2007

Brad

Brad

Boomer Nostalgia
https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/TSPto10E

That's not a 6000 card cube. That's a list of every nonland card in a Standard deck on mtgtop8 from the release of TSP to before the release of Lorwyn. There were 19 tournaments of top 8s and undefeated decks available.

I thought we should take a look at Ravnica-TSP Standard and try to figure out what made it tick. We have a list of cards that impacted the format as well as how many of them were present. I also have a spreadsheet with deck classifications to break down the meta from that perspective in my next post. There will also be references to Kamigawa-Ravnica Standard at times.

If that sounds good to you, then you're probably like 35 years old and have back pain, you old fuck.

Color Breakdown
It's first worth noting that Signets, hybrids, off-color costs, etc are all in multicolor sections.

{W} 382
Featuring 105 Wrath of God, 62 one drops, and 54 two drops.
{U} 1203
Featuring 143 Compulsive Research and a total of 423 counterspells (244 of which are Remand).
{B} 778
Featuring 132 Dark Confidant.
{R} 1145
Featuring 877 cards with the word "damage" on them.
{G} 741
Featuring 111 mana dorks, 160 goyfs, and 61 Troll Ascetic.

1222 Multicolored cards
{W/U} 441
Mostly Signet, Court Hussar, and Momentary Blink.
{U/B} 74
Only 7 cards that aren't Signet or Mystical Teachings.
{B/R} 39
They're all Rakdos Guildmage or Crypt Champion (Project X combo) except 4 Sedge Slivers. Special mention to 23 Hit // Run in the Jund section.
{R/G} 128
Nice mixture of aggressive dudes. I moved Kird Ape to the Gruul section.
{G/W} 162
Featuring 83 Loxodon Hierarch.
{W/B} 132
Including 65 Castigate.
{U/R} 28
21 Signet and 7 Electrolyze.
{B/G} 48
10 Elves of Deep Shadow, 37 Putrefy, and a Grave-Shell Scarab.
{R/W} 202
Featuring 137 Lightning Helix!!
{G/U} 40
22 of these are Mystic Snake.
{R}{W}{U}
114 of the 150 three colored cards are Jeskai. 96 Lightning Angel and 18 Numot.


Right off the bat, we can see that the format is skewed on colors and heavily multicolored. A classic battle of red aggro vs blue control is central to the format. If we want to build a cube that plays similarly, swapping multicolored cards for functionally similar cards will be just as important as focusing on classic aggro and control decks.
 
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Brad

Brad

Aggro Decks 34.4%
There were 157 total decks available on mtgtop8.

I'll give a brief description of each top deck in the format. Please tell me if I'm wrong on anything. I was 16 when this was happening and didn't have access to all the decks or tournaments, so very little of it is first hand knowledge.

Gruul Aggro 15.3%
Rakdos Aggro 5.1%
Boros Aggro 2.6%
I'm classifying these as traditional red aggro decks making up 23% of the format.

The gruul lists had Tarmogoyf and Troll Ascetic, sometimes including a couple Moldervine Cloak or Loxodon Warhammer to try to pants the Ascetic. Frequently included Call of the Herd and Tin Street Hooligan to destroy Signets. Used Kird Ape while 9th was legal.

Rakdos lists had Dark Confidant, the most popular black card of the format, as well as the Hit side of Hit // Run as a damaging kill spell.

Boros Aggro put up all 4 of its results at Worlds 2006 with only TSP available from the block. It used Savannah Lions and Icatian Javelineers as one drops as well as Lightning Helix, Soltari Priest, and Knight of the Holy Nimbus to be problematic to opposing red decks, which were popular at the tournament.

Red decks would sometimes play a sacrifice package including Greater Gargadon, Mogg War Marshal, Martyr of Ashes, Mogg Fanatic, and sometimes Threaten.

The thing that ties together the red decks is the heavy usage of burn spells. Almost all of them run 4 Char, 4 Incinerate, and 4 Rift Bolt. 4 Seal of Fire was also extremely common, especially when it pumps your goyf. 4 Lightning Helix was a necessity in Boros decks as well as Naya Zoo decks of Kamigawa-Ravnica era. Decks with 9th Edition legal often had Volcanic Hammer and Shock.

Red aggro decks towards the end of the format typically ran the full suite of 16 Char/Incincerate/Rift Bolt/Seal of Fire.


