MTG Eternal Weekend 2024: Top Decklists Revealed!

Hey guys! Get ready to dive into the exhilarating world of Magic: The Gathering as we dissect the top-performing decklists from Eternal Weekend 2024! This premier event showcases some of the most skillful players battling it out in formats like Vintage and Legacy. If you're eager to discover the winning strategies and innovative deck designs that dominated the scene, you're in the right place. We're breaking down the crucial card choices, strategic plays, and overall meta-game trends that defined this year's Eternal Weekend. So, buckle up and let’s explore the arsenals that led competitors to victory!

Vintage Domination: Decklists and Analysis

The Vintage format at Eternal Weekend 2024 was an absolute rollercoaster, featuring a diverse array of powerful decks vying for the top spot. Let's delve into some of the most successful archetypes and individual decklists that made a significant impact.

Jeskai Control: The Power of Blue and White

Jeskai Control continues to be a formidable force in Vintage, leveraging the raw power of blue cantrips, white removal, and efficient threats. These decks are built around controlling the early game with cards like Force of Will, Mental Misstep, and Swords to Plowshares, before transitioning into the mid-to-late game with powerful planeswalkers such as Teferi, Time Raveler and Oko, Thief of Crowns. One notable decklist featured a strong emphasis on card advantage engines like Expressive Iteration, allowing the pilot to consistently outdraw their opponents and maintain control of the board. The sideboard is typically packed with versatile answers to address various threats, including graveyard hate like Rest in Peace and specific hate pieces for artifact-heavy strategies. The Jeskai Control archetype's strength lies in its adaptability and ability to pivot between control and aggression, making it a perennial contender in the Vintage meta. Its resilience against various strategies ensures that it remains a popular choice among seasoned Vintage players. Successfully piloting Jeskai Control requires a deep understanding of the format, precise sequencing, and the ability to anticipate your opponent's moves. Mastering this archetype is a rewarding endeavor for any Vintage enthusiast. The constant evolution of Jeskai Control lists to adapt to the shifting metagame keeps it fresh and competitive, making it a cornerstone of Vintage tournaments.

Doomsday: The Combo Enigma

Doomsday is a classic Vintage combo deck that revolves around resolving the Doomsday spell to set up a game-winning pile. The deck's primary goal is to sculpt a hand with the necessary protection and card selection to execute the combo, often utilizing cards like Gitaxian Probe, Brainstorm, and Ponder. A typical Doomsday pile might include Thassa's Oracle, Street Wraith, and cantrips to ensure a swift victory. At Eternal Weekend 2024, Doomsday decks showcased innovative approaches, with some lists incorporating new additions like Ledger Shredder to improve card filtering and resilience against disruption. These decks demand meticulous planning and precise execution, as even a slight miscalculation can lead to disaster. Doomsday's appeal lies in its ability to win from seemingly impossible situations, catching opponents off guard with its speed and efficiency. The deck's vulnerability to targeted discard and countermagic necessitates a careful balancing act between aggression and protection. Seasoned Doomsday pilots are adept at navigating these challenges, using their knowledge of the metagame to anticipate and overcome potential obstacles. Doomsday's enduring presence in Vintage is a testament to its power and the skill required to master it. The archetype's intricate gameplay and high reward potential make it a favorite among combo enthusiasts.

Initiative Decks: A Fast and Furious Threat

Initiative decks have rapidly risen to prominence in Vintage, leveraging the powerful mechanic introduced in recent sets. These decks aim to establish early board control by resolving creatures with the Initiative, such as White Plume Adventurer and Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, and then snowballing their advantage with the dungeon mechanic. The consistent stream of value generated by venturing into Undercity quickly overwhelms opponents, making Initiative decks incredibly aggressive and difficult to contain. At Eternal Weekend 2024, Initiative decks demonstrated their dominance, showcasing their ability to win quickly and decisively. Many lists included efficient interaction like Swords to Plowshares and Prismatic Ending to disrupt opposing strategies and protect their Initiative creatures. The sideboard often contains hate pieces like Containment Priest to combat graveyard-based strategies and additional removal to deal with specific threats. The rise of Initiative decks has significantly shaped the Vintage metagame, forcing other archetypes to adapt and develop strategies to combat their relentless aggression. Successfully piloting Initiative decks requires a strong understanding of sequencing and resource management, as well as the ability to capitalize on even the smallest advantage. The archetype's speed and efficiency make it a formidable contender in any Vintage tournament. The ongoing evolution of Initiative decks, with new card choices and strategic refinements, ensures that they will remain a major player in the Vintage landscape.

