Anyone who plays Modern (and many who don’t) knows the format was dominated by Nadu, Winged Wisdom
. Players had various approaches to dealing with this powerhouse: some respected it and warped their sideboards accordingly, some ignored it and focused on beating other decks, while others embraced Nadu and used it to claim victories.
Nadu was unhealthy for Modern for several reasons, as illustrated by data compiled by Frank Karsten. At the Pro Tour, the Nadu deck had a nearly 60% win rate while being the most played deck by a significant margin, and it had not slowed down since. Maintaining a consistent 60% win rate, it was certainly the right decision to remove this card from the metagame.
The Nadu deck at the pro-tour had a near 60% win rate on top of being the most played deck by an incredible margin, and it had not slowed down since. It had retained a near 60% win rate, and it was certainly the correct decision to remove this card from the metagame.
The Surprise Ban
I understand why many people disliked Grief
. It created a poor play experience, which was the primary reason for its ban. Many in the Magic community believe Grief should have been banned long ago, perhaps instead of Fury. Combined with “undying” effects, Grief gave some decks free wins and was poised to continue being a problem in the meta. I understand Wizards of the Coast’s choice to address the issue before it worsened, and I think it was ultimately a good decision. There isn’t much more to say about this ban, as it was a widely discussed move that was both needed and wanted for over a year.
Cards That Get Better
Card advantage is crucial in Magic, and one particular card excels at providing it. This card offers everything a control player wants: drawing cards and preventing loss. Nadu undermined these benefits by simply winning through its “protection from everything.” As the metagame shifted towards aggressive and midrange dominance, The One Ring
emerged as a top contender. Decks that benefited most included U/x Control, Boros Energy, and big mana strategies like Titan and Tron.
Orcish Bowmasters
is one of the strongest black cards printed in recent years, yet it was ineffective against Nadu’s strategy. Nadu didn’t “draw” cards but instead put them directly into your hand. This card did little to hinder Nadu’s deck, often merely triggering the dreaded bird and applying minimal pressure. With Nadu no longer a factor, Orcish Bowmasters became significantly stronger, especially against blue decks, energy aggro, The One Ring, and Necrodominance.
Ugin’s Labyrinth – Big mana strategies have one major flaw: they are largely proactive, leaving them vulnerable to combo decks. Nadu was so resilient and capable of attacking on multiple fronts that these decks struggled to thrive. While combo decks are still present in the meta, the introduction of MH3 has given big mana strategies more viability. There are several versions of “Sol Land” decks, and the best one is yet to be determined.
Phlage, Titan of Fire’s Fury is already a dominant force in Modern, and I expect board presence to be even more important in the coming season. Phlage excels in that regard by attacking from multiple angles. It fits into aggro decks as a fast clock, into midrange as a recursive threat, and into control as one of the best finishers in a long time. This versatility has made R/W/x Energy the deck to beat in the new meta.
Scion of Draco
was one of the most dominant cards in pre-MH3 Modern, but it was largely overshadowed by Nadu. The domain deck remains potent, and with several new additions from MH3—like Ajani, Nacatl Pariah—it now has staying power it previously lacked. As board presence becomes more critical, having Scion of Draco on your side is a big advantage.
The last card I want to discuss is one with the highest potential: Necrodominance
. This card is both challenging to use and difficult to play against, requiring a level of deck-building finesse that is truly an art form. When Grief was banned, two different versions of the Necrodominance deck were forced to consolidate into one, allowing it to live on. The Necrodominance deck is not only difficult to construct but also incredibly challenging to pilot. I believe it can compete in the current meta, and I suspect it may soon face restrictions similar to Nadu’s.
Should Anything Else Have Been Banned in Modern on August 26th?
The Modern card pool is vast and generally provides tools to adapt to most situations, but some cards consistently cause issues and likely need addressing. Modern has had its fair share of “boogeymen,” and I think Wizards would benefit from banning the following card:
The One Ring has been a Modern staple since its release just over a year ago. Many believe it should have been a “unique” card, limited to one copy per deck—but that’s not the case. With Nadu gone, a wave of One Ring decks quickly rose to take control of the format, leading to another unhealthy metagame.
According to data from MTGGoldfish.com, before the ban, The One Ring appeared in three or more copies in 46% of all Modern decks—even with Nadu in the format. The next most-played card was Consign to Memory, primarily used to combat The One Ring. The card shouldn’t exist in Modern for various reasons, but the biggest issue is the negative play experience it creates. This isn’t just about being “unfun” to face; it’s also about the invisible triggers that can easily be missed. My personal experience includes numerous instances where game events intentionally or unintentionally interfered with the ring trigger, creating confusion and inconsistency. When a card like The One Ring is present in a third of your matches and creates such issues, it’s time to consider removing it from Modern.
Conclusion
The Modern format has changed significantly since August 26th. The metagame has opened up considerably, and I’m excited to see which new and old strategies emerge after this shake-up. There are several powerful cards from both MH3 and Bloomburrow that we haven’t seen much of due to Nadu’s sheer dominance. Now, we get to watch as the community bands together to deal with the next “boogeyman.”
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