Holy *****, Wizards broke out the "other" for once!
That metagame is awful. 23% Pod, 17% Delver (UR, RUG, UWR), and Affinity is the next highest at 9%. It's like there's a parallel Modern universe out there. We have the Modern metagame, where people play Affinity, Scapeshift, Junk, Bogles, etc. Then there's this twilight zone of Modern where you just play Pod and Delver. Seriously; those two archetypes represent 40% (!!) of the day 2 metagame alone!
So much for the statement "let the format settle itself".
We see where this is going.
Holy *****, Wizards broke out the "other" for once!
That metagame is awful. 23% Pod, 17% Delver (UR, RUG, UWR), and Affinity is the next highest at 9%. It's like there's a parallel Modern universe out there. We have the Modern metagame, where people play Affinity, Scapeshift, Junk, Bogles, etc. Then there's this twilight zone of Modern where you just play Pod and Delver. Seriously; those two archetypes represent 40% (!!) of the day 2 metagame alone!
So much for the statement "let the format settle itself".
We see where this is going.
Over 3 months, the only thing that normalized was Burn. Delver and Pod just went off to the races. It's really just a metagame of the best TC deck (Delver) against the best deck against TC decks (Pod). Given that these numbers have only been getting worse since October, not better, I do not think this format is in a good place at all. The T8/T16 remains to be seen, but it would take a miracle to make up for these day 2 #s.
Well, as a newly converted Birthing Pod player (from Scapeshift) I thank our new Delve overlords, especially Treasure Cruise, for pushing a bunch of bad matchups out of the metagame.
Cruise, by itself, promoted a very popular but kinda weak deck into the top dog (UR Pyro-Delver, the deck everyone was trying to make happen since YP was printed without significant success) while also making some of Pod's worst matchups a lot less popular. Now you have this metagame (which reflects the MTGO one) of two decks. The metagame prior to KTK was way more interesting, I believe.
From a game designer perspective, I don't know if that's what you want to happen (a single card turning one archetype into the dominant deck while pushing a few others out of the picture), so that's why a lot of people think TC will be banned. It's probably a bit too early for a ban though. I would also like to see them making the bold choice instead of the easy one (banning TC and/or Pod): unban a couple cards to increase the overall power level of the format instead of powering down the top decks.
Well, that's subject for another topic though. Regarding the GP, I'm seriously hoping for a diverse Top 8 instead of a bunch of Pod and Delver mirrors (Delver mirrors must be the most boring to exist ever). 1 Pod, 1 Delver, 1 Twin, 1 Affinity, 1 BreachShift, 1 random cool deck, 1 Junk, 1 Ascendancy would be a pretty good top 8 for such a biased metagame.
Makes me think that maybe modern can only handle itself to my liking at a local level, when people are trying things and having fun, and somewhat just ignoring the meta--once it gets too competitive at the GP level it just gets boring--40% delver/pod meta.
Holy *****, Wizards broke out the "other" for once!
That metagame is awful. 23% Pod, 17% Delver (UR, RUG, UWR), and Affinity is the next highest at 9%. It's like there's a parallel Modern universe out there. We have the Modern metagame, where people play Affinity, Scapeshift, Junk, Bogles, etc. Then there's this twilight zone of Modern where you just play Pod and Delver. Seriously; those two archetypes represent 40% (!!) of the day 2 metagame alone!
So much for the statement "let the format settle itself".
We see where this is going.
Over 3 months, the only thing that normalized was Burn. Delver and Pod just went off to the races. It's really just a metagame of the best TC deck (Delver) against the best deck against TC decks (Pod). Given that these numbers have only been getting worse since October, not better, I do not think this format is in a good place at all. The T8/T16 remains to be seen, but it would take a miracle to make up for these day 2 #s.
That's what a lot of people have been saying for quite a while. An american GP with low attendance numbers and Pod/Delver being 40% of the metagame.
Healthy looks different.
