Standard Bans Ahead: Which Decks Will Emerge?
Lucas Giggs
26/05/2023 ·
7 min read
meta
Which decks will take the top tiers in a Standard without Fable? Which other cards might be banned in this Monday's bans? In this article Lucas shares his opinion about what is to come in this new Standard.
Quick intro
As previously announced by Wizards, on May 29th, we'll be experiencing a fresh wave of bans in Standard, which promises to entirely shake up the meta . Today, I'll dive into potential contenders, the reasons behind these bans, and unveil a new tier list based on the upcoming metagame shift.
Potential Bannings
FABLE OF THE MIRROR BREAKER
Likely the card that we can almost certainly say will face the infamous ban hammer, Fable is an utterly absurd card that, upon closer inspection, it is astonishingly that it is still in the format after all this time. As one of the most played cards in the recent Pro Tour, alongside Bloodtithe Harvester and Go for the Throat, it does a lot for just 3 mana.
The current Standard meta is essentially divided between decks with Fable and those without, and being on the play and resolving your Fable first puts you at a significant advantage, unless your opponent has answers to the token.
Moreover, Fable makes other cards that would be nearly unplayable due to their cost much more accessible, with Invoke Despair being the prime example - a card that's also on the ban watchlist. Furthermore, the ability to toss away useless lands and having a card that copies other creatures while also comboing with another of itself makes Fable one of the most dangerous cards to play against.
RECKONER BANKBUSTER
In the past, Smuggler's Copter was a highly utilized vehicle in Standard decks, and it didn't take long for it to be banned from the format. To draw a comparison, Bankbuster shares some similarities with the notorious Copter: it's a 2-mana vehicle that isn't too difficult to crew, generates card advantage (in Copter's case, it provided card quality), and is effective at any point in the game, whether for aggression or resource management. With Fable no longer in the format, I believe that decks will increasingly incorporate this vehicle, which may not bode well for the overall health of the metagame.
WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT
Speaking of 3-mana enchantments that pack a punch for their low cost, Wedding Announcement certainly fits the bill. As one of the most played cards in white decks, it fills the board, generates card advantage, and strengthens your creatures in the final chapter. Having multiple copies in play creates a snowball effect that opponents often struggle to overcome, while also providing solid protection against cards like Invoke Despair. Wedding Announcement is just one card that could greatly benefit from the potential banning of Fable of the Mirror Breaker.
It's worth noting the impact that Fable has on other cards and the overall metagame, as Wizards' ban policy has historically not just targeted a single deck. Banning can sometimes have a reverse effect: instead of creating a healthier environment, it can inadvertently boost specific decks to the point where there's little incentive to play anything else, essentially creating a new "Fable" for the metagame. With that in mind, Wedding Announcement is a prime contender to see play alongside the fabled enchantment.
PLAZA OF HEROES
Speaking of cards that could benefit from the banning of others, Esper Legends is a deck that was once a cornerstone of the format, featuring an intriguing curve, excellent resource generation, and powerful cards capable of winning the game on their own. Removing Raffine, Scheming Seer may be a bit extreme, as it effectively kills the deck and leaves little reason to play it.
If I were to suggest a change, it would be Plaza of Heroes: this would weaken the deck's mana base, taking out a card that is strong at any stage of the game, particularly in the late game when opponents start to protect their key creatures. However, it wouldn't cripple the deck entirely, as we now have more effective answers to its pillars, such as Lithomantic Barrage, which excels against Raffine, Dennick, and Adeline.
SHEOLDRED, THE APOCALYPSE
I would also wager on a ban for the most feared praetor in Standard. Even though we have Go for the Throat in the format, I believe her presence makes it nearly impossible for aggro decks to thrive. Some colors, in fact, don't have truly effective answers to her, and facing a turn 4 is practically game over if you haven't pressured your opponent enough. And we're talking about a card in the black color, which has numerous removal options. Other decks have to resort to using cards that aren't generally great, like Nahiri's Warcrafting and Rending Flame in red, or Cosmic Hunger in green. She boasts incredibly high resilience, making it highly unlikely that she'll be removed in combat, and even then, she still takes a creature down with her. The format is predominantly composed of midrange decks, so banning Sheoldred could potentially strengthen aggro strategies and bring about a greater balance to the metagame.
ATRAXA, GRAND UNIFIER
Finally, we cannot forget about Domain Ramp, a deck that has been making quite a splash in the scene and would greatly benefit from a potential ban on Fable, as it would weaken Grixis, one of its natural predators. Atraxa is an outstanding curve-topper that could also provide a boost to aggro decks, as like Sheoldred, it's a card that significantly complicates combat.
UW SOLDIERS
As previously mentioned, if Wizards of the Coast decides to, they could ban a card from the deck, but I don't see that as necessary. One of the biggest beneficiaries of potential bans is the UW Soldiers deck, one of the last remaining aggro decks in the format. The absence of Fable of the Mirror Breaker doesn't impact the deck significantly, but if Sheoldred were to be banned, it would be fantastic news for fans of the archetype. The praetor completely dominates the board, forcing the deck to either generate more creatures in an attempt to achieve lethal damage or attack from above with some of the deck's flying creatures. Additionally, it would no longer be as crucial to use cards like Destroy Evil, which deviate from the deck's game plan but are necessary in an environment where the praetor reigns supreme.
MONORED
It's interesting to observe how the new tiers benefit more from a potential ban of Sheoldred, but it turns out that decks featuring the praetor usually have red in their color schemes as well, which brings with it the dreaded Fable of the Mirror Breaker. Without the fable, the combo with Bloodthithe Harvester to remove creatures, Corpse Appraiser to generate resources, or Graveyard Trespasser to gain life, the path for monored becomes more accessible in the metagame, although it still doesn't have a great matchup against Monowhite.
Even without the fable, it would be better if Sheoldred also took a hit, as the praetor is even more detrimental to the deck with its endless life gain. If both cards were to be banned, I foresee a meta where monored can make a strong comeback, with only Monowhite as a poor matchup.
DOMAIN RAMP
Even if Atraxa gets banned, Domain Ramp can still remain highly competitive, boasting impressive plays at the top of its curve, such as Etali, Primal Conqueror, or even shifting its focus slightly to ramp into cards like Breach the Multiverse. The deck's foundation stays strong, with ramp options at every turn, and weakening Grixis by banning Fable could be highly advantageous. Moreover, if more aggressive decks emerge, they naturally pose a challenging matchup for Domain Ramp, ultimately leading to a more balanced and healthy metagame.
Final words
The recent ban announcement in Standard has certainly shaken up the player community, with numerous speculations on what could be banned or not. Given its recent history, it's almost a sure bet that Fable of the Mirror Breaker will face the ban hammer, but other candidates might be on the chopping block as well, largely due to Wizards' ban philosophy in recent times, which aims not to target just one archetype. Now all we can do is wait for the 29th and see how this new Standard unfolds. The predictions are on the table, so place your bets!
Until next time!
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