Table of Contents
New Capenna Championship is the next big tournament starting Friday May 20, 2022! There are 223 players invited to compete for a prize pool of $450,000 in Historic and Standard formats. Let’s find out what deck archetypes the top players of the world have decided to bring this weekend – you can find the article by Hall of Famer Frank Karsten here. All decklists will be published at the beginning of round 1, around 9 AM PT when the live broadcast also starts. Also be sure to check out the Historic Metagame Breakdown:
Overview
| Deck Archetype | # of Players | % of Field |
|---|---|---|
| Esper Midrange | 77 | 34.5% |
| Naya Runes | 30 | 13.5% |
| Jeskai Storm | 30 | 13.5% |
| Jund Midrange | 20 | 9.0% |
| Grixis Vampires | 12 | 5.4% |
| Jund Treasures | 9 | 4.0% |
| Temur Control | 6 | 2.7% |
| Izzet Mill | 5 | 2.2% |
| Mono-White Aggro | 3 | 1.3% |
| Jeskai Hinata | 3 | 1.3% |
| Mardu Midrange | 3 | 1.3% |
| Orzhov Angels | 3 | 1.3% |
| Izzet Land Destruction | 2 | 0.9% |
| Rakdos Sacrifice | 2 | 0.9% |
| Five-Color Ramp | 2 | 0.9% |
| Naya Reanimator | 2 | 0.9% |
| Izzet Calamity | 2 | 0.9% |
| Naya Midrange | 1 | 0.4% |
| Mono-Blue Tempo | 1 | 0.4% |
| Grixis Midrange | 1 | 0.4% |
| Orzhov Midrange | 1 | 0.4% |
| Izzet Aggro | 1 | 0.4% |
| Gruul Land Destruction | 1 | 0.4% |
| Bant Tokens | 1 | 0.4% |
| Temur Mill | 1 | 0.4% |
| Izzet Dragons | 1 | 0.4% |
| Boros Reanimator | 1 | 0.4% |
| Azorius Tempo | 1 | 0.4% |
| Azorius Connive | 1 | 0.4% |
Standard is as healthy as it gets right now, having the maximum amount of cards in the format with rotation coming with Dominaria United in September this year. Streets of New Capenna has made an impact to the format, especially with the three-color lands making mana bases significantly better.
With that, Midrange strategies have only got more powerful as recent cards seek to get value in every way as Aggro and Control decks, while still decent, are in a bit of a limbo. Similar to the tournament’s Historic metagame, Just over 75% of the total metagame is occupied by the top five decks, and arguably mostly midrange decks if we include the smaller sub-archetypes. Some players attempted to take advantage of the greedy mana bases of these decks via Land Destruction or an alternative win condition such as Mill.
The tournament will be featuring seven rounds of Standard. In addition between Friday and Saturday, then Sunday’s Top 8 double-elimination playoff is exclusively Standard.
