MTG Standard meta decks: Best, budget & more
The MTG Standard metagame is somewhat varied at the moment, but what are the best five decks for you to rank up in Arena and at the game shop?
The Standard format is in a good place at the moment. While grinding it out on Magic Arena or over on paper might make it seem like a bit of a slog, it’s actually varied enough that there’s no real chance of getting bored.
In our time since the bannings in May, we’ve found a reduction in annoyances. Even with MTG’s Standard metagame still plagued by cards like Sheoldred, The Apocalypse (starting at $66.45 on TCGPlayer), it’s not like we’re entirely out of options to rid the card from the board.
Though, Black in some form or another is the dominant force at the moment. Even with Meathook Massacre now banned, there’s still enough removal and shenanigans to cause a scene.
We’re using a mixture of sources, and from the looks of things, black features in about 4 of the five decks we’ll be recommending today.
Of course, rogue decks and the like are also still viable in all of MTG. Magic is partially about giving creativity to players who want to poke around at the game’s many intricate systems.
Best Standard deck in MTG: Dimir Midrange
Dimir Midrange is currently the top deck in MTG Standard according to the various sources we’ve looked at. The deck combines ensuring opponents are locked out of their game through removal and counterspells. On top of this, Liliana of the Veil and Kaito Shizuki, the two Planeswalkers featured in the deck, interfere with player plans in different ways.
Liliana ensures that players are constantly discarding cards, limiting access to their deck. Meanwhile, Kaito ensures you have a semi-steady stream of cards through his +1 ability, and his -2 gives you a neat 1/1 ninja to deal unblockable damage.
Nearly every player appears to be including a mix of Sheoldred, The Apocalypse, Tenacious Underdog, and Evolved Sleeper. Some lists appear to be including Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor, and Faerie Mastermind, but this is up to you whether you go this route.
We like using Misery’s Shadow in place of Gix. This ensures that players who want in on goodies from their graveyard will be out of luck, as they’re all going into exile.
A large part of its success stems from not only Sheoldred being a heavy hitter with an incredible ability, but also the plethora of removal options currently in the game. Cut Down, Go for the Throat and more are all available, bringing cheap removal to your games.
| Card | Amount | Price (USD/Each) | Buy Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liliana of the Veil | 3 | $12.29 | Buy Now |
| Ertai Resurrected | 2 | $0.64 | Buy Now |
| Make Disappear | 4 | $0.28 | Buy Now |
| Cut Down | 2 | $0.69 | Buy Now |
| Sheoldred, the Apocalypse | 4 | $74.37 | Buy Now |
| Graveyard Trespasser | 4 | $0.64 | Buy Now |
| Tenacious Underdog | 3 | $0.21 | Buy Now |
| Evolved Sleeper | 4 | $0.27 | Buy Now |
| Takenuma, Abandoned Mire | 1 | $6.44 | Buy Now |
| Otawara, Soaring City | 1 | $12.28 | Buy Now |
| Kaito Shizuki | 1 | $2.89 | Buy Now |
| Mirrex | 2 | $1.67 | Buy Now |
| Darkslick Shores | 4 | $2.05 | Buy Now |
| Shipwreck Marsh | 4 | $3.61 | Buy Now |
| Underground River | 4 | $2.41 | Buy Now |
| Island | 1 | $0.05 | Buy Link |
| Misery’s Shadow | 2 | $0.52 | Buy Now |
| Go for the Throat | 3 | $0.47 | Buy Now |
| Sheoldred’s Edict | 1 | $1.47 | Buy Now |
| Faerie Mastermind | 2 | $5.15 | Buy Now |
| Swamp | 8 | $0.10 | Buy Now |
Best budget Standard deck: Mono-Red Aggro
The best budget Standard deck is Mono-Red Aggro. This deck is quick, feisty and relies on you maintaining that steady stream of damage over the course of the game.
There are a few variations, but all of them appear to be including Monastery Swiftspear.
With the deck being led by Monastery Swiftspear, games can get utterly ridiculous as it starts doling out massive damage as your resources increase.
There’s also a big focus on Phoenix Chick being brought back from the dead. The 1/1 creature might be puny in a fight, but dishing out damage with Lightning Bolt or Play with Fire, means that once it’s in combat and being blocked, it could very easily topple irritating creatures on the board.
The deck has some variations, depending on your collection. As far as we can see though, you want that Swiftspear as an automatic inclusion. According to MTGGoldfish, Feldon, Ronom Excavator, and Bloodthirsty Adversary are the only other creatures that 90% or above of players include in the deck.
| Card Name | Amount | Price (USD/Each) | Buy Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning Strike | 4 | $0.09 | Buy Now |
| Monastery Swiftspear | 4 | $0.23 | Buy Now |
| Bloodthirsty Adversary | 4 | $3.70 | Buy Now |
| Play with Fire | 4 | $2.04 | Buy Now |
| Reinforced Ronin | 2 | $0.13 | Buy Now |
| Thundering Raiju | 2 | $0.25 | Buy Now |
| Strangle | 4 | $0.09 | Buy Now |
| Phoenix Chick | 4 | $0.25 | Buy Now |
| Feldon, Ronom Excavator | 3 | $0.21 | Buy Now |
| Squee, Dubious Monarch | 2 | $0.37 | Buy Now |
| Furnace Reins | 3 | $0.10 | Buy Now |
| Mountain | 19 | $2.43 | Buy Now |
MTG Standard meta decks
Outside of budget and top-tier MTG decks, the others we’ve been toying with and found work especially well include Azorius Soldiers.
