Gods Unchained - Light Meta Report (March 2022)

Welcome back fellow mortals!

We've got a ton to cover, so I'll get straight to the point: The CSR and Divine Order changes have significantly mixed up the meta, and we wanted to make sure we're addressing the most pertinent shifts in a timely fashion. To do so, future meta reports will contain all sets for a given domain, but only the top/bottom 10 cards for each set according to Mythic play rates. (Some stats have been dropped to streamline the process).

Our logic is that while cards shouldn't be rated solely on their usage at the highest level of play, the meta is heavily influenced by Mythic players given their greater access to cards, on average. In other words, these meta reports will be more about what you can expect to see most often as you work your way to the top of the food chain.

This report is dense, so don't hesitate to use the post's index on the side to jump from set to set or browse for specific cards. With that in mind, @jungleboy1 and I present you the March 2022 breakdown for the Light Domain!

CORE — Top 10 MOST Played Cards

Interestingly enough, despite Mythic players having had enough time to acquire the newest Core cards, the only "new" additions to Light's top-performing cards are all Neutral converts. They were already fairly common across the Domains, though, so the more interesting bit is that after Light's Levy (at >90%!) and Asterius, everything else falls into a tighter 40's-50's range for both play rates and win rates. They're also affordable which helps explain why Light was one of the Domains that suddenly exploded in popularity after the CSR.

I encourage you to compare this top 10 Divine Order's (down below) to get a better sense of why the 40's-50's range is so interesting. Most sets experience a drop-off in play rates somewhere between the 5th and 10th most played cards, yet Light currently enjoys a multitude of popular Core cards.

1st - Light's Levy

The numbers truly speak for themselves, here. For just 3 mana, Light has one of the most efficient sources of removal in the early game that manages to be a threat all the way into the late game given Light's ability to reduce creature strength. This tells me that if you're playing against Light, this is a threat you must play around. Similar to how Death's Blight Bomb makes anything with less than 4 Health a risky early play, high-value 2-Strength creatures will need to be thoughtfully deployed.

2nd - Asterius, Glittering One

While I wasn't around for the initial introduction of this card, I understand it has quite the history in terms of swinging back and forth from viable to "trophy" status. It appears to be living it up in the current meta, but there are caveats I'd like to point out: Its base stats are the worst for a Frontline creature at 6 mana, and Aggro Light wants ramp above 2 strength through Roar effects and spells.

With that in mind, Asterius is worth deploying if Light has at least one 2-strength creature on the board that can benefit. This is the kind of include that adds depth to a deck by providing options beyond simply fizzling out after the early-game. I wouldn't say it's mandatory, though.

3rd - Felid Janissary

After the buff from 2/1 to 2/2, this is essentially a more flexible Black Jaguar so long as it has a target to buff with Roar. This usually isn't an issue for Aggro Light given its abundance of 1-cost creatures. As with Shieldbearer (just below), Light's robust Creature Ramp theme makes low-cost creatures more impactful longer into a match by allowing Light to shift stats around to suit the board.

4th - Shieldbearer

Building on all of the strengths of Felid Janissary, one noteworthy combo that I see often is dropping Aging Veteran and Shieldbearer on turn one for a 2/4 that is likely to become a 3/4 unless it is immediately removed. This kind of stat economy is what has become dominant in Light's current meta. It's also worth noting that both of these Roar creatures enjoy a >50% win rate, something that distinguishes them within this top 10.

5th - Bright Mage

Once again we have a Roar effect, but it can act as pseudo removal by allowing another creature to be healed after attacking. Light also has on-heal effects (see Lysander, below) that synergize with this, and it has Ward to boot. With how removal-heavy GU has become, Ward is likely what pushes this over the edge from being a solid play to a clearly meta-worthy include.

6th - Blind Martyr

Despite these numbers, Blind Martyr represents an opportunity for something tennis (and chess) players refer to as an "unforced error." It can even develop into a "forced error" as well. What this means is that the Afterlife ability has the potential to completely wreck the opponent's early game if mishandled. Further, if avoided for too long, what previously required careful play could develop into forcing a poor play in order to avoid something worse. It's lower win rate, however, is likely a result of mythic players being more aware of these pitfalls. If promptly removed from the board, it can feel like wasted mana for Light.