Makes me think that maybe modern can only handle itself to my liking at a local level, when people are trying things and having fun, and somewhat just ignoring the meta--once it gets too competitive at the GP level it just gets boring--40% delver/pod meta.
This is just a reaction to TC warping the meta; everyone is either playing the best TC deck (UR delver) or Pod which has a great Delver match up.
If the T8 is diverse while the field is significantly less diverse, it indicates that the most common decks are common for a reason other than being the most powerful, and should eventually lose some of that popularity. It's a sign that the format will fix itself.
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*Insert giant block of annoying garbage that no one cares about but you have to scroll past anyway here*
Holy *****, Wizards broke out the "other" for once!
That metagame is awful. 23% Pod, 17% Delver (UR, RUG, UWR), and Affinity is the next highest at 9%. It's like there's a parallel Modern universe out there. We have the Modern metagame, where people play Affinity, Scapeshift, Junk, Bogles, etc. Then there's this twilight zone of Modern where you just play Pod and Delver. Seriously; those two archetypes represent 40% (!!) of the day 2 metagame alone!
So much for the statement "let the format settle itself".
We see where this is going.
Over 3 months, the only thing that normalized was Burn. Delver and Pod just went off to the races. It's really just a metagame of the best TC deck (Delver) against the best deck against TC decks (Pod). Given that these numbers have only been getting worse since October, not better, I do not think this format is in a good place at all. The T8/T16 remains to be seen, but it would take a miracle to make up for these day 2 #s.
While I do think things will get better, I believe the answer is to not ban cards, but maybe to unban a card or two, like BBE, Sword of the Meek, and GGT and see if cards like those can produce decks that can edge out some of the Pod/Delver dominance. The metagame percentage looks bad now, but this still is just one GP, in which I'm sure many people were eager to go out and test their new toys (treausre cruise, dig, etc). 3 months is nothing, the meta needs more time to stabilize.
I would also like to see them making the bold choice instead of the easy one (banning TC and/or Pod): unban a couple cards to increase the overall power level of the format instead of powering down the top decks.
While I would to see them take this approach, what cards could be unbanned that would improve the current metagame balance?
I would also like to see them making the bold choice instead of the easy one (banning TC and/or Pod): unban a couple cards to increase the overall power level of the format instead of powering down the top decks.
While I would to see them take this approach, what cards could be unbanned that would improve the current metagame balance?
Ancestral Vision, Bloodbraid Elf, and Sword of the Meek. Maybe even Jace if they're feeling gutsy enough (which I doubt they are).
Ancestral Vision, Bloodbraid Elf, and Sword of the Meek. Maybe even Jace if they're feeling gutsy enough (which I doubt they are).
Which decks would be benefit from them the most? I only have experience playing with BBE, which I feel won't make Jund stronger than the current Junk Rhino decks.
Ancestral Vision, Bloodbraid Elf, and Sword of the Meek. Maybe even Jace if they're feeling gutsy enough (which I doubt they are).
Which decks would be benefit from them the most? I only have experience playing with BBE, which I feel won't make Jund stronger than the current Junk Rhino decks.
Decks not named Birthing Pod and Delver. Ancestral Vision and possibly Sword of the Meek help control a lot (Sword of the Meek might more of a thing in Tezzeret decks, though), and Bloodbraid Elf, outside of just being a good creature you can't play in Birthing Pod, would also be great for Zoo in addition to Jund. But this is more a discussion for the ban list thread.
Back on topic, it's nice to see RG Tron actually on camera (not counting turbo matches). They seem to so rarely show it...
I guess I'm crazy in that I don't mind the delver mirror THAT much. Mirrors of anything tend to be a bit tedious, up until the last few months the mirror most often broadcast (it seems, anyways) is pod. At least watching delver mirrors is a bit better paced.
I'd rather see non-mirrors when given the choice, but delver doesn't seem particularly bad as far as mirror matches. /shrug
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Modern Decks
KnightfallGWUR
Azorius Control UW
Burn RBG
That mulligan really hurt Tron. Well played on both sides though, but I guess both of them are out of Top 8 contention.
