Metagame Mentor: Modern Win Rates and Lessons from Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering® | Marvel Super Heroes

July 23, 2026

Frank Karsten

Hello and welcome back to Metagame Mentor, your weekly guide to the top decks and latest Constructed developments from Magic's most prestigious events. Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering® | Marvel Super Heroes delivered an exciting weekend, along with various innovative Modern decks that pushed the format in new directions. After several days of high-level competition and intense matches between some of the world's finest players, Yuuki Ichikawa claimed the Pro Tour trophy!

Congratulations to Yuuki Ichikawa, Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes champion!

While the Pro Tour measured skill across both Limited and Modern, today's article will focus exclusively on the Modern rounds, examining win rates and standout decks from the tournament. By setting aside the draft portion and looking beyond the Top 8, we can capture a broader perspective on the key Modern takeaways from the event as a whole.

The Modern Win Rates at the Pro Tour

The metagame breakdown showed that Boros Energy and Izzet Affinity, at 12.7% of the field apiece, were the format's premier contenders, but there was a wide variety of deck archetypes seeing play.

Below, you'll find a table with each archetype's non-mirror, non-draw, non-bye match record from the Modern Swiss rounds, along with the corresponding win rate in those matches. Each archetype name links to a representative sample decklist.

Archetype	Number of Players	Record and Win Rate
Azorius Loki	1	7-2-1 (77.8%)
Song of Creation	1	7-3-0 (70.0%)
Golgari Necro	1	7-3-0 (70.0%)
Samwise Gamgee Combo	1	7-3-0 (70.0%)
Bant Control	1	6-3-1 (66.7%)
Eldrazi Trudge	9	53-28-0 (65.4%)
Simic Neoform	14	72-47-3 (60.5%)
Hollow One	2	12-8-0 (60.0%)
Living End	4	14-11-0 (56.0%)
Eldrazi Ramp	3	14-11-0 (56.0%)
Azorius Control	5	19-16-4 (54.3%)
Golgari Yawgmoth	2	8-7-1 (53.3%)
Domain Zoo	8	33-29-0 (53.2%)
Broodscale Combo	42	140-131-13 (51.7%)
Izzet Prowess	25	84-81-3 (50.9%)
Esper Goryo's	33	124-120-11 (50.8%)
Esper Control	1	5-5-0 (50.0%)
Esper Blink	11	38-39-3 (49.4%)
Amulet Titan	25	84-88-4 (48.8%)
Boros Land Destruction	9	34-36-6 (48.6%)
Eldrazi Tron	35	115-123-14 (48.3%)
Ruby Storm	16	49-54-1 (47.6%)
Jund Cosmogoyf	3	9-10-0 (47.4%)
Azorius Blink	2	7-8-0 (46.7%)
Izzet Affinity	46	141-166-8 (45.9%)
Jeskai Control	7	20-25-4 (44.4%)
Boros Energy	46	126-159-6 (44.2%)
Grixis Reanimator	2	6-8-1 (42.9%)
Mono-Red Prowess	1	4-6-0 (40.0%)
Izzet Wizards	1	4-6-0 (40.0%)
Devoted Druid Combo	1	4-6-0 (40.0%)
Grixis Shadow	1	4-6-0 (40.0%)
Tameshi Belcher	1	2-3-0 (40.0%)
Mono-Blue Metalcraft	1	1-4-0 (20.0%)
Selesnya Ritual	1	0-5-0 (0.0%)

Despite entering the weekend as the decks to beat, Izzet Affinity and Boros Energy ultimately fell short of expectations, posting modest 45.9% and 44.2% win rates against the rest of the field. The true overachievers of the weekend in terms of win rates, many represented by only a single pilot, all boasted favorable matchups against Boros Energy and/or Izzet Affinity.

Kozilek's Command was the most-played nonland main deck card in the field, and it featured prominently in Broodscale Combo. If the Top 8 had been Modern rather than Draft, then this might well have been the deck of the tournament, placing three players into the Top 8 while posting an above-average win rate.

An analysis of the flex slots in Eldrazi Broodscale revealed that versions with Writhing Chrysalis and Commercial District significantly outperformed those built around Devourer of Destiny and Ugin's Labyrinth. As Top 8 competitor Eduardo Sajgalik explained to me, you want a midrange plan post sideboard when games become more interactive, and Writhing Chrysalis is superior to Devourer of Destiny because many opponents try to attack your mana base in post-sideboard games.

