Magic Online Legacy Weekly Metagame Report 05-03-2010

With the rapid growth of Magic Online, Wizards of the Coast has been bringing more players into the digital world of card slinging by creating new formats and releasing all of the old sets online. Earlier this year Wizards of the Coast recently announced the creating of the Legacy Online format, which is a bit surprising. That in and of itself is not surprising, but not all of the older Legacy playable cards are yet in the Magic Online card pool so it is surprising that they would launch it before this. But with the release of the rest of Urza’s block and the Masters Edition IV (slated for release December 13 2010), most of the remaining cards will be released ‘into the wild’ if the speculation proves correct that Masters Edition IV will include the hits from Mercadian Masques block (Mercadian Masques/Nemesis/Prophecy). Wizards go eventually release the entire Mercadian block, but the consensus in the past seems to be that Mercadian was the worst block and would be a very poor seller online (hence the theory of just including releveant cards in Masters Edition IV).

The Magic Online Legacy community has slowly been gaining steam, with Daily Events running regularly and succesfully firing with 16-30+ people. The Premier Events have been hit or miss, but there seems to be plenty of data coming in from the developing Online Legacy metagame in Daily Events. In our new weekly column here we’ll take a look at what is the exact make up of the Online Legacy metagame by analyzing every deck played and how they finished.

For those unfamiliar with Daily Events, they are usually run once or twice a day, with a minimum of 16 people to start and a max of 128, and are always exactly 4 rounds. They are 6 tickets to enter and pay out 11 booster packs (roughly 44 ticket value) to players finishing 4-0, and 6 booster packs (roughly 24 ticket value) to players finishing 3-1. Premier Events require a minimum of 33 players (and a max of 256) and cost 10 tickets to enter, and are similar to most tournaments with Swiss rounds based on the number of competitors, with a cut to a single elimination Top 8 playoff. The prizes are 36 booster packs for first place, 27 for second, 18 for third and fourth, and 9 for fifth through eighth. All prize winning players in both types of tournaments are also rewarded with Qualifying Points based on their finish, and these points accumulate and can be used for other prizes in the description found here.

All scheduled online events can be found courtesy of the Magic Online Events Calendar.

With our first week (04-25-2010 through 05-01-2010) of Online Legacy analysis, we have 7 Daily Events worth of data to pull from. The events will be listed by number and date, and then broken out by archetype, players, average points per archetype and sub-archetype (there is a maximum of 12 points per tournament, as there are 4 rounds in each Daily Event), and money finishes (money finish defined as 4-0 or 3-1 finish, which is the cutoff for payouts in Daily Events).

Daily Event 1154851 04-25-2010 (32 players):
Ad Nauseam – 3 players; average 4.00 points by player
(2 with 3 Ad Nauseam + Pact of Negation version; average 6.00 points per player)
(1 with Saito 2 Ad Nauseam + Lion’s Eye version; average 0.00 points per player)
Reanimator – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Painter Grindstone – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Bant NOPro (no CounterTop) – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Bant Tempo/New Horizons – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Bant NOPro CounterTop – 3 players; average 2.00 points per player
CounterTop UGRW – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
Canadian Threshold – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Merfolk U – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Enchantress – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Astral Slide BGW Junk – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
BGU Smallpox – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Death and Taxes – 3 players; average 7.00 pionts per player; 2 money finishes
Dredge (LED-less) – 3 players; average 6.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Goblins – 5 players; average 5.40 points per player; 2 money finishes
(2 with Goblins R; average 10.5 points per player; 2 money finishes)
(2 with Goblins RB; average 3.00 points per player)
(1 with Goblins RG; average 0.00 points per player)
Naya Zoo – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Sligh/Mono Red Burn – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Red Green aggro – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
Affinity – 2 players; average 6.00 points per player; 1 money finish

