Dimir Excruciator surges 11.4 points in Standard as Grixis Reanimator wins both Legacy Challenges
Standard's biggest single-day metagame spike in the dataset pairs with Grixis Reanimator sweeping both Legacy Challenges on a day when proactive strategies collected wins across every format.
Standard's most dramatic number today is Dimir Excruciator jumping from 6.8% to 18.2% of classified decks — an 11.4-point single-day shift that leads every format's metagame movement. Meanwhile, Grixis Reanimator won both Legacy Challenge events, a result that anchors the day's cross-format story of proactive and unfair strategies finishing on top.
Above them all is Truth, and Truth must be set free. If the wings of Truth are clipped, the voices will fall silent.
Modern
The Modern Showcase Challenge went to LordEgg on Affinity, who won the final 2-1 over rerere on Selesnya Ritual. In the first Modern Challenge, RiceTackler won on Soultrader Combo, beating gazmon48 on Goryo Reanimator 2-0 in the final. GWT won a second Modern Challenge on Azorius Control, and hugeowl won two separate Modern Challenge events on Izzet Cutter, taking both finals 2-1 against GWT. MayoDominaria won a fourth Modern Challenge on Boros Energy, going 2-0 in the final against Matts on Affinity.
Living End placed multiple players in top 8s across today's events, including GigaChadSigmaMale and josemasalteras. Devoted Combo moved from 0.2% to 1.3% of classified decks — a 1.2-point shift, with Nougatygoodness reaching a top-2 finish.
On the Power Ranking board, Izzet Cutter sits at number one with a Power Score of 29.8 (S Tier), Mardu Energy is number two at 26.3 (S Tier), and Jund Titan holds number three at 23.8 (A Tier). GWT posted 11 top 8s from 17 events in the rolling 30-day window.
Death_Lighter's Boros Energy build changed 62 cards from its previous version, bringing in 4 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, 3 Seasoned Pyromancer, 2 Ranger-Captain of Eos, and 2 The Legend of Roku // Avatar Roku while cutting Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury, Solitude, and Ephemerate.
Pauper
SaculSueahtam won both Pauper Challenge events on Mono Red Burn, beating Grixis Faeries in both finals. The path was consistent across both: Jeskai Ephemerate in the quarterfinals, Dimir Faeries in the semifinals, then Grixis Faeries in the final.
The Faeries family dominated both top 8s: Grixis Faeries, Mono Blue Faeries, and Dimir Faeries each placed players in the bracket. Grixis Faeries holds the number one Power Ranking spot at 26.4 (S Tier), Mono Blue Faeries is number two at 24.4 (A Tier), and Golgari Garden is number three at 23.6 (A Tier).
Izzet Faeries saw a 2.2-point metagame shift, moving from 0.2% to 2.5% of classified decks today. Esper Midrange also registered a first appearance in the trailing window, up 1.2 points from 0%.
In Pauper Leagues, Erostratus and ermakk both posted 5-0 runs on Mono Red Burn, and newbarola went 5-0 with Elves. xzaklee posted a 5-0 with Grixis Affinity.
Premodern
Vyncint_Blankenship won the Premodern Challenge with Sligh, defeating B-Carp on Selesnya Enchantress 2-1 in the final.
Selesnya Enchantress placed four players in the top 8 — B-Carp, PNascimento, albertoSD, and walrusmadness — the highest representation of any single archetype in the bracket. B-Carp defeated PNascimento in a Selesnya Enchantress mirror 2-0 in the semifinals before falling to Sligh in the final. Stiflenought placed two players in the bracket with SpockVidaLoka and Lord_Beerus.
Selesnya Enchantress holds the number one Power Ranking position at 23.9 (A Tier), Stiflenought is number two at 22.4 (A Tier), and Azorius Landstill is number three at 20.1 (A Tier).
In Premodern Leagues, Ezkay went 5-0 with Sligh — matching Vyncint_Blankenship's Challenge result — and Nhithold posted a clean run with Replenish. SoldierofFortune88 also went 5-0 with an unclassified brew. LuffyDoChapeuDePalha leads the in-form table with 11 top 8s from 21 events in the rolling 30-day window.
