The standard meta of Magic: the Gathering always enters a state of shambles whenever a new set comes around. Despite that there are always decks that can obviously be considered as the norm for that particular set whether due to an addition to their arsenal or maybe even just the phasing out of a hard counter to that deck. It is always very important to determine which are the decks to beat whenever venturing into Standard again.

To help you with that, we compiled the Top 10 strongest decks in the current meta.

10.  Selesnya Enchantments

Enchantment-centered decks may not be your first thought when thinking about meta decks for the current rotation. However, this version of Selesnya Enchantments will give other meta decks a run for their money. This deck is especially powerful against decks that run big creatures as it can easily contain them. Once the big guns have been detained, this deck can easily end the game with its attacking prowess.

What this deck excels in:

• Very cheap spells in terms of mana-cost. This deck boasts a 2.4 average mana cost which means you can start building your board earlier compared to other decks
• Creature-heavy which means you can easily rebuild the board if things go south especially against control decks
• The abundance of enchantments especially Sagas contributes to an exciting gameplay which can help break the monotony of common decks

Deck list:

• 10 Forest
• 8 Plains
• 4 Overgrown Farmland
• 1 Boseiju, Who Endures
• 1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
• 4 Generous Visitor
• 4 Spirited Companion
• 3 Kami of Transience
• 3 Weaver of Harmony
• 2 Michiko’s Reign of Truth
• 4 Jukai Naturalist
• 3 The Restoration of Eiganjo
• 3 Katilda, Dawnhart Martyr
• 4 Hallowed Haunting
• 4 Borrowed Time
• 2 Circle of Confinement

9. White Weenie

This version of the ever-popular White Weenie deck runs a total of 30 creatures. This means that you will always have a creature to cast no matter how many counterspells and board wipes your opponents cast. This is still a decent deck as it relies on consistent damage from small creatures while building up for a huge attack. 

What this deck excels in:

• Another deck with very low average mana cost ensures that you have early plays to jump on your enemy
• Purely creatures means that you will rely on your board state to deal damage to the opponent. This is also good as it can help dodge single-target removal from the opponent since you still have a lot of creatures you can cast
• The power levels of the creature becomes exponential the further you get into the game. This is both good and bad. Good since you can hit a power spike and ride it towards victory. Bad since you may hit a wall wherein whatever damage you deal may no longer be enough

Deck list:

• 19 Plains
• 1 Field of Ruin
• 2 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
• 4 Hopeful Initiate
• 2 Chaplain of Alms
• 4 Intrepid Adversary
• 4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
• 3 Sungold Sentinel
• 2 Anointed Peacekeeper
• 3 Brutal Cathar
• 2 Restoration of Eiganjo
• 3 Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
• 2 Serra PAragon
• 1 Ao, the Dawn Sky
• 4 Wedding Announcement
• 3 The Wandering Emperor
• 1 Elspeth Resplendent

8. Mono Blue Tempo

Pretty much a control deck, Mono Blue Tempo utilizes the number of instants and sorceries in your graveyard to create a strong attack. The creatures in this deck can be buffed the more you play instants and sorceries while another creature can be cast for cheaper mana cost based on the number of instants and sorceries in your graveyard. As you build the number of spells in your graveyard, you will be able to gain card advantage through card draw and board advantage by countering the opponent’s spells.

What this deck excels in:

• Combines the ability to create card advantage with the ability of buffing your creatures giving you a more potent attack
• This deck has a lot of counterspells that can deal with any spell that the opponent can hurl at you
• Not a lot of people run this deck so it brings an element of surprise to the opponent especially if they are not ready to deal with your graveyard

Deck list:

• 21 Island
• 4 Consider
• 4 Slip Out the Back
• 4 Spell Pierce
• 4 Fading Hope
• 4 Essence Scatter
• 4 Make Disappear
• 3 Thirst for Discovery
• 4 Delver of Secrets
• 4 Haughty Djinn
• 4 Tolarian Terror

7. Azorius Control

Control decks are always powerful no matter the meta. Previous versions of control often run with a few creatures here and there to either swing at the opponent or to increase their card advantage. This version of Azorius Control, however, does not run any creatures. This means that some cards that are popular in other meta decks will be dead cards, among these are the creature removal spells and board wipes. This deck is a hard counter deck due to its variety of counterspells that can target any spell the opponent hurls at you.

