DTBF Philosophy & Deck Selection

June 2015 Update

We have an unusually clean metagame this month. One deck's clearly on top, two more are significantly behind but basically even with each other, three more are another, bigger tier lower and again mostly on equal footing between themselves, and then there's the rest of the non-DtB rabble.

It almost feels like a real format.

http://i.imgur.com/2Tk8GOK.png

http://i.imgur.com/NjaItrP.png

An appropriately round 100-point threshold gives us the DtB for June:

1. Miracle Control
2. OmniTell
3. Team America
4. Blade Control
5. Grixis Control (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
6. Death and Taxes

Canadian Thresh is out.

July 2015 Update

HOLY SHIT A NEW DECK!!!!11!

Well, kinda. If you look at the full rankings, Berserk Stompy (or, more accurately, its Infect-based successor) has been ebbing and flowing in just-sub-DtB territory for months now. But this month it managed to squeeze just past the threshold, and it's nice to see a fresh face in the forum.

http://i.imgur.com/YJNZ4ev.png

http://i.imgur.com/TfOrKal.png

These are the decks above 91 points:

1. OmniTell
2. Miracle Control
3. Grixis Control (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
4. Blade Control
5. Canadian Thresh (TCDecks: Threshold UGr)
6. Death and Taxes
7. Team America
8. U/G Infect (TCDecks: Berserk Stompy)

All of the past month's decks are still in the DtB.

August 2015 Update

Are you excited?

Yes?

Well, you shouldn't be. This is a pretty boring update, other than the fact that MOTHERFUCKING LANDS is back.

Oh, and that apparently, somehow, Gurmag Angler is a thing now. Dayum.

http://i.imgur.com/0b6TVYY.png

http://i.imgur.com/3Sr0shi.png

These are the decks above 74 points:

1. Miracle Control
2. OmniTell
3. Team America
4. Grixis Tempo (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
5. Ad Nauseam Tendrils
6. Lands
7. bUrg Tempo (TCDecks: 4C Delver)
8. Shardless BUG (TCDecks: BUG Control)

Blade Control, Canadian Threash, Death & Taxes, and U/G Infect are out.

EDIT: Thanks to AfroSmile for point out that TCDecks' Grixis Pyromancer category is mostly made of Tempo lists nowaday. A different thread has been moved to the DTBF.

Big thanks to Dice_Box for putting this together!


September 2015 Update

So comes to the close the story of Dig. This is the last major update where it was legal.

http://i.imgur.com/LGkXOjs.png

http://i.imgur.com/cGDoimx.png

90 points is the cutoff leaving us with the following 7 decks:

1. Grixis Control (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
2. Miracle Control
3. OmniTell
4. Blade Control
5. Ad Nauseam Tendrils
6. Burn
7. Team America

This means that for the update, Lands, 4C Delver and Shardless are out. Do not fear Shardless fans, you are defiantly back next month.

Courtesy of Dice_Box

October 2015 Update

Our first look at our "Brave New World" post Dig. Looks... like everything did this time last year? Hm, who would have known?

http://i.imgur.com/FUscvRJ.png

http://i.imgur.com/DlMzOtG.png

128 points is the cutoff leaving us many returning favourites, 7 of them in fact:

1. Miracle Control
2. Ad Nauseam Tendrils
3. Shardless BUG (TC: BUG Control)
4. Death and Taxes (Finn I am awaiting your first payment.)
5. RUG Delver (TC: Threshold UGr)
6. Team America
7. Elves!

We lose Grixis Control, Blade Control, OmniTell and Burn.

Courtesy of Dice_box

November 2015 Update

A fairly routine month with everything just kind of plodding along without any real changes or upsets. We do have two interesting footnotes though, one was that Lands won a GP and the other was that Aggro Loam has proven itself a deck worthy of attention. While neither made the cut this month both should be on your radar.

http://i.imgur.com/CNEpKAl.png
http://i.imgur.com/jHJe4z7.png

With a total of 2856 points, the cutoff is 132. This leaves 5 decks in the DTB this month. They are:

1. Miracle Control
2. Shardless BUG (TCDecks: BUG Control)
3. Grixis Control (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
4. Ad Nauseam Tendrils
5. Death and Taxes

This means we lose Elves and Team America while we regain Grixis. The more things change.

December 2015 Update

Legacy, Legacy never changes. Well other than a totally Blue DTB forum. Oh wait, no it never changes.

http://i.imgur.com/OAIllch.png
http://i.imgur.com/D0VIYVh.png

With a total of 1740 points, the goal to aim for is a clean 80. This leaves 5 decks again with only a minor change:

1. Miracle Control
2. Ad Nauseam Tendrils
3. Team America
4. Grixis Tempo/Delver (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
5. Shardless BUG (TCDecks: BUG Control)

This means we lose Death and/or Taxes while enjoying our returning Delver overlords once more with Team America. The more things change.

-----

Updated opening post to reflect the current way the forum is managed.

January 2016 Update

And a happy new year.

http://i.imgur.com/3G8fhya.png
http://i.imgur.com/ALtkU1J.png

With a pool of 2450 points this month we break at 113 points. This leaves 7 decks in the DTB with Aggro Loam just missing out. Greatest respect guys, you will end up breaking in here soon.

