I hope it is okay, if I make here my own thread where i talk about and show the decks I play.

I am not a good writer (like CovertGo Blue), so it will be probably more numbers and less written text.

Some days ago I finally unlocked all the cards and started to play more and more Ranked Battles.
For testing my decks I had the idea to play each of my decks 10 times and to document all my results.

Maybe some of you are interested to see how my decks perform and which decks are played frequently (Steam).


My journey began at Rank 15.

2 artifact decks:

UR Artifact [Origins] 8-2 (viewtopic.php?p=350315#p350315)

1. WG Aggro - Win
2. WR Aggro - Lose
3. UR Control - Win
4. R Control - Win
5. BG Elves Combo - Win
6. UG Control - Lose
7. W Aggro - Win
8. UR Artifact Control - Win
9. BG Elves Combo - Win
10. BRG Ramp - Win

Conclusion: Standard Artifact Deck, nothing special in my opinion, therefore I was amazed that the results were so good.
Rank 21

UR Conjuring Artifact [Origins] 0-5 (viewtopic.php?p=350325#p350325)

1. UR Artifacts Aggro - Lose
2. BRG Control - Lose
3. BRG Control - Lose
4. WB Enchantment Combo - Lose
5. WR Aggro - Lose

Conclusion: Nope! Fun in Solo Battles because the AI is slow enough but too slow in Versus Battles.
Rank 16

2 creature heavy decks:

BG Elves [Origins] 5-5 (viewtopic.php?p=350341#p350341)

1. B Aggro - Win
2. WG Renown Aggro - Win
3. R RDW Aggro - Lose (Mana flooded)
4. UB Aggro Draw - Win
5. RB Control - Lose
6. BG Elves Combo - Win
7. RB Control - Lose (Mana screwed)
8. BG Elves Combo - Lose (Mana flooded)
9. RB Control - Lose
10. UG Control - Win

Conclusion: It needs more control, Bone Splinters maybe!?
Rank 16

WG Renown [Origins] 8-2 (viewtopic.php?p=350352#p350352)

1. WB - Win
2. BG - Win
3. WBG Elves Control - Lose
4. R RDW Aggro - Lose
5. WU Control - Win
6. WB Enchantments Combo - Win
7. WR Aggro - Win
8. WR Aggro - Win
9. BG Elves Combo - Win
10. RB Steal & Sac Combo - Win

Conclusion: Maybe it needs more trample, but I thought the Elves Deck would be better than this.
Rank 22

2 tap/bounce Deck:

UG Simic928 [Origins] 7-3 (viewtopic.php?p=348717#p348717)

1. WB Enchantments Combo - Win
2. UR Control - Win
3. BG Ramp - Lose (Gaea's Revenge)
4. GR Ramp - Win
5. UR Artifact Combo - Win
6. UR Aggro - Win
7. RG Control - Win
8. RB Aggro - Lose
9. BG Elves Combo - Win
10. BG Elves Combo - Lose (Mana flooded)

Conclusion: Really strong deck against AI, and works against human opponents better than expected. Kapsho Kitefins is really awesome.
Rank 26

WU TapBeast [Origins] 6-4 (viewtopic.php?p=350361#p350361)

1. UG Control - Win
2. BG Ramp - Lose
3. BG Elves Combo - Win
4. WG Renown Aggro - Win
5. UR Aggro - Lose
6. WR Aggro - Win
7. WR Aura Combo - Win
8. UR Artifact Combo - Lose (Mana Flooded)
9. R RDW Aggro - Win
10. WR Aggro - Lose

Conclusion: Yeah it is okay. The Simic Deck is stronger in my opinion.

Final Rank: 28

So this were the first 6 Decks I played with and I have about 12 more Decks, so if you guys are interested I can update this thread again in a couple of days.

I climbed up 13 ranks in 55 games. (34-21)

My Top 3 Decks:
UR Artifact
WG Renown
UG Simic928

Opponent Colors:
11x BG (9x Elves)
8x UR (4x Artifact)
7x WR

Opponent Styles:
19x Aggro
15x Control
15x Combo (Artifact, Elves, Enchantments, Steal & Sac)
4x Ramp

____________________________________
/update 15.09.2015

40 more Games this time, starting with 2 ramp decks because of the Community Quest (deal 6 or more dmg with a single creature) and after that 2 control decks.

