Hello, and welcome back to Metagame Mentor, your weekly guide to the top decks and latest Constructed developments on the path to the Pro Tour. This past weekend featured three premier, invitation-only Standard tournaments: Arena Championship 11, the United States Regional Championship, and Canada's Regional Championship. Together, these marquee events awarded 60 coveted Pro Tour invitations and six World Championship slots.

Standard's health and diversity were on full display, with a wide range of archetypes breaking through to the elimination rounds. In this article, I'll analyze the Standard metagame and win rates, review the finalists' decks from each event, and highlight several spicy lists that made deep runs.

The Standard Metagame and Win Rates

Standard, the rotating 60-card format that currently allows expansion sets from Wilds of Eldraine forward, is one of Magic's premier competitive formats. Last week's format primer provided an overview of the format's top decks, their game plans, and defining cards.

Across Arena Championship 11, the United States Regional Championship, and Canada's Regional Championship, a total of 1,552 Standard decklists were available for analysis. After setting archetype names based on each deck's contents, I compiled the overall metagame share and match win rates for each archetype (excluding mirror matches, byes, and draws). These metrics appear in the table below, where each archetype name links to a top-performing decklist that best represents its aggregate build.

The "Other" category collects decks with one percent metagame share or less, including Dimir Control, Dimir Deceit, Izzet Blink, Grixis Elementals, Selesnya Landfall, Mono-Black Demons, Bant Rhythm, Dimir Bounce, Temur Rhythm, Grixis Reanimator, Bant Omniscience, Boros Aggro, Sultai Elementals, Grixis Monument, Esper Pixie, Simic Omniscience, Golgari Rhythm, Azorius Otters, Jeskai Midrange, Sultai Control, and more.

The combined metagame closely mirrored last week's format primer, with the six most popular decks appearing in nearly the same order. Izzet Lessons led the field at 11% of the metagame, followed by Mono-Green Landfall at 9.9%. The metagame numbers paint a picture of a remarkably varied format where no single strategy is dominant.

In terms of performance, Izzet Lessons and Mono-Green Landfall both delivered. As shown by the check marks in the table, their 95% Clopper-Pearson confidence interval sits above 50%, indicating statistically significant, above-average performance. If these strong finishes translate into increased metagame share in the coming weeks, then Simic Rhythm may emerge as a natural predator, though that deck in turn struggles against Izzet Spellementals. Based on these dynamics, Standard can continue to churn, adapt, and evolve.

Elusive Otter
Slickshot Show-Off

The true breakout deck of the weekend was Izzet Prowess. It narrowly missed inclusion in last week's format primer due to its previously modest numbers, but its metagame share rose sharply at the Regional Championships, and it posted an impressive 60% win rate. Defined by Elusive Otter and Slickshot Show-Off, the deck may falter against Izzet Spellementals, but it proved formidable against much of the field.

On the other end of the spectrum, Jeskai Control struggled. It posted a poor 37.1% win rate, largely due to its vulnerability to Mono-Green Landfall. With that deck near the top of the metagame chart, Jeskai Control appears ill-positioned in the current Standard environment.

Let us turn to the finalists' decks from each event and some spicy lists that carved out strong finishes.

Marcelo Cavalcante Wins Arena Championship 11 with Dimir Midrange

Congratulations to Marcelo Cavalcante, who claimed victory at Arena Championship 11 with a finals win over Daniel Weiss. Both finalists earned invitations to Magic World Championship 32 at MagicCon: Atlanta on November 13–15, 2026, while the Top 16 players secured seats to Pro Tour Secrets of Strixhaven at MagicCon: Las Vegas on May 1–3, 2026.

3 Floodpits Drowner 5 Island 4 Swamp 4 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares 1 Wan Shi Tong, Librarian 3 Cecil, Dark Knight 2 Restless Reef 2 Spell Snare 3 Multiversal Passage 2 Bitter Triumph 4 Enduring Curiosity 4 Tishana's Tidebinder 2 Shoot the Sheriff 2 Requiting Hex 4 Spyglass Siren 4 Watery Grave 3 Soulstone Sanctuary 4 Deep-Cavern Bat 4 Gloomlake Verge 2 Disdainful Stroke 1 Strategic Betrayal 1 Essence Scatter 1 Intimidation Tactics 1 The Unagi of Kyoshi Island 2 Duress 2 Requiting Hex 2 Annul 1 The End 2 Soul-Guide Lantern

Dimir Midrange continues to stand as a pillar of Standard, capable of winning games with a turn-three Kaito, Bane of Nightmares. Marcelo Cavalcante's list was a largely stock build, but it carried him to the finals. "I still can't believe it," he said following his victory. "It's a dream come true."

After playing competitive Magic for decades, the victory meant a lot to him. Playing MTG Arena from home in Brazil, supported by his wife and son, Cavalcante finally captured a premier title. It was the culmination of years of persistence.