Esper Midrange – 77 Players – 34.5% of Metagame
esper midrange
52.4% global win rate
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vs izzet dragons ️
83.3% win rate
6 tracked matches
vs izzet tempo
75.0% win rate
8 tracked matches
vs selesnya enchantments
74.1% win rate
27 tracked matches
vs Bant Midrange
72.7% win rate
22 tracked matches
vs dimir midrange
71.4% win rate
7 tracked matches
vs dimir control
71.4% win rate
7 tracked matches
vs Izzet Calamity
70.0% win rate
10 tracked matches
vs five-color ramp
67.9% win rate
28 tracked matches
vs dimir ninjas
66.7% win rate
6 tracked matches
vs esper control
64.7% win rate
34 tracked matches
vs Mono Black Midrange
63.2% win rate
19 tracked matches
vs other
60.8% win rate
189 tracked matches
vs azorius control
60.8% win rate
79 tracked matches
vs golgari midrange
60.5% win rate
38 tracked matches
vs jund midrange
60.3% win rate
156 tracked matches
vs Angels
60.0% win rate
50 tracked matches
vs mardu aggro
60.0% win rate
5 tracked matches
vs grixis tempo
60.0% win rate
5 tracked matches
vs orzhov midrange
60.0% win rate
310 tracked matches
vs boros aggro
59.8% win rate
132 tracked matches
vs jund treasures
58.3% win rate
24 tracked matches
vs Mono White Aggro
58.1% win rate
172 tracked matches
vs grixis control
57.9% win rate
19 tracked matches
vs rakdos midrange
57.8% win rate
45 tracked matches
vs esper planeswalkers
55.6% win rate
18 tracked matches
vs naya midrange
55.0% win rate
20 tracked matches
vs jeskai hinata
51.2% win rate
205 tracked matches
vs jeskai control
50.0% win rate
8 tracked matches
vs Mono White Control
50.0% win rate
16 tracked matches
vs izzet control
49.5% win rate
103 tracked matches
vs Mono Green Stompy
46.6% win rate
103 tracked matches
vs rakdos anvil
44.9% win rate
118 tracked matches
vs Jeskai Combo
44.8% win rate
192 tracked matches
vs Reanimator
44.4% win rate
9 tracked matches
vs temur aggro
44.3% win rate
61 tracked matches
vs selesnya midrange
42.3% win rate
71 tracked matches
vs naya runes
41.9% win rate
272 tracked matches
vs temur control
41.2% win rate
68 tracked matches
vs naya humans
40.6% win rate
32 tracked matches
vs mardu midrange
39.7% win rate
73 tracked matches
vs grixis vampires
39.4% win rate
132 tracked matches
vs izzet mill
37.5% win rate
24 tracked matches
vs Mono Red Aggro
35.3% win rate
17 tracked matches
vs azorius tempo
34.8% win rate
23 tracked matches
vs rakdos aggro
33.3% win rate
6 tracked matches
vs Mono Blue Tempo
30.0% win rate
10 tracked matches
vs abzan midrange
28.6% win rate
7 tracked matches
vs gruul aggro
20.0% win rate
5 tracked matches
Esper Midrange
by DoggertQBones
Standard
Midrange
best of 3
15 mythic
41 rare
1 uncommon
3 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (14)
Sorceries (1)
Lands (26)
60 Cards
$512.28
Sideboard
15 Cards
$52.13
This should be no surprise to those paying attention to the Standard metagame. As PVDDR predicted early in the set, Esper Midrange, is the de facto best deck in Standard right now. It is an amalgam of all the best cards packed into one deck, as nearly all the cards provide more than a card’s worth of value, and it’s a difficult deck to beat out.
Between the multiple planeswalkers, the absolute bomb that is Raffine, Scheming Seer, Legion Angel, The Meathook Massacre, and Wedding Announcement, you have a slew of cards that can generate so much advantage. However, when you have a deck that has a high density of value cards, generally speaking you can just go right over them instead of fighting the value war.
While that is typically the case, the rough thing with Esper Midrange is that they can be really fast too! Esper can just go Luminarch Aspirant or Tenacious Underdog, Raffine, Scheming Seer, into The Wandering Emperor which is an insanely difficult curve to beat if you’re looking to go over Esper.
No matter what angle of attack you may have, Esper definitely can have the answer. The deck of course isn’t unbeatable, but having all their bases covered and all their cards being value engines is a difficult strategy to meaningfully attack.