We are starting at Rank 28

2 ramp decks:

RG MidRangeBlue [Origins] 8-2 (viewtopic.php?p=354575#p354575)

1. BRG Ramp - Win
2. UR Artifact Control - Win
3. WG Ramp - Win
4. UBG Control - Win
5. BG Ramp - Lose (Kothophed)
6. BRG Ramp (LandDestr) - Win
7. RG Ramp - Lose
8. RG Ramp - Win
9. RG Ramp Win
10. UB Control - Win

Conclusion: Ramp is a thing! Probably because of the Community Quest.
It went better than expected, I thought the BG Ramp Deck will be way stronger.
Having so much burn is probably a big upside for this deck.
Rank 34

BG EvoRampLVD [Origins] 4-6 (viewtopic.php?p=344351#p344351)

1. UG Control - Win
2. WU Aggro (Tap/Bounce) - Lose
3. WUBRG Control - Win
4. UBG Control (Sultai Walkers) - Lose (Mana flooded)
5. RBG Control - Lose (Mana flooded)
6. RG Ramp - Win
7. WG Renown Aggro - Win
8. BG Ramp - Lose
9. UBG Ramp - Lose
10. UB Control - Lose (Liliana Ulti)

Conclusion: More Control Decks in higher Ranks?
It went far worse than expected.
Rank 32

2 control decks:

BR End of Days [Origins] 3-7 (viewtopic.php?p=354581#p354581)

1. UR Artifacts Combo - Lose (Mulligan to 4 but close)
2. BG Control (Shadow Elves) - Lose (close)
3. BR Control (Flame Conj + Sacrificing) - Win
4. WG Enchantments Combo - Win
5. R Aggro RDW - Win
6. UR Aggro - Lose (Risky Hand)
7. RG Ramp (LandDestr/Zendikar's Roll) - Lose
8. UR Artifacts Combo - Lose (Mana screwed)
9. UR Artifacts (Flame. Conjuring) Combo - Lose (close)
10. G Aggro - Lose (Primal Bellow)

Conclusion: Not the best result, but I expected that. The deck is fun anyway.
It definitely lacks in dealing lethal.
Rank 28

BRG Auuunj Jund [Origins] 5-5 (viewtopic.php?p=354583#p354583)

1. UR Artifacts Combo - Win
2. WU Aggro - Win
3. BG Control - Lose
4. WR Aggro - Win
5. UR Artifacts Combo - Lose
6. WR Aggro - Win
7. UB Control Mill - Win
8. RG Ramp - Lose
9. BG Control (Elemental Bond) - Lose
10. WBG Control (Shadow of the Leap) - Lose

Conclusion: I expected more, I think it does not have enough answers against other control decks.

Final Rank: 28 (again)

Best Deck this time:
RG RampBlue

Opponent Colors: (Red still very present)
7x UR (6x Artifact)
6x RG (6x Ramp)
5x BG (2x Ramp, 3x Control)

Opponent Styles: (less Aggro decks and more Ramp)
14x Control
12x Ramp
8x Aggro
6x Combo (Artifacts, Enchantments)


____________________________________
/update 27.09.2015

Didn't play much these last couples days. Still I can show you 40 more Games.

The theme this time is Aggro Decks against too much Artifact decks (and having bad luck).


I started at Rank 28 again this time.

