The current state of the MTG ban list is a hot topic within the community. It’s obvious that Legacy and Modern need some tweaks, but thanks to the current ban windows, nothing can be done. Not until the next ban window on August 26th, at least.
Currently, Nadu, Winged Wisdom is dominating the Modern format despite players knowing that it will probably leave at the end of the month. Grief takes the same mantle for the Legacy format. Thanks to this, two of Magic’s biggest formats are stuck in a bizarre stalemate.
That said, Modern is currently the format for Regional Championship Qualifiers. This means that, despite the less-than-ideal state of the ban list, players will be participating in tournaments for the format regardless. Nadu combos will continue until morale improves, but results suggest that there may be another deck that will become a problem. As good as Nadu, Winged Wisdom is, Energy decks may also need a ban.
Energy Decks Dominate Tournament Play
There are tons of Regional Championship Qualifiers going on across the world for the Modern format. Few, however, are as big as the recent Super Qualifier on Magic Online. With a total of 333 players registered, top eighting this prestigious event is a real challenge.
Despite Nadu, Winged Wisdom being the deck that everyone has demanded a ban for, only one copy of the deck made it into the top eight. In comparison, Boros Energy, widely considered to be the second-best deck in the Modern format, had four copies of the deck make the top eight.
This already has some players asking questions about whether Wizards of the Coast should consider an Energy ban alongside Nadu. Energy has been showing up with impressive results week after week, even putting up higher win rates in large fields than the Nadu, Winged Wisdom deck.
This consistently strong performance, even in a field with a deck that has been identified as ban-worthy, does raise some interesting alarms. When Nadu, Winged Wisdom leaves, will Energy decks become the next problem? It is certainly a possibility.
Nadu Still Needs to Go
Don’t let these results fool you. Nadu, Winged Wisdom is still a major problem for the Modern format. The bird’s popularity, despite being the best deck in the format, is on shaky ground since players know the card will get banned at the end of the month. That said, in high-stakes events where winning really matters, this deck shows up strongly without fail.
Looking at the exclusive Modern Showcase Qualifier demonstrates this. With an invite to the MOCS and the Pro Tour on the line, the stakes are truly high in this 38-player invite-only event. Five of the top eight in this event were the Nadu, Winged Wisdom combo deck. Not only that, but the Nadu deck won the whole event and comprised three of the top four decks.
This is simply a reminder that the bizarre situation of the current ban list may negatively impact the play rate of Nadu, Winged Wisdom. Ultimately, this may make it seem less dominant than it actually is. Currently, putting together this deck on paper is dubious. As a result, many players have invested in other decks that are more likely to still exist at the end of the month.
That said, Energy decks are doing incredibly well right now. They’re doing so well that, in the Historic format, nerfs impacting the archetype are expected to hit the scene today. Once Nadu, Winged Wisdom gets the banhammer, will Energy decks become the next tier zero problem? This deck is easier to create plans for since it is much easier to interact with the deck in a positive way, but it could still prove to be too powerful for the Modern format.
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