Yet Broodscale Combo wasn't the only Kozilek's Command deck putting up impressive numbers. Eldrazi Ramp strategies, which forgo Basking Broodscale and Blade of the Bloodchief but still rely on Malevolent Rumble to power out Emrakul, the Promised End as quickly as possible, also enjoyed a strong weekend. Nine of these lists included Fight Rigging alongside Slumbering Trudge as an alternative route to casting Emrakul ahead of schedule. Although they were all classified as Eldrazi Ramp in the metagame breakdown, I reclassified them as Eldrazi Trudge in the table above to spotlight the exceptional performance of this innovative variant, which will surely make Aspiringspike proud.

The Modern Decks and Players with over Seven Wins

As a reference, here are all decks that secured at least seven non-bye Modern wins at Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes, sorted by their combined non-bye Swiss and Top 8 record in descending order of win rate:

With many spicy deck choices at the top, let's take a closer look at eight top-performing decks and the lessons to take away from this tournament.

Azorius Loki

1 Flooded Strand 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Agatha's Soul Cauldron 1 Grinding Station 4 Oswald Fiddlebender 1 Misty Rainforest 4 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student 2 Hallowed Fountain 4 Seachrome Coast 1 Scalding Tarn 1 Island 4 Mox Amber 1 Pithing Needle 1 Polluted Delta 1 Skateboard 4 Mox Opal 1 Aether Spellbomb 4 Emry, Lurker of the Loch 4 Mishra's Bauble 1 Meticulous Archive 1 Sewer-veillance Cam 1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge 3 Loki, God of Mischief 4 Metallic Rebuke 1 Relic of Progenitus 4 Portable Hole 4 Urza's Saga

1 Damping Sphere 1 Disruptor Flute 1 Vexing Bauble 1 Mystical Dispute 2 Force of Negation 4 Consign to Memory 1 Shadowspear 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Haywire Mite 1 Quantum Riddler 1 Dusk Rose Reliquary

Out of all Modern archetypes, Azorius Loki posted the highest Modern win rate overall: Gaëtan Bossy, the lone pilot of the deck, went 7-2-1 in the Modern rounds. While his draft rounds went poorly, he impressed with the tournament's only deck to feature Loki, God of Mischief from Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes. The legendary trickster not only enables Mox Amber but also serves as a formidable card-advantage engine alongside Mishra's Bauble, Portable Hole, and a carefully curated suite of one-of permanents with activated targeting abilities.

As Loki may have been the missing piece for this deck, I couldn't resist naming the deck after the God of Mischief himself. However, this build is ultimately a combo deck where Oswald Fiddlebender assembles the pieces for an infinite combo: Grinding Station repeatedly sacrifices Sewer-veillance Cam, untapping Emry, Lurker of the Loch whenever the one-mana artifact enters or leaves. Emry alternates between returning Sewer-veillance Cam and a Mox to pay for it, and this all results in infinite mill. It's a delightfully intricate machine, and every piece fits together with almost mischievous precision.

Song of Creation

1 Wrenn and Six 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Forest 3 Scalding Tarn 4 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student 4 Misty Rainforest 1 Hedge Maze 1 Stomping Ground 1 Breeding Pool 3 Repeal 4 Mox Amber 2 Island 2 Bruce Banner 2 Shifting Woodland 3 Engineered Explosives 4 Mox Opal 2 Six 4 Song of Creation 3 Emry, Lurker of the Loch 4 Mishra's Bauble 4 Malevolent Rumble 1 Tormod's Crypt 2 Steam Vents 1 Urza's Saga 1 Jace, Wielder of Mysteries 1 Endurance

2 Flame of Anor 1 Wrenn and Six 1 Blood Moon 1 Lightning Bolt 1 Force of Negation 1 Strix Serenade 2 Narset, Parter of Veils 1 Tormod's Crypt 1 Haywire Mite 1 Urza's Saga 1 Swan Song 2 Unholy Heat

Rasmus Enegren had been playing his pet Song of Creation Combo deck for well over a year, and his persistence paid off with a 7-3 record in the Modern rounds. Between Mox Opal; Mox Amber; Mishra's Bauble; Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student; Emry, Lurker of the Loch; and Malevolent Rumble, the deck retains much of the same core shell as the Underworld Breach decks that dominated Modern in early 2025. But after the Underworld Breach ban, a new engine was needed to keep the gears turning.