Mono Aggro:

W Weenies [Origins] 6-4 (viewtopic.php?p=361192#p361192)

1. R RDW Aggro - Lose
2. BG Control - Win
3. R RDW Aggro - Win
4. RG Monster Ramp - Lose
5. UR Artifact Combo - Lose
6. UR Artifact Combo - Win
7. WR Aggro - Win
8. R RDW Aggro - Win
9. UR Artifact Combo - Win
10. UR Artifact Combo - Lose

Conclusion: Maybe a bit better than expected.
Rank 30

R RDW [Origins] 5-5 (viewtopic.php?p=361193#p361193)

1. UR Artifact Combo - Lose
2. UBG Ramp - Lose (2 LP)
3. WU Aggro - Win
4. UR Artifact Combo - Lose
5. BG Elves Combo - Win
6. R RDW Aggro - Lose
7. WUB Control - Win
8. BR Control - Win
9. UR Artifact Combo - Lose
10. UBR Control - Win

Conclusion: I thought it will be much better than the Mono White deck.
Hard time against Artifact decks.
Rank 30

A bit less Aggro:

UB DimirZombius [Origins] 4-6 (viewtopic.php?p=361195#p361195)

1. UR Artifact Combo - Win
2. UG Control - Lose
3. BR Control - Win
4. UR Artifact Combo - Lose
5. RG Ramp - Lose (3 LP)
6. UB Control - Win
7. UR Artifact Combo - Lose
8. URG Ramp (Flameshadow Conjuring, LandDestruction) - Win
9. BG Ramp - Lose (I Misplayed hard against Priest of the Blood Rite)
10. RG Ramp - Lose (3 LP)

Conclusion: It's okay, not the strongest deck in my opinion.
But I was also a bit unlucky and had some missplays.
Rank 28

UR Prowess [Origins] 3-7 (viewtopic.php?p=361197#p361197)

1. UR Artifact Combo - Win
2. RG Ramp - Lose
3. R RDW Aggro - Lose (2 LP)
4. WG Renown Combo - Win
5. BG Control - Lose (Close Game)
6. WR Renown Combo - Lose
7. UR Artifact Combo - Lose (Close Game)
8. RG Ramp - Win
9. WUR Artifact Combo (Valor in Akros and Thunderclap Wyvern) - Lose (1 LP)
10. BG Control - Lose

Conclusion: I am really disappointed.
So many close games and I was soo unlucky.

Final Rank: 24

Best Deck this time:
W Weenies

Opponent Colors:
12x UR (12x Artifact)
5x R (5x Aggro)
5x BG (3x Control)
5x RG (5x Ramp)

Opponent Styles: (Artifacts everywhere!)
16x Combo (13x Artifacts!!!)
9x Control (Less Control)
8x Ramp (Less Ramp)
7x Aggro (5x RDW)


____________________________________
/update 24.10.2015

Hey I am back.
As promised I played my Enchantment focused decks this time. (Which wasn't very good for my ranking )
I encountered far less Artifact decks, but maybe just because of my low ranking.

3 Boros decks at first, an Aura Deck and two versions with Hakeems favorite card: Valor in Akros + Flameshadow Conjuring:

Starting at Rank 24

WR Auras [Origins] 4-6 (viewtopic.php?p=373098#p373098)

1. WRG Control - Win
2. BR Steal&Sac Combo - Win
3. RG Control - Lose (Mana screwed)
4. RG Control - Lose (missed lethal)
5. G Elves Combo - Lose (missed lethal)
6. W Aggro - Lose
7. RG Ramp (LandDestruction) - Lose (missplayed hard)
8. WG Elves - Lose (Mana screwed)
9. UBG Control - Win
10. W Aggro - Win

Conclusion: I screwed up big time, should have won far more games.

WR Valor Mobius [Origins] 4-6 (viewtopic.php?p=373104#p373104)

1. R Aggro - Win
2. URG Ramp - Lose
3. WB Enchantments Combo - Win
4. RG Ramp - Lose
5. BG Elves Combo - Lose
6. U Artifacts Combo - Win
7. G Ramp - Lose (4 LP)
8. UR Artifact Combo - Win
9. BR Control - Lose
10. BG Control - Lose

Conclusion: Some easy wins and some close defeats.

WR Valor Darkius [Origins] 7-4 (viewtopic.php?p=373105#p373105)

1. UR Aggro - Lose (missplayed)
2. WB Aura Combo - Lose (Mana screwed)
3. G Ramp - Win
4. WB Control - Lose (Mana flooded)
5. WUG Enchantments Combo - Win
6. WR Auras Combo - Win
7. R Aggro - Win
8. BRG Control - Win
9. WU Aggro - Lose (6 LP)
10. WUB Control - Win
11. W Aggro - Win

Conclusion: Better than expected, unlucky defeats. A lot of fun.

