MTGA Standard BO3 October 2020 Short Tier List

Hi Planeswalkers!

I recently put together a tier list here on this website for BO1 to help with anyone tackling the competitive MTGA Landscape, those who like a visual or just to discuss! Along with providing a BO1 tier list take I wanted to provide a BO3 one as well. Especially since we all know that the metas are different. In addition, with recent weekend events and speculation (confirmed now 10/12) of further bannings tomorrow I figured this might help provide a decent head start for decks that will remain intact! Last I have laid out more trends, key considerations, and expanded on observations for BO3 below as well.

Please note: Given feedback last time this is a 12 version list vs a 20+ (which I plan to still do). Also, note I would consider Gruul in this list at T2 – specifically calling this one out based on the weekend tournament plus Emma & Autumns impact on it!

TLDR: Players consolidating around one deck, and potential (speculation) emergency ban tomorrow. Sultai has gone bye-bye, mono colored weakened, and continue look for increased deck types and strength of current coming out of post uro and continued potential bans.

What it is, current meta observations, and deck overviews! Additionally I love sharing the observations and recent changes we have faced in an ever evolving fast paced format.

Items of Interest & Considerations:

Consolidation – Lots of access, lack of ban in the shell, and still easy synergies for Omnath has created the only deck to play in the meta! Based on weekend events of a strong 65%ish of the field running omanth flavors of ramp or adventures. Personally, I am an anti everyone else deck player but that’s just how I try to run.
Fall of Sultai – It used to be called Sultai (insert deck archetype part 2 here) and now it remains to have been squashed by an elemental.
Loss of the Sacrifice – Between the Great Rotation, bannings, and ZNR sacrifice has continued to see the fall from grace. My how fast things change, and may everyone remember this when it comes to Omnath, because there will be a time!
Juiced Archetypes continue into ZNR – I think based on last time this is pretty interesting and important. Clover & Cycle still remain, and additionally have taken on a few new forms. Temur has broken into 4C omnath adventures, and boros cycle has become Yore cycle with the unlocking power of the modal lands.
Strength in Mana Numbers – I find that mono colored decks have in particular weakened pretty heavily in BO3 vs where they were at the same time around last season. Mono Green is still very strony, and we are starting to see White Weenies making a comeback out of redbull untapped. I do feel modal lands have created a health access for multi-colored decks and a prime example is omnath. You would like it would be much harder to hit 4Cs consistently, but I always find myself on the short end of the stick with my opponents.
Post Uro world and “to be continued” – As I mentioned above there is a chance based on this weekend’s events, and some interesting ideas on ban/restricted page that we may yet get another change up with playables tomorrow. Stay tuned…However, based on experience and watching these trends here is some key information I have found helpful to capitalize on myself. Typically decks pre banning that face no change tend to be stronger post banning or better positioned to swiftly rank climb. A good example here would be Dimir Rogues. The other take that I personally enjoy most about bannings is the fact that the meta does turn over slightly, we lose deck consolidation, and things tend to open up more with as called out last time a more go wide approach. With the Uro banning I would say there was a greater influx of new decks and this can definitely be seen with: Mono White, Yore Cycle, and Rakdos Midrange to name a few. Again, I look forward as always to a diverse set of decks and archetypes to play, and play against!

I have produced this list from a culmination of a few things. I have reached this point by pulling together research data from multiple sources like untapped, MTGAzone, twitter, personal gameplay, tournament matches, this reddit as well as others, personal stats, and consistently hitting Mythic over the last year and participation in the last Mythic Qualifier.

Again, Happy to discuss or talk about decks not included! Tier list below plus deck lists (shells) if you are looking for some options most all top 1500 at some point many at the #1 Rank!

All Full Deck lists below!

MTGA BO3 October 2020 Tier List

Tier 1 (1)

Tier 2 (7)

Tier 3 (4)

Deck lists in Detail

*Note you can copy and paste the specific lists right into MTG, and you are off to the races!