7th - Devoted Follower

2/3 or 3/2 stats for 2 mana is a fair cost with 3/3 or better usually requiring some kind of negative trait like confused (see Black Jaguar). In this case, Ward and a weakening effect have been tacked on for an incredibly cost-effective bundle that is less vulnerable at 2 health than it initially appears. If deployed slightly behind the mana curve alongside anything that boosts health, this kit becomes an alternative path to locking down a board. Light's opponent must use multiple sources of removal which can lead to card disadvantage if poorly planned.

Something worth noting is the combination of both a lower play rate and win rate than every card above it in the top 10. The only other card in the top 10 with a lower win rate is Ritual Rod, the 10th most played Core card. This suggests that some players are dropping this for more "on-theme" options to achieve a marginally better win rate.

8th - Dryder Sailweaver

The utility of this creature is straightforward: It has Ward and only costs 1 mana. This makes it an excellent target for Creature Ramp (especially when going first!) with openings such as Dryder Sailweaver + Lightbearer > Felid Janissary given that Light's opponent is unlikely to have a 3-strength Blitz response their first turn. Even Magic is unable to respond right away, as they do not have a combination of spells capable of removing this for just 2 mana.

Therein lights the strength of Light's current meta: It has the ability to build up quickly without being hindered by the usual removal that plagues most early deploys. Light has 6 creatures with Ward in the 1-3 mana range beaten only by Magic's 9.

9th - Holy Enchanter

This initially reads like a "win more" include for Light, but the mana cost is probably the most important part of this kit. At 4 mana, unless Magic is using Mana Ramp and going first, the +2 Health will probably hit the board before options like Crystal Rain and Shaped Blast become available. When stacked on top of creatures like Blind Martyr, the extra health literally negates many forms of board clear.

This makes Holy Enchanter a "continue winning" deploy in that it can deprive Light's opponent of recovery options that become available at 5+ mana. With exception to hard removal like Carnage Sweep and Blackblood Blast (both of which stumble over Light's abundance of Ward), most forms of removal become less effective if Holy Enchanter hits a full board.

10th - Ritual Rod

So long as it isn't immediately bounced by relic removal, 1 mana provides Light with 4-6 points of targeted removal. Light has access to plenty of Mystics, but the only option for a turn 1 pairing is Vexing Vicar at 1 mana. It's worth noting that said Mystic didn't make it into the top 10, but I wouldn't be surprised if it currently resides just below the top 10 given the anti-removal kit it boasts of Protected and Ward.

CORE — Bottom 10 LEAST Played Cards

With the exception of Odessa, all of these cards experience a <45% win rate at mythic levels of play. I don't want to spend an excessive amount of time bashing each individual card (or arguing their case if I feel the disinterest is unwarranted), so these bottom 10 lists will primarily focus on why these cards are likely being ignored and what alternatives might be pushing them off the table in terms of viability.

37th - Odessa, Knight Arbiter

Light meta is currently Aggro-heavy thanks to highly efficient sources of Creature Ramp paired with ample Ward and healing galore. None of that pairs well with Odessa, as this ability punishes low-cost cards. This suggests there's a niche deck built around a Midrange or Control Light archetype just effective enough to support a decent win rate.

There are plenty of copies available for purchase, so I'd suggest Odessa supports a deck that isn't as popular among Light players simply because Aggro Light is easier to pull off at a much lower price point. Deploying Odessa after an Aggro opener requires a shift towards single-card turns like Canonize, Prayer of the Desperate, or the popular Asterius, but they rely on maintaining a wide board up and through Odessa entering play.

38th - Thaeric Blessing

This reads like a strictly inferior version of Recovering Sigil, a 1-cost spell that provides Heal 3 for ALL friendly Characters and the same Draw 1. A buff or retooling will certainly be required before this sees regular play.

39th - Triumvirate Prophet

I recall decks built around the Chosen One once being popular thanks to the former Chosen One God Power, but the current meta might as well treat all creatures in Light decks as the Chosen One thanks to ample Creature Ramp. Theoretically, early deploys like Illuminated Warrior and Devout Cleric provide stat-efficient creatures that force the Chosen one to the top of your deck, but the entire theme is a delayed mechanic that lacks the immediacy of meta Aggro Light.

