Magic The Gathering: A New Standard

By Ian McDaries | Guest Commentary

This past weekend was the 2^nd Star City Games Standard Open of the Battle for Zendikar format, and the meta is beginning to take shape. The top 8 decks consisted of 4 Jeskai decks, 3 Green-White Megamorph and 1 Bant Megamorph. The final match came down to a Green-White Megamorph mirror match with Jacob Lively winning in best of 3 games due to a combination of Warden of the First Tree and Hangarback Walker. Take a look below to check out Lively’s entire deck list.

Creatures (24)

4 Hangarback Walker

4 Deathmist Raptor

4 Den Protector

2 Hidden Dragonslayer

4 Warden of the First Tree

3 Wingmate Roc

3 Nissa, Vastwood Seer

Planeswalkers (4)

4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar

Lands (25)

6 Forest

5 Plains

3 Canopy Vista

3 Flooded Strand

4 Windswept Heath

4 Wooded Foothills

Spells (7)

4 Dromoka’s Command

3 Valorous Stance

Sideboard

2 Archangel of Tithes

2 Whisperwood Elemental

2 Evolutionary Leap

1 Mastery of the Unseen

2 Gideon’s Reproach

3 Surge of Righteousness

1 DragonlordDromoka

2 Tragic Arrogance

The Green-White Megamorph deck is a mid-range deck that takes advantage of the Den Protector and Deathmist Raptor synergy to maintain a strong board presence.The deck is extremely consistent thanks to the help of the new Battle for Zendikar lands combined with the Zendikar Fetch lands. At the top of the curve the deck sports a full set of Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and 3 Wingmate Roc. Wingmate Roc plays a lot of critical roles in the mirror match, as well as providing protection from Dragonlords and pesky thopter tokens.

With the 2^nd Standard Open in the books it will be interesting to see what takes place next weekend at the Magic Pro Tour. Will Green-White Megamorph win another major tournament or will a new deck emerge to take its place?

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