M21 Standard: Initial Impressions (Ugin Bosses the Format)

06/29/20 • 66 min

It's finally here: M21 is out of Early Access and onto the Arena ladder! Arjuna and Covertgoblue reflect on the decks we played at the #sponsored Early Access event (including the epic grudge match the two of us ended up in by chance - see link to that video below). Then we talk about what's making waves in the current Standard right out the gate. We've got (unsurprising) news for you: it's Ugin, the Spirit Dragon. We talk about Bant Ramp and other decks running this powerful planeswalker. We also discuss some new archetypes seeing some play on the ladder and in tournaments: Paw Blade (Boros Aggro), Selesnya Counters, Shrines and more.

CGB and Arjuna's epic grudge match video is here. That video contains CGB's Annoying Azorius Bounce decklist. Arjuna's Shrines decklist is here.

Arjuna's initial Selesnya Counters list, and CGB's take on the deck.

Find Covertgoblue on his YouTube channel and at his personal site.

Find Arena Craft on:

This show features the track 'Real Virtuality' from Eero Johannes released on the Sound Pellegrino label and is used with permission.

CGB and Arjuna's epic grudge match video is here. That video contains CGB's Annoying Azorius Bounce decklist. Arjuna's Shrines decklist is here.

Arjuna's initial Selesnya Counters list, and CGB's take on the deck.

Find Covertgoblue on his YouTube channel and at his personal site.

Find Arena Craft on:

This show features the track 'Real Virtuality' from Eero Johannes released on the Sound Pellegrino label and is used with permission.

Previous Episode

M21 Final Spoiler: Watch Out For Demonic Embrace

We finally have the entire M21 spoiler available to us! This set looks sweet. This week we go over the final list and pull out the remaining cards that might be Standard viable. Notables this week are Demonic Embrace, Kitesail Freebooter and Barrin, Tolarian Archmage. Looks like Black Aggro might be a thing, and if you thought T3 tempo plays were phasing out of Standard along with Teferi, Time Raveler, you have another thought coming, friends!

Be sure to join Covertgoblue and Arjuna for streaming the #sponsored Early Access event featuring fully stocked accounts with all the new cards from M21. We'll both be live for most of the day on Wednesday, June 24.

You can catch us at:

Covertgoblue's twitch

Arjuna's twitch

Find Covertgoblue on his YouTube channel and at his personal site.

Find Arena Craft on:

This show features the track 'Real Virtuality' from Eero Johannes released on the Sound Pellegrino label and is used with permission.

Next Episode

M21 Standard: First Week Results From SCG & Ladder

We're back with another week 1 roundup of a new Standard format, this time with M21! We've had an SCG event, a CFB Pro tournament, and various other smaller tourneys to help us start to get the shape of the metagame. That Bant Ramp and Temur Reclamation are still at the top of the metagame should surprise nobody. However, the builds and the cards being used should raise some eyebrows, and give us some information about what cards from the new set are revealing their relevance in the format. M21 is definitely making its mark on Standard with reprints like Ugin, The Spirit Dragon and Scavenging Ooze, and new prints like Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse and Sublime Epiphany. Lots of exciting stuff to be building around!

Decklists for the SCG Top 8 that we reference on the cast.

Witch's build of Mono Black, #1 Mythic on the ladder

Arjuna's latest build of Selesnya Counters, currently 67% WR in Diamond BO1

Find Covertgoblue on his YouTube channel and at his personal site.

Find Arena Craft on:

This show features the track 'Real Virtuality' from Eero Johannes released on the Sound Pellegrino label and is used with permission.