Chosen One decks put the all of their eggs in a single (random!) basket that requires several turns (and lucky draws) to ensure Protected and/or Ward escort the Chosen One safely into play. Why put that much effort into a random creature when you could ramp a Protected and/or Warded creature from turn 1 such as Dryder Sailweaver or Vexing Vicar?

40th - Patience Priestess

You can play this Mystic to give every future summon +1 health (and Frontline if you need it), or you can play Holy Enchanter for the same cost to give all your creatures +2 health now. They're both Mystics, they both cost 4 mana, and they both have 2/4 stats. In my opinion, Holy Enchanter is strictly better and a Common. The Frontline is appealing, but it's too slow and too late in the game.

41st - Patron's Sacrament

This spell seems intended for stalling (Frontline) or board control (Protected + attacking). In either case, there are better options that achieve the same effect. Examples include Blind Martyr (Frontline with Creature Ramp) and Bright Mage (Heal + 3/3 Warded creature) within this same set.

42nd - Athena's Conjurer

At a total of 4/10 stats, this is the most cost-effective 6-mana creature available to Light outside of Asterius (with 1 creature) or Archpriest of Parthene (with 5 points of Order). There's also the benefit of having two 2-strength Frontline creatures that qualify for numerous 2-strength clauses on Light cards.

So, why isn't she seeing play? For 6 mana, mythic players want board impact they can rely on. A pair of Frontline 2/5's do little more than stall, something Aggro Light isn't too keen on doing. At this point in a match, Light wants win conditions or board control, neither of which this Olympian is equipped to provide.

43rd - Duergar Priest

With an inherent health ramp, it seems like a creature that would fit right into Light's meta. Unfortunately, it lacks the bite of more aggressive Light creatures such as Aging Veteran or Olympian Guard that have a built-in strength ramp. That and Light already has plenty of health boosts at its disposal.

44th - Lightbringer Priest

You can play this passive (weak) healer, or you can play Highborn Knight (3/3 Frontline, Protected, Ward), Holy Enchanter (AoE +2 health), or Sern, The Moderator (2/5 with AoE Heal 2 and other effects). Heck, even the Starter card Radiant Spirit (3/4 with RNG Heal 2 at EoT) could be more useful if healing is what you're looking for.

45th - Prophet of Doom

This misguided prophet gives up base stats for blind RNG. Light doesn't know what's in their opponent's hand, and most players are unlikely to mulligan for a high-cost spell in their starting hand unless they're running a Control deck built around a specific spell. It's fun to daydream about preemptively thwarting AoE removal like Blackblood Blast, Rapture Dance, Sole Survivor or The Hunt, but you're unlikely to know whether or not it's actually working.

Consider the following: You deploy Prophet of Doom, and at 6 mana your opponent doesn't wipe the board. Did you successfully negate their spell, or did they simply not have it in their hand? Worse yet, what if Light's opponent isn't running any high cost spells? Light can do better.

46th - Harp Cupid

The Roar effect still requires a follow-up attack to secure card advantage. Yay for pseudo-removal on a 2/4 body, but there are cards I believe are strictly better like Penitence (transform an enemy creature into a 2/2 Acolyte and gain control of it), Canonize (give a creature +3/+3 and Protect), or even Hallowing Light (set a creature's health to 2 or give a friendly creature +1/+2).

GENESIS — Top 10 MOST Played Cards

As I warned earlier, notice that play rates take a nosedive in the middle of the pack starting with Field Nurse. Win rates are similarly depressed with everything being <50% after Highborn Knight save for the hold out, Holy Writ, at the end of the list. This tells me that Light doesn't have as many "uber" Genesis cards as other Domains are accustomed to.

Canonize and Highborn Knight are probably the closest Light has to "chase" cards in the Genesis set—something I'll get into during their individual breakdowns—while Cudgel of Atonement is a more expensive alternative to Core's Ritual Rod.

1st — Canonize

It's difficult to argue with the potency of this spell given how much emphasis I've placed on Warded creatures being important to Light's current meta. Literally any early deploy with Ward can become a beefcake that's awkward to deal with after the initial 1:1 card trade gained via a Protected attack. For example, Nature and War have multiple +X/+X spells that allow for advantageous trading, but the boosted creature is often vulnerable after the exchange without investing additional resources.

