The Top Combo Decks in Magic’s Competitive History

 

The Top Combo Decks in Magic’s Competitive History

Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a game of strategy, where powerful combos can often decide the fate of a match. Combo decks, built around synergies between cards, have been a cornerstone of competitive Magic play since the game's inception. These decks rely on specific card interactions to create overwhelming advantages and win conditions, often in a single turn. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most iconic combo decks in Magic’s competitive history, their impact on the game, and how players can learn from these strategies to enhance their gameplay. We’ll also briefly compare how combo strategies in MTG are similar to those in Disney Lorcana cards for players familiar with other TCGs.

Tinker (1999 - 2000)

Tinker was one of the most dominant combo decks during the late 1990s and early 2000s, especially in the Vintage format. The deck revolved around the powerful artifact-based card "Tinker," which allowed players to search their library for an artifact and put it directly into play. Combining this with powerful artifacts like "Black Lotus" and "Necropotence" enabled players to set up game-winning combos in a flash.

Key Combo: The classic Tinker combo would involve playing Tinker to bring out "Blightsteel Colossus," a powerful creature with an infection that could win the game in a single attack.

Tinker decks dominated tournaments during this period, forcing the Magic community to rethink the role of artifacts in the game.

Storm (2006 - 2008)

Storm is a combo archetype that revolves around casting multiple spells in a single turn to trigger "Storm," a mechanic that copies a spell for each spell cast before it. The most infamous Storm deck in MTG history used "Grapeshot" as a win condition. Players could cast numerous cheap spells, trigger Storm, and then resolve Grapeshot, which would then deal lethal damage to their opponents.

Key Combo: The Storm combo required casting cards like "Lotus Petal" and "Lion's Eye Diamond" to generate mana, followed by casting a spell like "Manamorphose" or "Tutor" to find the final win condition. After that, players would often win in a single, explosive turn.

This deck became so powerful that it led to multiple bannings and restrictions in various formats, showing just how potent combo decks can be in MTG.

Splinter Twin (2011 - 2016)

Splinter Twin is one of the most infamous combo decks in Magic's recent history, making its mark in Modern format tournaments. The core of the deck was "Splinter Twin," an enchantment that allowed players to create token copies of creatures that could then untap and deal damage to the opponent.

Key Combo: The main combo revolved around pairing Splinter Twin with "Deceiver Exarch" or "Pestermite," two creatures that could untap other permanents. With Splinter Twin on the battlefield, players could tap and untap the creatures to create infinite copies, leading to an inevitable victory.

This combo deck was a favorite of Modern players, until the banning of Splinter Twin in 2016, when it was deemed too powerful for the format.

Aetherworks Marvel (2016 - 2017)

Aetherworks Marvel made a huge splash during its brief but powerful presence in Standard. This combo deck centered around the card "Aetherworks Marvel," an artifact that allowed players to pay energy to spin a wheel and potentially cast any card from their top six for free.

Key Combo: The deck’s key combo involved generating energy and then using Aetherworks Marvel to cast powerful creatures like "Emrakul, the Promised End" for free, often ending the game in a single turn.

Despite its early dominance, Aetherworks Marvel was eventually banned in Standard for its overwhelming power and ability to end games too quickly.

Karn, the Great Creator (2020 - Present)

Karn, the Great Creator decks represent a more recent form of combo deck that leverages the power of artifacts. By combining "Karn, the Great Creator" with cards like "Mycosynth Lattice," players could lock out opponents’ lands and use their artifacts as an unstoppable win condition.

Key Combo: By assembling Karn with Mycosynth Lattice, all permanents become artifacts, and players could use Karn’s abilities to turn everything into a win condition, rendering opponents unable to interact with the game.

This deck has made waves in competitive formats, especially Modern, where the interaction between Karn and Mycosynth Lattice has led to a ban on some related cards.

Comparing Combo Strategies with Disney Lorcana Cards

In both Magic: The Gathering and Disney Lorcana cards, combo strategies are about finding powerful synergies that allow for an overwhelming advantage. However, while MTG combo decks often revolve around complex card interactions and powerful, sometimes game-breaking, mechanics, Disney Lorcana offers a different approach, with its focus on easier-to-understand combos that encourage fun, thematic play. Both games reward strategy, but Magic’s combos are often faster and more intricate in their execution.

Conclusion

Combo decks have always been a significant part of Magic: The Gathering’s competitive landscape and the above decks represent some of the best examples in the game’s history. From Tinker’s artifact-driven dominance to the explosive Storm and Splinter Twin combos, these decks demonstrate the power of synergy and the excitement of crafting the perfect play. As the game evolves, new combo decks will emerge, continuing the tradition of Magic's complex and innovative strategies.