General Weekly Fun Q: Which was your favorite Standard meta?

Which was your favorite Standard meta?
I am talking about which sets were legal when you thought Standard was best. You can also answer with a deck name/list.

My favorite Standard was Lorwyn -> Alara Reborn

So that's Lorwyn, Morningtide, Shadowmoor, Eventide, Shards of Alara, Conflux, Alara Reborn and either 10'th Edition or M10. (They were on each side of Lorwyn and Reborn and I liked both metas)

Back then I started my nationals career so there's certainly some nostalgia for me but I think the meta was SO diverse. There were six decks that were almost equally strong and tons of other off-meta decks that was not far behind.

I also liked the meta during Travis Woo's Omnidoor Thragfire (Link: https://strategy.channelfireball.com/all-strategy/home/woo-brews-omnidoor-is-the-real-deal/)
That deck was near unbeatable if piloted perfectly but it was performing poorly overall because most people could not even pilot it decently.




Which was your favorite Standard meta?

—————-
Past Fun Q
—————-

(7) Creature Power Creep
https://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/weekly-fun-q-creature-power-creep.3560/

(6) Worst Nightmare
https://riptidelab.com/forum/thread...ard-most-resembles-your-worst-nightmare.3555/

(5) Worst card to lose to and best to win with:
https://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/weekly-fun-q-worst-card-to-lose-to-best-to-win-with.3553/

(4) 2021 art:
https://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/weekly-fun-q-favorite-art-of-2021.3548/

(3) Clothes & Christmas:
https://riptidelab.com/forum/threads/weekly-fun-q-which-magic-outfit-would-you-wear.3542/
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
My favorite was Kamigawa -> Ravnica. So many viable decks, and whacky decks too! I mean, just look at the results of Pro Tour Honolulu in 2006. The top 8 had great variety (with all colors represented in multiple different decks), but there's even more variety in the t16. Worlds 2005 had other decks that were just as cool. Ghazi-Glare, Ghost Dad, Owling Mine, Solar Flare. I have many fond memories of this Standard. I think Umezawa's Jitte was its only flaw.
 
Probably RTR -> Theros. Made some really fun decks in that meta.

I had this awesome Bant flash deck that went like

with all the various ramp, support, and removal etc. Ran a couple Sphinx's Revelation too. Just tore apart monoblack, the dominant deck of the time, with 4x maindeck flex 2/2 soldiers that doubled as Desecration Demon eradicators besides maindeck Pack Rat nukes. And most of the creatures served as their own removal against attackers thanks to flash. And Loxodon protected against discard. It was beautiful watching their faces.

Also ran a fun RDW that I forget most of the parts now, but would be easily identifiable by searching for <=3 CMC in those two blocks in red.
 
Last edited:
Now to be fair, I only played standard for a few years, so my lens is a bit tight. Most of my MTG has been as a #casual (Force of Nature my beloved).
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
Now to be fair, I only played standard for a few years, so my lens is a bit tight. Most of my MTG has been as a #casual (Force of Nature my beloved).
Heh, me too. I played MMQ/INV (Invasion was my first set), INV/ODY, MIR/CHK (I returned to MtG during 5DN after a hiatus of a bit over a year), CHK/RAV, RAV/TSP (which was also brilliant), TSP/LRW, LRW/ALA, and ALA/ZEN. Around 2010 I started playing less and less, and by the time my son was born in 2012, I had stopped playing Standard completely. I haven't played a Standard tournament since.
 
Will also go with Kamigawa -> Ravnica. The only standard I didn't get tired of really fast. Guess that's why I play limited mostly.

But looking at the deck lists, you really see the sort of environment, speed and power level my cube aims to hit.
 
For me it would be one of the odyssey block standard environments, probably invasion/odyssey. Any meta that gets a Battle of Wits deck into a GP top 8 has to be good.

INV/ODY was the most engaged I've ever been with standard. It definitely has a special place in my heart.

Madness, Tog, MBC, Goblin Bidding, Fires, Battle of Wits, Machinehead, Junk, Balancing Tings, Slide, Squirrel Opp, The Rock, Gro......a lot of fun, and a wide range of deck types even if Tog was the world beater.
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
For me it would be one of the odyssey block standard environments, probably invasion/odyssey. Any meta that gets a Battle of Wits deck into a GP top 8 has to be good.
Squirrel/Opposition (with Static Orb) was my first serious Standard deck. That Standard was really fun as well. Lot of room for brewing as well. I nearly won a tournament with a G/W Highlander deck, unfortunately losing to UG Madness in the finals.
 

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
You monster!
No no, focus on the GW Highlander deck instead! :p I don't think I can recall the entire decklist, but it a couple of good tutors (e.g. Eladamri's Call, Sterling Grove, excellent hate (e.g. Llanowar Knight, Mystic Crusader, Mystic Enforcer, Phantom Centaur, Sabertooth Nishoba, the Circles, Compost), weird ruleswarping cards (e.g. Dueling Grounds), fast mana (Birds of Paradise, Llanowar Elves, Werebear), and surprise finishers (e.g. Overrun). Oh, and mass removal (e.g. Rout and Wrath of God) plus lots of answers in general. The deck pulled some unexpected wins out of its ass, fun times! :)
 
Last edited:
Top