Hey guys! Get ready to dive into the heart of competitive Magic: The Gathering! Eternal Weekend 2024 has wrapped up, and it was an absolute blast! For those not in the know, Eternal Weekend is like the Super Bowl for Vintage and Legacy MTG players. It's where the best of the best come to battle it out with some seriously powerful cards and finely tuned strategies. This year's event was no exception, showcasing incredible plays, surprising upsets, and of course, some killer decklists. So, let's break down the top decks that dominated the tournament and see what made them so successful. Whether you're a seasoned Eternal format player or just curious about the high-stakes world of MTG, there’s something here for everyone. We'll cover the winning strategies, key card choices, and overall meta trends that emerged from Eternal Weekend 2024. So grab your deck boxes, settle in, and let's get started!

Legacy Dominance: The Standout Decks

Let's kick things off with Legacy, one of the most beloved and complex formats in Magic. Legacy allows cards from almost all sets ever printed, leading to a diverse and powerful card pool. This year, a few archetypes rose to the top, demonstrating both resilience and innovation. Understanding these decks means understanding the current state of Legacy. So let’s break them down, shall we?

1. Delver of Secrets Variants

Ah, Delver, a Legacy mainstay! These decks are all about tempo and efficiency. Delver of Secrets transforms into Insectile Aberration early, and then the deck uses cheap spells to protect it and disrupt the opponent. This year, we saw a resurgence of different Delver variants, each with its own unique twist. The classic UR Delver remains a strong choice, utilizing Brainstorm, Ponder, and Force of Will to control the game. However, we also saw the emergence of Grixis Delver, which adds black for powerful discard spells like Thoughtseize and Fatal Push. These additions give the deck more versatility and resilience against control strategies. What makes Delver so enduring? Its adaptability. Players are constantly tweaking the formula to stay ahead of the meta, making it a perennial contender.

Delver decks thrive on a combination of cheap threats and efficient disruption, aiming to establish early board control and maintain it throughout the game. Brainstorm and Ponder are crucial for card selection, ensuring the deck always has access to the right tools at the right time. Force of Will acts as a safety net, protecting against game-ending spells, while Daze provides early tempo advantage by disrupting the opponent's mana development. Lightning Bolt offers a cheap and effective way to remove early threats or close out the game with direct damage. The ability to adapt and evolve is what keeps Delver relevant in the ever-changing Legacy landscape. In addition to the core blue spells, Delver decks often incorporate red for burn spells and black for discard and removal, depending on the specific variant and the expected metagame. This flexibility allows Delver players to tailor their decks to target specific strategies or shore up weaknesses against certain matchups. The continued success of Delver in Legacy is a testament to its inherent strength and the skill of the players who pilot it.

2. Initiative Decks

Initiative decks have been shaking up Legacy for a while now, and Eternal Weekend was no exception. These strategies revolve around resolving an Initiative creature like White Plume Adventurer or Seasoned Dungeoneer and then using the dungeon to generate a massive advantage. Imagine exploring dungeons every turn, gaining life, drawing cards, and putting your opponents in a tough spot. Mono-White Initiative is a popular choice, using efficient creatures and powerful enchantments like ** স্ট্যান্ডstill** to control the board. These decks are incredibly fast and can overwhelm opponents who aren't prepared. However, they can be vulnerable to specific hate cards, so pilots need to be prepared for a variety of matchups.

Initiative decks are characterized by their proactive game plan and ability to quickly snowball their advantage once they establish control of the dungeon. White Plume Adventurer and Seasoned Dungeoneer provide immediate value upon entering the battlefield, and the dungeon provides a steady stream of resources and disruption. Swords to Plowshares is a staple removal spell, capable of dealing with almost any threat, while standstill punishes opponents for playing spells and rewards the Initiative player for developing their board. The key to playing Initiative decks is to prioritize establishing control of the dungeon and protecting it from disruption. This often involves making strategic decisions about when to play creatures, cast spells, and explore the dungeon. The inherent risk of Initiative decks is their vulnerability to specific hate cards, such as Blood Moon or Chalice of the Void, which can shut down their mana base or prevent them from casting spells. Therefore, pilots need to be prepared to adapt their strategy and sideboard accordingly. Despite these challenges, Initiative decks remain a potent force in Legacy, capable of winning tournaments with their speed and resilience.

3. Control Strategies

Control decks are always a factor in Legacy, and this year was no different. These decks aim to control the board with counterspells, removal, and card advantage, eventually winning with a powerful late-game threat. Blue-White Control is a classic choice, using cards like Terminus, Supreme Verdict, and Jace, the Mind Sculptor to grind out opponents. Four-Color Control variants have also gained popularity, adding black and red for additional removal and threats like Oko, Thief of Crowns. These decks are resilient and can adapt to a wide range of strategies, making them a solid choice for experienced players.