2 Willowrush Verge 4 Opt 4 Elusive Otter 4 Stormchaser's Talent 4 Burst Lightning 1 Bounce Off 4 Boomerang Basics 2 Secret Identity 4 Island 2 Wild Ride 3 Multiversal Passage 2 Into the Flood Maw 4 Stock Up 4 Riverpyre Verge 4 Steam Vents 4 Spirebluff Canal 4 Sleight of Hand 4 Slickshot Show-Off 1 Wan Shi Tong, Librarian 1 Annul 1 Get Out 1 Torch the Tower 2 Sear 2 Spell Snare 2 Pyroclasm 2 Quantum Riddler 2 Soul-Guide Lantern 1 Spell Pierce

Daniel Weiss took 2nd place with the breakout deck of the weekend: Izzet Prowess. This deck exploits a barrage of cheap card-draw spells to churn through the library while growing the power of Elusive Otter and Slickshot Show-Off to frightening proportions.

Against this deck, safety is often an illusion. Imagine they played Opt on turn one, plot Slickshot Show-Off on turn two, and cast Stock Up on turn three. If you tap out at that point, your opponent can swiftly punish you. They might untap, deploy the plotted Slickshot Show-Off, cast Stormchaser's Talent, pump their Otter token with Wild Ride and Secret Identity, and use Burst Lightning to knock you to 18. Suddenly, two 9-power fliers are in the air, and what seemed like an empty board becomes lethal in an instant.

Will Krueger Victorious at US Regional Championship with Izzet Lessons

Congratulations to Will Krueger, who triumphed in Milwaukee to win this cycle's second Regional Championship in the United States. He outlasted a field of more than 1,100 competitors, claiming the title, trophy, and $20,000 1st-place prize with a finals victory over Elijah Herr. Both finalists earned invitations to Magic World Championship 32, while the Top 32 unqualified players secured invitations for Pro Tour Secrets of Strixhaven.

6 Island 4 Gran-Gran 3 Stormchaser's Talent 4 Boomerang Basics 1 Agna Qel'a 4 Combustion Technique 2 Mountain 1 Iroh's Demonstration 1 Multiversal Passage 4 Firebending Lesson 4 Monument to Endurance 4 Accumulate Wisdom 4 Abandon Attachments 4 Riverpyre Verge 2 It'll Quench Ya! 4 Artist's Talent 4 Steam Vents 4 Spirebluff Canal 2 Disdainful Stroke 1 Flashfreeze 2 Slagstorm 1 Torpor Orb 2 Sear 2 Annul 2 Ral, Crackling Wit 2 Quantum Riddler 1 Spell Snare

Will Krueger's tournament began with a disappointing 1-2 record, but from that point forward he was unstoppable. The champion of the 2022 Magic Online Champions Showcase proceeded to win 12 consecutive matches before locking up the Top 8. His weapon of choice was Izzet Lessons. "It is broken," he explained. "Accumulate Wisdom is unreal. I can't believe it's actually a card."

Krueger's list included three copies of Stormchaser's Talent, a card that remains hotly debated. Of the 171 Izzet Lessons decks registered this past weekend, 63 played four copies, 52 played three copies, 15 played two copies, a single deck ran one copy, and 40 ran none at all. The more proactive builds with three or four copies, often accompanied by additional Boomerang Basics, scored a 54.6% win rate. By contrast, versions without Stormchaser's Talent posted a 51.0% win rate. This suggests that builds with three or four copies of Stormchaser's Talent may be slightly better positioned in the current metagame, though the difference is not statistically significant given the sample sizes.

1 Craterhoof Behemoth 4 Botanical Sanctum 3 Willowrush Verge 2 Starting Town 3 Mockingbird 2 Archdruid's Charm 3 Keen-Eyed Curator 2 Wistfulness 6 Forest 4 Llanowar Elves 4 Badgermole Cub 4 Gene Pollinator 4 Breeding Pool 4 Nature's Rhythm 3 Multiversal Passage 4 Spider Manifestation 3 Ouroboroid 4 Quantum Riddler 2 Shimmerwilds Growth 2 Surrak, Elusive Hunter 1 Repulsive Mutation 1 Oko, Lorwyn Liege 2 Unable to Scream 1 Champion of the Weird 2 Spider-Sense 2 Soul-Guide Lantern 1 Explosive Prodigy 1 Ygra, Eater of All

Simic Rhythm continues to maximize Badgermole Cub with a package of cheap mana-generating creatures. Elijah Herr's take was notably tuned for the Izzet Lessons matchup. It opted for Archdruid's Charm over the more conventional Spider-Sense, as the Charm functions both as a tutor and as a flexible answer to Gran-Gran or Monument to Endurance. Two copies of Wistfulness provided additional insurance against Monument to Endurance, while three main-deck Keen-Eyed Curator helped blunt the power of Accumulate Wisdom.