Naya Runes – 30 Players – 13.5% of Metagame
naya runes
53.3% global win rate
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vs grixis control
90.9% win rate
11 tracked matches
vs Mono Red Aggro
85.7% win rate
14 tracked matches
vs esper planeswalkers
83.3% win rate
6 tracked matches
vs jeskai control
80.0% win rate
5 tracked matches
vs rakdos midrange
73.9% win rate
23 tracked matches
vs rakdos anvil
72.0% win rate
93 tracked matches
vs temur aggro
70.3% win rate
37 tracked matches
vs other
67.7% win rate
99 tracked matches
vs bant control
66.7% win rate
6 tracked matches
vs grixis tempo
66.7% win rate
9 tracked matches
vs Mono Green Stompy
66.7% win rate
69 tracked matches
vs mardu midrange
62.8% win rate
43 tracked matches
vs izzet mill
62.5% win rate
8 tracked matches
vs golgari midrange
62.5% win rate
16 tracked matches
vs esper control
60.7% win rate
28 tracked matches
vs Bant Midrange
60.0% win rate
10 tracked matches
vs jund midrange
58.2% win rate
91 tracked matches
vs esper midrange
58.1% win rate
272 tracked matches
vs izzet control
57.9% win rate
57 tracked matches
vs five-color ramp
57.1% win rate
7 tracked matches
vs Mono Black Midrange
53.8% win rate
13 tracked matches
vs naya midrange
53.8% win rate
13 tracked matches
vs orzhov midrange
53.1% win rate
209 tracked matches
vs selesnya enchantments
50.0% win rate
14 tracked matches
vs jund treasures
50.0% win rate
10 tracked matches
vs azorius tempo
50.0% win rate
16 tracked matches
vs grixis vampires
48.8% win rate
43 tracked matches
vs selesnya midrange
46.9% win rate
32 tracked matches
vs jeskai hinata
46.5% win rate
101 tracked matches
vs Mono Blue Tempo
46.2% win rate
13 tracked matches
vs Angels
42.1% win rate
38 tracked matches
vs Jeskai Combo
39.6% win rate
111 tracked matches
vs azorius control
38.1% win rate
42 tracked matches
vs naya humans
37.9% win rate
29 tracked matches
vs boros aggro
35.1% win rate
77 tracked matches
vs Reanimator
33.3% win rate
6 tracked matches
vs Mono White Aggro
30.1% win rate
133 tracked matches
vs temur control
28.6% win rate
14 tracked matches
vs Mono White Control
0.0% win rate
8 tracked matches
Naya Runes
by DoggertQBones
Standard
Midrange
best of 3
0 mythic
37 rare
21 uncommon
2 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (16)
Enchantments (21)
Lands (23)
60 Cards
$333
Sideboard
15 Cards
$22.49
Utilizing the extremely powerful synergy between Jukai Naturalist and Runeforge Champion with Kamigawa’s Enchantment payoffs, Runes is an extremely explosive and resilient deck. We have another deck that’s no big surprise for those versed in Standard. Like Esper, Runes has been a fixture in Standard for the length of New Capenna’s release and well before it as well.
Rather than being a deck that has it all like Esper, Runes is a much different beast. You have a good amount of card advantage engines which can keep the gas flowing, but ultimately the power in the deck hinges on how hard their threats hit. Every threat in Runes is terrifying with no exceptions. Generous Visitor, Kami of Transience, and Runeforge Champion can all grow to huge proportions and obliterate any opponent within a few turns. Jukai Naturalist, while not winning the game by itself, combos with Runeforge Champion and is just generally insane in a deck with so many enchantments. With how hyper efficient this deck is, it demands respect in any matchup it’s played in. If the opponent isn’t playing a finely tuned deck or doesn’t have an abundance of removal, they’re going to be crushed.
I would definitely argue that Runes is easier to hate out than Esper as a plethora of removal will do the trick, and as a known entity a lot of players in this tournament would have come prepared for it. The deck is still powerful enough that it’s easily the second pillar of the Standard meta alongside Esper.