What this deck excels in:

• Hard control means that you will probably have a counter spell ready whatever stage the game is at. This also means that you are ready to deal with whatever comes your way
• Great card advantage with makes sure that you never run out of steam

Deck list:

• 6 Island
• 6 Plains
• 4 Tranquil Cove
• 4 Deserted Beach
• 4 Adarkar Wastes
• 1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
• 1 Otawara, Soaring City
• 3 Dennick, Pious Apprentice
• 4 Anointed Peacekeeper
• 3 SIlver Scrutiny
• 2 Farewell
• 4 Impulse
• 2 Fateful Absence
• 2 Ertai’s Scorn
• 4 Syncopate
• 2 Memory Deluge
• 4 Wandering Emperor

6. Gruul

Gruul is a deck that is known to bring out monstrous creatures. This specific deck creates monsters instead of merely summoning them. With the ability of the cards to give out counters, this deck can easily turn a 1/1 creature into something that can power through multiple blockers. This creature-heavy deck is also suitable for newbies. 

What this deck excels in:

• Multiple engines that can generate counters means that even your small creatures can be buffed
• This deck can deal massive amounts of damage in a short amount of time. It is somewhat an aggressive deck but it is a little slower and more methodical compared to usual aggro decks
• Creature-heavy deck which means it can overwhelm the opponent’s board especially if they encounter a few hiccups with their spells

Deck list:

• 7 Forest
• 6 Mountain
• 4 Rockfall Vale
• 4 Karplusan Forest
• 1 Ziatora’s Proving Ground
• 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
• 4 Ascendant Packleader
• 3 Rabbit Battery
• 4 Kumano Faces Kakkazan
• 4 Gala Greeters
• 4 Quirion Beastcaller
• 4 Reckless Stormseeker
• 4 Thundering Raiju
• 3 Halana and Alena, Partners
• 3 Shivan Devastator
• 4 Lightning Strike

5. Boros Aggro

The aggressive version of Boros is not the preferred deck if you choose to rock with these colors. However, it is still a decent deck that is fast and can deal with many different threats that are popular in the meta. It also has ways to deal with early aggression from the opponent with its burn spells, allowing you to create a strong attacking board against the opponent’s empty blockers. 

What this deck excels in:

• Well-balanced deck with its variety of cheap spells and haymaker-deliverers
• Aside from creature damage, you can deal damage using instants which can cause a lot of problems against decks that do not have counterspells
• This deck can end the game swiftly but as the game progresses, it can still duel with majority of the decks in this list

Deck list:

• 8 Mountain
• 6 Plains
• 4 Sundown Pass
• 2 Thran Portal
• 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
• 1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
• 4 Kumano Faces Kakkazan
• 4 Hopeful Initiate
• 4 Bloodthirsty Adversary
• 4 Guardian of New Benalia
• 4 Sunrise Cavalier
• 4 Brutal Cathar
• 3 Thundering Raiju
• 1 Atsushi, the Blazing Sky
• 2 Angelfire Ignition
• 4 Lightning Strike
• 4 Play with Fire

4. Boros Justice

Invoke Justice is one of the cards that can easily turn the game around. This deck focuses on filling your graveyard with big creatures by discarding them. Once you have a good selection of cards in your graveyard, you can cast Invoke Justice which allows you to bring back any creature card from your graveyard. Not only that, the creature that you will be able to bring back with this spell will be much stronger. The only thing you need to worry about is decks that have graveyard exile spells as this is a hard counter to this deck. 

What this deck excels in:

• One of the most exciting interactions is Invoke Justice since you can literally place any creature on your deck and ensure that it gets casted from your graveyard
• Casting Invoke Justice can outright win you the game especially if your opponent does not deal with your graveyard or even set up the board for blockers
• Even if you do not cast Invoke Justice, you can still easily win with a battery of your creatures

Deck list:

• 8 Plains
• 2 Mountain
• 4 Sundown Pass
• 4 Wind-Scarred Crag
• 4 Jetmir’s Garden
• 1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
• 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
• 4 Spirited Companion
• 4 The Restoration of Eiganjo
• 4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
• 1 Serra Paragon
• 4 Sanctuary Warden
• 4 Titan of Industry
• 4 Cathartic Pyre
• 4 Invoke Justice
• 4 The Elder Dragon War
• 4 The Wandering Emperor

3. Red Deck Wins

Red Deck Wins is a deck that almost never loses its power whatever the expansion is. With its variety of creatures, you can ensure a consistent source of damage from the get go. Aside from this, it still uses 8 instants that can help at either clearing the board of potential blockers or even dealing that last bit of damage you need for the win. 