Herr navigated past several Izzet Lessons opponents on his path to the Top 8, but in the end he fell to Krueger's relentless run.

Neilson Zhang Triumphs at Canada's Regional Championship with Dimir Midrange

Congratulations to Neilson Zhang, who emerged victorious at Canada's Regional Championship, defeating Aidan Mirabelli in the finals. Both finalists earned invitations to Magic World Championship 32, while the Top 12 unqualified players secured spots at Pro Tour Secrets of Strixhaven.

3 Swamp 4 Floodpits Drowner 4 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares 1 Wan Shi Tong, Librarian 1 Phantom Interference 2 Cecil, Dark Knight 2 Restless Reef 1 Fountainport 4 Island 4 Multiversal Passage 3 Enduring Curiosity 2 Bitter Triumph 2 Shoot the Sheriff 3 Requiting Hex 4 Spyglass Siren 3 Tishana's Tidebinder 4 Watery Grave 2 Soulstone Sanctuary 2 Quantum Riddler 4 Deep-Cavern Bat 4 Gloomlake Verge 1 Heartless Act 1 Strategic Betrayal 1 Essence Scatter 1 Requiting Hex 1 Intimidation Tactics 2 Ghost Vacuum 1 The Unagi of Kyoshi Island 2 Duress 2 Annul 2 Day of Black Sun 1 Soul-Guide Lantern 1 Negate

With titles from Marcelo Cavalcante at Arena Championship 11 and Neilson Zhang in Canada, Dimir Midrange captured two premier trophies in a single weekend. That outcome is surprising, given that the archetype comprised only 6.1% of the field, with a near-average 51.5% win rate. Yet Zhang, who earned his RC qualification through an RCQ at Magic Stronghold Games in Vancouver, defied the odds and secured the win.

While the two winning Dimir Midrange lists share many cards, Zhang's list distinguished itself with main-deck copies of Quantum Riddler. Only two of the 94 Dimir Midrange players included that card in their main deck this past weekend. However, the multi-format all-star clearly fits well into any blue deck, providing card advantage, staying power, and a meaningful battlefield presence, even without blink or ramp synergies.

2 Promising Vein 4 Earthbender Ascension 2 Archdruid's Charm 4 Sapling Nursery 4 Sazh's Chocobo 4 Icetill Explorer 4 Llanowar Elves 4 Badgermole Cub 4 Fabled Passage 13 Forest 2 Esper Origins 3 Mightform Harmonizer 4 Escape Tunnel 1 Fecund Greenshell 3 Ba Sing Se 2 Mossborn Hydra 2 Origin of Metalbending 1 Surrak, Elusive Hunter 3 Torpor Orb 1 Keen-Eyed Curator 3 Meltstrider's Resolve 1 Pawpatch Formation 1 Soul-Guide Lantern 2 Mossborn Hydra 1 Sandman, Shifting Scoundrel

Mono-Green Landfall leverages Escape Tunnel and Fabled Passage to generate multiple landfall triggers in a single turn. "I love playing the deck," Adams said. "I felt it was strong and good into the meta." The numbers back her up, as the archetype posted an impressive 55.8% win rate across the weekend's events.

When asked about the best card of the weekend, she pointed to Sapling Nursery. "I love my beautiful trees," she said. The enchantment can quickly overwhelm the battlefield, single-handedly taking over the game, and it's a good reason to stick to mono-green.

The Spiciest Decks from Last Weekend

While the Pro Tour invitations largely went to established archetypes, sometimes with a subtle splash, several inventive decks came close. Here are three of my favorites.

4 Multiversal Passage 6 Island 4 Roiling Dragonstorm 4 Firdoch Core 4 Get Out 4 Restless Anchorage 4 Stormchaser's Talent 4 Valley Floodcaller 4 Consult the Star Charts 4 Boomerang Basics 4 Seam Rip 4 Floodfarm Verge 4 Hallowed Fountain 4 Sleight of Hand 2 Sygg's Command 2 Spell Snare 3 Split Up 2 Wan Shi Tong, Librarian 2 Torpor Orb 2 Rest in Peace 2 Exorcise 2 Voice of Victory

Christopher Henderson finished 11-4 in 56th place at the United States Regional Championship with a spicy Azorius Otters deck. Valley Floodcaller evokes memories of the old Temur Otters builds that looped alongside Enduring Vitality, but this version hinges on a more obscure piece from Lorwyn Eclipsed: Firdoch Core. Since it has changeling, Firdoch Core counts as an Otter. With Valley Floodcaller and Firdoch Core on the battlefield, you can tap the artifact for blue mana, cast Sleight of Hand, and untap it. This engine allows you to quickly churn through your library.