Daily Event 1154853 04-26-2010 (29 players):
Ad Nauseam (3 Ad Nauseam + Pact of Negation version) – 1 player; average 3.00 points by player
Charbelcher – 1 player; 3.00 points per player
Next Level Storm – 1 player; 0.00 points per player
Reanimator – 2 players; average 3.00 points per player
Stoneforge Bant (no CounterTop) – 1 player; 3.00 points per player
Bant NOPro CounterTop – 1 players; average 3.00 points per player
CounterTop UGBW – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Englightened CounterTop UGW – 1 player; 0.00 points per player
Englightened CounterTop UGRW – 1 player; 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
4C Landstill – 1 player; 6.00 points per player
Nearly Mono Blue – 1 player; 3.00 points per player
Stax WG – 1 player; 0.00 points per player
Astral Slide BGW Junk – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
BGW Junk – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Mono Black Aggro Control – 1 players; 6.00 points per player
Dredge (LED-less) – 1 players; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Dredge (Bloodghasted) – 1 players; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Death and Taxes – 3 players; average 6.00 pionts per player; 1 money finish
AggroLoam RGB – 1 player; average 12.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Goblins – 3 players; average 5.40 points per player; 1 money finish
(2 with Goblins RB; average 3.00 points per player)
(1 with Goblins RG; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish)
Naya Zoo – 2 players; average 6.00 points per player
Affinity – 2 players; average 1.50 points per player

Daily Event 1154855 04-27-2010 (25 players):
Ad Nauseam (3 Ad Nauseam + Pact of Negation version) – 1 player; average 6.00 points by player
Next Level Storm – 1 player; 3.00 points per player
Reanimator – 2 players; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Canadian Threshold – 1 players; average 3.00 points per player
Bant NOPro (no CounterTop) – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Bant NOPro CounterTop – 1 players; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
CounterTop UGBW – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Englightened CounterTop UGW – 1 player; 6.00 points per player
Englightened CounterTop UGRW – 1 player; 0.00 points per player
Enchantress – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Astral Slide BGW Junk – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
BGW RecSur – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
BG Junk – 1 player; 3.00 points per player
Dredge (LED-less) – 2 players; average 4.50 points per player; 1 money finish
Dredge (Bloodghasted) – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
AggroLoam RGB – 1 player; average 12.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Death and Taxes – 2 players; average 4.50 points per player; 1 money finish
Naya Zoo – 1 players; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Goblins – 4 players; average 5.40 points per player; 1 money finish
(1 with Goblins R; 1 player; average 3.00 points per player)
(2 with Goblins RB; average 4.50 points per player; 1 money finish)
(1 with Goblins RBG; average 6.00 points per player)

Daily Event 1175104 04-28-2010 (16 players):
Ad Nauseam (Saito 2 Ad Nauseam + Lion’s Eye version) – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Imperial Aluren – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Reanimator – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Bant NOPro (no CounterTop) – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Bant NOPro CounterTop – 1 players; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
CounterTop UGBW – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
CounterTop UGRW – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Englightened CounterTop UGW – 1 player; 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
4C Landstill – 2 players; average 6.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Astral Slide BGW Junk – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
BW Junk – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Mono Green NOPro – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Death and Taxes – 1 player; average 12.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Goblins – 2 players; average 5.40 points per player; 1 money finish
(1 with Goblins RB; average 0.00 points per player)
(1 with Goblins RBG; average 3.00 points per player)

Daily Event 1175105 04-29-2010 (16 players):
Ad Nauseam (Saito 2 Ad Nauseam + Lion’s Eye version) – 2 players; average 7.50 points per player; 1 money finish
Reanimator – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Englightened CounterTop UGW – 1 player; 6.00 points per player
4C Landstill – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Mono Black Smallpox – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
AggroLoam RGB – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
AggroLoam RGBW – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Death and Taxes – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
Dredge (LED-less) – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Goblins – 3 players; average 5.00 points per player; 1 money finish
(3 with Goblins R; 3 players; average 5.00 points per player; 1 money finish)
Sligh/Mono Red Burn – 3 players; average 3.00 points per player

