A new Historic Metagame Challenge will take place this weekend on MTG Arena (October 4-6) and it's therefore a great opportunity to get updated on the format, but above all to farm some booster packs.
It’s been two months since the nerfs and the format has changed and never stopped evolving, despite the fact that there haven't been any competitive events since then, which would have helped establish a more accurate tier list.
However, the ladder is always active and the most successful lists continue to be shared, so, based on the most popular decks, here are my top 5 choices to play currently in Historic, as well as in this Metagame Challenge.
Mardu Sacrifice
First on the list and considered by many the best deck in the format in recent months is Mardu Sacrifice! The weakening of some key cards for Boros Energy, especially Ocelot Pride, meant that many saw its natural evolution in this deck which, with the addition of black, can afford to break away from the nerfed cards (it still has A-Guide of Souls but it is no longer as decisive) while keeping, and even making better use of, its combo between: Ajani, Nacatl Pariah // Ajani, Nacatl Avenger and Goblin Bombardment.
Its Cat token can in fact also be sacrificed with draw spells: Village Rites and Corrupted Conviction, while there are additional red permanents in Goblin Trapfinder and Unlucky Witness ready to trigger the damage of its planeswalker side. These two are also ideal to be sacrificed for value and all this makes the deck highly synergistic and powerful, although some pieces are not always at their best if taken individually.
Closing out the sacrifice plan, there is Marionette Apprentice which fills the board with two pieces in the style of Orcish Bowmasters and drains life from the opponent who will have to do the math to avoid dying, especially if you control Goblin Bombardment.
Mardu Sacrifice is definitely a good choice and I expect it to be very popular this weekend, but remember to watch out for Stone of Erech and Hushbringer which have been seen a lot lately and which completely shut down the deck (Ajani can't even transform).
4C Samwise Combo
With some of the same cards and similar characteristics to Sacrifice, we have Samwise Combo which adds explosiveness compared to the previous midrange version, being able to set up a lethal combo as early as turn 3.
The latter consists of three pieces: Samwise Gamgee, A-Cauldron Familiar and a sacrifice outlet that can be either Bartolomé del Presidio or Goblin Bombardment. Whenever A-Cauldron Familiar enters, Samwise Gamgee creates a Food Token, which can then be used to bring the Cat back into play once sacrificed. This creates a loop and the draining life ability of A-Cauldron Familiar is the win condition, combined with the damage of Goblin Bombardment if used.
Speaking of Goblin Bombardment, you can't do without Ajani, Nacatl Pariah // Ajani, Nacatl Avenger which is once again enhanced by Goblin Trapfinder and Unlucky Witness as red permanents, as well as a staple like Amped Raptor.
These, as well as the Cat token, are sacrificed by both the red enchantment and Birthing Ritual which here is an incredible turn 2 play and is the glue that holds the deck together, allowing you to assemble the combo! Thanks to the many creatures that give benefits when they die, it allows you to sacrifice and upgrade a piece per turn, advancing the game state, finding combos and synergies, as well as solutions with the sideboard creatures.
Boros Auras
A recent return to the format is Auras, which is getting a new lease on life thanks to the addition of two powerful new enchantments in Duskmourn: Shardmage's Rescue and Sheltered by Ghosts.
We went from Karametra's Blessing (it doesn't protect the creature while its first aura is still on the stack), to Loran's Escape (good and still used in the sideboard for matchups with many single and mass removals), up to Shardmage's Rescue which, in addition to giving hexproof for the same mana cost, gives +1/+1, but above all it's an aura, making Kor Spiritdancer and Light-Paws, Emperor's Voice trigger, and counting for Ethereal Armor.
If this seemed pushed to you, Sheltered by Ghosts is even better, guaranteeing for just 2 mana not only a maindeck permanent that dodges removal, but also +1/+0, lifelink and most importantly Ward 2, perfect to defend the fragile aura payoffs!
The red splash is for the addition once again of Amped Raptor which, thanks to its first strike, turns into a decent creature to be enchanted with auras, but which will often be replaced by Hushbringer, because the two don't synergize with each other and the Faerie is better placed against many of the most popular decks (including both of those seen previously).
The other reason for red is Demonic Ruckus, which represents a play to make on the first turn in case you don't have any of the 1-mana creatures, so you can enchant and trigger one between Kor Spiritdancer and Light-Paws, Emperor's Voice immediately on turn 2, adding explosiveness and taking the creature out of the reach of enemy burn spells.
Mono Green Devotion
MonoG Devotion is another deck that has been in Historic for a long time, but has only recently risen to the top with the OTJ and MH3 sets and the addition of Outcaster Trailblazer and Fanatic of Rhonas respectively.
The two are also synergistic with each other: play Fanatic of Rhonas on turn 2 and cast Outcaster Trailblazer as a follow up, generating 5 mana that can be used for Cavalier of Thorns or Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines as early as turn 3, drawing cards in the process, thus making the game unrecoverable from then on.
The deck is in fact structured to generate a huge amount of mana in a short time, starting from the 1-mana drop: Utopia Sprawl, Delighted Halfling and Birds of Paradise, so as to accelerate for Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner or a played Outcaster Trailblazer on turn 2 and cast Cavalier of Thorns or Storm the Festival as soon as possible, overpowering the opponent in every possible aspect: mana, board, cards and time!
But what pushes the deck the most, unlocks otherwise unattainable amounts of mana, and holds the strategy together, is Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, thanks to which it's possible to abuse the sideboard toolbox unlocked by Karn, the Great Creator. The latter in fact offers: hate cards, removals, threats of various kinds, win conditions and even combos with Liquimetal Coating or Pestilent Cauldron // Restorative Burst, all depending on the need and the mana available.
With multiple Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx played one after the other in a single turn, or simply untapping it with Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner, it won't be hard to add 11+ mana and then win the game out of nowhere just by casting Karn, the Great Creator and tutoring one of: Akroma's Memorial, Portal to Phyrexia or Mindslaver.
Izzet Wizards
The last deck I recommend is an evergreen of the format, which, even if it’s no longer as dominant as pre-MH3, is still valid and whose aggression and ability to win games in a short time could make it an interesting choice for this Metagame Challenge.
Wizards has stepped up its game in recent months with the arrival of Slickshot Show-Off with OTJ, adding speed and further offensive push to the deck, which now has a new tool, in addition to Reckless Charge, to punish an enemy who is tapped out and win out of nowhere.
Of less impact is the new Enter the Enigma with DSK, but still very useful for making Dreadhorde Arcanist unblockable and ensuring it doesn't die in combat, as well as the same Slickshot Show-Off for pushing direct damage in case of a flier or creature with reach on the opponent's side.
The rest of the deck is well known: with the buffed A-Symmetry Sage pushing the archetype towards aggro; the burn spells controlling the board and giving you reach on your opponent with low life; and Flame of Anor which, in addition to providing card advantage like Expressive Iteration, allows you to keep Affinity in check and remove even big and problematic creatures like Polukranos Reborn // Polukranos, Engine of Ruin and Vein Ripper.
That's all for today! These were my top 5 picks to best tackle this Metagame Challenge or to play Historic in general. Some of these are really new and I think the format is still evolving, so there's still something that can be done to turn some currently unpopular lists into one of the best!