Control strategies in Legacy rely on a combination of countermagic, removal, and card advantage to grind out opponents and eventually take over the game. Force of Will is a crucial defensive tool, protecting against early threats and game-ending spells, while Brainstorm and Ponder ensure the deck always has access to the right answers. Swords to Plowshares provides efficient removal for troublesome creatures, and Jace, the Mind Sculptor offers unparalleled card selection and control of the board. The key to playing control decks is to manage resources effectively and make strategic decisions about when to counter spells, remove threats, and deploy planeswalkers. Control decks often struggle against fast, aggressive strategies that can overwhelm their defenses before they have a chance to establish control. However, they excel against midrange and control decks that rely on value and card advantage. The continued success of control decks in Legacy is a testament to their inherent strength and the skill of the players who pilot them. By adapting their strategies and sideboards to the expected metagame, control players can remain competitive and consistently challenge for tournament wins.

Vintage Victory: Top Deck Insights

Now, let's turn our attention to Vintage, the format where anything goes! With access to the Power Nine and other incredibly powerful cards, Vintage is a format of explosive plays and intricate strategies. Eternal Weekend showcased some truly impressive Vintage decks, so let's take a look.

1. Paradoxical Outcome Decks

Paradoxical Outcome decks are all about generating massive amounts of mana and card advantage by bouncing and replaying cheap artifacts. These decks often use cards like Mox Sapphire, Mox Jet, and Black Lotus to generate early mana, then use Paradoxical Outcome to draw a ton of cards and find a game-winning threat. Blue-Red Paradoxical Outcome is a popular variant, using cards like Brainstorm and Ponder to find the necessary pieces. These decks are incredibly powerful but can be vulnerable to disruption, so pilots need to be careful.

Paradoxical Outcome decks in Vintage are designed to generate overwhelming card advantage and mana by bouncing and replaying cheap artifacts, such as Moxen and other zero-mana rocks. Mox Sapphire, Mox Jet, and Black Lotus provide explosive mana acceleration in the early game, while Brainstorm and Ponder help to filter through the deck and find the necessary pieces. Paradoxical Outcome itself is the engine that drives the deck, allowing players to draw a large number of cards and generate even more mana by replaying their artifacts. The key to playing Paradoxical Outcome decks is to carefully manage resources and plan ahead, as the deck can be vulnerable to disruption and misplays. Opponents will often try to disrupt the combo by countering key spells or removing important artifacts. Therefore, pilots need to be prepared to protect their combo pieces and adapt their strategy as needed. Despite these challenges, Paradoxical Outcome decks are capable of explosive wins and remain a potent force in the Vintage metagame.

2. Ragavan Strategies

Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer has made a huge impact on Vintage, and Eternal Weekend proved it. This little monkey generates value by attacking and stealing spells from the opponent's deck. Various decks have sprung up that utilizes Ragavan. These decks are aggressive and can quickly overwhelm opponents, but they can be vulnerable to removal spells.

Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer has quickly become a staple in Vintage, thanks to its ability to generate value and disrupt the opponent's game plan. The card's aggressive nature and ability to steal spells make it a potent threat in a format where every card matters. Various Ragavan strategies have emerged, each with its own unique twist. Some decks focus on maximizing Ragavan's damage output with support from other aggressive creatures and burn spells, while others use Ragavan as a value engine to generate card advantage and disrupt the opponent's mana base. The key to playing Ragavan strategies is to leverage the card's strengths and mitigate its weaknesses. Opponents will often try to remove Ragavan as quickly as possible. Therefore, pilots need to be prepared to protect their investment with counterspells or removal. Despite these challenges, Ragavan remains a powerful and versatile threat in Vintage, capable of winning games on its own or supporting a broader game plan.

3. Jeskai Ascendancy Combo

Jeskai Ascendancy combo decks are a force to be reckoned with in Vintage. These decks use the enchantment Jeskai Ascendancy to pump their creatures and generate tons of mana by casting noncreature spells. They often use cheap cantrips like Gitaxian Probe and Ponder to trigger Ascendancy multiple times in a turn, eventually winning with a massive attack or a lethal spell. These decks are fast and explosive, but they can be vulnerable to disruption, so pilots need to be careful.

Jeskai Ascendancy combo decks are a unique and powerful strategy in Vintage, capable of generating explosive wins with the right setup. The enchantment Jeskai Ascendancy is the centerpiece of the deck, providing a powerful pump effect for creatures and generating mana when noncreature spells are cast. The deck typically uses a combination of cheap cantrips, such as Gitaxian Probe and Ponder, to trigger Ascendancy multiple times in a turn, pumping up their creatures and generating a large amount of mana. This mana can then be used to cast additional spells or deploy game-winning threats. The key to playing Jeskai Ascendancy combo decks is to carefully manage resources and sequence spells to maximize the value of Ascendancy. Opponents will often try to disrupt the combo by countering key spells or removing Ascendancy. Therefore, pilots need to be prepared to protect their combo pieces and adapt their strategy as needed. Despite these challenges, Jeskai Ascendancy combo decks are capable of explosive wins and remain a potent force in the Vintage metagame. The ability to generate a massive amount of mana and pump up creatures to lethal proportions makes them a formidable opponent for any deck.

Final Thoughts

Eternal Weekend 2024 was a testament to the enduring appeal of Legacy and Vintage. The diverse range of successful decks highlights the depth and complexity of these formats. Whether you're a fan of tempo, control, or combo strategies, there's something to love about Eternal Magic. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your cards, brew up a new deck, and get ready to battle! Who knows, maybe you'll be the next Eternal Weekend champion!