Two of the most famous decks in Magic: The Gathering’s Standard format are facing off in a bracket-style tournament, and the matchup pits a classic tempo machine against a devotion juggernaut. The Best Standard Deck Ever Tournament has reached its round of 32, and the battle between Faeries (2008) and Mono-Blue Devotion (2013) is one of the most anticipated matches of the competition so far.
The decks come from vastly different eras of the game, separated by nearly a decade. Faeries dominated the Lorwyn Standard format in 2008, while Mono-Blue Devotion ruled the Theros era of Standard from 2013 through early 2014. Both won major tournaments, both shaped their respective formats, and both have legacies that continue to influence Magic today.
The Faeries Deck That Won Worlds
Faeries was one of the most iconic tempo decks in Magic’s history. It dominated the 2008 World Championships, winning the event and taking up a massive five top eight slots. The deck featured a flutter of flashy Faeries creatures alongside powerful disruption cards like Thoughtseize and Cryptic Command.
What made Faeries unique was its flexibility. The deck could play like an aggro deck in some matchups and like a control deck in others, depending on the situation. That adaptability is why it remains a beloved part of Magic lore.
In the tournament bracket, Faeries took down Temur Energy in round one. It now faces Mono-Blue Devotion in a bid to set up a date with Jund in the top 16 by winning today.
Mono-Blue Devotion’s Reign Over Theros
2013 Standard was all about devotion. Every color had a devotion deck that was at least somewhat competitive, but Mono-Black Devotion and Mono-Blue Devotion stood above the rest. The blue version dominated Standard almost immediately upon its release in Theros, winning Pro Tour Theros itself.
The deck remained near the top of Standard for an entire year until rotation in the fall of 2014. Its power came from its devotion mechanic.
In round one of the tournament, Thassa, God of the Sea’s unblockability allowed Mono-Blue Devotion to upset Omnath Uro Ramp. Now the question is whether that same trick will work against the much more disruptive Faeries deck today.
The Matchup Between Tempo and Devotion
The two decks share a blue base, but their strategies could not be more different. Faeries relies on efficient removal and counterspells to disrupt opponents, while Mono-Blue Devotion leans on devotion to overpower the battlefield.
The matchup pits two decks that defined their eras against each other. Faeries won the World Championships of 2008, while Mono-Blue Devotion won Pro Tour Theros. Both decks have strong records at the highest level of the game.
The winner of this round moves on to the top 16, while the loser heads home. The pressure is on both sides to perform at their best.
Key Cards in Each Deck
To understand why these decks work, it helps to look at their signature spells.
- Thoughtseize — Faeries’ discard spell.
- Cryptic Command — Faeries’ versatile counterspell.
- Thassa, God of the Sea — Mono-Blue Devotion’s key creature, whose unblockability helped it upset Omnath Uro Ramp in round one.
- Omnath Uro Ramp — The deck Mono-Blue Devotion upset in round one.
These four cards represent the core strengths of each deck. Faeries’ discard and counterspells let it control the game, while Mono-Blue Devotion’s devotion and unblockable creature let it dominate the board.
What to Watch For
The key to this matchup is how each deck handles disruption. Faeries has a full suite of counterspells and discard spells, while Mono-Blue Devotion has its devotion mechanic and a suite of powerful creatures. The winner of this round will advance to the top 16, and the loser will be eliminated from the tournament.
The Road Ahead
The Best Standard Deck Ever Tournament continues to narrow its field. Next week, bracket breakout Wild Mongrel and UG Madness from 2002 will look to continue its winning ways against Atraxa, Grand Unifier and Domain from 2024.
“Oh yeah, you can find all the decklists and the bracket for the Best Standard Deck Ever Tournament here.”
That line points readers to the official tournament resources, where they can follow along with the matchups, decklists, and results as the tournament progresses.
Our Call on the Match
We believe the match between Faeries (2008) and Mono-Blue Devotion (2013) will be a close one. Both decks have proven themselves at the highest level of Magic, and both have strong arguments for being among the best ever.
The winner of this round will advance to the top 16, where the competition gets even tougher. The loser will be eliminated from the tournament.
The tournament bracket is available online, and the full decklists are posted for anyone who wants to build their own version of these historic decks. The competition is heating up, and the best Standard decks are fighting for their place in Magic history.
For now, the matchup stands as a reminder of just how rich the history of Magic is. From Faeries in 2008 to Mono-Blue Devotion in 2013, the game has produced countless memorable moments and decks. This tournament is bringing those memories back, one match at a time.
The winner of this round will advance to the top 16, where the competition gets even tougher. The loser will be eliminated from the tournament.
The tournament bracket is available online, and the full decklists are posted for anyone who wants to build their own version of these historic decks. The competition is heating up, and the best Standard decks are fighting for their place in Magic history.
See the video the story is built around at MTGGoldfish.
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