Containing non-Eternal cards from the 2003 Eighth Edition release, Modern is one of MTG’s most beloved formats. Between Pro Tours, sudden ban announcements, and Regional Championships, Modern can evolve at an extremely fast clip, making it hard to keep up.
Now, after the conclusion of Regional Championship Los Angeles, Modern has experienced yet another shakeup, with one deck in particular looking problematically powerful.
14 | Neobrand
Neobrand made a massive resurgence after Pro Tour Marvel Super Heroes thanks to preying on Modern’s vast expanse of fair strategies. The deck offers an extremely fragile combo that revolves around sacrificing Allosaurus Rider to Neoform or Eldritch Evolution. From here, you can cheat any number of game-winning bombs, like Griselbrand or Ureni, the Song Unending to win the game. Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant can even cheat Xenagos, God of Revels into play, swinging for 32 Haste damage!
To back this plan up, Neobrand runs a bizarre suite of free spells in the form of Pact of Negation and Summoner’s Pact. With a full playset of Consign to Memory, you can counter these cards’ delayed costs, completely erasing their downsides.
That said, because this combo is extremely fragile, the deck is extremely easy to adapt to. That’s exactly what happened at Regional Championship Baltimore, where Neoform Combo posted an abysmal 42% win rate, with extremely poor matchups against Devoted Druid Combo and Dimir Midrange. Considering this, the deck may be on its way out for now, but will reemerge when players aren’t prepared for it.
13 | Green Eldrazi Tron
Eldrazi Tron uses the classic Urza’s Tower, Mine, and Power Plant to create seven colorless mana with just three lands. This can ramp out massive game-ending spells like Ugin, Eye of the Storms, or Devourer of Destiny ahead of time.
The deck then combines this with a vast suite of stax pieces, like Trinisphere and Chalice of the Void, to force opponents to play at a slower pace. With Karn, the Great Creator grabbing the perfect silver bullet for any situation, you win the game by stopping your opponent over and over.
Lately, Eldrazi Tron has adapted a mono-green shell, using The Hobbit’s Giant’s Boulder as a means to fix its draw and act as a fixing piece. This unlocks Sowing Mycospawn as a powerful midrange engine, finding your missing Tron land while exiling your opponent’s mana.
Because of this, Eldrazi Tron beats decks like Ruby Storm and Prowess that get bogged down by its hate pieces. Sadly, in the current format, most decks don’t really care, with fast combo outspeeding Eldrazi Tron and other Eldrazi decks not caring about your Stax pieces. Despite this, like many of the weaker Modern decks on this list, Eldrazi Tron can have busted draws, giving it game in different matchups.
12 | Boros Land Destruction
Quietly putting up respectable results on the regular, Boros Land Destruction is one of the most frustrating decks to play against in MTG Modern, and arguably in all of MTG. This pure control deck takes advantage of Modern’s lack of basic lands, using effects like Cleansing Wildfire and Field of Ruin to strip your opponent of mana. Combined with removal like Path to Exile
Path to ExileExile target creature. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. and Wrath of the Skies, Boros Land Destruction can literally clear every permanent off of your board.
Once you’ve run out of plays, Boros Land Destruction can start using utility lands like Cori Mountain Monastery and Castle Ardenvale to get ahead. Eventually, through 1/1 tokens, Solitude, and Kaheera, the Orphanguard as a Companion, Boros can close the game.
Similar to the Devoted Druid combo, Boros Land Destruction also has a polarizing matchup spread, but it’s a fair bit more consistent. Frankly, this deck beats up on any and every creature strategy, having fantastic matchups into Izzet Prowess, Affinity, Goryo’s, and much, much more.
In exchange, the format’s current big bad, Basking Broodscale combo, is a borderline unwinnable matchup. This also means Boros Land Destruction is a bit of a gamble to register, but it has incredibly solid matchups against most of the field.
11 | Izzet Affinity
Despite being heavily targeted at Pro Tour Marvel Super Heroes, Izzet Affinity remains one of the best decks in Modern. Your goal is to pair a vast array of zero-drop artifacts with cards like Weapons Manufacturing and Pinnacle Emissary, to overwhelm the board quickly. Capable of powering out Kappa Cannoneer as early as turn one, Affinity’s most busted hands are almost impossible to beat.
Thanks to powering out massive boards of threats quickly, Affinity decks absolutely devastate any other MTG deck trying to play fair, like Izzet Prowess, Esper Blink, or Dimir Control decks. Add four maindeck Tormod’s Crypts as splash damage for graveyard decks, and Affinity has a particularly strong Goryo’s Vengeance matchup.