Azorius Soldiers
This Blue/White deck makes for an excellent alternative option for a budget deck but is also incredibly powerful if it’s allowed to get to top speed.
It’s full of cheap creatures, so a few missed land drops won’t hurt you. It’s also packed with synergy, so you can add or remove different parts you might not have and still have a functioning MTG deck.
Slapping down Resolute Reinforcements and getting a token soldier, only to return with Zephyr Sentinel (all while in your opponent’s turn, thanks Flash!) is great fun.
If you don’t have all the pieces, a super-budget version could include Yotian Tactician. It’s a little heavier in cost, but having +1/+1 on all other soldiers you control can do some serious hurt.
| Card | Amount | Price (USD/Each) | Buy Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spell Pierce | 3 | $0.17 | Buy Now |
| Make Disappear | 4 | $0.28 | Buy Now |
| Resolute Reinforcements | 4 | $0.26 | Buy Now |
| Valiant Veteran | 4 | $0.40 | Buy Now |
| Recruitment Officer | 4 | $0.21 | Buy Now |
| Yotian Frontliner | 4 | $0.06 | Buy Now |
| Zephyr Sentinel | 4 | $0.06 | Buy Now |
| Harbin, Vanguard Aviator | 3 | $0.17 | Buy Now |
| Fortified Beachhead | 4 | $0.23 | Buy Now |
| Skrelv, Defector Mite | 3 | $3.25 | Buy Now |
| Mirrex | 1 | $1.67 | Buy Now |
| Knight-Errant of Eos | 4 | $1.03 | Buy Now |
| Adarkar Wastes | 4 | $4.49 | Buy Now |
| Seachrome Coast | 4 | $2.19 | Buy Now |
| Deserted Beach | 2 | $6.23 | Buy Now |
| Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire | 1 | $0.62 | Buy Now |
| Otawara, Soaring City | 1 | $12.28 | Buy Now |
| Secluded Courtyard | 2 | $5.41 | Buy Now |
| Plains | 3 | $0.05 | Buy Now |
| Island | 1 | $0.05 | Buy Link |
5-color/4-color Ramp
While it is starting to fall off a little, Ramp is another key MTG Standard deck. This splashes all five colors, or four colors, depending on which deck you look at. However, the key component is Atraxa, Grand Unifier. This card costs 3GWUB, which doesn’t matter when you’ve cheated out enough land cards to own a full estate.
Everything in the deck is to get Atraxa out as fast as possible. Plus, once you’re done with the ramp portion, those Herd Migrations can crack out up to five 3/3 beast tokens to really drive home the win if the 7/7 Atraxa with flying doesn’t do it first.
| Card | Amount | Price (USD/Each) | Buy Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | 4 | $0.01 | Buy Now |
| Plains | 3 | $0.05 | Buy Now |
| Island | 1 | $0.05 | Buy Now |
| Swamp | 1 | $0.04 | Buy Now |
| Mountain | 2 | $0.01 | Buy Now |
| Azusa’s Many Journeys | 2 | $0.12 | Buy Now |
| Boseiju, Who Endures | 1 | $31.40 | Buy Now |
| Topiary Stomper | 4 | $1.69 | Buy Now |
| Jetmir’s Garden | 4 | $8.24 | Buy Now |
| Spara’s Headquarters | 4 | $7.91 | Buy Now |
| Ziatora’s Proving Ground | 4 | $5.84 | Buy Now |
| Archangel of Wrath | 4 | $0.17 | Buy Now |
| Leyline Binding | 4 | $7.14 | Buy Now |
| Herd Migration | 4 | $0.10 | Buy Now |
| Ossification | 4 | $0.60 | Buy Now |
| Atraxa, Grand Unifier | 4 | $11.87 | Buy Now |
| Mirrex | 2 | $1.67 | Buy Now |
| Sunfall | 2 | $2.43 | Buy Now |
| Etali, Primal Conqueror | 2 | $4.40 | Buy Now |
| Invasion of Zendikar | 4 | $0.24 | Buy Now |
Mono-Black Midrange
The last MTG deck we’ll feature is Mono-Black midrange. Again, Sheoldred shows up, as does Liliana. This deck hits all the same notes as any other midrange deck. Keep the other player at bay, while you try to swing in for lethal damage.
It’s full of removal and tricks with creature abilities. It’s relatively basic in terms of difficulty to pilot, but as long as the other player is kept out of your way, you should find it pretty successful.
| Card | Amount | Price (USD/Each) | Buy Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phyrexian Fleshgorger | 1 | $4.53 | Buy Now |
| Liliana of the Veil | 2 | $12.29 | Buy Now |
| Sheoldred, the Apocalypse | 4 | $74.37 | Buy Now |
| Graveyard Trespasser | 4 | $0.64 | Buy Now |
| Tenacious Underdog | 4 | $0.21 | Buy Now |
| Evolved Sleeper | 4 | $0.27 | Buy Now |
| Sheoldred’s Edict | 1 | $1.47 | Buy Now |
| Cut Down | 4 | $0.69 | Buy Now |
| Go for the Throat | 4 | $0.47 | Buy Now |
| Phyrexian Arena | 1 | $3.26 | Buy Now |
| Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor | 2 | $6.13 | Buy Now |
| Misery’s Shadow | 3 | $0.52 | Buy Now |
| Razorlash Transmogrant | 2 | $0.26 | Buy Now |
| Takenuma, Abandoned Mire | 1 | $6.44 | Buy Now |
| Swamp | 19 | $0.10 | Buy Now |
| Mishra’s Foundry | 4 | $0.58 | Buy Now |
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