The Rack 7.6%

Discard based deck typically looking to use a massive Tarmogoyf to control the board, though one of the four Rack decks was WB with Smallpox and Flagstones of Trokair. Discard your opponent's hand while Dark Confidant fills your own.

Of note are Cry of Contrition, Augur of Skulls, Ravenous Rats, Stupor, and draw step Funeral Charm.

Glare 1.3%

A Selesnya aggro-midrange deck looking to use oversized creatures starting on turn two to beat down slower decks as well as effectively block the red decks. Oh, it's a green deck, so it's obviously running Tarmogoyf.

Only uses a couple copies of Glare as a removal spell of sorts rather than relying on it like Ghazi Glare decks from Kamigawa era.

Other 2.6%

There was a mono green aggro deck that used Silhana Ledgewalker and Troll Ascetic with pump spells, AKA a Bogles deck. There was also an Orzhov aggro deck that used Dark Confidant, Hypnotic Spectre, and Ghost Council of Orzhova. A mana dork into land destruction deck. And a random Slivers deck.


How do I tell a ]ci[ to use the Ravnica version?
 
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Brad

Brad

Control Decks 51.6%
I want to preface this by saying that most of this is blue based control with Remand and probably some other counterspells. However, the decks are different enough that it doesn't make sense to lump them together like it did for red based aggro.

Blink 8.9%

Most cube designers will be familiar with this deck concept. Play ETB creatures and blink them. The deck was obviously always based in Azorius and always ran Remand as well as the card images above.

Jeskai was the most common version and could run Avalanche Riders and/or Akroma, Angel of Fury to blink-flip after a morph. Red's real strength lies in the life stabilizing kill spell Lightning Helix as well as a vigilant beatdown in the form of Lightning Angel.

Less often, green versions would run Mystic Snake and Tarmogoyf. Black versions weren't common and would usually go for Angel of Despair Blink-Touch instead.

Angelfire 7.6%

An aggro control deck that sorta ran all the best stuff. Running Wrath alongside Lightning Angel looks a little weird, but Angel is one of the best finishers for a control deck.

Use Signets to get ahead on mana, then gain card advantage with Compulsive Research and Aeon Chronicler. You've got the format's best spells in Lightning Helix and Remand. You can play a Wrath when you need to or start beating with Angel if you don't need to Wrath.

The deck's sideboard typically included half anti-aggro and half anti-control so that it could lean into its faster or slower side when needed.

Solar Flare 6.4%

Value control deck that got its name because Angel of Despair's bald head looks like Krillin from Dragonball and uses a move named Solar Flare. I had to Google that. Sometimes ran a few reanimation spells like Dread Return.

Chord 5.1%

Instant speed creature toolbox deck. Used counterspells and Chord to control the game. Wall of Roots is worth 2 mana for a Chord. Deck has a variety of finishers and ETBs to search up.

Blink Touch 3.8%

Basically a cheat blink deck that uses Touch to try to land a Bogardan Hellkite (less often, an Angel of Despair) to rip up the opponent's board and get a block in.

If you have 2 more mana, you can blink it to rip their board up even more and permanently keep the Hellkite. If you can't blink it, then 4 mana for 10 damage and drawing a card is still a good deal.

If you aren't lucky enough to hit the Hellkite, you'll probably get to bounce something and add a Riftwing Cloudskate or Venser to your hand.

While Angel of Despair is a bomb to hit off of the Touch, the deck tends to opt for red to have access to Lightning Helix.

Tron 3.2%

Do I need to explain how Tron works? Get Urza's lands and have 7 mana.

Tron cycled out when 9th Edition left or it would likely have a higher meta share. It was pretty popular in Kamigawa-Ravnica. Signets are an effective way to filter the colorless mana.

Mono Black 3.2%

Kill all their stuff. Gain some life. Win with Korlash or Consume Spirit.

Pickles 3.2%

Pickles are made with brine. Or something.

Brine Elemental skips the opponent's untap. Flip Vesuvan Shapeshifter every turn copying Brine Elemental to make sure your opponent never untaps.

Non-Pickles blue decks would sometimes run the combo. Chord decks had one copy of each piece to tutor up. Mystical Teachings with Teferi out could grab the pieces, as well, and was central to the dedicated Pickles decks.

