Commander Legends has finally made its way to Magic Online. And the bugs that plagued the latest set’s release have (hopefully) been put out to pasture. While there were a few notable bugs that could have potentially impacted Pauper last weekend, the results of the November 21 and November 22 Challenges are no less informative. Despite an influx of new cards, the metagame looks rather similar at the surface.
None of this should be a shock. Nothing in the latest set looked like it could dethrone Flicker Tron from its perch at the top of the metagame. The Boros brothers – Bully and Monarch – both had a solid Zendikar Rising season and thanks to Prismatic Strands are well positioned to adapt to Fiery Cannonade’s pressence in the metagame. After these the most popular decks are various Spellstutter Sprite decks which adopted a bevy of new Monarch options, although Fall from Favor seems to be the most popular way to take the crown.
It is far too early to draw firm conclusions, but there are a few indications of shifts in the metagame. First, Stompy has taken another hit. Burning-Tree Emissary decks are going to have to adjust to a world with Fiery Cannonade. Going tall with Bogles or Heroic could work in theory, but if you want to pressure a life total your best bet may just be Boros Bully.
Black based midrange looks to have an uphill climb. One of the best reasons to run black was the ability to play Thorn of the Black Rose and Pestilence. Now that more colors have access to the Monarch, Pestilence is going to have to do a heavier lift and may struggle to find a foothold.
Finally, free spells are going to get better. If the metagame shifts to revolve around a turn three Fall from Favor, being able to remove the target at no cost seems paramount. Snuff Out and Gut Shot are known quantities at this point, but I am interested in trying out Snapback to see if it can get the job done.
How are you looking to approach this new metagame? What cards have been all-stars for you and which ones have underperformed?
NerdtotheCore 