Put differently, Light could play a 5/6 Helios Battlesworn for 5 mana, or it could transform the stubborn 2/2 Dryder Sailweaver (possibly buffed to 3/3 by Felid Janissary or Shieldbearer) that's been lingering on Light's side of the battlefield into a Warded 5/5 or 6/6 ready to immediately smash something (akin to Blitz) while Protected. The opponent is then left to deal with a threat that's resistant to removal.

2nd — Master of Indulgences

The obvious goal is to set an opponent's creature to 2 health in order to setup a favorable trade (better if the attacked is Protected) while gaining a 2/2+ creature on the side. There are plenty of excellent targets that could contribute to a highly efficient play, but the win rate suggests that an over-costed 2/2 is deadweight when Light's opponent isn't playing many creatures (Magic/Death).

3rd — Cudgel of Atonement

If played without a Mystic on the board, this is strictly better than Ritual Rod, but the possibility for a 3rd attack introduces a choice for Light players. Is the built-in healing on this relic more important than a 3rd attack, or is the potential for greater early-game pressure what it's all about?

This has a win rate >5% greater than Ritual Rod, so the numbers are suggesting the healing has merit. My thinking is that there are enough sources of relic removal available in the early game that Afterlife is more likely to be useful than a 3rd attack that can be negated.

4th — Highborn Knight

With a clearly favorable win rate, it's clear to me that the play rate would be significantly higher if not for the nearly $300 price tag this Knight is handcuffed to. A price, it's worth noting, that increased after the CSR likely due to how potent Aggro Light has become with regards to applying Creature Ramp to Warded creatures. This knight even has the courtesy to come with Protected on base. Truly a highborn, indeed!

5th — Field Nurse

Earlier, I bashed on Lightbringer Priest for its pitiful healing potential when compared to similarly costed cards. This early deploy further demonstrates the lost opportunity by providing a 1/4 equivalent body through healing if deployed after another creature attacks and lives. If left unattended, this nurse will continue to provide value and potentially grow into a noticeable threat once Light's Creature Ramp revs up.

This is where Genesis play rates slump, and the win rate indicates this creature is an optional include that might currently be seeing play in the odd Healer deck built around Lysander (healed creatures gain +1 strength). Aggro Light is likely to be more effective in the current meta, however.

6th — Sanctify

Having already dropped to a 2% play rate, the rest of the top 10 for Genesis is rather bland. This spell can help introduce Ward into an Aggro Light deck, but so many popular Light creatures already have Ward on base. The only way I see this gaining traction is if Light gains multiple low-cost creatures in a future set with 2 strength, no Ward, and a potent alternative theme.

7th - Seraph

This feels like the closest GU comes to a "trap" card given that Frontline forces this creature to be attacked first, Protected makes it likely the opponent will have to waste two attacks, and any remaining creatures are enfeebled.

Unfortunately, decks like Zombie Death or Ramp Magic aren't fazed by this, as they can win games without relying on beefy creatures. I don't see this being competitive in the current meta, and there are more direct options for Light to achieve board control.

8th - Gentle Monk

This timid source of pseudo-removal is like playing with your food. Either wipe the target from the board (Imperious Smite), or overrun it with Creature Ramp. This monk needed either a lower cost or better base stats to work its way into the current meta, as this deploy requires a strong-ish target to be worth playing. Otherwise it's another over-costed creature Light can do without.

9th - Will O' Wisp

Gaining a pair of Warded 1/1's isn't bad, but there are better options for Light in the early-game. I believe this pair of wisps is more likely to see play if Mystics gain more thematic synergy outside of Ritual Rod or Animated Armory. Frumentarii Researcher (3-cost Mystic with Deal 2 to random character after Mystic summon) and Bonded Unicorn are both Neutral creatures that help establish a Mystic theme, but I don't think they're enough for Light to form a mythic-level competitive deck in the current meta.