The thing that made a deck Pickles instead of Teachings is basically how many copies of the pieces it runs. Pickles decks usually have 4 Shapeshifter and 2+ Brine. A Teachings deck might have 1-2 of each.

The rest of the deck is filled out with counterspells and removal to buy time for your somewhat costly combo. You can also combo the Shapeshifter with other Morph effects like Willbender.

Martyr 2.6%

Those two cards form the backbone of the deck. You're trying to gain like 15 life off of a Martyr and then repeat that every time you need to.

It would use Wrath of God to occasionally reset the board, but didn't need typical control pieces due to a staggering life total. Often utilized Scrying Sheets and snow permanents to gain card advantage. Finished the game with cards like Sacred Mesa, Crovax, or Urza's Factory. It didn't really matter how they finished the game. I'd imagine a lot of opponents scoop after a Wrath on 200 life.

Other 4.5%

Loam fueling Seismic Assault saw a little play.

There were a couple Abzan Rock style lists.

A couple blue control decks that didn't fit in with the rest, but were pretty counter heavy.
 
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Ecophagy

Ecophagy

I have recently started a cube project trying to capture the same era, although looking more at the Invasion to Lorwyn Extended format of the time. I also started by looking at decklists from the era, although much less rigorously! I totally agree with the observation that there are a lot of important multicolour cards, so looking forward to seeing how you work around that.
 
Brad

Brad

Combo Decks 14%
Project X 5.1%

Saffi in play or yard. Play Crypt Champion with no red. Those two target each other back and forth. Essence Warden triggers infinite times.

The deck always runs 4 Birds of Paradise for ramp and fixing plus 3-4 Chord of Calling for tutoring pieces. Sometimes runs 1-2 Congregation at Dawn. Commonly uses Glittering Wish for extra access to Saffi and a sideboard toolbox.

Dredge Bridge 5.1%

Run a bunch of draw-discard spells. Dredge a Bridge or 4 and a Dread Return into your graveyard. Flashback the Dread Return to make 3-12 Zombies. Ideally, Dread Return gets Flame-Kin Zealot and you swing for 39 hasty damage. If not, you can simply get a huge reanimator type card. You can sac spare Zombies for extra Dread Returns.

Perilous/Swath Storm 2.6%

Lotus Bloom and Rite of Flame generate storm triggers and mana.

Card advantage through Researching your Hatching Plans

Claws of Gix can make storm triggers for free or sacrifice the Hatching Plans.

End with a Swathed Grapeshot or an Empty the Warrens.

Dragonstorm 1.3%

The deck died when Seething Song left with 9th Edition, but it actually won Worlds 2006.
 
Brad

Brad

Top Cards
In case you skipped the first post, these numbers are being compared to a 5900 card format. Here's the cards with 50+ copies (that I noticed).

28.

53 copies
Probably the best fixer of all time. The only surprise here is that it's so low on the list. I think Signets and the best two drop of all time, Mr. Goyf, kept this from being as useful as it could be. Why do we need 3 mana when we have a 5/6 for two?

27.

54 copies
As you'll see later in the list and as was alluded to in the first post, burn spells are highly valued in this format. This is like a burn spell on a body and is one of the best cards to play after a Wrath because they're forced to play a blocker or another sweeper.

26.

54 copies
I never actually played with this card in Standard and I haven't cubed it due to lack of reminder text, so I might be way off here.

It's a one drop with unbelievable inevitability. It makes all your cards useful. Chromatic Star? Draw a card and tick it down. Mogg War Marshal? Sac the main body for a counter or sac all three! Wrathed me? Remove a few counters. Opponent's ahead on board? Martyr of Ashes and sac all my stuff. A few decks ran Threaten with it, but that was rare. There wasn't necessarily a "sac deck" in the format, but Gargadon would obviously shine there if you wanted to work that into a cube with it.

Noteworthy that it comes down with haste. It's easy to imagine a situation where the opponent has to Wrath and take 9 the next turn.

25.

61 copies
I love this bastard. No ETB. No pushed stats. Just a guy in the woods who refuses to die.

I think the card is generally good, but a lot of its success was surely due to having hexproof in a meta loaded with control decks. Decks would occasionally slap a couple auras or equipment in their deck to pants this guy up, even though an ascetic doesn't need any of that worldly nonsense.

24.

61 copies
Best tutor in the format. Put together a combo or use it end step to grab a finisher in control.

23.