Song of Creation proved to be exactly that engine, with Enegren affectionately dubbing the deck "IKEA Breach." With Song of Creation on the battlefield, Repeal targeting a Mox Opal or Mox Amber effectively draws five cards for zero mana, a rate that eclipses even Ancestral Recall. From there, you can tear through your entire library in one explosive turn before winning with Jace, Wielder of Mysteries. This was also the only deck in the tournament to feature Bruce Banner from Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes, a suitable new one-drop to enable Mox Amber.

Golgari Necro

1 Sheoldred's Edict 3 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse [2uHxL6cWDdvYBO3h4uB3SH] 4 Thoughtseize 4 Fatal Push 2 Dauthi Voidwalker 3 Force of Despair 4 Necrodominance 2 Underground Mortuary 1 Overgrown Tomb 4 Orcish Bowmasters 5 Swamp 2 Fell the Profane 1 Professor Dellian Fel 2 Verdant Catacombs 2 Blooming Marsh 3 March of Wretched Sorrow 4 Boggart Trawler 3 Witherbloom Charm 4 Soul Spike 2 Marsh Flats 4 Bloodstained Mire

4 Break the Ice 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Ashiok, Dream Render 2 Dauthi Voidwalker 2 Damping Sphere 1 The Meathook Massacre 2 Culling Ritual 1 Sheoldred's Edict

Golgari Necro continues the parade of unique archetypes that posted a remarkable 70% win rate. Remi Goupil, the deck's sole pilot, finished 7-3 across the Modern rounds. At its heart is Necrodominance, capable of drawing an astonishing number of cards in a single turn while an array of life-gain effects keeps the engine humming. With Sheoldred, the Apocalypse in play, you can nearly double your life total while sculpting the perfect five-card hand. Better still, because you can cast spells between drawing cards and discarding down to hand size, it's entirely possible to pay an extravagant amount of life, pitch a fistful of cards to March of Wretched Sorrow or Soul Spike, and end the turn at a higher life total than where you began.

Two noteworthy additions from Secrets of Strixhaven are Witherbloom Charm and Professor Dellian Fel. Both multicolor cards gain life, which Necrodominance eagerly converts into fresh cards, further fueling the deck's relentless engine. Another compelling reason to stay heavily in black is access to four copies of Break the Ice in the sideboard. This was the only deck at the Pro Tour to adopt that plan, and with Eldrazi Temple standing among the most-played cards in the field, it was an exceptionally well-positioned answer.

Samwise Gamgee Combo

4 Ajani, Nacatl Pariah 1 Lush Portico 1 Yawgmoth, Thran Physician 4 Windswept Heath 1 Forest 1 Dryad Arbor 1 Misty Rainforest 2 City of Brass 1 Viscera Seer 1 Temple Garden 1 Stomping Ground 2 Overgrown Tomb 1 Sylvan Safekeeper 4 Birthing Ritual 1 Dewdrop Cure 3 Goblin Bombardment 4 Verdant Catacombs 4 Cauldron Familiar 3 Young Wolf 2 Carrion Feeder 1 Haywire Mite 4 Gilded Goose 2 Boseiju, Who Endures 4 Chord of Calling 1 Godless Shrine 4 Samwise Gamgee 1 Endurance 1 Wooded Foothills

1 Lavinia, Azorius Renegade 1 Fatal Push 1 High Noon 1 Surgical Extraction 1 Witherbloom Charm 1 Vexing Bauble 1 Gaddock Teeg 1 Crystal Barricade 1 Suncleanser 1 Masked Vandal 1 Drannith Magistrate 2 Force of Vigor 2 Thoughtseize

Samwise Gamgee Combo rounds out the list of one-of archetypes that finished 7-3, this time in the hands of Jake Bailey. All in all, with so many unexpected archetypes dominating the win rate charts, this tournament proved that Modern remains a format where creativity can be rewarded and almost anything can become a contender in the hands of a skilled, experienced pilot.

As for this deck, its primary game plan is straightforward: assembling Samwise Gamgee, Cauldron Familiar, and a sacrifice outlet to create an infinite life-drain loop. This build pushes the archetype a step further by incorporating Goblin Bombardment as an additional sacrifice outlet alongside Ajani, Nacatl Pariah. That pairing had already proven itself in Boros Energy, but it slots seamlessly into this shell, driving the deck's sacrifice synergies to their fullest potential. The list also features the classic Yawgmoth, Thran Physician and Young Wolf combo, while both Chord of Calling and Birthing Ritual provide the flexibility to assemble whichever creature-based combo the situation demands.