2 Threecolor Enchantment Decks now:

WRG Enchantments/Valor [Origins] 6-4 (viewtopic.php?p=373108#p373108)

1. WG Renown Combo - Win
2. RG Ramp - Win
3. RG Ramp - Win
4. WG Renown Combo - Lose
5. WB Auras Combo - Win
6. UR Artifacts Combo - Lose
7. R Aggro - Lose
8. WR Aggro - Win
9. UBG Control - Lose (1 LP)
10. WB ? - Win

Conclusion: Yeah not that bad.

WBG Enchantments/Auras [Origins] 5-5 (viewtopic.php?p=373109#p373109)

1. UG Control - Lose (no green mana)
2. BR Control - Lose
3. WB Aggro - Win
4. BG Elves Combo - Lose
5. UR Artifacts Combo - Win
6. UBR Control (Mill) - Win
7. R Aggro - Lose
8. WR Aggro - Win
9. UWR Artifacts Combo - Lose
10. BR Control - Win

Conclusion: It was okay, but this deck has too much weaknesses.

And 2 Elemental Bond Decks:

BG Bond Control [Origins] 5-5 (viewtopic.php?p=373114#p373114)

1. R Aggro - Lose
2. URG Control - Lose
3. BR Control - Lose
4. RG Ramp - Win
5. G Ramp - Win
6. UBR Control (Mill) - Win (2 cards in library)
7. URG Ramp - Win
8. WG Renown Combo - Win
9. BG Elves Combo - Lose
10. BG Elves Combo - Lose

Conclusion: This deck sucks

UG Simic Bond [Origins] 4-6 (viewtopic.php?p=373118#p373118)

1. RG Ramp - Win
2. R Aggro - Lose
3. UB Control - Win
4. WG Renown Combo - Win
5. RG Ramp - Lose
6. B Control - Lose
7. WU Aggro - Lose
8. BR Aggro - Win
9. WG Renown Combo - Lose (Mana screwed)
10. R Aggro - Lose

Conclusion: Too slow unfortunatly, but I don't want to give up with this deck.

Second Version: (+4x Perilous Myr) 5-5

11. UB Control - Win
12. G ? (Mana screwed) - Win
13. WR Aggro - Lose (2 LP)
14. WUB Control - Lose (Mana flooded)
15. BR Control - Lose (5 LP)
16. BG Cotnrol - Lose (3 LP)
17. WB Aggro - Win
18. WRG Ramp - Win
19. WG Auras Combo - Lose
20. WG Aggro - Win

Conclusion: It went a bit better, but now I had problems to finish games

Final Rank Rank 22

Best Deck this time:
WR Valor Darkius

Opponent Colors:
9x RG (7x Ramp)
8x WG (5x Renown)
7x BR (5x Control)
7x WB
6x BG (4x Elves)
6x R (6x Aggro) [15x Mono Color Decks]
Only 4x UR (3x Artifacts)

Opponent Styles: (More Control and Aggro than Ramp this time)
22x Combo (Elves, Artifacts, Renown, Enchantments,..)
22x Control
20x Aggro
13x Ramp



_______________________________________________
/updated 15.12. 2015

BFZ is coming to toooown

//imagine here an awesome intro text where I talk about new matches, new decks, new cards, new ranks,... //

Finally I played 40 ranked games in the new (BFZ) season and can show you the results.

A user here wanted sometime ago that I play a Mill deck so I started with my Turbofogmill deck.
I never had the time to play one of the best origins decks, so at next I played an updated version of Megabeasts Temur deck.

Then I had no idea what to play next, because i think my other decks aren't ready for ranks and to show here (I still don't know what decks to play next time..),
so i just picked two very good decks from nga which I played with very often: my version of Kryders Gruul Ramp deck and RDW.

