I am writing this the day after the Magic World Championships was dominated by the Lessons deck, but despite that domination, it really feels like a fresh Standard format. Sure, we've had to endure a Cori-Steel Cutter Izzet deck dominating into a Vivi Ornitier Izzet deck dominating, and now a Gran-Gran Izzet deck looms as a dominating presence, but somehow, it feels like our Izzet overlords are a bit weaker this time, and the possibility exists that we can target the deck and shift the metagame. So, let's take a look at the cards that have the best chance of shaping that metagame going forward.

Honorable Mention: Multiversal Passage

This card has been everywhere, the mortar that holds so many mana bases together. The fact that it picks up a basic land type is the little twist that makes this so powerful, as it combines with the Verge lands to make mana that would otherwise be iffy into a smooth mana base. With the five remaining shock lands on the horizon with Lorwyn Eclipsed, many are predicting that this will grow to be less useful, but I can see it remaining a 4-of in many decks that need to jungle demanding mana bases.

10. Duelist of the Mind

World Champion Nathan Steuer's card is finally starting to see some play! I've been a fan of this card since it was printed, and it's always felt right on the cusp of being great. It was just pushed out be cards that were obviously better than great (Cori-Steel Cutter and Vivi Ornitier). It doesn't fit as well into a Lesson sdeck (as Accumulate Wisdom doesn't actually draw cards) but it still pairs very well with Quantum Riddler and Fear of Missing Out, and can end a game in 1-2 turns.

9. Overlord of the Balemurk

This gives so much for such a small investment. If you hit a card on the mill for (which shouldn't be hard if you have configured your deck correctly), then this is a time bomb that replaces itself, while fueling any of the graveyard decks in the format. While Sultai Reanimator is probably the best right now, don't count out a Roots deck popping up later.

8. Jeskai Revelation

The Jeskai control deck is one way to attack the metagame going forward, and I think it has the power to do so thanks to Jeskai Revelation. Now that the control deck has a target in the Lessons deck, it can go back to the drawing board and figure out the right configuration to battle the current best deck. But, I don't see the deck's end game changing, as this is the most powerful top end in the format.

7. Quantum Riddler

This is one of the strongest cards in Standard, but I can't help but to keep underestimating it. I think I've just conditioned myself to look for big, game ending effects on modern creatures (especially those that cost five or more), whereas this feels like an old school throwback that let's you grind your opponent out of the game.

6. Appa, Steadfast Guardian

Appa didn't perform as well as hoped at Worlds, but I still think this is a viable archetype going forward. The core is powerful, and interactive, but now it has and idea of the constraints placed on the format by the top decks, and can pivot to adjust. Does it want to incorporate more Allies for a back-up plan? How about some interactive spells (more Get Lost for example) or even a card like High Noon (which can be blinked out by Appa when you're ready to go off)? I think the deck is powerful enough to remain a Tier 1.5 deck, a great choice for the right tournaments.

5. Superior Spider-Man

Sultai Reanimator feels like the deck best enabled to set the pace right now, as it is fundamentally a turn four combo deck (and is more consistent and resilient than the Omniscience combo deck). Superior Spider-Man is the centerpiece, and is the best reanimation spells Standard has seen in years. The deck is strong, and was expected to do well in the Top 8 of Worlds, but showed that even the best positioned decks can fall prey to bad draws.

4. Ouroboroid

One of the most powerful cards in the format, that has spawned multiple decks. Simic Ouroboroid was widely thought to be the best, but the Golgari Ouroboroid from Worlds definitely turned heads (and I'm betting Selesnya gets a few looks once Temple Garden arrives). As we turn to Lorwyn Eclipsed, and a possible focus on going wide with elves, I can only see this continuing its dominance into 2026.

3. Boomerang Basics

We've been here before. Cheap, interactive bounce is already banned in Standard (This Town Ain't Big Enough) so I'm not sure how WOTC thought making it cheaper, and giving it upside (drawing a card if you bounce your own permanent) was recipe for a, "fun" card to add to this Standard environment. Sure, making it a Sorcery is a big drawback, but at only 1 mana, it's not enough of a drawback to keep this from potentially becoming a problem.

2. Badgermole Cub

Heading into Worlds, this was the most talked about card, the one some people were whispering might be too good for the format. And, while the card didn't put up a particularly good performance (sneaking into the top 8 via the Otters deck), it was still one of the few cards that shaped the format, as decks we built to have a way to get rid of Cub as soon as it hit the board (less they be washed away in a flood of mana). This card isn't broken, and likely will never need to be banned, but that doesn't mean it won't continue to be one of the most influential cards in the format.

1. Gran-Gran

The most terrifying play of the World Championship weekend was a turn one Gran-Gran. Her attack/looting ability was dominant, backed by a bevy of Lesson plans that could quickly fill the graveyard, the best of which being Accumulate Wisdom which turns into Ancestral Recall (the most powerful non-artifact spell in the game's history) once you have 3 Lessons in the yard. This can be routinely done by turn three, allowing the deck to cast a flurry of Red removal spells and Blue spells to restock their hand. Monument to Endurance and Artist's Talent could also have been here, but neither of them felt as instrumental as the frozen granny.

We all gotta learn Gran-Gran's Lessons to be successful in the new Standard.

You can find more of my Magic musings on Twitter/X @travishall456 and on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/anakinsdad.bsky.social