The Modern RCQ season is ending, and its conclusions conflict with the online results. Boros Energy is defining the metagame, but it might not for much longer.

The post October ’24 Metagame Update: Energetic Evolution first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

As expected, Energy decks moved to the top of Modern's metagame in September. However, players are beginning to adapt and adjust their decks to compensate.

The post September ’24 Metagame Update: Energized Frog first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Nadu richly deserved to be banned, and the August metagame data proves it. However, Grief is a more speculative ban but will cause a stronger metagame shift.

The post August ’24 Metagame Update: Wings Clipped first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Nadu Breakfast is confirmed as a Tier 1 deck. Sorta. Magic Online never behaves as expected. However, the metagame's direction is quite clear. August 26 looms.

The post July ’24 Metagame Update: Bird’s the Word first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Modern Horizons 3 has released and the metagame has dramatically shifted. There's a large problem looming over Modern, but the metagame is looking healthy.

The post June ’24 Metagame Update: The New Horizon first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

With Modern Horizons 3 near, the Modern metagame is holding its breath. Players are choosing to play established decks and coast to the metagame's finish.

The post May ’24 Metagame Update: Waiting for Horizons first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Modern's metagame has fallen back on old favorites. With Modern Horizons 3 coming soon, players are holding their breath for the new shakeup. The data is clear.

The post April ’24 Metagame Update: Holding Pattern first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Violent Outburst is banned, and the Modern metagame is adjusting. However, from the data it's clear that players have little idea which direction it's heading.

The post March ’24 Metagame Update: The Cascade Crash first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

I haven't had to do that many metagame updates for February, it being the month where bans tend to happen. That wasn't the case this month, though I suspect that the data will add fuel to the banning call fires. I understand, but I'd caution everyone to consider the context before jumping to conclusions. February's data is defined by the Regional Championships and that created a localized warp.

The post February ’24 Metagame Update: Championship Changes first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

There is a clear metagame warp in January's data. However, it appears to be driven less by actual metagame forces than Magic Online being Magic Online.

The post January ’24 Metagame Update: Convergent Consensus first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Time to close the books on 2023. It's been quite a year. We saw two of the biggest sustained warps in Modern's history, banned and restricted policy reverted to an earlier form, and we had the first unban since 2019.

The post December ’23 Metagame Update: Holiday Hangover first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

With Fury and Up the Beanstalk banned, Modern is set to dramatically change. The data clearly shows how necessary the bans were, though the impact is uncertain.

The post November ’23 Metagame Update: A New World first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

Modern continues to be dominated to an extreme degree by Scam. There has been innovation in the lower tiers, but it appears that the status quo will persist.

The post October ’23 Metagame Update: It Got Worse first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

In September, Modern's metagame developed along the same lines as it did in August. This is not a good thing, and it is getting much worse. David has the data.

The post September ’23 Modern Metagame Update: Getting Cheated first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

August was... unexpected. Wizards threw everyone off with their Ban Day decisions. Bans were expected in Standard (based on Wizards' own statements) and hoped for in multiple other formats. Instead, Modern and Legacy saw unbans. The impact this has had will be on display in this metagame update.

The post August ’23 Modern Metagame Update: The Unban’s Effect first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

The Pro Tour strongly reflects the impact of Tales of Middle Earth. Modern's metagame is warping around the set to an alarming degree. The data is quite clear.

The post July ’23 Metagame Update: The Pro Tour Effect first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

The One Ring is driving the metagame changes in Modern. However, the impact isn't particularly high, and the card's power remains unclear.

The post June ’23 Metagame Analysis: Ringing In first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

The June Modern Metagame Update is here. New additions have stirred Modern's mostly stagnant metagame, but that might not be permanent. David has the details.

The post June ’23 Metagame Update: Churn Returns first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

David E. explains why Vintage on Magic Online is way underplayed, offering a crash course on its rules of engagement. Be warned: here there be dragons.

The post A Different World: Vintage, Explained first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

David E. used the MTGO All-Access Pass to extensively test Pioneer, finding closure on Rakdos, disappointment with Greasefang, and renewed faith in Spirits.

The post Pioneer Summer: Lessons Learned in RCQ Testing first appeared on Quiet Speculation.