1. Miracle Control
2. Shardless BUG (TCDecks: BUG Control)
3. Ad Nauseam Tendrils
4. Team America
5. Death and Taxes
6. Grixis Tempo/Delver (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
7. Elves!

This means we keep the old boys club together and admit back Death and Taxes and the Green menace. Be careful around them though, they break bones whenever you break twigs just going for a stroll.

Feburay 2016 Update

April 2010 called, they want their set name back.

http://i.imgur.com/SwhbcK9.png
http://i.imgur.com/bKgts4H.png

Point total comes in at only 1537 this month, not that anyone cares. No the story is the breakdown. With 71 points the cutoff we have 8 decks. Nothing special save for Shops The Rise of the Eldrazi. Long live The Gatewatch Terminus?

1. Miracle Control
2. Eldrazi
3. Grixis Tempo/Delver (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
4. Ad Nauseam Tendrils
5. U/G Infect (TCDecks: Berserk Stompy)
6. Shardless BUG (TCDecks: BUG Control)
7. Elves!
8. Team America

Into the top tables we have Infect and Shops Eldrazi but we lost DnT this month.
Well done to Eldrazi on the shocking rise. A deck ported from Modern into Legacy with the threat of becoming a staple of the Legacy meta for a while to come.

March 2016 Update

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

http://i.imgur.com/8oj4wcF.png
http://i.imgur.com/PXPBTLW.png

With a total of 2431 we have a cut of 112 points. Sadly this mean Lands misses out... Drat.

1. Eldrazi
2. Miracle Control
3. Grixis Tempo/Delver (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
4. U/G Infect (TCDecks: Berserk Stompy)
5. Death and Taxes

With a narrowing of the top performers to three powerful decks, Shardless, Elves, Storm and BUG get pushed out. DnT comes in but only just with Eldrazi, Miracles and Grixis taking the top spots by a landslide. Time to break out the artifact hate, the Stompy deck is here to stay.

April 2016 Update


Ahem. "All bow before Terminus, the King once more. All tremble before the old guard and repent for your sins of worshipping the Eldrazi and thinking it would ruin the format." (Also a Reality Smasher with a Plough in tentacle is just an amusing mental image.)

http://i.imgur.com/Nru8YjQ.png
http://i.imgur.com/nDJc6RW.png

The month tops out at 2031 points, not the most active month this year but not the worst either. This leaves the cutoff at 93 points, just knocking out ANT. This again lets our now common tradition of only having 5 decks in the Forums this month continue. Might have to look into this. Anyway, here we are:

1. Miracle Control
2. Shardless BUG (TCDecks: BUG Control)
3. Eldrazi
4. Death and Taxes
5. Grixis Tempo/Delver (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)

Not much to report. Infect drops from the top to make way for Shardless but other than that there is really not a whole lot to report. Seems the format is managing to deal with the recent changes and absorb them well into the Meta as a whole. Otherwise the usual shifts are occurring with a nice mix of nasties to be found here. At this point I think the only real news is that Grixis is well and truly the Delver deck of the format now. (Fly, be free.)

May 2016 Update

"Oh when the Monks, oh when the Monks
When the Monks go marching in..."

http://i.imgur.com/cNdmsu0.png
http://i.imgur.com/syCZBCB.png

A slight bump from last month to 2296 points. This makes the cut off point 106. Nice and easy, a clean break between 6th and 7th place leaving us with 6 decks this month, somewhat of a novelty these days.

1. Miracle Control
2. Eldrazi
3. Shardless BUG (TCDecks: BUG Control)
4. Ad Nauseam Tendrils
5. Grixis Tempo/Delver (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
6. Team America

We gain two new entries while we lose the White Menace. A round of applause for ANT who is making itself known even with that Eldrazi style cage fight going on of late. The other thing to note is that Abrupt Decay seems to be good in the Meta, who would have known?

June 2016 Update

"Sneak attack used Emrakul, it was super effective!"

http://i.imgur.com/Bg70LCl.png
http://i.imgur.com/dZsVcEy.png

2266 points. Not much of a change, 7 decks total though, that is a change.

1. Miracle Control
2. Death and Taxes
3. Grixis Tempo/Delver (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
4. Shardless BUG (TCDecks: BUG Control)
5. Ad Nauseam Tendrils
6. Eldrazi
7. Sneak & Show (TCDecks: Sneak Attack)

An interesting month, dropping Team America for the white menace and Sneak and Show. It is amusing that those two come in together. Also to note the declining number of Eldrazi. While still firmly a DTB the decks sliding numbers are not accidental.

July 2016 Update

You Spin me right round baby
Right round like a Top baby
Round Round Round Round...

http://i.imgur.com/MdL5rrf.png
http://i.imgur.com/Hq5UEoN.png

1987 is the points total and a decent year for U2. (The Joshua Tree is a decent album) This leaves us with a cut off of 91 points meaning we drop to 5 decks. We now have the floodlights beaming on a tightening top field.

