The Mythic Invitation came and went and it was a blast. The biggest event in Magic’s history truly held its ground and put Magic up there with other Esports. Coverage was a blast; the stage was amazing and the players performed as well as everyone expected.
But we’re not here to analyze the coverage or the theme of the tournament. We stand here today to look at what the pros brought to the table!
Let’s get right to it:
- Mastermind’s Acquisition in Esper Control:
Esper control was by far the most played deck in the tournament, and rightfully so. Along with White Weenie and Monored, they are the defined best decks of the format. The pros brought lists similar to each other’s, some debated over the numbers of spot removals, mass removals, counter magic, disruption, but they all agreed on one thing: Mastermind’s Acquisition is simply too powerful not to play.
In a format with no access to game 2s and 3s, having access to your sideboard cards is not a thing, right? Well, not for this deck. The plan is to simply fill your sideboard with 15 silver bullets and pick whichever one fits the most at any given point. Dying against Monored? Sanguine Sacrament is there to save you. Need an answer to Carnage Tyrant? Settle the Wreckage. Need to win the mirror? Unmoored Ego on Teferi. You get the point.
Going forward, I cannot imagine myself playing Esper Control without at least 2 copies of Mastermind’s Acquisition, and I suggest you do the same.
- Experimental Frenzy and Runaway Steam-Kin are the way to go for Monored:
For a while, different Monored lists flooded the ladder. Risk Factor, Electrostatic field, Legion War Boss and other cards saw play, but the pros showed the way: the best Monored list plays Steam Kin and Frenzy. This is not that hard to grasp, as Steam Kin is a powerhouse if left alive and Frenzy can win you games out of nowhere, it’s the engine that runs through this deck.
I am a strong proponent of Risk Factor because of play style reasons, as it makes the deck run faster, it’s more spell-dancey if you will. But, as stubborn as I am, I must admit that, in a metagame full of Esper decks trying to out-resource you, Frenzy is by far the superior choice.
If you find me playing Risk Factor on ladder, remember, do as I say, not as I do.
- Kanister’s (Piotr Glogowski’s) Monoblue list:
Piotr Glogowski was the only player to bring Monoblue to this tournament. Monoblue is a very powerful deck for Bo3 but, in Bo1, in a metagame overrun by Monored, White Weenie and various creature decks, it did not seem like the best choice. However, Piotr’s list makes a lot of sense, since it focuses more on beating Esper control, one of the pillars of the format. 2 copies of Quench, 1 copy of Negate, plus the 2 Surge Mares (which are also very good against various creature decks) are a big improvement against Esper. Piotr proved that by taking Monoblue all the way to the finals.
Going forward, I expect to see more Monoblue players on Bo1 ladder, as I feel that this deck is a strong option. You are still unfavored against White Weenie, but I think that you are slightly ahead against Monored and Esper. That, along with good piloting (as this is a very hard deck to play) can take you a long way.
These are, in my opinion, the big techs we saw last week in the invitational. Lots of other decks were present, but one thing was clear: Esper, Monored and White Weenie have a grasp of this format. They are the most successful archetypes by far.
I played Bo1 religiously the past month, but I think I’m kind of burnt out by it right now. Maybe it’s time to take a look upon Bo3 again.
With a new set coming into Arena, things will be shaken, so even if you feel like me, rest assured my friend, we will have new toys to play with shortly.
That’s all from me this week, see you next time!
By Kratos or