10th - Holy Writ

The win rate is an oddity to me, as it implies that the few players running this are achieving slightly above average results for Light. It's impossible to know if this spell, specifically, deserves the credit, but I'm willing to argue that unless 2/2 Acolyte spamming becomes meta for Light, the friend-or-foe health boost for 2/2 creatures is unlikely to provide reliable impact when played. Straight Creature Ramp is currently more flexible and aggressive in the current meta.

GENESIS — Bottom 10 LEAST Played Cards

Most of these cards are duds, but I want to draw your attention to Alexis and Tithe Collector. While it could be a product of the marginal sample size, both managed to achieve >50% win rates for Light. Everything else is <50% with only a few managing >45%.

21st - Alexis, Archon's Sword

For 8 mana, Alexis brings 15/17 worth of stats to an empty board. The 2/2 Acolytes have Frontline to buffer for Alexis, but the entire kit is vulnerable to board wipe. That said, I view this card as a response to board wipe. With one card, Light can efficiently refill their board after their opponent clears the board.

In a well-tuned Light deck, I'm not surprised that this enjoys an above average win rate. She's unlikely to see much actual play, but I imagine Alexis has secured wins in longer matches on occasion. This makes her a luxury include for mythic players that have extra room in their deck.

22nd - Blessed Jackalope

Much like Thaeric Blessing, Recovering Sigil feels strictly better to me. This creature is likely to be reserved for deploying like a spell, so why not run an actual spell that can heal your God and has Draw 1?

23rd - Light, Ascended

Please correct me if I'm mistaken, but I believe the Shine God Power currently summons two Will O' Wisps exactly like the Will O' Wisp card above. If Mystic Light becomes a viable theme, I can see this gaining traction, but it's board impact at 6 mana is minimal. For 2 less mana, Holy Enchanter has the same Roar effect.

24th - Devout Cleric

I mentioned this creature earlier when discussing Chosen One decks, and my opinion still stands: Aggro Light is more consistent in the current meta, and the removal of the previous Chosen One God Power downgraded the theme. Unless additional support is introduced for Chosen One decks, this is a non-starter.

25th - Pilgrim of the Cause

Another Chosen One creature, another (currently) inefficient creature. Hard pass for now.

26th - Tithe Collector

When faced with an aggressive deck like Aggro Nature/War, this ability might be useful to Control Light or another slower-paced archetype that needs to stall early-game for whatever win condition they're banking on later in the match. The positive win rate could also just be a statistical anomaly thanks to the small sample size, as it doesn't provide anything for Creature Ramp.

27th - Sit Down

Order effects like Censure (+3 Order for two enemy creatures) or even Patron's Sacrament (give a friendly creature Frontline/Protected) seem strictly better in the current meta. That, and both Order and Protect are more effective at achieving either intended use of this spell: Locking down a creature for 1 turn, or setting up a free kill.

28th - Lore & Order Inspector

Setting aside the memey name, I'm honestly surprised the win rate is as low as it is. There are decent examples where top meta decks with Creature Ramp would be hindered by this creature. The problem is there are usually better alternatives, and having no tribe to build on prevents future themes from adopting this abandoned soul. If this were a Mystic (or Olympian), I'd consider this a creature to keep tabs on for the future.

29th - Forty Days

At first, this effect draws me to all of the cards Light would want to secure additional possible uses of, but how would that affect Light's mana curve? Say you opened with Felid Janissary and any 1-cost creature. You don't have any creatures ready for turn 2, so you play this spell to draw a card and prep your creatures for re-use down the road. In my opinion, throwing these low-cost creatures back into your deck dilutes your curve by making it less likely you'll draw higher-cost cards you want to play later in the game.

This leads me to believe this is better suited to the mid-to-late game where you might target legendaries or high-impact creatures, but then you're relying on RNG. In other words, this card leaves too much to chance, and Light has other options for pulling cards from the void to hand in a more controlled and reliable manner.

30th - The Cleansing

This is essentially an anti-Death spell, but it directly undermines the Creature Ramp inherent to Aggro Light. It contradicts the current meta, and it's practically useless if there isn't Burn or Sleep on the board to remove.

TRIAL OF THE GODS — Top 10 MOST Played Cards

Play rates drop off much like Genesis, but it happens immediately after the first card, Olympian Guard. That means that part of this top 10 will feel like an extension of the bottom 10, as play rates are dismal for most of the set.