Jeskai Storm – 30 players – 13.5% of Metagame
Jeskai Combo
50.9% global win rate
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vs esper planeswalkers
75.0% win rate
8 tracked matches
vs Angels
70.0% win rate
10 tracked matches
vs selesnya enchantments
70.0% win rate
10 tracked matches
vs other
68.9% win rate
45 tracked matches
vs Mono Black Midrange
66.7% win rate
6 tracked matches
vs naya runes
60.4% win rate
111 tracked matches
vs Mono Blue Tempo
60.0% win rate
5 tracked matches
vs esper control
58.8% win rate
17 tracked matches
vs izzet mill
58.3% win rate
12 tracked matches
vs rakdos midrange
57.1% win rate
7 tracked matches
vs naya midrange
57.1% win rate
7 tracked matches
vs esper midrange
55.2% win rate
192 tracked matches
vs azorius control
54.3% win rate
35 tracked matches
vs azorius tempo
53.3% win rate
15 tracked matches
vs temur aggro
52.9% win rate
17 tracked matches
vs Mono Green Stompy
52.0% win rate
25 tracked matches
vs izzet control
51.3% win rate
39 tracked matches
vs jund treasures
50.0% win rate
6 tracked matches
vs orzhov midrange
50.0% win rate
134 tracked matches
vs Mono Red Aggro
50.0% win rate
8 tracked matches
vs temur control
46.2% win rate
13 tracked matches
vs mardu midrange
45.0% win rate
20 tracked matches
vs jund midrange
44.7% win rate
38 tracked matches
vs rakdos anvil
43.6% win rate
39 tracked matches
vs grixis vampires
42.9% win rate
42 tracked matches
vs jeskai hinata
42.3% win rate
52 tracked matches
vs naya humans
41.2% win rate
17 tracked matches
vs Mono White Aggro
40.3% win rate
77 tracked matches
vs gruul werewolves
40.0% win rate
5 tracked matches
vs grixis control
40.0% win rate
5 tracked matches
vs selesnya midrange
33.3% win rate
24 tracked matches
vs boros aggro
32.3% win rate
31 tracked matches
vs izzet dragons ️
16.7% win rate
6 tracked matches
Jeskai Combo
by MTG Arena Zone
Standard
Combo
best of 3
8 mythic
22 rare
14 uncommon
16 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Instants (26)
Lands (20)
60 Cards
$243.9
Sideboard
15 Cards
$5.75
This archetype already existed on the fringes before, but it’s the release of Big Score that put it over the top. Sometimes referred to as Jeskai Combo or Jeskai Treasures, the plan is to cast a lot of spells in a single turn. When you control Goldspan Dragon, Big Score is mana-neutral, and targeting your own Dragon will create Treasures. After several such spells, Show of Confidence will target Goldspan Dragon multiple times to generate even more mana, allowing you to cast Lier, Disciple of the Drowned and do it all over again. With the capability of such massive turns, it’s reminiscent of the storm mechanic—hence the name.
Jund Midrange – 20 Players – 9% of Metagame
jund midrange
49.1% global win rate
Powered by
vs dimir control
87.5% win rate
8 tracked matches
vs Mono Blue Tempo
83.3% win rate
6 tracked matches
vs grixis control
81.8% win rate
11 tracked matches
vs rakdos anvil
67.5% win rate
40 tracked matches
vs Mono White Control
66.7% win rate
9 tracked matches
vs Mono Black Midrange
66.7% win rate
9 tracked matches
vs rakdos midrange
66.7% win rate
9 tracked matches
vs grixis vampires
63.6% win rate
44 tracked matches
vs golgari midrange
62.5% win rate
8 tracked matches
vs esper control
62.5% win rate
16 tracked matches
vs mardu midrange
61.5% win rate
13 tracked matches
vs selesnya midrange
60.0% win rate
5 tracked matches
vs Bant Midrange
58.3% win rate
12 tracked matches
vs naya midrange
58.3% win rate
12 tracked matches
vs izzet control
55.6% win rate
45 tracked matches
vs Mono White Aggro
55.6% win rate
54 tracked matches
vs Jeskai Combo
55.3% win rate
38 tracked matches
vs temur aggro
52.4% win rate
21 tracked matches
vs boros aggro
51.6% win rate
31 tracked matches
vs naya humans
50.0% win rate
6 tracked matches
vs other
50.0% win rate
86 tracked matches
vs Angels
47.5% win rate
40 tracked matches
vs Mono Green Stompy
44.2% win rate
43 tracked matches
vs azorius control
42.9% win rate
7 tracked matches
vs orzhov midrange
42.3% win rate
71 tracked matches
vs naya runes
41.8% win rate
91 tracked matches
vs esper midrange
39.7% win rate
156 tracked matches
vs temur control
36.8% win rate
19 tracked matches
vs jeskai hinata
34.6% win rate
81 tracked matches
vs grixis tempo
33.3% win rate
9 tracked matches
vs five-color ramp
0.0% win rate
5 tracked matches
Jund Midrange
by DoggertQBones
Standard
best of 3
8 mythic
38 rare
12 uncommon
2 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Planeswalkers (5)
Creatures (10)
Instants (9)
Sorceries (1)
Artifacts (4)
Lands (25)
60 Cards
$428.82
Sideboard
15 Cards
$58.07
Utilizing Green ramp alongside the power of Rakdos’s interaction and Ob Nixilis, the Adversary, Jund can produce threat after threat and have the removal to back them up. Fable of the Mirror-Breaker, The Meathook Massacre, and Esika's Chariot are the best cards in Standard and putting them altogether should be a recipe for success. This is all tied together along with the most hyped up Planeswalkers in a while have – Ob Nixilis.