I started at Rank 1 (from zero to hero..!?):

UBG TurboFogMill [BFZ] 8-2 (viewtopic.php?p=393995#p393995)

1. UB Control Ingest - Win
2. B Aggro - Lose (Bad Draw)
3. WB Aggro - Win
4. WUR Aggro - Win
5. WR Aggro - Win
6. BG Control - Lose (Liliana)
7. WU Aggro - Win
8. UB Aggro - Win
9. RG Aggro - Win
10. RG Ramp - Win

Conclusion: Strong deck, but there are so much ways to counter it, so I am not sure, how this deck would work in higher ranks. Also I am not the biggest fan of slow control decks.
Rank 7

URG Temur Beasts [BFZ] 9-1 (viewtopic.php?p=393998#p393998)

1. RG Ramp - Win
2. RG Ramp - Win
3. UB Control - Win
4. WR Aggro - Win
5. WRB Combo Allies - Lose (Mana flooded)
6. U Combo Artifact - Win
7. BG Control - Win
8. WG Ramp - Win
9. G Combo Elves (Mana screwed) - Win
10. UB Control - Win

Conclusion: Still a very, very good deck, with nearly an answer to everything, but it still needs some fine-tuning.
Rank 15

RG RampLD [BFZ] 7-3 (viewtopic.php?p=394003#p394003)

1. UBG Control (Mana screwed) - Win
2. WG Combo Renown - Win
3. BRG Ramp - Lose
4. BRG Ramp (Binderato) - Win
5. RG Ramp - Lose
6. UBG Control Mill - Win
7. UG (Mulligan to 4) - Win
8. WG Aggro - Lose
9. BR Control - Win
10. R Aggro - Win

Conclusion: Strong and fun deck but I have to add more early game.
Rank 19

RDW [BFZ] 8-2 (viewtopic.php?p=394027#p394027)

1. BR Control - Win
2. UR Combo Prowess - Win
3. U Aggro - Win
4. WG Combo Renown - Win
5. UR Control Mill - Win
6. WBG Ramp - Win
7. UBG Control Mill - Win
8. WB Combo Lifegain - Lose
9. UB Control - Win
10. R Aggro - Lose

Conclusion: A RDW deck how I like it. It has its typical up- and downsides.
Rank 25

Just 8 Loses in 40 Games and I climbed from Rank 1 to 25!

The best deck this time:
Temur Beasts

Opponent Colors:
5x RG (4x Ramp)
5x UB (4x Control)
4x WG (just 1x Ramp)
3x UBG (2x Mill)

Opponent Styles:
12x Aggro
12x Control
8x Ramp
7x Combo (Artifact, Elves, Renown, Allies, Prowess)



Thank you for reading.
DaRkStArLoL on Steam

Thanks for the writeup, this is some interesting info

I like this kind of data. I was collecting some myself, but really only for my Gruul deck, and I don't play enough per day/week to really get meaningful numbers.

I can say though that I have a conjuring deck which wins pretty nicely, so I don't think that U/R artifacts/conjuring is as bad as yours showed, but my build is different.

"

This version only has the one flameshadow conjuring, before I was running 2 and dropped Jace, Vryn's Prodigy. I'm not that convinced that Jace is good, he's certainly not necessary, but neither if the flameshadow conjuring. It's just if you do have one early, you can really blow away the board with all the extra Thopter spawns. Realistically this deck has multiple ways to attack, it can go very fast if you start with Bonded Constructs. Most important card is really the Thopter Engineer, but couple that with flameshadow conjuring and your juggernauts are 10 damage, 12 if you have a Chief of the Foundry. Puts out so much pressure that most decks can't handle it, and if you have the initiative once you start dropping Pia and Kiran Nalaar and/or Whirler Rogue, the opponent usually cannot recover.

Of course you have to play to your opponent, but you should have enough tools to stall rush, and if they give you breathing room you just explode. Even board wipes aren't that bad as with the conjuring you can frequently repopulate really quickly. Just have to pay attention to what you're up against and hold back some cards from time to time. If you get a Thopter Spy Network out you can usually keep up with draws anyway.