Bant Control

1 Lush Portico 4 Planar Genesis 1 Erode 4 Flooded Strand 1 Counterspell 4 Windswept Heath 2 Misty Rainforest 1 Hedge Maze 4 Consult the Star Charts 1 Temple Garden 1 Hallowed Fountain 2 Divergent Equation 4 Orim's Chant 1 Breeding Pool 3 Teferi, Time Raveler 2 Island 2 Spell Snare 1 March of Otherworldly Light 4 Wilderness Reclamation 1 Meticulous Archive 3 Prismatic Ending 1 Solitude 4 Wrath of the Skies 2 Plains 4 Waterlogged Teachings 1 Endurance 1 Sphinx's Revelation

1 Kaheera, the Orphanguard 1 Teferi, Time Raveler 4 Mystical Dispute 4 Consign to Memory 2 Celestial Purge 1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria 1 Silence 1 Spell Snare

The fifth and final unique decklist I'd like to highlight was registered by Rui Zhang, who posted an impressive 6-3-1 Modern record with four copies of Wilderness Reclamation. It serves as another reminder that Modern is a format where unconventional ideas can still find a home, and that you shouldn't be afraid to bring your own pet deck or experimental build to a local tournament. The element of surprise matters as well, because opponents are unlikely to have extensive experience playing against a strategy they have never encountered before.

In any case, Zhang's Bant Control deck is built around a familiar foundation of sweepers and countermagic, allowing it to dictate the pace and flow of the game. However, its unique twist is Wilderness Reclamation, providing a powerful mana engine. If you have enough instant-speed ways to utilize that additional mana, such as Consult the Star Charts, Wilderness Reclamation effectively doubles your available mana resources each turn. Eventually, you can engineer a position where, at the end of your turn, you cast Endurance, destroy it with Erode, place everything back on the bottom of your deck, find Sphinx's Revelation with Waterlogged Teachings, and draw through your library minus a single card. You then pass the turn and lock your opponent out with a kicked Orim's Chant, and Teferi, Time Raveler ensures they have no opportunity to interfere. After that, you simply untap, draw, and repeat the process until victory is inevitable.

Eldrazi Trudge

1 Gemstone Caverns 2 Ugin, Eye of the Storms 4 Slumbering Trudge 4 Ugin's Labyrinth 2 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger 1 Dryad Arbor 5 Forest 4 Green Sun's Zenith 4 Eldrazi Temple 1 Cavern of Souls 4 Disciple of Freyalise 4 Kozilek's Command 1 Mosswort Bridge 4 Malevolent Rumble 4 Sowing Mycospawn 4 Emrakul, the Promised End 2 Drowner of Truth 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 4 Fanatic of Rhonas 4 Fight Rigging

2 Endurance 2 Thought-Knot Seer 1 Gemstone Caverns 3 Chalice of the Void 2 Trinisphere 3 Force of Vigor 1 Dismember 1 Elder Gargaroth

Nine players, mostly from Team Moriyama Japan, registered Slumbering Trudge alongside Fight Rigging and Fanatic of Rhonas. The Trudge, which is technically a one-mana 6/6, can enable some truly game-ending sequences. Imagine casting Slumbering Trudge on turn one, placing three stun counters on the colossal creature. On turn two, you play Ugin's Labyrinth, exile Drowner of Truth, and cast Fight Rigging. Ideally, Fight Rigging discovers a devastating payoff among the top five cards of your library, such as Emrakul, the Promised End or Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger. Then you move to combat, put a +1/+1 counter on Slumbering Trudge, and cast the exiled spell for free. That's the kind of sequence that can make an opponent feel like they have been hit by an Eldrazi-size wrecking ball.

Alternatively, turn-one Slumbering Trudge into turn-two Fanatic of Rhonas allows you to generate up to seven mana as early as turn three, enabling you to cast Ugin, Eye of the Storms far ahead of schedule. It's almost like playing a Tron deck without the usual requirement of assembling a trio of specific lands. To be fair, the deck's mana base is somewhat fragile, with only eleven reliable untapped sources of green mana on turn one, but the strategy clearly delivered when it mattered. Across the nine players on this Eldrazi Trudge variant, the deck posted a remarkable 65.4% win rate against the rest of the field—the highest among all archetypes represented by more than one player.

