Standard 2021 fall rotation in Magic: The Gathering is a month away, with MTG Arena offering players a chance to test post-rotation decks in Standard 2022.
Scheduled to take place on Sept. 24 with the release of Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, Standard 2021 rotation will bump overpowered sets like Throne of Eldrain from the Standard format. The four sets leaving the format are Throne of Eldraine (ELD), Theros: Beyond Death (THB), Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO), and Core Set 2021 (M21). Leading up to fall rotation, Wizards of the Coast is running a Standard 2022 Ranked queue in best-of-one and best-of-three formats.
At the time of the MTG 2021 Standard rotation, there will be five legal sets within the format: Zendikar Rising (ZNR), Kaldheim (KHM), Strixhaven: School of Mages (STX), Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms (AFR), and Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID). Utilizing every post-rotation deck, with the exception of MID, here are the five best MTG Standard 2022 decks to become familiar with.
Stomp with Mono-Green
Despite ELD leaving the Standard format, the Magic Color Green received a fair amount of solid cards via AFR to keep Mono-Green Stompy at tier one. The Mono-color deck utilizes a number of MTG mechanics like Landfall, ramp, Pact Tactics, and +1/+1 counters.
Old-Growth Troll and Froghemoth are the top-end creatures, providing Trample and Haste for those final lethal hits. Snow lands replace Forest to empower Faceless Haven and Blizzard Brawl. And Ranger Class from AFR boosts early game power while preventing the Standard 2022 deck from running out of gas in the late-game stages.
Here is an example of Mono-Green Aggro played by Joel Enrique Arauz at the Aug. 22 TGS Open:
Main deck
- 4 Blizzard Brawl
- 4 Esika’s Chariot
- 2 Faceless Haven
- 3 Froghemoth
- 3 Inscription of Abundance
- 4 Jaspera Sentinel
- 4 Kazandu Mammoth
- 4 Lair of the Hydra
- 4 Old-Growth Troll
- 4 Ranger Class
- 16 Snow-Covered Forest
- 4 Swarm Shambler
- 4 Werewolf Pack Leader
Sideboard
- 4 Devouring Tendrils
- 3 Masked Vandal
- 4 Snakeskin Veil
- 4 Toski, Bearer of Secrets
Another option for Mono-Green was created by Crokeyz, utilizing Werewolf Pack Leader and Swarm Shambler. An example of his deck can be found here. Crokeyz also experimented with Gruul, providing an alternative option to Mono-Green that can be found here.
Jeskai Midrange
Standard 2022 Jeskai Midrange is packed with dragons and spells that led Erik Coomber to a first-place victory at the Aug. 22 TGS Open. Dragons paving the way are Galazeth Prismari, Adult Gold Dragon, and Goldspan Dragon.
Crafting this deck in the Magic colors of White, Blue, and Red provides a solid amount of spells that can draw cards, counter, and burn. The best Red removal in the Standard 2022 deck is Dragon’s Fire, able to use the power of a dragon in hand or on the battlefield for damage.
Here is an example of the Jeskai Midrange deck played by Erik Coomber:
Main deck
- 3 Orb of Dragonkind
- 1 Leyline Tyrant
- 3 Adult Gold Dragon
- 2 Island
- 4 Goldspan Dragon
- 3 Galazeth Prismari
- 3 Mountain
- 3 Prismari Command
- 2 Magma Opus
- 2 Alrund’s Epiphany
- 4 Hengegate Pathway
- 3 Expressive Iteration
- 1 Iymrith, Desert Doom
- 4 Dragon’s Fire
- 2 Draconic Intervention
- 1 Inferno of the Star Mounts
- 2 Saw It Coming
- 2 Behold the Multiverse
- 4 Riverglide Pathway
- 4 Needleverge Pathway
- 1 Hall of Storm Giants
- 1 Cave of the Frost Dragon
- 1 Den of the Bugbear
- 4 Temple of the Dragon Queen
Sideboard
- 2 Rip Apart
- 2 Burning Hands
- 3 Disdainful Stroke
- 2 Cinderclasm
- 2 Test of Talents
- 1 Inferno of the Star Mounts
- 1 Draconic Intervention
- 1 Cleansing Wildfire
- 1 Mordenkainen
Mono-White Aggro
Mono-White Aggro continues its dominance into the Standard 2022 format via a creature-heavy build that utilizes several powerful Artifacts and Enchantments. The core creatures in Mono-White Aggro are Luminarch Aspirant, Seasoned Hallowblade, Elite Spellbinder, and Skyclave Apparition.
