EDEL battling in the Top 8 of a Magic: The Gathering Online Standard Challenge. Primal Might, Questing Beast, and going-on-twenty basic Forests lining up in one of the best decks in the tournament (if not the format). Gray Merchant of Asphodel rearing up its rotting head (and many black pips) for a moment at the top tables...

What is this, the summer of 2020?

Nah, it's still the spring of 2021, but ADD1CT3D helped to dial it back a little. Here's what Mono-Green looks like in Lovestruck Beast's third year of Standard legality:

Mono-Green | STX Standard | Add1ct3d, 5th Place MTGO Standard Challenge 5/9/2021

• Creatures (27)
• 2 Scavenging Ooze
• 2 Tangled Florahedron
• 2 Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider
• 3 Questing Beast
• 3 Stonecoil Serpent
• 3 Swarm Shambler
• 4 Gemrazer
• 4 Kazandu Mammoth
• 4 Lovestruck Beast

• Planeswalkers (2)
• 1 Garruk, Unleashed
• 1 Vivien, Monsters' Advocate

• Instants (2)
• 2 Snakeskin Veil

• Sorceries (4)
• 4 Primal Might

• Artifacts (3)
• 3 The Great Henge

• Lands (22)
• 16 Snow-Covered Forest
• 3 Castle Garenbrig
• 3 Faceless Haven

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Scavenging Ooze
• 2 Garruk, Unleashed
• 1 Snakeskin Veil
• 1 Vivien, Monsters' Advocate
• 2 Chainweb Aracnir
• 2 Kogla, the Titan Ape
• 3 Ram Through
• 1 Shadowspear
• 2 Wilt

Buy This Deck Export text format Export Arena format

The skeleton of this deck is much the same as last year's mid-range Mono-Green. Down one Questing Beast, maybe; but four copies of Lovestruck Beast still... A mix of Stonecoil Serpents, Swarm Shamblers, and Scavenging Oozes simultaneously smoothing the curve from one all the way up to ex, while setting up synergies with...

The world-ending Monstrous Raider is pretty on-plan for this deck. Like Questing Beast, it hasn't quite got evasion... But it's nevertheless also not the easiest to block. Like a bigger Questing Beast, Vorinclex is a Green fatty with haste. Despite what must be very heavy footfall, it can sneak up on ya. Both are great follow-ups to a sweeper, or a last wild swing trying to get under a sweeper. Vorinclex is redundant (in a good, and predictable, way) but also kind of a locker room leader. Rather than the overpaid free agent stereotype parachuted into - but never really part of - a team, Vorinclex seems more the LeBron James type... Even if he's the top of the team's curve and inevitable scoring leader... He manages to make everyone else so much better.

On the one hand, Vorinclex can help get The Great Henge out more quickly. It's a little bit of an awkward way to do it, but not too bad as the Phyrexian Praetor is actually pretty efficient itself, and translates power into mana discounting evenly. If you've got the +1/+1 counters ability on The Great Henge humming, you're probably doing all right... But a deck that is almost all creature cards has a limited range on what it can possibly draw. Compounding the extra power (and I suppose, toughness) while drawing more cards (and specifically more creature cards) gives this deck a way to out-pace the opponent in multiple dimensions. Win more? Maybe. But operative word being "win".

Scavenging Ooze is such an excellent breaker. Despite being a lowly 2-drop, the Ooze can be a great topdeck at many different points in a game, due to its ability to get big on a dime, so long as there was a preexisting bloodbath or battle of attrition. If Scavenging Ooze is actually benefiting from a Vorinclex that is already on the battlefield and hanging out, it's probably because you needed more size either to get through or keep holding the ground. Either way, the already-great Ooze will be performing at a whole different level.

Not that it's compulsory to list every card in Mono-Green that features +1/+1 counters or anything... But I just wanted to remind everyone that Green mages used to be happy to sideboard like three copies of Ranger's Guile! Quite the upgrade, am I right?

One of the things I like best about Vorinclex is the impact it has on the mirror match. Even setting aside how much better it makes your own +1/+1 counters production... Think about how bad it makes the opponent's! Taking the edge off of Scavenging Ooze alone will reduce the number of potential breakers the opponent can draw; and while draw they still might with The Great Henge, size on the battlefield will eventually tell the tale.

From my own play, I can say that you get some nice resistance to the popular Mono-Red types (chump or trade with Belle; scare them off with the Beast; make The Great Henge and grind them out in two dimensions at once)... but that is old hat and shouldn't at all be surprising. I always thought that playing Mono-Green more like a combo deck was one of the best ways to fight basic Mountains (or Snow-Covered Mountains, these); ADD1CT3D's build actually starts a third The Great Henge, so is kind of pre-sideboarded against the most effective anti-Ultimatum deck. But what about Ultimatum opponents themselves? What I found actually surprising is that you just sometimes kill them before they can assemble their nonsense. The haste is - I don't know what other word to use here - surprisingly effective at killing them. Though I do feel that, despite the relative regularity, when it happens both my opponent and I always came away... surprised.