Sadly, because Affinity has been this format’s bully for quite some time, every single MTG deck you play against will have targeted hate for your deck. Whether it’s Shatter the Sky or Vexing Bauble, multiple common MTG cards can blow Affinity out single-handedly. With poor matchups against faster combo decks like Basking Broodscale combo, Affinity’s success depends on what decks it hits.
10 | Devoted Druid Combo
While it hasn’t emerged all that recently, Devoted Druid Combo is one of the newest wrinkles in Modern’s metagame, offering a blisteringly fast creature combo deck that beats up on decks that don’t interact. The core combo revolves around assembling Devoted Druid and Vizier of Remedies through tutoring options like Green Sun’s Zenith and Nature’s Rhythm. Generating infinite mana, you can then win in any number of ways.
The rest of the deck includes a subset of mana dorks, like Delighted Halfling
Delighted Halfling{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast a legendary spell, and that spell can't be countered. or Birds of Paradise, plus ways to make them tap for more mana, like Badgermole Cub
Badgermole CubWhen this creature enters, earthbend 1. (Target land you control becomes a 0/0 creature with haste that's still a land. Put a +1/+1 counter on it. When it dies or is exiled, return it to the battlefield tapped.)
Whenever you tap a creature for mana, add an additional {G}. and Leyline of Abundance
Leyline of AbundanceIf this card is in your opening hand, you may begin the game with it on the battlefield.
Whenever you tap a creature for mana, add an additional {G}.
{6}{G}{G}: Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.. The Leyline is particularly notable here, creating explosive starts alongside Dryad Arbor while serving as an infinite mana outlet. By leveraging Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu and Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler, you can give your mana dorks pseudo-Haste, setting up turn two wins.
So long as you’re willing to learn the combo lines this deck has, Devoted Druid Combo offers players an extremely polarizing matchup spread, essentially turning your tournament run into a gamble. The deck absolutely crushes the controversially problematic Basking Broodscale combo, being its only truly bad matchup. It’s also quite good against other noninteractive decks like Neoform Combo and, strangely, Dimir Midrange.
In return, this deck has extremely poor matchups against decks that can interact well with it, namely Modern Prowess. Other removal-heavy decks, like Boros Land Destruction and Esper Blink, are also awful matchups. Since all of these decks are popular right now, Devoted Druid Combo is a risky deck to play, but if you’re looking to beat up on Modern’s current Broodscale menace, this is your best choice.
9 | Amulet Titan
Revolving around the Modern staple Amulet of Vigor, Amulet Titan is a land-based combo deck that uses Bounce Lands to ramp out massive haymakers. By untapping lands like Simic Growth Chamber multiple times, you can build up tons of mana, casting Primeval Titan or a lethal Scapeshift early. From there, you can eventually copy your haymakers infinitely with Mirrorpool and Aftermath Analyst, winning the game.
For some time, Amulet Titan was one of the best decks in Modern, but it recently got slapped with a Lotus Field ban. This has made the deck’s Aftermath Analyst loops significantly slower and forced it to rely on Cultivator Colossus to win games. While the deck is still playable, the nerf seems to have brought it down a peg.
Fast forward to Reality Fracture, and the addition of Roiling Canopy gave this combo deck a new tool. Now, Primeval Titan can swing for lethal damage out of nowhere, eclipsing 30 Trampling power with one creature. This has brought the deck some results at the past few Regional Championship events, making it a decent choice to beat Basking Broodscale combo.
8 | Boros Energy
Boros Energy is a fair midrange deck in Modern, revolving around a suite of synergistic creatures that can take over the game with just a few resources. Guide of Souls and Ocelot Pride are the titular pair, overwhelming the board with a cat token army. Throw in Ajani, Nacatl Pariah and Goblin Bombardment to flip it, and Boros can control the board while dealing tons of damage.
Since this creature package doesn’t take up much space, Boros Energy can back it up with tons of versatile removal. Galvanic Discharge, for example, can kill opposing creatures while setting up bigger Energy plays with Wrath the Skies. If that weren’t enough, Thraben Charm acts as a Swiss Army Knife, capable of killing creatures, destroying core enchantments like Urza’s Saga, and exiling graveyards.
Because Boros Energy has positive matchups into Basking Broodscale Combo in particular, the deck is starting to see a comeback, beating up on MTG Modern decks that aren’t fast combo strategies. Unfortunately, because fast combo is also good against Basking Broodscale, running into those decks in a larger event is quite likely.
7 | Ruby Storm
Ruby Storm offers a surprisingly consistent turn 2-3 combo deck that revolves around cost reducers like Ral, Monsoon Mage, or Ruby Medallion. From there, casting a series of fast mana spells like Pyretic Ritual and Impulse Draw spells like Wrenn’s Resolve builds up your Storm count. Then, either by Ultimating Ral or casting Past in Flames, you hit critical mass, Grapeshotting your opponent to death.
