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Standard Power Rankings – 3/21/22

By / March 21, 2022

Welcome to the latest installment of the Standard Power Rankings. Here are the resources I use to inform all Power Rankings, leaning more heavily on what applies best to the given format:

  • Magic Online results. This includes Preliminaries, Weekend Challenges, Super Qualifiers, and MOCS Events.
  • MTGMelee results. I typically look at all of the events with at least twenty players.
  • Large tabletop events. When applicable.
  • Untapped.gg stats. These show win rates of various archetypes on the Magic Arena ladder.
  • Previous rankings. Just because a deck didn’t make a top 8 over the weekend, doesn’t mean it’s suddenly a bad deck.
  • Public opinion. I discuss things with my teammates, and take a look at what’s getting a lot of attention on Twitch, Twitter, Youtube, podcasts, and written content.
  • My own instincts and experiences.

 

 

 

10. Jeskai Treasures & Hinata

There are two combo-style Jeskai decks running around right now. Jeskai Hinata is centered around the new Kamigawa card Hinata, Dawn-Crowned. The primary combo is to pair Hinata with Magma Opus. If you choose six distinct targets, the Opus will only cost you two mana, which is a game-winning play. Other interesting spells to pair with Hinata include Lorehold Command and March of Swirling Mist. 

The second Jeskai deck is what I’m calling “Jeskai Treasures,” which plays Goldspan Dragon, Unexpected Windfall and Lier, Disciple of the Drowned to churn through its library and generate massive value. 

Jeskai Hinata had a 53.2 percent win rate from Silver to Mythic on the Magic Arena Best-of-Three Standard ladder. 

9. Boros

Kumano Faces Kakkazan // Etching of KumanoRabbit BatteryShowdown of the Skalds

Boros has the same overall structure as White Weenie. However, with Faceless Haven banned in Standard, there’s less incentive to stay mono-color. Adding Red offers additional aggressive options like Kumano Faces Kakkazan and Rabbit Battery, while also allowing you to tap into the staying power of Showdown of the Skalds. 

Boros had a 59.1 percent win rate from Silver to Mythic. 

8. Mardu Consume

Hidetsugu Consumes All // Vessel of the All-ConsumingAngelfire IgnitionKaya's Onslaught

“Mardu Consume” is a new archetype in Standard. It’s a well-rounded Mardu Midrange deck that plays with Hidetsugu Consumes All. The first chapter is good against small creature decks, tokens, and sacrifice strategies. But the real payoff comes at chapter three. This deck sprinkles in a small number of cards like Angelfire Ignition and ways to give double strike in order to make Vessel of the All-Consuming into a deadly threat. 

Mardu Consume had a 54.7 percent win rate from Silver to Mythic. 

7. Naya Aggro

Luminarch AspirantHalana and Alena, PartnersThalia, Guardian of Thraben

Naya Aggro, or “Naya Humans,” is a beatdown deck centered around white creatures like Luminarch Aspirant, but tapping into green and red for additional weapons. One particularly strong top-end option is Halana and Alena, Partners. 

Naya Aggro had a 58.7 percent win rate from Silver to Mythic. 

6. Naya Runes

Coming in at #6 is a very different take on the Naya color combination. The key cards of Naya Runes are Jukai Naturalist, Runeforge Champion and Showdown of the Skalds. With multiple ways to reduce the cost of your Auras, you can chain together a flurry of spells while generating +1/+1 counters from Showdown of the Skalds and Generous Visitor. Between speed, card advantage and a combo element that can kill the opponent with a giant haste creature out of nowhere, this deck really has it all. 

In my opinion, Naya Runes is the defining deck of both Standard and Alchemy. It’s extremely powerful and explosive, and is likely to steamroll anyone unprepared for the matchup. That said, it is possible to prepare for the matchup, which is why Naya Runes has slipped from the #1 position last month down to the middle of the pack. 

Naya Runes had a 59.6 percent win rate from Silver to Mythic. 

5. U/W Control

U/W Control climbs up to #5 for this installment. Control decks lost Divide by Zero, but a side effect of its banning is that Hullbreaker Horror is now more powerful than ever. To compliment blue, white now has a healthy suite of removal including Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire, March of Otherworldly Light and The Wandering Emperor. If you can walk the line between preparing for aggressive creature decks, black midrange decks and control mirror matches, then U/W Control can be a great choice.  

U/W Control only had a 52.2 percent win rate from Silver to Mythic, but its tournament results are stronger than that number would predict. I think this is an archetype that highly rewards the experience of its pilot. 

4. Rakdos Sacrifice

Rakdos Sac utilizes all of the all-star black cards like The Meathook Massacre, Deadly Dispute, and the very best removal spells and disruption. It pairs that with engine cards including Oni-Cult Anvil, Experimental Synthesizer, and plenty of the blood token cards from Innistrad: Crimson Vow.

Rakdos Sacrifice had a 56.2 percent win rate from Silver to Mythic. 

3. Selesnya

Archon of EmeriaThe Wandering EmperorEsika's Chariot

There are some Power Rankings where I need to counterbalance the ladder win rate against the total count of top finishes, and which archetypes are actually winning tournaments. This isn’t one of those times. Right now, both ladder win rates and tournament results strongly point to these top three decks being the best in the format. 

Selesnya has become a defining force in Standard. Key cards include Archon of Emeria and The Wandering Emperor. And of course, Luminarch Aspirant and Esika’s Chariot are so powerful in Standard that there’s really no wrong way to play with them. I’ve seen some players splash blue or black for additional weapons or sideboard options. 

Selesnya had a 60.7 percent win rate from Silver to Mythic.

2. Mono-White

Luminarch AspirantThalia, Guardian of ThrabenElite Spellbinder

At face value, White Weenie is a fast and punishing monocolor aggro deck. Luminarch Aspirant remains legal as one of the strongest cards in the format. Meanwhile, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Elite Spellbinder provide effective disruption. 

Also important, Mono-White is a great way to attack Naya Runes, with Archon of Emeria being one of the single best cards against strategies centered around Showdown of the Skalds. Skyclave Apparition and Brutal Cathar are also good ways to pick apart Naya Runes and ensure that they can’t run away with Auras and +1/+1 counters.

Mono-White had an extremely impressive 62.2 percent win rate from Silver to Mythic. 

1. Orzhov

Lately, Orzhov Midrange (or at least the Orzhov midrange shell) has been putting up the best numbers in the Magic Online Standard Challenges. Success on the Arena ladder and independent tournament series also matches this result. 

In a world of “fair” Magic, Orzhov might just be king. Vanishing Verse and Rite of Oblivion give it answers to everything, including the new cycle of legendary Dragons from Kamigawa. Sorin the Mirthless, Lolth, Spider Queen and a wide range of other powerful threats give the Orzhov shell a reliable stream of card advantage. Splashing blue for Kaito Shizuki and a couple of sideboard permission spells is a common approach, with red and green being possible as alternatives. 

Orzhov had a 60 percent win rate from Silver to Mythic.

 

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