The best Magic: The Gathering Standard decks in August 2022
Hold your own using MTG’s latest cards in these top Standard builds.
If you’re after the best Magic: The Gathering Standard decks in August 2022, you’re in the right place. MTG often draws players into competitive play with Standard because it’s a more affordable MTG format and uses all the latest cards, which makes it a lot more appealing than something like Modern or Legacy to newer players.
If you’re just getting into the game now and want to make the most of the cards available to you before the upcoming new set, you’ll likely want to know the best Standard decks in Magic: The Gathering. After all, there are so many options out there that finding out what to play can be incredibly tough.
Best MTG Standard Decks - August 2022
Keep in mind that these will only be the best MTG Standard decks for another month until the new Magic: The Gathering set releases and some of the cards rotate out of the format but, until then, you’ll be able to have fun with them online or in-person. Make sure you bookmark this page, as we’ll be keeping it updated with the best MTG Standard decks in 2022 throughout the year.
We’ve tried to make sure there’s a good mix of options here, but each of these Standard decks is a powerhouse if you play it right.
1. Jeskai Control
Treasure, dragons and spirits
Jeskai Control normally combines a mix of damaging spells, dangerous creatures and counterspells to make sure you can play the game you want to while stopping your opponent’s game plan in its tracks. This version of the Standard deck is no different really, but the creatures it plays are especially potent because of the additional effects they have.
The majority of the deck is made up of sorcery and instant spells to allow you to kill creatures, counter spells, and deal damage, but because a lot of these target things, you can make them cheaper thanks to Hinata, Dawn-Crowned. Not only that, but Hinata makes it more expensive for your opponents to cast things that target you, which is ideal. You’ve then got the might of Goldspan Dragon to help you cast extra spells, and you can even copy the dragon with Fable of the Mirror-Breaker. It’s a fun deck in Standard, and one with a lot of lines of play.
2. Mono-Green Aggro
Simple, but effective
Mono-Green Aggro has been a viable deck in Standard for a while. That’s mostly due to the power of Ascendant Packleader, a one-mana creature that gets bigger whenever you cast big spells, and Old-Growth Troll, an under-costed threat that gives you extra mana when it dies and can come back from the dead. There’s also Ulvenwald Oddity, which can transform from a 4/4 with trample and haste, which is already good, into an 8/8 that also makes other creatures you control stronger.
Combine those threats with card draw from Werewolf Packleader, protection thanks to Snakeskin Veil and a few other cards, and you’ve got a deck that’s incredibly powerful, and rarely falters when it comes to mana. This is a great first Standard deck for many players, especially as it’s a lot cheaper than most of the other decks on this list.
3. Esper Midrange
A little bit of everything
Esper Midrange is an excellent deck for players who like to feel powerful at any stage of the game. While control players often have to wait until the end game to flourish, and aggro players often lose steam a few turns in, midrange decks can do a bit of everything. This deck is especially good at outlasting other players because of the connive mechanic, which allows players to draw and then discard cards to make their creatures stronger, and also helps with card selection.
Combine those creatures with some board wipes, kill spells and the ability to fly, and you’ve got an interesting mix of threats that make it hard for opponents to survive. It also helps that you’ll be using Kaito Shizuki and The Wandering Emperor, who are both powerful planeswalkers with lots of interesting abilities for different situations. This is a great Standard deck for people who like to watch their creatures become stronger, as well as those who love card draw.
4. Boros Aggro
Charge!
Boros Aggro is a deck for people who like to turn cards sideways and watch their opponent’s life total dissipate. It’s filled with low-cost creatures that start small but can become a huge threat easily, and a few cards that are good no matter when you play them.
Hopeful Initiate is a one-mana 1/2 that gets stronger whenever it attacks with a creature stronger than it. Bloodthirsty Adversary is a powerful 2/2 with haste on turn two, but you can pay more mana later on to not only make it stronger, but also cast spells from your graveyard for free. Then you’ve got Thundering Raiju, which deals extra damage to opponents if your creatures have counters on them.
Combine that with a few direct damage spells and the ability to animate lands like Cave of the Frost Dragon and Den of the Bugbear, and you’ve got a surprisingly resilient aggro deck that can hold its own throughout a game. It’ll still lose steam if the game goes on for too long, but it’s far more likely that you’ll have wiped out your opponent before that happens.
5. Grixis Vampires
Doesn’t suck
Grixis Vampires is another fun midrange deck, but for players who prefer to be a little more nefarious and hate the sun. This midrange deck gets its name from cards like Bloodtithe Harvester, a two-mana 3/2 that creates Blood tokens and can sacrifice itself to kill off opposing creatures. You’ve also got Corpse Appraiser, who has a terrible job, but helps you draw cards and fill your graveyard, and Evelyn, the Covetous, who allows you to steal your opponent’s cards and cast them for yourself.
Take those and add in a mix of counterspells, direct damage and some fun enchantments like The Meathook Massacre and Fable of the Mirror-Breaker, and you’ve got a Standard deck that can really draw a game out. It’s a powerful deck that won’t be losing as much in the upcoming rotation as some of the others on this list - which is nice if you’ve already got most of the cards in your collection.