Generally, if your opponent doesn’t interact with your game plan, Storm can consistently win the game during the opening turns. Because of this, Storm has a fantastic matchup against Modern’s fairer strategies, like Izzet Affinity and Boros Energy, losing outright if they don’t keep a hand full of hate.
All of that said, Storm does have a fair few pitfalls that keep it at the bottom of this list. If you don’t draw your removal, just one Drannith Magistrate loses you the game. Other fast combo decks, like Neobrand, can also race Storm easily while offering better interaction for the matchup. If that weren’t enough, Storm can, albeit rarely, lose to itself, drawing cards in the wrong order.
Right now, Storm is performing well thanks to a ton of community innovation. Adding black to the sideboard for Thoughtseize
ThoughtseizeTarget player reveals their hand. You choose a nonland card from it. That player discards that card. You lose 2 life. and Fatal Push
Fatal PushDestroy target creature if it has mana value 2 or less.
Revolt — Destroy that creature if it has mana value 4 or less instead if a permanent left the battlefield under your control this turn. is a newer addition that players have found success with.
6 | Goryo’s Vengeance
With the rise in faster combo decks, Goryo’s Vengeance is in quite a strong position in Modern. The deck offers a midrange plan with a combo finish, leaning on resurrecting Atraxa, Grand Unifier with its namesake card. Psychic Frog can get Atraxa into the graveyard reliably, while drawing tons of cards with Quantum Riddler.
The rest of this deck packs strong, free interaction, keeping your opponent off-balance. Force of Negation can counter fast Neoform combo wins, while Solitude can ensure Basking Broodscale doesn’t get out of hand. Ephemerate is the secret glue here, doubling up on Solitude triggers while dodging Quantum Riddler and your namesake card’s downsides.
With Atraxa essentially shutting the game down against fair decks, Goryo’s Vengeance boats a slightly positive matchup against fair decks like Boros Energy and Izzet Prowess. Its wide suite of interaction gives it a fair chance against fast combo decks like Storm and Neobrand, too. This, more or less, gives Goryo’s Vengeance an even matchup or better against most of the field.
Despite covering a lot of bases, however, Goryo’s Vengeance still has one truly bad matchup. With tons of maindeck graveyard hate and a game plan that’s immune to this deck’s midrange plan, Izzet Affinity is extremely difficult to beat. Yes, you have sideboard hate like Wrath the Skies, but just one Kappa Cannoneer is usually enough to beat you. Eldrazi Tron, Esper Blink, and Boros Land Destruction can also cause Goryo’s some issues thanks to its inability to pressure slower decks.
5 | Esper Blink
Esper Blink is basically a spinoff of Esper Goryo’s that focuses more on Blink strategies using cards like Flickerwisp
FlickerwispFlying
When this creature enters, exile another target permanent. Return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step. and Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd instead of reanimating Atraxa, Grand Unifier. This creates a much grindier strategy that thrives on constant value created by Blinking cards like Overlord of the Balemurk
Overlord of the BalemurkImpending 5—{1}{B} (If you cast this spell for its impending cost, it enters with five time counters and isn't a creature until the last is removed. At the beginning of your end step, remove a time counter from it.)
Whenever this permanent enters or attacks, mill four cards, then you may return a non-Avatar creature card or a planeswalker card from your graveyard to your hand. and Quantum Riddler.
With lots of cheap removal options available, like Solitude, Fatal PushFatal PushDestroy target creature if it has mana value 2 or less.
Revolt — Destroy that creature if it has mana value 4 or less instead if a permanent left the battlefield under your control this turn., and Prismatic Ending, Esper Blink is very good at stopping the more fragile decks in Modern. This supposedly gives the deck a positive matchup against the two most popular decks in the metagame, Prowess and Broodscale, but according to Baltimore’s win rates, Prowess looks even, while Broodscale is unfavorable.
While this might mean Blink drops down the charts in the coming weeks, it still has a fair few good matchups, beating Esper Goryo’s, Dimir Midrange, Devoted Druid Combo, Slumbering Trudge Eldrazi, and a fair few other strategies. Most of Blink’s bad matchups are relatively close, too, with Ruby Storm being the most problematic to face.
4 | Domain Zoo
Surprisingly, in response to the metagame, Domain Zoo is starting to make a comeback, with two variants of the strategy showing success. While a more aggressive list using Tribal Flames and Wild Nacatl just top-eighted Regional Championship Los Angeles, a Psychic Frog
Psychic FrogWhenever this creature deals combat damage to a player or planeswalker, draw a card.
Discard a card: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Exile three cards from your graveyard: This creature gains flying until end of turn. ThoughtseizeThoughtseizeTarget player reveals their hand. You choose a nonland card from it. That player discards that card. You lose 2 life. build has also been putting up consistent results recently.
