Off-meta decks challenge Esper MIdrange at Magic World Championship

Day one of the 2022 Magic World Championship set the stage for the final day playoffs, showcasing two off-meta decks that rocked the Standard Swiss rounds.

Heading into the Magic World Championship, taking place from Oct. 28 to 30, almost 70 percent of the 32-player field locked in Esper Midrange as their Standard Constructed deck. The popular MTG Worlds deck became one of the best builds in the Standard format following the ban of The Meathook Massacre.

Of the remaining 10 players who didn’t bring Esper Midrange, some leaned into the non-Meathook Jund Midrange decks. But others bucked the trends, like Jean-Emmanuel Depraz, who crafted a Mono-Blue Tempo deck that directly challenged the MTG Worlds Midrange decks. 

Following the Limited rounds during the first day of the Magic World Championship, Depraz had a 2-1 record. Five rounds later, he had a 6-2 record and was third in the overall day one MTG Worlds standings. Packed with Instant and Sorcery spells that either remove or protect, the spells fueled cards like Haughty Djinn and Tolarian Terror. The Mono-Blue Tempo deck showed signs of having potential heading into Worlds and Depraz showed the world how to pilot it. 

Going undefeated during the Limited DMU Draft rounds was Julian Wellman, who also brought an off-meta Izzet Tempo Standard Constructed deck. 

The Izzet Tempo build was similar to Mono-Blue Tempo while including powerful cards like Lier, Disciple of the Drowned, and Fable of the Mirror-Breaker—losing only once during the Standard Constructed rounds to Depraz and his Mono-Blue Tempo. The powerful deck built by Wellman had him tied as a co-leader with Nathan Steuer, both having 7-1 day one overall records heading into day two.

Steuer also went undefeated during the Limited DMU Draft rounds. Playing a Grixis Midrange deck in the Standard Constructed rounds, Steuer’s only loss was to Depraz during round seven of the day, getting swept by the Mono-Blue Tempo deck. 

Day two of the 2022 Magic World Championship will look completely different than day one, showcasing six Swiss rounds of Explorer Constructed. The Standard decks, and players piloting them, will play a major role during the final day of MTG Worlds

Only four players will advance to the MTG World Championship playoffs, featuring gameplay in the Standard Constructed format within a double-elimination bracket. And players like Wellman, Steuer, and Depraz have an edge over the field as 11 wins guarantee a top-four finish during day two.