Well just my 2c on that deck type. Not sure that your version is solid seeing as it went 0-5, but again, basing a deck on flameshadow conjuring probably isn't great. Including it as an alternate wincon, or just as another threat, I like it.

Thanks Darkstar. The very useful part of this was showing the progress in versus and how this relates to the decks you were using. As you mention in some cases you were surprised which is interesting in itself. I have had my own issues with strong solid decks and also some that perform well for a while and then suddenly start getting thrashed.

It's a feature of the fact that the meta is still fluid, as it is for example for now I have put together an aggressive mono red based around spells. Initially it was designed to Ace a deal 30 non combat damage quest but versus AI it is proving very good do farming gold is great. It will probably do pretty well in versus and probably strong enough v control decks, would be able to race versus aggro and hold its own, and would probably come unstuck versus midrange.

There are a few features that can work well though so flying is definitely a theme and if you have enough coming it works. On another archetype quest I was forced to build a UW deck but it runs pretty well. I never went back to it to build in free mode and make it better.

But yes in summary good to get this type of perspective on your own results from climbing the ladder. Nice one !

Nice writeup, Darkstar! I thought I took detailed notes during games, sheesh. Good on you.

For your elves, you definitely need removal, a full package of Bone Splinters and Remove Soul is a good start. I'd remove the Thornbow Archers (a lot of elves running in decks out there, even if they aren't Elf decks) and the Might of the Masses. Rely on massing Elves and playing your Shamans for damage with a few sideways guys for the win.

Nice dude, data is awesome. Would you mind if I used your data and threw some of my writing sauce on it for my next Diaries post?

really interesting and useful, Darkstar. Don't worry about comparing yourself to others that are writing more. You're helping the community by providing valuable information and it's fun to read! Keep it up!

CGB, no! You have to do the legwork yourself!

Hey DaRkStAr, I added your data to my own from this weekend to give a more comprehensive picture of the steam meta. Here are the color combinations that came out at the top:

1. Izzet ()- 20/116 (11 thopters/artifacts)
2. Golgari () - 15 (8 elves)
3. RDW () - 11
4. Rakdos () - 10
5. Grull ()/Boros () - 9
6. Jund () - 8

I'm seeing RED!

Like the one ring to Frodo, this is MY burden.

but where's your sam covert? D:

Want the job? When the burden of figuring out the whole meta breaks me, I need someone to pick me up, dust me off, and get me moving again

Who is the rest of the party?

I'm Admiral Ackbar

Beast = Aragorn
Bliss = Arwen
Bassoon = Eowyn (uh oh)
Barney = Theoden (would be fun to be Grima here, but I think this is a better fit)
Mjack = Smeagol/Gollum
Kryder = Gimli
Mobius = Legolas (the best sniper of all time)
CovertGoBlue = Frodo (since we're all interested in Covert's journey)
MythicUncommon = Grima
Steveolutionary = Saruman
HeWhoShallNotBeNamed = Sauron
Necromantic Elf = Galadriel
Darkstar & Kid Carter = Merry and Pippin, respectively
Lexx = Boromir
SquiderDragon = Sam (he's NGA's cheerleader)
DJ = Elrond (that's an easy one)
roundhouse = Tom Bombadil (he got cut from the movie)
licker = the Watcher in the Water (just for kicks)
The Gobos = The Nazgul
Hakeem = Gandalf (this one doesn't feel right. Newfoundland is basically The Shire. Hakeem should really be Merry)
Lockjammer = any of the stone trolls
Elijin = Haldir

Well, I'll be Smaug, thanks.

I can't be a halfling, I'm a big gronk IRL. I'll be an Orc.

I had you as Gimli to Legolas' Mobius originally. I don't know why I changed it. Gandalf is a hard one. Maybe DJ should be Gandalf and Elijin could be Elrond then. That fits.


Firebead, we're not casting those horrific prequels. Just LOTR. If anything, you can be Pippin.

That fool of a Took?!?

yep, when he drops all that gear down the well, it's sort of like when you submit a decklist

Well, now I understand Treebeard... "I am on nobody's side, because nobody is on my side".