With an aggressive strategy and lots of spot removal, Domain Zoo’s more aggressive variants can consistently race Basking Broodscale combo, making it a decent matchup. The combination of Scion of Draco and Leyline of the Guildpact completely shuts down aggressive strategies, too, giving you a reliable angle against Prowess, Affinity, or Boros Energy.
In exchange, Domain Zoo can struggle against combo decks that attack on angles Zoo cannot interact with as effectively. These decks also don’t care much about untargetable lifelink creatures, shrugging off Scion. Still, as recent results suggest, this is a good overall choice for a Modern tournament.
3 | Prowess
Modern Prowess is an aggressive deck that chains together cheap spells to power up aggressive creatures. In Modern, you have access to free spells like Mishra’s Bauble and Mutagenic Growth, allowing Monastery Swiftspears to swing for lots of damage early. By combining Slickshot Show-Off and Violent Urge, this deck can often one-shot opponents out of nowhere.
In the past, this deck has been a bit too fragile to see consistent success, but Tarkir Dragonstorm’s Cori-Steel Cutter gave it a major shot in the arm. Now, alongside cantrips like Preordain and card advantage like Expressive Iteration, Prowess can offer both fast starts and consistent pressure. Throw in burn spells that double as removal, like Lightning Bolt, and Prowess can also get rid of combo creatures in a pinch.
Thanks to recent metagame shifts, Prowess is currently in a decent spot. Many of Modern’s most popular decks, like Devoted Druid Combo, are incredible matchups for Prowess. The deck’s mix of countermagic and pressure also makes it a decent choice into the swath of new fast combo decks. In exchange, Prowess has a bad matchup into decks that play early threats it can’t deal with, like Izzet Affinity and Slumbering Trudge Eldrazi.
Despite offering a negative win rate overall, Izzet Prowess is now considered one of the best decks in Modern after its fantastic performances in both Spotlight Series: The Hobbit events. Frankly, its current matchup spread makes the deck a bit suspect at the top level, but after performing well time and time again, this deck appears to be here to stay.
2 | Orzhov Scepter Chant Control
A newer deck emerging on the scene, this control deck dials up the classic combination of Orim’s Chant and Isochron Scepter to an 11. With Teferi, Time Raveler in play, this three-card combo essentially locks your opponent out from playing MTG, barring non-spell interaction like Otawara, Soaring City. Throw in the deadly combination of Narset, Parter of Veils and Day’s Undoing
Day’s UndoingEach player shuffles their hand and graveyard into their library, then draws seven cards. If it's your turn, end the turn. (Exile all spells and abilities from the stack, including this card. Discard down to your maximum hand size. Damage wears off, and "this turn" and "until end of turn" effects end.), and this deck can be extremely miserable to play against.
With a whopping 7 Silence effects, this deck exploits the lack of counterspells in current Modern. For decks like Basking Broodscale combo, whose threats are primarily sorcery-speed, a series of Silence effects can dogwalk you into a Narset Day’s Undoing combo that destroys your hand. With sequences like this being frustratingly common, this might be the most annoying deck to play against in Modern.
Scepter Chant control has been taking over the game lately, winning both Regional Championship Ottawa in Canada, and Los Angeles for the U.S. over the past two weeks. With a positive matchup into Basking Broodscale Combo and a wide variety of other decks, this is one of the best decks you can register for a Modern event right now.
1 | Basking Broodscale Combo
The Basking Broodscale combo was creeping up in play rate heading into Pro Tour Marvel Super Heroes, and it eventually had a breakout performance at Regional Championship Baltimore. The deck focuses on assembling a combo between its namesake card and Blade of the Bloodchief, making infinite mana and an infinitely big Basking Broodscale. Throw in Walking Ballista or Glaring Fleshraker, and the game ends immediately.
Speaking of Fleshraker, Magic’s broken Eldrazi gives this deck another combo-ish win with Kozilek’s Command. On top of offering incredible draw, ramp, and mana, Glaring Fleshraker essentially turns this card into a Fireball. Throw in a bunch of cheap hate cards like Vexing Bauble and Emrakul, the Promised End as a top-end finisher, and you’ve got quite a strong gameplan.
Following the results of Regional Championship Baltimore, it’s exceptionally clear that Basking Broodscale combo is the best deck in Modern by a noticeable margin. With a positive matchup against most decks, Broodscale’s bad matchups, like Boros Energy and Amulet Titan, are only slightly unfavored. The deck’s only truly bad matchup is Devoted Druid Combo.
After its extremely dominant performance, Modern players will certainly look to adapt to this deck for future events, but for now, it is the de facto best deck in the format and may need bans if players cannot adapt to it.
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