Simic Neoform

1 Flooded Strand 4 Neoform 4 Planar Genesis 4 Eldritch Evolution 1 Windswept Heath 2 Generous Ent 2 Forest 1 Griselbrand 1 Preordain 4 Misty Rainforest 3 Hedge Maze 4 Allosaurus Rider 1 Scalding Tarn 1 Breeding Pool 4 Consign to Memory 1 Island 1 Hooting Mandrills 1 Xenagos, God of Revels 2 Disciple of Freyalise 2 Veil of Summer 2 Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant 2 Nature's Claim 1 Ureni, the Song Unending 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 4 Summoner's Pact 3 Pact of Negation 1 Bridgeworks Battle 1 Endurance 1 Atraxa, Grand Unifier

1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite 2 Nature's Claim 1 Abhorrent Oculus 4 Mystical Dispute 1 Hooting Mandrills 1 Into the Flood Maw 2 Thundertrap Trainer 2 Veil of Summer 1 Pact of Negation

The second best performing major archetype was Simic Neoform, perhaps fittingly the Modern deck choice of eventual champion Yuuki Ichikawa. The deck's game plan is to cast Allosaurus Rider for no mana by exiling two green cards then upgrade it into a game-winning creature with Neoform or Eldritch Evolution. The premier target is Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant, who can flood the battlefield with a terrifying menagerie of finishers.

To assemble the necessary pieces, the deck relies on Planar Genesis and Summoner's Pact. For protection, it packs Pact of Negation and Veil of Summer. And if you ever find yourself staring down your own Pact trigger with no way to pay the price, Consign to Memory can even counter that looming disaster. Simic Neoform enjoyed favorable matchups against Boros Energy and Izzet Affinity, which struggle to win before turn three and usually lack enough interaction to consistently disrupt the Neoform combo.

Hollow One

1 Swamp 1 Thoughtseize 4 Lightning Bolt 1 Arid Mesa 2 Fatal Push 1 Arena of Glory 1 Scalding Tarn 4 Street Wraith 4 Orcish Bowmasters 1 Mountain 4 Burning Inquiry 4 Hollow One 1 Polluted Delta 4 Moonshadow 4 Faithless Looting 4 Marauding Mako 1 Raucous Theater 4 Nethergoyf 4 Detective's Phoenix 1 Mount Doom 1 Marsh Flats 4 Blood Crypt 4 Bloodstained Mire

1 Surgical Extraction 1 Nihil Spellbomb 2 Blood Moon 1 Rough // Tumble 4 Magebane Lizard 3 Meltdown 1 Pyroclasm 2 Thoughtseize

After highlighting a variety of successful combo and control decks, a natural question remains: If you enjoy playing aggressive strategies but aren't impressed by Boros Energy and Izzet Affinity, what options are left? One good answer is Hollow One. As the final deck highlight in this article, it's a solid choice for aggro players. It was brought by only two competitors at the Pro Tour—Adria Martin and Nick Talbot—but they combined for an impressive 12-8 Modern record, with Talbot narrowly missing the Top 8 on tiebreakers and finishing in 9th place.

Burning Inquiry is the centerpiece, enabling a turn-one Hollow One while simultaneously powering up Moonshadow and Marauding Mako, discarding Detective's Phoenix, and even triggering Orcish Bowmasters. Previous versions of Hollow One often leaned toward a more attrition-based approach, featuring cards like Fear of Missing Out, Ox of Agonas, and/or Vengevine. This build takes a different path, embracing pure aggression and burn with Nethergoyf, Orcish Bowmasters, and Lightning Bolt. The result is a streamlined, cohesive aggro deck capable of presenting a blisteringly fast clock.

What's Next for Modern?

Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes shook up the Modern metagame with the success of numerous unexpected builds, reinforcing the format's remarkable competitive diversity. At the same time, it demonstrated that established powerhouses like Boros Energy and Izzet Affinity are far from unbeatable. Ultimately, Modern continues to reward preparation, creativity, and mastery, as even the most unconventional strategies can find success in the hands of a skilled pilot.

If you'd like to test your own mettle in Modern, Regional Championship Qualifiers are open to everyone, and the current round of Modern RCQs runs through August 2. You can find an event near you by checking with your local game store or visiting your regional organizer's website.

These RCQs feed Modern Regional Championships held in September and October 2026, which in turn qualify players for Pro Tour Nauctis at MagicCon: Detroit. That event will feature Nauctis: The Sunken Realm Draft and Modern on February 26–28, 2027. Before then, however, Modern will take center stage at Magic Spotlight: The Hobbit, taking place in Brisbane, Australia, on August 28–30, 2026, and in Dallas, Texas, on September 4–6, 2026.

All in all, the future looks bright for Modern. The format continues to evolve, new heroes continue to emerge, and there is always another hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Grab your deck, learn it inside and out, and perhaps we'll see you on the big stage next!