The turning point was when he didn't crack his Expedition Map at the end of Sam's turn and had to do it on his own turn. That was the turn he needed to win I think.
Awe man. Craig Wesco is 30 points. I dont think even with a win in the last round (he could be 33 now) he makes top 8. Maybe top 16. I reallllyy want that list. Were going to round 14 right?
So much for the statement "let the format settle itself".
We see where this is going.
Over 3 months, the only thing that normalized was Burn. Delver and Pod just went off to the races. It's really just a metagame of the best TC deck (Delver) against the best deck against TC decks (Pod). Given that these numbers have only been getting worse since October, not better, I do not think this format is in a good place at all. The T8/T16 remains to be seen, but it would take a miracle to make up for these day 2 #s.
Cruise, by itself, promoted a very popular but kinda weak deck into the top dog (UR Pyro-Delver, the deck everyone was trying to make happen since YP was printed without significant success) while also making some of Pod's worst matchups a lot less popular. Now you have this metagame (which reflects the MTGO one) of two decks. The metagame prior to KTK was way more interesting, I believe.
From a game designer perspective, I don't know if that's what you want to happen (a single card turning one archetype into the dominant deck while pushing a few others out of the picture), so that's why a lot of people think TC will be banned. It's probably a bit too early for a ban though. I would also like to see them making the bold choice instead of the easy one (banning TC and/or Pod): unban a couple cards to increase the overall power level of the format instead of powering down the top decks.
Well, that's subject for another topic though. Regarding the GP, I'm seriously hoping for a diverse Top 8 instead of a bunch of Pod and Delver mirrors (Delver mirrors must be the most boring to exist ever). 1 Pod, 1 Delver, 1 Twin, 1 Affinity, 1 BreachShift, 1 random cool deck, 1 Junk, 1 Ascendancy would be a pretty good top 8 for such a biased metagame.
That's what a lot of people have been saying for quite a while. An american GP with low attendance numbers and Pod/Delver being 40% of the metagame.
Healthy looks different.
This is just a reaction to TC warping the meta; everyone is either playing the best TC deck (UR delver) or Pod which has a great Delver match up.
TC needs to get banned
Edit: taken a one land hand was stupid. And the only way delver beats zoo easily is with a delver to race. Thats what we are seeing here.
DECKS:
UB Faeries [Midrange/Tempo]
RWUGB Affinity[Aggro]
FAERIES TOO STRONK!!!1111
- Fae Prophecy, 201
5678While I do think things will get better, I believe the answer is to not ban cards, but maybe to unban a card or two, like BBE, Sword of the Meek, and GGT and see if cards like those can produce decks that can edge out some of the Pod/Delver dominance. The metagame percentage looks bad now, but this still is just one GP, in which I'm sure many people were eager to go out and test their new toys (treausre cruise, dig, etc). 3 months is nothing, the meta needs more time to stabilize.
While I would to see them take this approach, what cards could be unbanned that would improve the current metagame balance?
Which decks would be benefit from them the most? I only have experience playing with BBE, which I feel won't make Jund stronger than the current Junk Rhino decks.
Back on topic, it's nice to see RG Tron actually on camera (not counting turbo matches). They seem to so rarely show it...
The Delver mirror is the most boring thing I've ever seen. Maybe second to the Stoneblade mirror in Legacy.
| Omnath | Zada | Alesha | Scion |
| Mazirek | Animar |
Modern
UR Storm RU
UBRG Dredge GRBU
Standard
UR Thermo-Thing RU
I'd rather see non-mirrors when given the choice, but delver doesn't seem particularly bad as far as mirror matches. /shrug
KnightfallGWUR
Azorius Control UW
Burn RBG
The turning point was when he didn't crack his Expedition Map at the end of Sam's turn and had to do it on his own turn. That was the turn he needed to win I think.