Firdoch Core also counts as a Merfolk and a Dragon, which unlocks further synergies. Sygg's Command can copy it, letting Roiling Dragonstorm return to your hand. This all sets up a massive, storm-like combo turn. Ultimately, with three copies of Firdoch Core on the battlefield, you can bounce Stormchaser's Talent with Boomerang Basics, replay it, and advance it to its second level to return Boomerang Basics. This six-mana sequence untaps your Cores twice with Valley Floodcaller, so it pays for itself. This lets you storm off while boosting your Otters to infinite power. When it works, it's spectacular.

1 Swamp 1 Mistrise Village 1 Restless Cottage 1 Willowrush Verge 1 Sandman, Shifting Scoundrel 2 Heritage Reclamation 3 Consult the Star Charts 1 Underground Mortuary 1 Demolition Field 2 Restless Reef 4 Deadly Cover-Up 4 Deceit 2 Awaken the Honored Dead 2 Urgent Necropsy 1 Ghost Vacuum 1 Island 2 Multiversal Passage 1 Undercity Sewers 4 Rakshasa's Bargain 2 Wastewood Verge 4 Overgrown Tomb 1 Shoot the Sheriff 1 Ba Sing Se 2 Requiting Hex 1 Day of Black Sun 2 Stock Up 4 Watery Grave 1 Cease // Desist 1 The End 1 Riverchurn Monument 2 Gloomlake Verge 3 Ancient Cornucopia 1 Requiting Hex 2 Intimidation Tactics 1 Ghost Vacuum 1 Awaken the Honored Dead 3 Duress 1 Urgent Necropsy 1 Ancient Vendetta 2 The End 1 Heritage Reclamation 2 Zero Point Ballad

Christopher Henderson went 9-4-2, finishing in 129th place at the United States Regional Championship, with a cleverly positioned Sultai Control deck. The list featured unusual but devastating answers. For example, Deadly Cover-Up and The End can exile any card from a library, even basic lands. Against Mono-Green Landfall, exiling an earthbent Forest can strip every basic land from the opponent's library, effectively nullifying their Escape Tunnel, Fabled Passage, and entire landfall engine.

The green splash also unlocks Urgent Necropsy and Awaken the Honored Dead as clean answers to Monument to Endurance. Once an Izzet Lessons or Dimir Excruciator opponent has depleted their library too much, Riverchurn Monument can mill them out in one shot. These unique play patterns likely caught many opponents off guard.

4 Doorkeeper Thrull 4 Origin of Spider-Man 4 Skyward Spider 10 Plains 2 Starting Town 4 Optimistic Scavenger 4 Veteran Survivor 4 Sheltered by Ghosts 4 Seam Rip 4 Feather of Flight 4 Ethereal Armor 4 Hallowed Fountain 4 Floodfarm Verge 4 Shardmage's Rescue 3 Spell Pierce 2 Unable to Scream 1 Adept Watershaper 2 Rest in Peace 3 Knight of Grace 2 Clarion Conqueror 2 Voice of Victory

Finally, Kris Wishinski posted an 8-6 record to finish in 48th place at Canada's Regional Championship with Mono-White Enchantments. Powered by Ethereal Armor and Optimistic Scavenger, the deck can assemble an enormous Skyward Spider in short order.

This deck stands out because it's one of the most popular strategies in Best-of-One Standard on MTG Arena. However, it generally faltered in the more interactive Best-of-Three metagame, worsened by the typical package of spot-removal spells that often waits in sideboards. However, Wishinski's sideboard, comprised mostly of creatures, could solve some of those problems. By potentially boarding out some Auras and adding more threats and protection effects, you might have enough resilience and counterplay. Wishinski's positive record suggest that, with careful tuning, the archetype may yet carve out a place in Best-of-Three Standard.

What's Next for Standard?

The Standard decks that captured the six final World Championship slots this past weekend offered a snapshot of the format's breadth and steady evolution. Established pillars stood tall, while Izzet Prowess surged ahead and inventive decks hovered outside of the spotlight. There are now at least four viable Izzet archetypes, each built on entirely different cards and play patterns.

If you are eager to test your own mettle, the current round of RCQs runs in Standard through March 22, 2026. You can find an RCQ near you by checking with your local game store or visiting your regional organizer's website.

The ongoing cycle of Regional Championships also continues to showcase Standard. After a brief pause this coming weekend for the Magic: The Gathering® | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Prerelease, the remaining schedule is as follows:

• March 7–8: Europe/Middle East/Africa, Chinese Taipei, and Mexico/Central America/Caribbean
• March 14–15: China, Southeast Asia, Australia/New Zealand, and Japan/South Korea

The Regional Championship for Europe/Middle East/Africa will feature live coverage on Fanfinity's YouTube channel, offering an early look at how Standard adapts once Magic: The Gathering | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles joins the fray!