Gruul Adventures rose to the top of the Standard metagame at this weekend’s Zendikar Rising League Weekend, making up over 45% of the field.
After only seven players chose the deck for the first Zendikar Rising League Weekend, where it made up less that 10% of the field, 33 of the 72 players piloted the deck in the second League Weekend. Dimir Rogues, which was the most popular deck during the last League Weekend, made up 12% of the field (five MPL/four Rivals), followed by Esper Doom Foretold at 19.4% (three MPL/11 Rivals).
The Magic Pro League’s Standard metagame for the second Zendikar Rising League Weekend.
The Magic Rivals League’s Standard metagame for the second Zendikar Rising League Weekend.
In the second (and final) Zendikar Rising League Weekend, the 24 members of the Magic Pro League played 11 matches to complete their 23 matches of round robin play. While a few matches are still outstanding, Hall of Famer (and reigning World Champion) Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa made up a two-match deficit from the first League Weekend to tie Rei Sato for first place. Sato, however, still has one match left to be played with which he could claim his spot alone at the top of the Magic Pro League.
Damo da Rosa played Rakdos Midrange for the first Zendikar Rising League Weekend and switched to Dimir Rogues for this weekend’s matches.
Standard Dimir Rogues by Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa
| Creaetures (14) 4 Soaring Thought-Thief 4 Thieves’ Guild Enforcer 3 Brazen Borrower 3 Zareth San, the Trickster Spells (21) 4 Drown in the Loch 3 Agadeem’s Awakening 3 Heartless Act 3 Into the Story 2 Bloodchief’s Thirst 2 Didn’t Say Please 2 Eliminate 1 Cling to Dust 1 Silundi Vision Enchantments (2) 2 Shark Typhoon | Lands (23) 4 Clearwater Pathway 4 Temple of Deceit 4 Zagoth Triome 1 Castle Vantress 6 Island 4 Swamp Sideboard (15) 1 Bloodchief’s Thirst 3 Lullmage’s Domination 2 Cling to Dust 3 Mystical Dispute 4 Skyclave Shade 2 Shark Typhoon |
Elsewhere in the standings, Andrea Mengucci, Jean-Emmanuel Depraz, and Ken Yukuhiro built on their performances in the previous League Weekend to climb into position to make the Magic Pro League gauntlet at the end of the season. Brad Nelson and Javier Dominguez, on the other hand, had a rough time of it over the weekend and saw their standings drop enough spots to threaten their futures in the league.
The Magic Pro League’s standings after the two Zendikar Rising League Weekends.
Over in the Magic Rivals League, Hall of Famer Luis Scott-Vargas continued his torrid run to take over sole possession of first place with 18 wins—nine on each weekend. Stanislav Cifka and Bernardo Santos, both of whom were tied for first at the end of the last League Weekend, both went 7-5 to fall to third and fourth place respectively.
The Magic Rivals League’s standings after the two Zendikar Rising League Weekends.
Scott-Vargas managed to play both of the most popular decks of each weekend, beginning with Dimir Rogues for the first Zendikar Rising League Weekend and then switching to Gruul Adventures this weekend.
Standard Gruul Adventures by Luis Scott-Vargas
| Creatures (24) 4 Bonecrusher Giant 4 Brushfire Elemental 4 Edgewall Innkeeper 4 Kazandu Mammoth 4 Lovestruck Beast 3 Scavenging Ooze 1 Questing Beast Spells (7) 4 Shatterskull Smashing 2 Fire Prophecy 1 Primal Might Artifacts (5) 3 The Great Henge 2 Embercleave Enchantments (2) 2 The Akroan War | Lands (22) 4 Cragcrown Pathway 4 Fabled Passage 2 Evolving Wilds 9 Forest 3 Mountain Sideboard (15) 2 Fire Prophecy 2 Klothys, God of Destiny 3 Ox of Agonas 1 Soul Sear 3 Thrashing Brontodon 2 Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate 2 Phoenix of Ash |
This League Weekend was the final League Weekend of the Zendikar Rising split. The next major event for the Magic Pro and Rivals Leagues will be the Zendikar Rising Championship on December 4-6, 2020.