1. Miracle Control
2. Eldrazi
3. Grixis Tempo/Delver (TCDecks: Grixis Pyromancer)
4. Death and Taxes
5. Ad Nauseam Tendrils
6. U/G Infect (TCDecks: Berserk Stompy)

We lost SnT and Shardless with no new gains for the month. Miracles was the runaway best with almost double the points of Eldrazi, its nearest competitor. There is a very clear break between 6th place (Lands) and 5th place (ANT) leaving no doubt of where the dice fall. No matter how you slice it, we would only end up with these 5 this month. A very clean break for DTB.

Edit:
Thanks to TC Decks listing Infect as 3 different decks, me not noticing this and having to had it pointed out out me, Infect also makes the cut this month. With a total of 94 points, Infect will also be added to the DTB this month.

August 2016 Update

Well, MJ might have been dead in Thriller but at least it was a good song. This month is dead too but it ain't thrilling no one.

http://imgur.com/umC82xf.png
http://imgur.com/XBoKegf.png

We top out points wise at 1118 with a cut of 51. I am going to call it at that. It was a dead month, this list means very little. I am not going to cut the DTB to only 3 decks on the back of nothing happened, so this month gets a pass. I will not be moving Lands in as the actual results are split between the two builds so I do not think it is fair to call that a DTB. I leave the others as they stand and call it there. I would like to note that under any normal month, 67 would not make the cut for DTB.

Also, for some reason, TC seems to be doubling up on deck titles. I missed this last month but I was looking for it this time. Eldrazi is not the top deck, Miracle Control is. It has a total of 116 points but that's not really much of a data point when you look at the months before. See you back here in a month folks, this one is firing blanks.

September 2016 Update

So um, remember last month? Me either and this one is worse.

http://imgur.com/7Q87XMr.png
http://imgur.com/cYiVvV2.png

The month tops out at a whopping 898 total points. I am not sure if I should laugh or cry. This leaves us with a cut off of 41 points, again offering 3 decks. If we add this month and last month together we get 2016 points with a cut of 93. Much more respectable. With that cut, we end up with a DTB of the following five decks:

• Miracles
• Eldrazi
• DnT
• Lands
• BUG Control

That is a fine list for the two months and I am happy with combining the two months to get to a more reasonable cut off point. Unless I have missed something these are to be the months top decks.

October 2016 Update

So the new rules kick in this month. Yea. I might need to look into rewriting how this all works.

http://i.imgur.com/Mc8lqbc.png
http://i.imgur.com/EMUJ7Zo.png

1309 is the total, short of the 1400 I have set to stall a rollover. This means that the update will be skipped this month and the data rolled over into the November update.

See you all back here in a month folks. Until then I have some thinking and planning to do on what to do with the DTB section.

November 2016 Update

This is another spliced month. Now while I would normally make a joke here, this time I had to cut a lot of the duplicates out of the data and spent a lot of time looking into all the data as I cut it and put it back together. RUG Delver is no more, Patriot Blade is no more, Tide is no more. This format in the last few years has changed, it is not the format I remember coming back to. Changes, ebbs and flows in time have lead us to where we stand now. In the case of RUG I thought it worthwhile to point that fact out. The powerhouse of the Noughties, is no more.

http://imgur.com/O7af60e.png
http://imgur.com/TOqdwsC.png

The October and November stats together equal 2471. This causes a cut off at 114 points. A good number, but still a far from flawless situation to get to this point. Well, one problem at a time.

The following decks are in the DTB this month:

• Miracles
• Death and Taxes
• Eldrazi
• Infect
• BUG Control

Not a large shake up of things. Lands drops out for Infect. I guess those blasted Phyrexian's have poisoned the fine Groves and Taiga on their Berserk charge to the top. They have no respect.

Edit:
Update. It has been brought to my attention that the majority of the decks labelled "Reanimator" are of the R/B build. This gives the deck enough points to be a DTB this cycle. Congratulations, you horrible horrible people...

December 2016 Update

2016, the year of the reaper. So many artists lost, the worst one to lose for me is Leonard Cohen. 2017, I humbly request more Legacy events and less deaths please. Be the change you want to see in the world 2017.

http://imgur.com/bErnAAI.png
http://imgur.com/9bXRox1.png

Looks like we are on a continuing Bi-Monthly update schedule. This month tops out at 806. The lowest number since 2010.

If anyone knows of smaller events that are not being put on TC, please PM me.

January 2017 Update

Good news everyone, only one more GP this year you have to focus on, leaving you with more free time...

http://imgur.com/vHXVLVm.png
http://imgur.com/AStzlPE.png

This was a solid month, topping at 1860 points. A rise out of the recent slums. Add to that last months data and we have a overall total of 2666. Two times the evil. The cut off is 123 total and 86 for Jan alone. Either way we get the same list. This leaves us with the following:

• Miralces
• Bug Control (Both Leo and Shardless)
• Sneak Attack
• Grixis

This means we lose this month DnT, BR Reanimator, Infect and Eldrazi. Yes, that is correct, the menace that was going to come and destroy the format, end life as we know it and kill our game has fallen from grace. In fact it placed 12th overall in January.