That said, this build is an unfortunate example of a deck that doesn't improve much after Game 1. Your creatures and anyone who wants to kill creatures can. You're often the beatdown but not an unchecked racer, even given the big haste threats. Inflexibility is a big knock on single colored decks, right? A Red Deck (or even Red splash) can play all the copies of Ox of Agonas or Phoenix of Ash that it wants to try to grind out control or absolutely murder Dimir. This deck on the other hand has got a couple of Chainweb Aracnirs... Which can be a three-for-one early, but are not overly numerous here. Worse, I don't love how this deck approaches Control or Ultimatum matchups in games two and three. Can we make it faster? Grinding options are fantastic if your opponent agrees to play on that dimension and you approach the game with patience and card advantage. But since opposing "Control" decks in Standard so often peak with one big spell or turn, their plan probably goes over the top of yours, no matter how many cards you have in hand.

Anyway... World's normal again, right?

Just kidding.

Check out what EDEL, onetime constant innovator of Mono-Green, did actually play to that Top 8:

Black-Red Sacrifice | STX Standard | Edel, 6th Place MTGO Standard Challenge 5/9/2021

• Creatures (21)
• 1 Rankle, Master of Pranks
• 2 Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger
• 3 Callous Bloodmage
• 3 Serrated Scorpion
• 4 Extus, Oriq Overlord // Awaken the Blood Avatar
• 4 Eyetwitch
• 4 Woe Strider

• Instants (4)
• 4 Village Rites

• Sorceries (6)
• 2 Hunt for Specimens
• 4 Claim the Firstborn

• Enchantments (6)
• 2 The Akroan War
• 4 Bastion of Remembrance

• Lands (23)
• 4 Mountain
• 7 Swamp
• 1 Castle Locthwain
• 3 Fabled Passage
• 4 Blightstep Pathway
• 4 Savai Triome

• Sideboard (15)
• 2 Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger
• 1 Rankle, Master of Pranks
• 2 The Akroan War
• 4 Duress
• 1 Environmental Sciences
• 1 Heartless Act
• 1 Necrotic Fumes
• 1 Pest Summoning
• 1 Roiling Vortex
• 1 Start from Scratch

Buy This Deck Export text format Export Arena format

This deck is extremely disorienting to play against. The card Bastion of Remembrance really changes how battlefield interactions go. EDEL's deck can defend itself - even chump block - while taking a point or two off the opponent at the same time.

There are all kinds of nasty mini-games. The Akroan War is good. What about with Village Rites? Even worse?

No, no - not Extus himself, silly!

While this deck can technically cast Extus, the card itself is there only to Awaken the Blood Avatar. Yes, the deck can technically cast Extus with one of the four Savai Triomes! But it is telling that EDEL chose not to play a single Plains despite Fabled Passage, or ostensibly "free" Pathways.

Taking the opponent's thing - probably second-best thing in this case - with The Akroan War is good in general; but using that as a discount for Awaken the Blood Avatar while forcing them to sacrifice their actual best thing? Scrumptious.

There's a lot going on. And while you've probably played against similar effects before - Threatens and Blood Artists and maybe a Promise of Bunrei way back when - this particular combination can have a lot to keep in your head. I think it runs on one big principle, which is getting a little more out of a card than an individual card, over and over and over.

Bastion of Remembrance is a good example: It has an ability that is worth [about?] a card... But gives you a 1/1 at the same time. Serrated Scorpion punches up. Callous Bloodmage is a two-for-one, and Woe Strider is a two-for-one and more; and more again.

And then there are these new additions:

I will admit that I initially waaaaay underrated the Learn / Lesson mechanic for Constructed. These cards aren't efficient, but they're at least consistent... Or better yet, on plan. What more could a tokens deck want than Pest Summoning (two-for-one)? How about a sacrifice outlet? Necrotic Fumes! I dunno... What if you're manascrewed? Desperately low in life? Environmental Sciences and Environmental Sciences! Which, by the way, might be an awfully good reason to lean on basics rather than off-White Pathways.

Learn and Lesson cards are contributing all over the place in the new Standard:

Mono-Black | STX Standard | Timr0d, 5-0 MTGO Standard League

• Creatures (23)
• 1 Daemogoth Titan
• 1 Massacre Wurm
• 2 Murderous Rider
• 2 Nighthawk Scavenger
• 3 Ayara, First of Locthwain
• 3 Fiend Artisan
• 3 Sedgemoor Witch
• 4 Eyetwitch
• 4 Gray Merchant of Asphodel

• Instants (3)
• 1 Eliminate
• 2 Heartless Act

• Sorceries (10)
• 1 Agadeem's Awakening
• 1 Feed the Swarm
• 2 Agonizing Remorse
• 2 Bloodchief's Thirst
• 2 Hunt for Specimens
• 2 Pelakka Predation

