Yesterday, we presented our Standard deck power rankings for this weekend’s Mythic Championship Cleveland. Today, we’re going to dive a little deeper into Standard and rank the Top 10 individual Standard cards.
These rankings are determined by taking the popularity of a deck and how many copies of a card are played in that deck, plus a bit of secret sauce. They are useful in two main ways: First, Magic pros use this kind of information to determine the best deck that plays the best cards, or to build a deck that matches up well against all of the most-played cards. Second, you can can use this information to build the perfect fantasy team on Thousand Leagues.
Drafting cards in one of our fantasy tournaments on Thousand Leagues for Mythic Championship Cleveland is fun and easy. Cards on your team earn points for each copy of the card that makes it into the Top 8, so knowing which cards are the most-played or are four-ofs in the best deck in the format are essential for putting together a successful team.
So, without further ado, here are the Top 10 cards in Standard…according to our xRank formula.
10. Conclave Tribunal
9. Adanto Vanguard
Adanto Vangauard and Conclave Tribunal sneak into the Top 10 based on the strength of Azorious Aggro, which we rated as the #2 deck in Standard. Adanto Vanguard is one of the deck’s best threats and Conclave Tribunal is its premiere removal spell, so they’re great picks if you think White-based aggro decks are going to do as well at Mythic Championship Cleveland as they did at Pro Tour Guilds of Ravnica.
8. Lava Coil
7. Shock
Lava Coil and Shock are the beneficiaries of being the best (non-Gate) Red removal spells in Standard. That means they see play in decks like Izzet Drakes, Mono-Red, and even some Gates control decks. Given Red’s history of success at Pro Tours over the last few years, Red removal spells that are 3- and 4-ofs are probably a safe bet.
6. Vraska’s Contempt
Vraska’s Contempt makes the Top 10 yet again based on the popularity of Golgari, now Sultai, Midrange and the rise of Esper Control. The card is typically around a 3-of in those decks, which make up nearly 25% of the metagame according the MTGGoldfish.
5. History of Benalia
Think White-based aggressive decks are going to do well at Mythic Championship Cleveland? Then draft the most important, guaranteed four-of in every White aggressive deck, History of Benalia.
4. Opt
Opt makes it’s way to #4 based on its inclusion as a four-of in two popular decks: Mono-Blue Tempo and Izzet Drakes. Given that we rated Mono-Blue Temp as the #1 deck in Standard and Izzet Drakes the #3 deck last week, I wouldn’t hesitate to draft their key cards—especially those like Opt and Spell Pierce that are played by other decks in the format, as well.
3. Llanowar Elves
2. Merfolk Branchwalker
1. Jadelight Ranger
The more things change, the more they stay the same. I ranked the Top 10 card in Standard ahead of Pro Tour Guilds of Ravnica (RIP Pro Tours) and, what do you know, both Jadelight Ranger and Merfolk Branchwalker were #1 and #2, with Llanowar Elves checking in at #5.
While Golgari Midrange didn’t gain many mono-Green or Black cards from Ravnica Allegiance, it did gain Breeding Pool and Hydroid Krasis, allowing it to evolve ever so slightly into Sultai Midrange and maintain it’s popularity in the format.
When we ranked the Top 10 decks in Standard, we rated Sultai Midrange in the middle of the pack as the #6 deck in the format. But that doesn’t mean the deck isn’t popular—indeed, MTGGoldfish shows that over 16% of Standard players are sleeving up Sultai Midrange at events. Given that, it’s probably a safe bet to draft the key cards from the deck.
That’s it for the Top 10 cards in Standard heading into Mythic Championship Cleveland. Now go use that information to draft the best team in one of our fantasy tournaments on Thousand Leagues!