The Modern banlist has finally dropped, and with it, the format has changed forever. 2 major bannings and 1 unbanning will completely change the metagame and effectively eliminate several decks. Let’s jump into it!
Hogaak banned
Everyone saw this one coming. Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis survived one banning already and continued to dominate the Modern metagame. A turn 2 8/8 is often way too unbeatable for most decks. With it gone, the graveyard menace should go away completely. I think I speak for everyone in saying that no one is sad to see Hogaak go.
Faithless Looting banned
The poster child of degeneracy in Modern, Faithless Looting finally got the boot. The card has been begging for it for years, spawning hosts of powerful and consistent red decks and enabling graveyard strategies. This card ban effectively hits a whole host of decks. Mono-red Prowess, Mardu Pyromancer, Arclight Phoenix decks, Dredge, Hogaak, and more. The list goes on and on. With all these decks hit, the metagame will surely swing completely. Where it will end up remains to be seen. The decks could adapt, but they will more likely disappear completely.
Stoneforge Mystic unbanned
The notorious white card is finally back, and the hype is high. In a matter of minutes, the card’s price shot up to $60 (as of the writing of this post) and is still rising. The same goes for the best equipment targets for the deck, like Batterskull and the Sword of Feast and Famine. Stoneforge Mystic is no doubt powerful, and white decks could see a rise solely because of this card. Will it be powerful enough for Modern in its current state? That remains to be seen, but the card will definitely find a home. Control, Equipment, and Blink strategies could all utilize the kor artificer.
What do you think of the new Modern banlist announcement? Was your favorite deck hit? What deck will you play next? Let us know in the comments below!
