Thanks for posting a link to a top 8 aggregator! I was really hoping to see some averaging used to back up the trends the author asserts exists, and was somewhat disappointed to see only a few decklists.
The spirit of this article is a good one, though--I'd really like to see more data-driven conclusions about the game. It's unfortunate that we don't have access to turn-by-turn data of important rounds; otherwise, we could do things like evaluate the probability of winning given that two cards are in play on someone's field at the same time, and identify which synergies are most important to a deck's success.
Legendary Creature - Human Cleric (M)
You may choose not to untap ~ during your untap step. If you do, put a meditation counter on ~.
Remove a meditation counter from ~: Target creature can't attack or block until your next turn.
Remove three meditation counters from ~: Transform ~.
0/2
Buddha
Creature - Human God (White)
Indestructible
t: Exile target creature.
0/2
IIW: Use flowers. Don't use G.
Instant (U)
Reveal the top five cards of your library. An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Put one pile into your graveyard, then choose one:
Put the other pile into your hand.
Put the other pile into your graveyard. Target opponent loses 2 life for each card that was in that pile.
In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity.
IIW: German philosophy! Make your card name a link to a relevant Wikipedia (or some such) article.
Creature - Devil (R)
Menace
Whenever ~ deals combat damage to a player, that player may sacrifice a Clue. If that player doesn't, ~ deals 2 damage to that player.
3/2
IIW: Cards whose text boxes care what colors of mana were used to cast them.
Creature - Frog Wizard (U)
1U,t: Counter target spell unless its controller pays 1. If it's countered this way, put a +1/+1 counter on ~.
Its mana-charged tongue can pierce even the swiftest of spells.
1/1
IIW: "Choose a number."
Creature - Human Knight (C)
Vigilance
Creatures with power 2 or less can't block ~.
2/3
Honeydew Faerie1W
Flying (C)
t: Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
1/1
Legendary Enchantment Creature - God
Whenever you draw a card beyond your first each turn, add C to your mana pool. Until end of turn, this mana doesn't empty from your mana pool as phases end.
"Of all his mysteries, perhaps the most perplexing one is why he won't stop playing that damned thing..." -- Kydele, oracle of Kruphix
4/7
IIW: Q
Land (U)
When ~ enters the battlefield, choose a color.
t: Add one mana of the chosen color to your mana pool.
Volatile -- Whenever ~ becomes tapped, change the chosen color to a random color.
Egg of Ill-Defined Progeny 5
Artifact (R)
Volatile -- Whenever ~ becomes tapped, sacrifice it. Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a creature card and put that card onto the battlefield. Put all other cards revealed this way on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Next: Fateseal
Creature - Human Soldier (R)
2WW,t: You choose which creatures attack this turn.
2/5
Creature - Boar Warrior (U)
First strike
You may have ~ deal combat damage as though it were not blocked.
The Svinfylking have an intimate knowledge of their world's landscape, allowing them to best any attempt to contain them.
4/2
Next:
Coastal Cities
Golden Braid
Beauty in Darkness
Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature that has lifelink
Enchanted creature cannot deal damage.
At the beginning of each upkeep, enchanted creature's controller loses life equal to enchanted creature's power.
Creature- Human Rogue Pilot
Haste
Whenever ~ crews a Vehicle, that Vehicle gains flanking until end of turn. (Whenever a creature without flanking blocks it, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.)
3/2
Mysterious Egg 3
Artifact (C)
Rotten Harvest
Instant - Trap (R)
If a creature your opponent controls was turned face-up this turn, you may pay 0 rather than pay ~'s mana cost.
Counter target spell, activated ability, or triggered ability.
Enchantment (U)
Cleric creatures can't attack or block.
It's the best part of being devout.