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Standard Analysis: Saint Louis

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Aggressive Naya decks have become a force in the metagame. Naya Blitz and Naya Aggro have accounted for 19% of the Top 16 decks over the last month.

Here are the Top 16 decks from SCG Open: Saint Louis.

Place Deck Colors
1 The Aristocrats

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2 Naya Humans

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3 Naya Midrange

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4 UWR Tempo

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5 UWR Tempo

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6 Naya Humans

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7 Jund Midrange

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8 Esper Control

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9 Reanimator

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10 Reanimator

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11 Naya Aggro

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12 Naya Aggro

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13 GR Aggro

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14 The Aristocrats

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15 Naya Aggro

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16 Jund Midrange

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Saint Louis hosted a Naya-filled Top 16, with the other major contenders of this metagame each finishing with a pair.

Decks worth Noting

Here’s a look at the most-played cards in the Top 16 decks of SCG OPEN: Saint Louis.

Thundermaw Hellkite has staged a big comeback in the metagame, appearing in six decks across four different archetypes. Here is the breakdown of top creatures by archetype:

Card Archetype Average Avg Main Avg Side
Boros Reckoner GR Aggro 4.0 4.0 0.0
Naya Aggro 4.0 4.0 0.0
Naya Humans 3.0 0.0 3.0
Naya Midrange 4.0 4.0 0.0
The Aristocrats 4.0 4.0 0.0
Restoration Angel Naya Aggro 3.0 3.0 0.0
Naya Midrange 3.0 3.0 0.0
Reanimator 3.5 3.5 0.0
UWR Tempo 3.5 3.5 0.0
Thragtusk Jund Midrange 4.0 4.0 0.0
Naya Aggro 2.5 0.0 2.5
Reanimator 4.0 3.5 0.5
Avacyn's Pilgrim Naya Aggro 4.0 4.0 0.0
Naya Midrange 4.0 4.0 0.0
Reanimator 3.5 3.5 0.0
Thundermaw Hellkite Naya Aggro 4.0 4.0 0.0
Naya Midrange 4.0 4.0 0.0
The Aristocrats 1.5 0.0 1.5
UWR Tempo 2.0 2.0 0.0
Voice of Resurgence Naya Aggro 3.7 3.7 0.0
Naya Midrange 4.0 4.0 0.0
Reanimator 2.0 2.0 0.0
Experiment One Naya Aggro 3.0 3.0 0.0
Naya Humans 4.0 4.0 0.0
Loxodon Smiter Naya Aggro 3.3 3.3 0.0
Naya Midrange 4.0 4.0 0.0
Flinthoof Boar GR Aggro 4.0 4.0 0.0
Naya Aggro 3.0 3.0 0.0
Naya Humans 3.0 3.0 0.0
Ghor-Clan Rampager GR Aggro 3.0 3.0 0.0
Naya Aggro 3.0 3.0 0.0
Naya Humans 3.0 3.0 0.0
Naya Midrange 4.0 4.0 0.0

Domri Rade was a popular card this week, providing aggressive creature decks some removal through his second ability. Check out the top removal breakdown by archetype:

Card Archetype Average Avg Main Avg Side
Pillar of Flame GR Aggro 4.0 4.0 0.0
Jund Midrange 4.0 0.0 4.0
Naya Aggro 2.0 0.0 2.0
Naya Humans 3.0 0.0 3.0
The Aristocrats 2.0 0.0 2.0
UWR Tempo 4.0 3.0 1.0
Domri Rade GR Aggro 3.0 3.0 0.0
Naya Aggro 3.3 2.7 0.7
Naya Midrange 4.0 4.0 0.0
Mizzium Mortars GR Aggro 3.0 3.0 0.0
Jund Midrange 2.0 2.0 0.0
Naya Aggro 3.0 3.0 0.0
Naya Humans 1.0 0.0 1.0
Naya Midrange 4.0 3.0 1.0
UWR Tempo 1.0 1.0 0.0
Searing Spear GR Aggro 4.0 4.0 0.0
Naya Aggro 4.0 4.0 0.0
Naya Humans 3.0 3.0 0.0
UWR Tempo 3.0 3.0 0.0
Azorius Charm Esper Control 4.0 4.0 0.0
UWR Tempo 4.0 4.0 0.0
Ray of Revelation Naya Aggro 2.0 0.0 2.0
Naya Humans 2.0 0.0 2.0
Naya Midrange 2.0 0.0 2.0
Reanimator 2.0 0.0 2.0
Tragic Slip Jund Midrange 2.0 2.0 0.0
The Aristocrats 4.0 4.0 0.0
Supreme Verdict Esper Control 4.0 4.0 0.0
UWR Tempo 3.0 0.5 2.5
Abrupt Decay Jund Midrange 2.0 2.0 0.0
Reanimator 2.5 0.0 2.5

New Arrivals

In this section, I shine the light on cards that were included in a Top 16 deck last weekend but have seen little to no play in Standard top 16 decks prior to then.

Card Total Copies Main Side Archetype Finish
Tithe Drinker 2 0 2 The Aristocrats 14

Only one new card this week: a little extra extortion and life-gain in the fourteenth-place The Aristocrats sideboard.

Magic Online

Magic Online also serves as a proving ground for new cards and strategies. Here are some ideas that have found digital success and are worth consideration.

WBR Midrange is becoming a real threat on Magic Online. The deck combines powerful, must-answer threats such as Boros Reckoner, Obzedat, Ghost Council, and Olivia Voldaren with Sorin, Lord of Innistrad, Lingering Souls, and some of the best removal in the format. There have been a number of interesting decks cast in this mold:

Last week, I wrote about WBR Reanimator, and this week, I want to point to the growing online trend of Four-Color Reanimator. The strategy is the same as Jund Reanimator but includes red for Faithless Looting—alongside Grisly Salvage and Mulch—and Sire of Insanity to help fill the graveyard. Most of these decks also include Boros Reckoner along with both Harvest Pyre and Blasphemous Act. This deck is a prime example.

If Return to Ravnica Block Constructed is any indication, control decks are poised for a strong return after rotation. Esper Control has been getting a head start on MTGO. Obzedat, Ghost Council anchors the deck and is usually joined by Lingering Souls, Jace, Architect of Thought, and Nephalia Drownyard as win conditions. The threat mitigation suite includes all the usual suspects, including Supreme Verdict, Azorius Charm, and Dissipate.

Grixis Control is also beginning to blossom online. Snapcaster Mage and Olivia Voldaren are the staple creatures backed by Jace, Architect of Thought and whatever removal, burn, card-draw, and counters fit your needs.

That’s it for this week’s article on SCG Open: Saint Louis. Join me next week as I continue tracking the metagame and highlighting the cards and decks played in Standard. Thanks for reading!

Nick Vigabool

@MrVigabool


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