It does the same thing as Esper, but just a little bit bigger. In midrange metagames, it’s not surprising to see midrange decks slow down in order to capitalize on that meta, but most were probably assuming you’d have to do that with Esper. Jund hits from a different angle where it has more interaction for Esper’s scariest threats and also pays more respect to the Runes matchup to not get punked out there.
Jund Treasures
by MTG Arena Zone
Standard
Midrange
best of 3
11 mythic
34 rare
5 uncommon
10 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (22)
Instants (4)
Sorceries (4)
Artifacts (4)
Enchantments (4)
Lands (22)
60 Cards
$460.86
Sideboard
15 Cards
$14.33
The archetype also can deviate to a different Treasures version, that make use of Jaspera Sentinel and Magda, Brazen Outlaw, into Ziatora, the Incinerator. The vast majority of Jund Treasures lists also exploit Professional Face-Breaker as a spicy value engine.
Grixis Vampires – 12 Players – 5.4% of Metagame
Grixis Vampires
by MTG Arena Zone
Standard
Tribal
best of 3
6 mythic
35 rare
11 uncommon
8 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Planeswalkers (2)
Creatures (15)
Instants (8)
Lands (27)
60 Cards
$401.36
Sideboard
15 Cards
$45.79
Not much is known about this archetype, but Frank Karsten states that the deck is lead by Evelyn, the Covetous, backed up by great Vampires such as Bloodtithe Harvester and Corpse Appraiser. 12 players with the deck means that a team of players tested for it, and would be interesting to find out if they broke the format!
While Rakdos Vampires was briefly a thing, it’s unlikely that the deck will lean heavily on an aggressive side, but rather another value-oriented midrange deck that happens to have a minor tribal synergy with Evelyn.
Five-Color Ramp – 2 Players – 0.9% of Metagame
The Kami War Rigging
by MTG Arena Zone
Standard
Combo
best of 3
10 mythic
35 rare
14 uncommon
1 common
0
1
2
3
4
5
6+
Creatures (7)
Instants (1)
Enchantments (16)
Lands (26)
60 Cards
$549.14
Sideboard
15 Cards
$8.77
The Kami War and Fight Rigging are hot cards in Standard at the moment, and it is possible that with the new three-color lands in Streets of New Capenna the five-color Saga could be a surprise performer with only 2 players choosing to play it.
While the archetype leaves a lot of room for variation in builds, Frank Karsten states that it includes cards such as Courier’s Briefcase and Binding the Old Gods.
Conclusion
Overall, Standard seems to be in a healthy position right now, if not skewed a bit towards Midrange decks. Recent new cards are good at giving more than one card’s worth of value to their players, but it can be considered natural in a full Standard format with all eight sets active. This tournament should be a good baseline for players to work with for the next few months until rotation happens.
Thank you for reading!
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DoggertQBones
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