Legacy Showdown: Decklists and Key Strategies

Legacy at Eternal Weekend 2024 was just as thrilling, with a mix of classic archetypes and innovative brews battling for supremacy. Let's take a look at some of the standout decks and the strategies that propelled them to success.

Delver of Secrets: The Agile Aggressor

Delver of Secrets strategies remain a cornerstone of the Legacy format, known for their speed, efficiency, and adaptability. These decks typically revolve around playing an early Delver of Secrets, protecting it with countermagic like Force of Will and Daze, and then quickly closing out the game with efficient threats and burn spells. At Eternal Weekend 2024, various iterations of Delver decks emerged, including UR Delver and Grixis Delver, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses. UR Delver often focuses on raw speed and aggression, utilizing cards like Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning to burn opponents out quickly. Grixis Delver, on the other hand, incorporates discard spells like Thoughtseize and Young Pyromancer to disrupt opponents and generate additional value. Successful Delver pilots at Eternal Weekend showcased their ability to navigate complex board states, make efficient use of their resources, and adapt their game plan to the specific matchup. The sideboard is crucial for Delver decks, containing hate pieces like Red Elemental Blast and Flusterstorm to combat specific threats and strategies. The enduring popularity of Delver decks in Legacy is a testament to their power and flexibility. The constant evolution of Delver lists to adapt to the shifting metagame keeps them fresh and competitive, making them a perennial contender in Legacy tournaments. Mastering Delver requires a deep understanding of tempo, card advantage, and the ability to make quick decisions under pressure.

Control Decks: The Strategic Masterminds

Control decks have always been a significant force in Legacy, and Eternal Weekend 2024 was no exception. These decks aim to control the early game with removal spells like Swords to Plowshares and Lightning Bolt, disrupt opponents with countermagic like Force of Will and Counterspell, and then take over the game with powerful planeswalkers and card advantage engines. One notable control deck at Eternal Weekend was 4-Color Control, which leverages the power of Oko, Thief of Crowns, Teferi, Time Raveler, and Wrenn and Six to generate a massive advantage over time. These decks often include versatile threats like Dress Down and Murktide Regent to close out the game quickly once control has been established. Successful control pilots at Eternal Weekend demonstrated their ability to navigate complex board states, manage their resources effectively, and anticipate their opponent's moves. The sideboard is crucial for control decks, containing specific hate pieces to combat various threats and strategies. The enduring popularity of control decks in Legacy is a testament to their power and flexibility. The constant evolution of control lists to adapt to the shifting metagame keeps them fresh and competitive, making them a perennial contender in Legacy tournaments. Mastering control requires a deep understanding of card advantage, tempo, and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.

Combo Innovations: Out-of-the-Box Strategies

Eternal Weekend is always a breeding ground for combo innovations, and this year was no exception. Several innovative combo decks emerged, showcasing the creativity and ingenuity of the Legacy community. One notable deck was a new take on Reanimator, utilizing the powerful combination of Griselbrand and Entomb to quickly reanimate a game-winning threat. Another innovative deck featured a unique take on Painter's Servant, using the combo with Grindstone to mill opponents out of their libraries. These combo decks often rely on a mix of fast mana, card selection, and protection to execute their game plan as quickly as possible. Successful combo pilots at Eternal Weekend demonstrated their ability to assemble their combos consistently, protect them from disruption, and capitalize on any opportunity to win the game. The sideboard is crucial for combo decks, containing specific hate pieces to combat opposing strategies and protect their own combo from disruption. The constant search for new and innovative combo strategies is a hallmark of the Legacy format, and Eternal Weekend is the perfect stage for these decks to shine. The creativity and ingenuity of the Legacy community ensure that combo decks will continue to evolve and surprise opponents in the years to come.

Key Takeaways from Eternal Weekend 2024

Eternal Weekend 2024 provided invaluable insights into the current states of Vintage and Legacy. We observed the continued dominance of established archetypes like Jeskai Control and Delver, alongside the emergence of innovative strategies and new card inclusions that are reshaping the meta. Understanding these trends is crucial for any player looking to compete in these formats. The ability to adapt to the shifting metagame, anticipate your opponent's moves, and make informed card choices is paramount to success. Eternal Weekend serves as a reminder of the depth, complexity, and enduring appeal of Vintage and Legacy, inspiring players to continue exploring and innovating in these formats. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the world of Eternal Magic, there's always something new to discover and learn. So keep experimenting, keep practicing, and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Who knows, maybe next year we'll be dissecting your winning decklist!