Standard
VitorCarvalho01 won two consecutive Standard Challenge events on Dimir Excruciator, beating Arianne on Izzet Prowess 2-0 in both finals. That result sits against the archetype's 11.4-point metagame spike — from 6.8% to 18.2% of classified decks across 16 classified lists. VitorCarvalho01's in-form numbers back the run: 10 top 8s from 17 events in the rolling 30 days.
Izzet Prowess placed three players across those two top 8s — Arianne, Hongfu_Eureka, and hauterho — reaching both finals without converting either. Izzet Spellementals was the other consistent force, with Owl1013 topping a third Standard Challenge and Danielpena397 also reaching the top 3. MJ_23 won a fourth Standard Challenge on Selesnya Landfall, and Tyerube1618 won a fifth on Jeskai Lessons.
Today's metagame share by archetype across notable shifts
Dimir Looting sits atop the Standard Power Ranking at 29.9 (S Tier), Jeskai Lessons is number two at 27.2 (S Tier), and Temur Prowess holds number three at 25.9 (S Tier). ShadowTitan1 has 9 top 8s from 13 events in the rolling 30-day window, and itstime has 6 from 19.
SpockVidaLoka's Selesnya Cub build changed 64 cards from its previous version, adding 4 Leatherhead, Swamp Stalker, 4 Pawpatch Recruit, 4 Practiced Offense, and 3 Surrak, Elusive Hunter while removing Nature's Rhythm, Spider Manifestation, and Craterhoof Behemoth.
In Standard Leagues, InalienableDreamless went 5-0 with Azorius Artifacts.
Vintage
John1111 took the Vintage Challenge on Lurrus PO, winning the final 2-0 over blub_blub's Doomsday. blub_blub had run through the bracket cleanly — beating Initiative 2-1 in the quarterfinals and Tinker 2-0 in the semifinals — before falling in the final.
Shops showed up in two flavors: Erik157751's Sphere Shops and HazuhiroNakamura's Raker Shops both reached the top 4. Tinker placed twice with Ark4n and IamActuallyLvL1. Breach registered a 2.7-point metagame shift, moving from 0% to 2.7% of classified decks today.
Doomsday holds the number one Vintage Power Ranking spot at 25.4 (S Tier), PO is number two at 21.2 (A Tier), and Lurrus Breach is number three at 21.0 (A Tier). In Vintage Leagues, BSprocess and Wanjia both posted 5-0 runs on Initiative.
Legacy
Grixis Reanimator won both Legacy Challenge events on the day — pacoelflaco took the first and AndrewWa took the second. The archetype placed five players across the two combined top 8s: pacoelflaco, GoblinK1ng, Magic_Dads71522, AndrewWa, and GoblinK1ng.
In the first event, pacoelflaco beat Energy in the quarterfinals and Oops! All Spells in the semifinals before taking the title. kcjj6 on Mystic Forge Combo was the runner-up, winning through Show and Tell in the quarterfinals and Death & Taxes in the semifinals. In the second event, AndrewWa navigated a Grixis Reanimator mirror in the semifinals before beating Carllomv's Death & Taxes 2-1 in the final.
Izzet Delver placed players in both top 8s, and Death & Taxes placed players in both brackets as well. Death & Taxes leads the Legacy Power Ranking at 23.7 (A Tier), with Azorius Midrange and Grixis Reanimator tied at number two with 23.1 (A Tier).
_Horror's Oops! All Spells changed 64 cards from the previous list — bringing in 4 Beseech the Mirror, 4 Chrome Mox, Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt, and Jeweled Amulet while cutting Pact of Negation, Summoner's Pact, and Undercity Informer. The sideboard pivoted to Dauthi Voidwalker, Goblin Charbelcher, and Lion's Eye Diamond, signalling a fundamentally different strategic profile.
Why5oSerious's Show and Tell rebuild also changed 60 cards, moving toward a greener shell with 3 Planar Genesis, 3 Veil of Summer, and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn topping out, and a sideboard featuring Carpet of Flowers and Firemind's Foresight. ctuck999 went 5-0 with Selesnya Zenith in Legacy Leagues — an archetype that registered a first appearance in the trailing 30-day window, up 1.2 points from 0%.
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