Modern’s metagame has been shaken up repeatedly, but that’s not obvious looking at winning decks. Modern is thus in a complicated place, as David E. explains.
David Ernenwein
David has been playing Magic since Odyssey block. A dedicated Spike, he's been grinding tournaments for over a decade, including a Pro Tour appearance. A Modern specialist who dabbles in Legacy, his writing is focused on metagame analysis and deck evolution.
Defining Pioneer has eluded David E. for most of the year, but applying the manabase lens reveals the format’s true identity… and that of the others.
The metagame has achieved general stability, but the paper and MTGO metagames are diverging… and Tier 1 is half the field! David E. has the data.
The data from the first round of Regional Qualifiers is out. David E. looks into the results, analyzing whether the data reflects Pioneer’s metagame and health.
The week after a set release is always full of experimentation and surprises. David E. has seen some very unexpected cards in unexpected formats so far.
It seems likely that The Brothers’ War will endanger Karn, the Great Creator in Pioneer. However, whether Karn is too good in Modern is far more complicated.
The October Modern Metagame Update has arrived, and the results are simultaneously surprising and expected. Yorion’s ban had some unanticipated consequences.
David E has been struggling with colorless creature lands in multiple formats but wasn’t sure why. He’s finally found an answer that suggests Magic is changing.
The next RCQ season has arrived. David E’s first tournament didn’t go well, but there are still lessons to be learned about Pioneer and how to be a Spike.
David E. expected 4-Color Omnath to bounce back quickly from Yorion, Sky Nomad being banned. That isn’t happening, and there are surprising reasons why.
Yorion, Sky Nomad has been banned in Modern. David E. breaks down the implications of this ban, which stands to change Modern without changing the metagame.