• Enchantments (4)
• 4 Dramatic Finale

• Lands (20)
• 18 Swamp
• 2 Castle Locthwain

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Eliminate
• 1 Feed the Swarm
• 1 Heartless Act
• 2 Duress
• 1 Environmental Sciences
• 1 Mascot Exhibition
• 2 Pest Summoning
• 2 Plumb the Forbidden
• 2 Tymaret, Chosen from Death
• 2 Witch's Vengeance

Buy This Deck Export text format Export Arena format

Eyetwitch does good work here... It can set you up for land drops, feed Fiend Artisan, or even finish the game! I kind of love how this deck can rip a menial Eyetwitch on turn eight and then just kind of shrug and tap out for Mascot Exhibition. Which you will definitely lose to from that position.

Oh, and all these cards - Ayara, that insanely big new Titan, my god Dramatic Finale - are crazy pips for Gray Merchant of Asphodel. This, I think is a deck to watch.

But from the other side of the color pie?

White Weenie | STX Standard | jaberwocki, 2nd Place MTGO Standard Challenge 5/9/2021

• Creatures (32)
• 2 Reidane, God of the Worthy
• 2 Legion Angel
• 4 Alseid of Life's Bounty
• 4 Elite Spellbinder
• 4 Giant Killer
• 4 Luminarch Aspirant
• 4 Professor of Symbology
• 4 Selfless Savior
• 4 Skyclave Apparition

• Artifacts (4)
• 4 Glass Casket

• Lands (24)
• 20 Snow-Covered Plains
• 4 Faceless Haven

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Snow-Covered Plains
• 2 Legion Angel
• 2 Baneslayer Angel
• 3 Drannith Magistrate
• 1 Environmental Sciences
• 2 Idol of Endurance
• 1 Inkling Summoning
• 1 Lurrus of the Dream-Den
• 1 Mascot Exhibition
• 1 Reduce to Memory

Buy This Deck Export text format Export Arena format

Simple little White Weenie like we've seen before, right? Maybe some Legion Angels instead of Gods of Battle, but very similar cards, no?

We've all got something to Learn!

If you think about it, Professor of Symbology getting an Environmental Sciences is not too far off, mana-wise or effect-wise, from a Solemn Simulacrum. It provides two life instead of a card off the top when it dies... But two life isn't too far off there. Again, tons of flexibility, including being able to grab a turn seven (or nine!) bomb in Mascot Exhibition.

So, what have we looked at this week?

• A nice return to last summer's Mono-Green (with added +1/+1 shenanigans [that are wonderfully asymmetrical in a mirror]
• Nouveau Aristocrats
• A really muscular sort of over the top Mono-Black
• A grindy White Weenie

... Did I say grindy?

Let's leave it at my favorite deck of the week, actually:

Naya Adventures | STX Standard | sMann2.0, 5-0 MTGO Standard League

• Creatures (28)
• 4 Bonecrusher Giant
• 4 Edgewall Innkeeper
• 4 Giant Killer
• 4 Lovestruck Beast
• 4 Ox of Agonas
• 4 Professor of Symbology
• 4 Seasoned Hallowblade

• Sorceries (10)
• 1 Emeria's Call
• 1 Shatterskull Smashing
• 4 Igneous Inspiration
• 4 Rip Apart

• Lands (22)
• 2 Forest
• 2 Mountain
• 2 Plains
• 4 Branchloft Pathway
• 4 Cragcrown Pathway
• 4 Fabled Passage
• 4 Needleverge Pathway

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Containment Breach
• 1 Environmental Sciences
• 1 Fractal Summoning
• 4 Glass Casket
• 1 Inkling Summoning
• 2 Klothys, God of Destiny
• 1 Mascot Exhibition
• 1 Reduce to Memory
• 2 Run Afoul
• 1 Start from Scratch

Buy This Deck Export text format Export Arena format

Let's get one thing out of the way before talking about the bulk of this deck:

This is, with the exception of Rip Apart, the only non-land card in SMANN2.0's deck that doesn't generate card advantage. It still does, sometimes!

What a clunker, right? No one likes fives in a beatdown deck! But Ox of Agonas is kind of some pre-sideboarding for Dimir Rogues, plus some later-game oomph for attrition fights.

Or, you can just discard it to Seasoned Hallowblade.

SMANN2.0's sideboard is one of the deepest in terms of Lessons. There is the customary Environmental Sciences; the end game Mascot Exhibition; but also the super-DUPER grindy Containment Breach (Disenchant that is also card advantage!). You can make a flying threat with Inkling Summoning or go very, very tall with Fractal Summoning.

But this depth goes beyond Professor-finding:

I wasn't kidding when I said this was the grindiest deck of all. Even its Lightning Bolts draw a card!

Just love that we have a Standard right now, where this kind of a deck can plausibly exist.

LOVE

MIKE