Daily Event 1175106 04-29-2010 (27 players):
Ad Nauseam (Saito 2 Ad Nauseam + Lion’s Eye version) – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Next Level Storm – 1 player; 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Charbelcher – 1 player; 6.00 points per player
Reanimator – 2 players; average 4.50 points per player; 1 money finish
Painter Grindstone – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Canadian Threshold – 1 players; average 3.00 points per player
CounterTop UGBW – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
CounterTop UGW – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Englightened CounterTop UGW – 1 player; 3.00 points per player
Englightened CounterTop UGRW – 1 player; 0.00 points per player
4C Landstill – 2 players; average 7.50 points per player; 1 money finish
Enchantress – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
BG Junk – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
BG Smallpox – 2 players; average 3.00 points per player
BGWU Survival – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Death and Taxes – 2 players; average 7.50 points per player; 1 money finish
Dredge (LED-less) – 3 players; average 3.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Elves – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Goblins – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
(1 with Goblins RBG; average 3.00 points per player)
Sligh/Mono Red Burn – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Naya Zoo – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish

Daily Event 1175107 04-30-2010 (24 players):
Ad Nauseam (Saito 2 Ad Nauseam + Lion’s Eye version) – 2 players; average 6.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Charbelcher – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Hypergenesis Show and Tell – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
Reanimator – 2 players; average 0.00 points per player
Canadian Threshold – 2 players; average 6.00 points per player; 1 money finish
CounterTop UGBW – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
CounterTop UGW – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish
CounterTop UGRW – 1 player; 6.00 points per player
Englightened CounterTop UGW – 1 player; 3.00 points per player
Enchantress – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
Astral Slide BGW Junk – 1 player; average 12.00 points per player; 1 money finish
Death and Taxes – 3 players; average 8.00 pionts per player; 2 money finishes
Dredge (LED-less) – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
Goblins – 4 players; average 5.25 points per player; 1 money finish
(2 with Goblins R; average 6.00 points per player)
(1 with Goblins RB; average 6.00 points per player)
(1 with Goblins RBG; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish)
Naya Zoo – 2 players; average 4.5 points per player

NOTE: missing data for Daily Event 1175108 05-01-2010 (17 players) and Daily Event 1175109 05-01-2010 (27 players)

So, that’s a pretty nice data set to pull from, even though we’re missing complete results for 2 of the Daily Events. The data from the 7 events that we do have data for breaks down like this, when adding them all up.