What this deck excels in:

• An always present deck in lists like this, Red Deck Wins always has that aggressive vibe that can finish the game before Turn 5
• With a slower approach than normal, you can get in more interactions with this deck compared to previous versions of RDW
• The name already says it all: Red Deck Wins. Guaranteed easy games means that you can progress with your rank quicker than most decks

Deck list:

• 18 Mountain
• 2 Crystal Grotto
• 2 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
• 4 Phoenix Chick
• 4 Kumano Faces Kakkazan
• 4 Radha’s Firebrand
• 4 Bloodthirsty Adversary
• 2 Squee, Dubious Monarch
• 4 Cemetery Gatekeeper
• 4 Reckless Stormseeker
• 4 Thundering Raju
• 4 Lightning Strike
• 4 Play with Fire

2. Mono Black 

This deck is possibly one of the two best decks in the standard meta right now. It is generally referred to simply as Mono Black since how it functions cannot be easily placed in a single stereotype. It has a good balance of control elements as well as attacking elements. It is also good at both the start of the game and also towards the end of the game. This mono black deck checks all the boxes in terms of balance of power and recklessness. 

What this deck excels in:

• A Tempo/Midrange deck with hints of Control means that it has all the tools necessary to win any game
• It also creates a good match even against hard control decks since it has a lot of sources of damage, both to your opponent’s health as well as to their deck
• Against decks that have low-mana cost creatures, you can easily take some hits and wait for a good opportunity for a board wipe when the opponent may have a hard time recovering from

Deck list:

• 20 Swamp
• 4 Field of Ruin
• 2 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
• 4 Evolved Sleeper
• 4 Tenacious Underdog
• 4 Graveyard Trespasser
• 2 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
• 4 Invoke Despair
• 2 Soul Transfer
• 2 Cut Down
• 2 Infernal Grasp
• 3 Reckoner Bankbuster
• 3 Meathook Massacre
• 2 Liliana of the Veil
• 2 Sorin the Mirthless

1. Grixis Midrange

If you think the Mono Black deck in the number two spot is already powerful, you are in for a surprise with its Grixis version. Although technically the same in terms of function, the addition of blue and red in this deck allows a more diverse plethora of spells that you can utilize to further increase your advantage at any stage of the game. Although the mono black variant is more stable, this Grixis version provides a ‘high risk, high reward’ type of gameplay with the variety of spells that you can use. 

What this deck excels in:

• This deck covers all holes that some iterations leave unchecked. There are other versions of this Midrange deck like Esper or Rakdos but the Grixis version is probably the most complete
• Whatever threat the opponent summons towards you can be easily dealt with
• Whether you damage the opponent’s state using discard spells or simply just destroying every creature they put out, you will be ensured of a clear board to wipe their life back to zero

Deck list:

• 2 Mountain
• 2 Swamp
• 1 Island
• 4 SHivan Reef
• 4 Sulfurous Springs
• 3 Shipwreck Marsh
• 1 Haunted Ridge
• 4 Xander’s Lounge
• 1 Maestros Theater
• 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
• 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
• 1 Ziatora’s Proving Ground
• 1 Otawara, Soaring City
• 4 Bloodtithe Harvester
• 4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
• 4 Corpse Appraiser
• 1 Tenacious Underdog
• 4 Sol’Kanar the Tainted
• 2 Ertai Resurrected
• 1 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
• 1 Soul Transfer
• 2 Voltage Surge
• 2 Cut Down
• 1 Rona’s Vortex
• 2 Infernal Grasp
• 2 Reckoner Bankbuster
• 1 Meathook Massacre
• 2 Liliana of the Veil
• 1 Kaito Shizuki

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