and UW Control

Jordan Boisvert — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 16:00:50 +0000

"Control is dead" has long been a mantra of those unsatisfied with Modern. But UWx control decks have had impressive showings lately on the competitive circuit—just last weekend, both Jeskai Control and UW Control made Top 8 at GP Prague and SCG Baltimore, respectively. Thanks to Search for Azcanta and Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, it's […]

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Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #7

Edward Eng — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 17:59:55 +0000

Standard is nearing rotation but that doesn't mean we're lacking for action. Eddie covers the cards to hold and fold this week, including key foils, promos, and Pauper staples.

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