The Standard Magic: The Gathering format will take center stage at 2022 Magic Worlds, minus the Meathook Massacre, providing a number of archetypes a chance that previously didn’t exist within the format.
Wizards of the Coast pulled the trigger on The Meathook Massacre ban several weeks prior to the 2022 Magic World Championship. Showcasing three formats at MTG Worlds—Dominaria United (DMU) Draft, Explorer, and Standard—the Standard format will get showcased on day three and determine who walks away as the 2022 world champion. Since the ban, only one big Standard tournament has taken place through The Pizza Box Open.
Data from MTGMelee shows what the best MTG decks in Standard looked like before The Meathook Massacre ban at The Pizza Box: Standard Slice (played on Oct. 9) and The Pizza Box Open (played on Oct. 16). One day prior to the ban, Mono-Black Control was in the top four at The Pizza Box: Standard Slice, played by Jaden Rey with a 7-2 record. Also at the top was Grixis Midrange, Rakdos Sacrifice, and Jund Midrange—of which all ran one to three copies of The Meathook Massacre in the main deck.
Excluding Mono-Black Control, the other three decks adjusted to The Meathook Massacre ban, finishing in the top four at The Pizza Box Open. Grixis Midrange, played by Gleison Coutinho, showcased four copies of Fable of the Mirror-Breaker//Reflection of Kiki-Jiki in exchange for Meathook, along with a wide variety of removal spells for a 10-0 record.
Esper Midrange was sitting on the fringe of the Standard meta prior to The Meathook Massacre ban and will likely be one of the best Standard decks played at MTG Worlds, according to Frank Karsten. And according to data from The Pizza Box Open, players are beginning to test out other archetypes that can beat builds like Grixis, Jund, and Esper Midrange.
Finishing in fifth at The Pizza Box Open with a record of 6-2 was TingTheTong on Mono-Blue Tempo. The archetype is slightly weak to Aggro decks but performs well against Midrange builds.
Good old Mono-White Aggro is slated to have a strong showing at the 2022 Magic World Championship. The deck can steamroll over Midrange and Control builds with the ideal opening hand while having legs in a match should the stars refuse to align.
It is also in conjunction with Mono-White Aggro is Mono-White Control. Both decks finished in the top eight at The Pizza Box Open, with Mono-White Aggro having a 5-3 record, played by Juan Alvarez. And Mono-White Control, played by Michael Rocks, had a 6-2 record.
Tapping into the power of the MTG color White, along with Blue and Green, is Bant Midrange, as showcased by Larry Cheng with a 6-2 record. The Bant Midrange decks primarily rely upon Storm the Festival while tapping into the power of cards like The Wandering Emperor, Wrenn and Seven, and even Tamiyo, Compleated Sage.
The 2022 Magic World Championship will take place in Las Vegas at Magic30 and run from Oct. 28 to 30.