Also included in the Standard 2022 Mono-White Aggro deck is The Book of Exalted Deeds from AFR and Alseid of Life’s Bounty. Finishing fifth at the SCG Tour Online Championship, here is an example of Mono-White crafted by Daftendirekt. Another good example of gameplay by MTG_Joe can be found here.
Main deck
- 3 Alrund’s Epiphany
- 3 Behold the Multiverse
- 2 Disdainful Stroke
- 4 Dragon’s Fire
- 4 Expressive Iteration
- 1 Faceless Haven
- 3 Frost Bite
- 4 Frostboil Snarl
- 2 Galazeth Prismari
- 4 Goldspan Dragon
- 2 Hall of Storm Giants
- 2 Iymrith, Desert Doom
- 1 Negate
- 2 Prismari Command
- 3 Riverglide Pathway
- 4 Saw It Coming
- 7 Snow-Covered Island
- 5 Snow-Covered Mountain
- 4 Volatile Fjord
Sideboard
- 3 Battle of Frost and Fire
- 3 Burning Hands
- 1 Cleansing Wildfire
- 1 Graven Lore
- 2 Heated Debate
- 1 Inferno of the Star Mounts
- 2 Ray of Frost
- 2 Test of Talents
Orzhov Dungeons
Everyone playing Standard 2022 has run into an Orzhov Angels deck at least a few times, but flying under the radar is Orzhov Dungeons in the best-of-one format. Packed with creatures, the build utilizes Nadaar, Selfless Paladin, Ebondeath, Dracolich, Loyal Warhound, and Triumphant Adventurer. It’s not as powerful as Orzhov Angels but is fun and creative.
Here is an example of Orzhov Dungeons by DoggerTQBones
Main deck
- 3 Acererak the Archlich
- 4 Brightclimb Pathway
- 4 Ebondeath, Dracolich
- 2 Elite Spellbinder
- 3 Heartless Act
- 4 Loyal Warhound
- 4 Luminarch Aspirant
- 4 Nadaar, Selfless Paladin
- 7 Plains
- 4 Selfless Savior
- 4 Shineshadow Snarl
- 6 Swamp
- 3 Temple of Deceit
- 4 Triumphant Adventurer
- 4 Vanishing Verse
Bant Party
Created by Ali Aintrazi, one of Magic’s highly creative streamers, Bant Party is a wild ride full of synergy and flavor. Similar to the other top Standard 2022 decks, the build is creature heavy with access to Lesson spells in the sideboard when playing MTG Standard 2022 best-of-one. Watch Aintrazi pilot the Bant Party deck here.
Main deck
- 1 Nimble Trapfinder
- 2 Glasspool Mimic
- 2 Professor of Symbology
- 3 Linvala, Shield of Sea Gate
- 4 Jaspera Sentinel
- 4 Luminarch Aspirant
- 4 Masked Vandal
- 4 Squad Commander
- 4 Tajuru Paragon
- 1 Concerted Defense
- 4 Spoils of Adventure
- 4 The Bears of Littjara
- 1 Forest
- 1 Island
- 1 Plains
- 4 Base Camp
- 4 Barkchannel Pathway
- 4 Branchloft Pathway
- 4 Hengegate Pathway
- 4 Temple of the Dragon Queen
Sideboard
- 1 Mascot Exhibition
- 1 Containment Breach
- 1 Teachings of the Archaics
- 2 Pest Summoning
- 1 Reduce to Memory
- 1 Environmental Sciences