7 events, 169 players total, with an average of 24.14 players per event
Ad Nauseam – 11 players; average 5.46 points by player; 3 money finishes (.27 times per playing the deck)
(4 with 3 Ad Nauseam + Pact of Negation version; average 5.25 points per player)
(7 with Saito 2 Ad Nauseam + Lion’s Eye version; average 5.57 points per player; 3 money finishes [.43 times per playing the deck])
Next Level Storm – 3 players; average 4.00 points per player; 1 money finish (.33 times per playing the deck)
Charbelcher – 3 players; average 5.00 points per player
Painter Grindstone – 2 players; average 4.50 points per player
Hypergenesis Show and Tell – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
Imperial Aluren – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Reanimator – 11 players; average 4.91 points per player; 3 money finishes (.27 times per playing the deck)
Merfolk U – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish (1.00 times per playing the deck)
Canadian Threshold – 5 players; average 5.25 points per player; 1 money finish (.20 times per playing the deck)
Bant Tempo/New Horizons – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Stoneforge Bant (no CounterTop) – 1 player; 3.00 points per player
Bant NOPro (no CounterTop) – 3 players; average 5.00 points per player
Bant NOPro CounterTop – 6 players; average 3.00 points per player; 1 money finish (.33 times per playing the deck)
CounterTop UGW – 2 players; average 9.00 points per player; 2 money finishes (1.00 times per playing the deck)
CounterTop UGBW – 5 players; average 6.00 points per player; 2 money finishes (.40 times per playing the deck)
CounterTop UGRW – 3 players; average 4.00 points per player
Englightened CounterTop UGW – 6 players; 4.50 points per player; 1 money finish (.17 times per playing the deck)
Englightened CounterTop UGRW – 3 players; 3.00 points per player; 1 money finish (.33 times per playing the deck)
4C Landstill – 6 players; average 7.00 points per player; 3 money finishes (.5 times per playing the deck)
Nearly Mono Blue – 1 player; 3.00 points per player
Enchantress – 4 players; average 6.00 points per player; 2 money finishes (.5 times per playing the deck)
Stax WG – 1 player; 0.00 points per player
BGWU Survival – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish (1.00 times per playing the deck)
BGW RecSur – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
Astral Slide BGW Junk – 5 players; average 6.60 points per player; 3 money finishes (.60 times per playing the deck)
BGW Junk – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish (1.00 times per playing the deck)
BW Junk – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish (1.00 times per plalying the deck)
BG Junk – 2 players; 1.50 points per player
BG Smallpox – 2 players; average 3.00 points per player
BGU Smallpox – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Mono Black Smallpox – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
Mono Black Aggro Control – 1 players; 6.00 points per player
Mono Green NOPro – 1 player; average 6.00 points per player
AggroLoam RGB – 3 players; average 11.00 points per player; 3 money finishes (1.00 times per playing the deck)
AggroLoam RGBW – 1 player; average 3.00 points per player
Death and Taxes – 15 players; average 6.60 pionts per player; 8 money finishes (.53 times per playing the deck)
Dredge (LED-less) – 11 players; average 4.91 points per player; 5 money finishes (.45 times per playing the deck)
Dredge (Bloodghasted) – 2 players; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish (.50 times per playing the deck)
Elves – 1 player; average 9.00 points per player; 1 money finish (1.00 times per playing the deck)
Goblins – 22 players; average 4.91 points per player; 6 money finishes (.27 times per playing the deck)
(8 with Goblins R; average 6.38 points per player; 3 money finishes [.38 times per playing the deck])
(8 with Goblins RB; average 3.38 points per player; 1 money finish [.13 times per playing the deck])
(2 with Goblins RG; average 4.50 points per player; 1 money finish [.5 times per playing the deck])
(4 with Goblins RBG; average 5.25 points per player; 1 money finish [.25 times per playing the deck])
Sligh/Mono Red Burn – 5 players; average 3.60 points per player
Red Green aggro – 1 player; average 0.00 points per player
Naya Zoo – 7 players; average 6.00 points per player; 2 money finishes (.29 times per playing the deck)
Affinity – 4 players; average 3.75 points per player; 1 money finish (.25 times per playing the deck)

So with this look at what’s actually been played the past week, you can start to get a good idea of what is actually being played (not just placing), to get a better idea of what you might square off against in the Online Legacy Daily Events. Goblins variants, Reanimator, Death and Taxes, Dredge, ANT, and CounterTop and Bant variants are the most frequent players, although not necessarily the best finishing ones.

Goblins, Zoo, and Dredge appear to have pushed Merfolk almost entirely out of the metagame this week, but don’t be surprised to see Merfolk back again soon if CounterTop and Combo strategies can overpower the aggro decks. Cards like Firespout and Engineered Plague seem very well positioned right now, so we should start seeing more and more of these in the coming weeks as players attempt to combat the throng of cheap creatures in the environment.

The boogeymen in the room named Dredge, Reanimator, and Ad Nauseam averaged 4.91, 4.91, and 5.46 points each (respectively, out of a possible 12.0 points in a 4 round tournament). Those are pretty average results, especially analyzing them next to ‘fair’ decks like Death and Taxes (6.60 point average) and Naya Zoo (6.00 point average). Is Attacking Miserable, as author Max McCall argued in a recent debate stirring article? Or is it just part of a more consistent approach that might be the way to frequent success in Legacy? I guess true statistics will tell after some period of time, as conjecture will do little good when compared to actual empirical data.

We hope to make this a weekly column every Monday as the MTGO Eternal metagame evolves, so be sure to check back frequently for more Eternal content. Please let us know in the comments section below what you found useful and what you’d like to see more of next time. See you again soon!