There's a lot going on in the current world of Standard! Since the recent Standard bannings, the format has been turned on its head. While there were clear winners from the bannings, most notably Dimir Midrange, there's still much to be discovered in the format.

However, the format is about to experience another major shakeup, as Standard rotation, as well as a brand new set are on the horizon, with the release of Edge of Eternities on August 1st. With only about three weeks to go until the next RCQ season starts a brand new Standard meta is about to take us all by storm.

While it's been fun to see what decks have made a resurgence since the banning of seven cards, I've mainly been looking to find decklists that have very few rotating cards. Since the bannings we've seen decks like Boros Convoke, Golgari Midrange, and Dimir Midrange all see a resurgence. However, a lot of cards from these decks rotate, like Knight-Errant of Eos, Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, Glissa Sunslayer, and removal spells like Go for the Throat and Cut Down.

There are a lot of powerful Standard shells that stick around that might define the format, depending on what cards are in Edge of Eternities, and beyond. Golgari retains Llanowar Elves, Mosswood Dreadknight, Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber, Preacher of the Schism, and Sentinel of the Nameless City, for example. Dimir loses removal spells and Faerie Mastermind, but practically every other spell survives rotation. While Mono-Red shells have lost considerable power with the banning of Monstrous Rage and Heartfire Hero, the package of Hired Claw, Emberheart Challenger, Screaming Nemesis, and Sunspine Lynx still sticks around. Overall, it's still kind of hard to tell what will be good post-rotation.

The fact of the matter with a three-year rotation cycle, is that there are just so many good cards in Standard at any given point, and as long as there isn't one dominant strategy like Cori-Steel Cutter, the format is pretty wide open.

Izzet Vivi | FIN Standard | SoccerDude789, Standard Challenge 7/10/2025/6th

• Creatures (5)
• 1 Marang River Regent
• 4 Vivi Ornitier

• Planeswalkers (1)
• 1 Ral, Crackling Wit

• Instants (13)
• 2 Get Out
• 2 Into the Flood Maw
• 1 Magic Damper
• 4 Opt
• 4 Torch the Tower

• Sorceries (9)
• 1 Obliterating Bolt
• 4 Sleight of Hand
• 4 Stock Up

• Enchantments (6)
• 2 Roaring Furnace // Steaming Sauna
• 4 Stormchaser's Talent

• Artifacts (5)
• 1 Agatha's Soul Cauldron
• 4 Astrologian's Planisphere

• Lands (21)
• 5 Island
• 3 Mountain
• 4 Riverpyre Verge
• 4 Shivan Reef
• 4 Spirebluff Canal
• 1 Thundering Falls

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Agatha's Soul Cauldron
• 2 Disdainful Stroke
• 2 Enduring Curiosity
• 2 Faerie Mastermind
• 2 Fire Magic
• 2 Lithomantic Barrage
• 1 Marang River Regent
• 1 Obliterating Bolt
• 2 Spell Pierce

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Decks like this Izzet Vivi deck definitely catch my interest, as practically no cards rotate from this list besides Shivan Reef and Obliterating Bolt. Soon enough we'll have Steam Vents back in Standard, so this is an example of a deck/shell that completely survives four sets leaving Standard. With the RCQ season fast approaching, it's important to be up to date on spoilers from the next set. Edge of Eternities being an in-universe Standard set looks to be a much more powerful and impactful set than Final Fantasy.

For example, Consult the Star Charts is one of the best two-mana draw spells/four mana draw two cards spells we've ever seen. Stock Up has already proven to be incredibly powerful, and this fills the gap at both two or four mana for additional card selection. This card feels very pushed, mainly due to its flexibility. Maybe it's my bias as a Standard Control player, but the fact that this card is great on turn two (helping you find a land or search for a removal spell) and on turn one0 (helping you find a finisher to close out the game) makes me think this card can see play in a variety of archetypes.

We also might see the rebirth of Standard archetypes that haven't been seen in years. Mono-Black aggro has existed in Standard's past, and I think with these two new cards, in addition to preexisting creatures, like Cecil, Dark Knight // Cecil, Redeemed Paladin. I could definitely see losing a game quickly from an opponent that opens on Duress, Sunset Saboteur, Archenemy's Charm (to give two +1/+1) counters. Again, I think Edge of Eternities will turn Standard completely on its head due to the power level of multiple cards we've seen already.

Other cards from Edge of Eternities might slot into already existing archetypes like Golgari Roots. With a deck that aims to exile creatures from its graveyard, Cosmogoyf might just be a two-mana huge creature in the right decklist.

Then we have cards like Anticausal Vestige, which seem powerful, but I have no clue how to evaluate properly. Perhaps this card fits in a Colorless-based ramp deck that has cards like Hedron Archive (this card is in Foundations??) and Ugin, Eye of the Storms. I had a similar feeling to Esper Origins, as I had no idea what deck it slotted into, but it seemed powerful enough. With the banning of Up the Beanstalk it found a home with Yuna, Hope of Spira, in Naya-based Overlord decks. Anticausal Vestige might be a useful tool to Colorless-based Ugin decks, but we'll just have to wait until the set drops to see if it's actually Standard-playable.

With the shock lands returning to Standard once again the format will definitely feel pretty wide-open, with so many powerful cards and shells as well as great mana across a variety of different dual lands. I'm curious to see if any decks come out on top the same way Cori-Steel Cutter Prowess did, but as of now I'm still surveying the options Standard has to offer. While Dimir Midrange would be my starting point, as it's probably the most popular deck post-bannings, there's still a lot more to be discovered among the stars.

Until next time,

-Roman Fusco