64 copies
A twist on the now-evergreen "2 mana, make 2 1/1s." Flexibility with the Echo cost to get an extra 1/1. Gives you three bodies for Gargadon or one body to trash if you're not planning to Echo it.

22.

65 copies
It's crazy to see this effect on a two color card when we get it on one color cards all the time and can basically get it for one mana or with a body attached. Turns out that taking your opponent's best card was worth WB.

21.

65 copies
This card is still pretty good nearly 20 years later. Flash makes it an all star in control decks and the ability to bounce nearly anything is a strong upside to similar 3 mana effects. With Blink as one of the main decks in the format, it's no surprise to see this amongst the top cards.

20.

68 copies
Suspend for 4U and get a "draw a card plus a */*" that can't be hit with sorcery removal or dump mana into it in a blue matchup to set up an uncounterable draw engine with a threat later on. Card advantage and potential finisher all in one.
 
Brad

Brad

Top Cards part 2
19.

68 copies
Fireball with upside. Popular in control where the long games and Signets could turn this into a Murder or potentially an uncounterable Door to Nothingness.

18.

71 copies
Was the namesake of a top deck. Blink creatures for value and/or to save them from removal spells. We're all familiar with this. Imagine seeing Ephemerate in 2007...

17.

76 copies
I believe this had the highest Game In Hand Win Rate of any card in the MTGO unpowered cube a few years ago. Insane value when played for 1U on turn two. Flexibility is king on this one and it only gets better with a blink.

16.

83 copies
Solid body for the cost. Stabilize vs aggro with some life gain and a big blocker. Present a nice threat that can protect your other threats vs control. Popular in Chord decks and bant blink.

It also won Worlds 2005 in the Ghazi Glare deck during Kamigawa-Ravnica Standard. There were 12 copies of the elephant in that top 8.

15.

90 copies
Fantastic blocker with big Chord of Calling synergy.

14.

96 copies
I personally love this card. Feels very elegant to me. Three keywords that are easy to remember and match up with the colors. Mantis Rider is nearly as nice, though the 4th toughness to avoid many red spells is excellent here. A very efficient beater that was played as a finisher by all kinds of control decks.

13.

105 copies
An all time great card from ABU until 2025 and beyond.

The most surprising thing about Wrath is that aggressive decks with cards that were mostly "just beaters" were able to do anything in the format.

12, 11, 10, 9, 7.

107 Fanatic, 110 Incinerate, 126 Rift Bolt, 129 Seal of Fire, 133 Char
Red aggro likes burn.

It's worth noting that a lot of the red decks ran a full 20 of these, perhaps suggesting that our red sections should be very heavy on burn. Another type of card that's been effective since ABU's Bolt.
 
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Brad

Brad

Top Cards part 3
8.

132 copies
One of the sweetest cards ever. Extremely strong in a low curve deck, but very vulnerable as a one toughness creature. Can generate a lot of value, but takes time to do so, unlike many of today's top cards.

As stated earlier, it's nearly 17% of all mono black cards in the format. If you were playing black, there's a good chance this was why.

6.

124 copies
With Remand and Wrath of God in the format, Azorius Signet is a top card for fixing and ramping the most played color combination.

Signets have stood the test of time and see plenty of cube play today.

5.

137 copies
This might be my favorite card of all time. Simply staple Healing Salve onto Lightning Bolt and you've got one of the most fair and efficient spells ever. Still waiting for the full cycle where theystaple Ancestral Recall onto Dark Ritual.

4.

143 copies
Imagine playing this shit at sorcery speed. Desperate.

Best card draw spell in the format. Pretty simple.

3.

160 copies
Former best creature of all time takes #3 on the list despite being in the last set released to the format in question. Goyf is the reason GR aggro existed. Best creature plus burn. Goyf can take some credit for anyone blinking a Mystic Snake because their green deck surely had 4 of these. Goyf can take credit for the existence of a dedicated discard deck looking to grow their Goyf and take away the opponent's answers to it.

2.

175 copies
Not the best ETB to blink, but being able to play a reasonable body with card selection on it wasn't commonplace like it is today. Play it early, block some shit, and fix your hand is a great combination. Bolstered by being in the color pair that has access to all the other control tools.

1.

244 copies
One of the best tempo cards of all time. Frequently does a decent Time Walk impression by undoing their turn and drawing you a card.
 
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