Analyze the Metagame

The first step to building a successful Spellslingers deck in a solved format is to understand the metagame. This means identifying the most popular Spellslingers, their strengths and weaknesses, and the most played cards in the format. By understanding the metagame, you can make informed decisions about what cards to include in your deck and what strategies to employ. Check out our decklist page for the best performing strategies and our tier list for what we consider to be the power rankings for each Spellslinger!

Identify Unique Card Interactions

In Magic Spellslingers, in a solved format there may still be overlooked card interactions that can give you an edge over your opponents. Look for cards that have unique synergies or interactions with other cards in the format. This can give you an unexpected advantage in matchups and catch your opponents off guard. Solved formats can become very insular to the point that unconventional strategies can find a return to form. Try revisiting old strategies to take the format by surprise. Creature-based Liliana decks that normally don’t stand out have a chance to shine with the unique niche they have in the current metagame due to how effective they are at maintaining a board presence in the face of the oppressive Veil-Cursed Predator.

Experiment with Tech Options

While the bulk of your Magic Spellslingers deck may be relatively straightforward in a solved format, tech choices are where you can differentiate yourself. Try out different tech choices to counter popular strategies and surprise your opponents. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and try unconventional cards. Some examples of effective tech choices in the current metagame are cards like Cage Match, which can surprise opponents aiming to play large threats with a two for one on their most powerful cards. Infernal Broker is another tech choice that has seen success in ramping lists such as in Panharmonicon Nissa or Domri ramp in order to target ramp mirrors. Icingdeath is a uniquely effective tech choice against the standard Garruk lists that seek to transform toughness into power and can fit into many strategies such as Nissa Ramp, white control decks in Serra and Teferi and even decks that can afford to go big like Ajani or Vivien.

Playtest Thoroughly

Once you have built your deck, it’s important to playtest extensively. Test against a variety of Spellslingers and opponents to get a feel for how your deck performs in different matchups. This can help you identify weaknesses in your deck and refine your card choices and strategies. The best playtesting involves playing against a variety of players and decks to insure that you have a complete understanding of the format. Get feedback from other players and seek out playtesting matches against community members in the MtG Spellslingers discord! Once you have confidence in your card choices, test your skills in a tournament! Despite uncertainty with changes that may or may not be coming to the game, Magic Spellsingers maintains an active community with tournaments running every week! Our new event hub is a good place to stop in and see coverage on MtG-SS hosted Spellslinger tournaments.

Keep and Eye on Future Releases

Just because a format is solved now doesn’t mean it will stay that way. While there have yet to be any confirmed releases announced thus far, keep an eye open on our website for announcements and analysis on new changes and how they may impact the format. New cards or mechanics may introduce new strategies or alter the balance of power in the format. Because the game has trended towards stealth dropping new releases, at any time new Spellslingers or balance changes can turn the metagame on its head so check back each month!