Win rates aren't too appealing, either, so I'd suggest the current meta isn't favorable to Light's Trial of the Gods set. It consists of the Chosen One theme and Favor Ramp, neither of which are currently competitive at top levels of play. The exception to this is Lysander and his spear, both of which can plug into Light's Creature Ramp meta.

1st - Olympian Guard

If played on-curve, this is another 2/3 Shield Maiden (Neutral creature) that can become a 3/4 superior to other 3-cost Frontliner. The closest Frontline comparisons are the 3/3 Battle Aurochs or 3/3 Parthene Shieldmate (+1 Health when healed). This applies pressure on Light's opponent to respond before it escalates into an under-costed 3/4.

Also, as an Olympian, its tribal synergy is expanding via the CSR and forthcoming set(s). The lower play rate (compared to Core, for example), indicates Light doesn't need this to be competitive, but it certainly doesn't slouch in the current meta.

2nd - Lysander's Spear

This plays like Nature's Moonlight Charm but with the ability to always choose the target and potentially extend the relic's life indefinitely if left unanswered by relic removal. It fits naturally into Aggro Light, but it competes with other 3-mana cards like Radiant Dawn or Light's Levy for play priority. This pushes it back a turn to when 4-cost cards become a possibility, and it's easy to see how other cards can edge it out until eventually it's a late play that lacks impact.

3rd - Lysander's Mercy

This is the closest Light gets to having board wipe, and I can't really argue with anyone choosing to include 1 copy for use "in case of emergency". I don't have much else to say, though, as this spell is straightforward both in its use and timing in a match.

4th - Lysander, Champion of Light

I've mentioned Healer decks involving Lysander a few times, so let's dig into what that means. First, such decks need to endure long enough to reach 6 mana and bring Lysander into play. He's got Ward, so he's more likely to survive long enough to trigger his passive Creature Ramp provided there are damaged friendly creatures that can be healed.

All of that sounds great, but it's contingent upon Lysander being played and preserved into the late game. This means that Healer decks are unsurprisingly inconsistent without additional heal-based triggers, as cards like Duergar Priest (+1 health when a character is healed) aren't potent enough to prop up the theme. Lysander isn't a bad deploy, but there are stronger legendaries like Asterius that can provide greater impact for Aggro Light at 6 mana.

5th - Bardelys, Parthene Orator

Bardelys requires there to be some combination of 4 creatures on the board to be played with an efficient stat base. 2 and 2 yields a 3/4 with Ward, and there's potential for much better stats on fuller boards. This results in a highly situation deploy that lacks consistency in match-ups where Light's opponent is actively clearing the board of creatures or refraining from deploying any of their own.

Bardelys is certainly a solid option with the potential for sneaking a hugely under-costed creature onto the board (with Ward, no less!), but the same 3 mana could be spent on a Bright Mage that doesn't rely on a specific board state to be effective.

6th - Veteran Hoplite

This is the kind of early deploy well-suited to a Healer deck, but without more productive healing synergy, it plays like a strictly inferior Aging Veteran (0/3 that gains 1 strength at EoT if at 3+ health) with lower stats and now growth potential. There are certainly options like Healing Insight (full heal and +2 Health) for a 2/7 (move aside, Pyramid Warden!), but then you're giving up 2 creature slots for a spell.

7th - Parthene Democracy

I like this spell. It's a less potent Call to Arms (3-cost War spell with Draw 1 and +2 health to War creatures in your deck) that trades 1 health for non-exclusivity. It perfectly embodies the current Creature Ramp theme, but it's competing with Light's Levy, Bright Mage, and Radiant Dawn for deck slots at 3 mana. Running this spell shifts Aggro Light towards Midrange light, an archetype that is likely less competitive in the current meta at the highest levels of play.

8th - Trial of the First Pillar

The problem with this spell is it doesn't properly deal with a losing board state and undermines the goals of Aggro Light: Creature Ramp. If Light has lost control of the board at this point, converting the opponent's board to 2/2's is little more than stalling, and most domains have similarly costed responses Light won't like. Something like Lips Are Sealed (+4 Order to 3+ strength creatures) is more likely to be helpful (and can be played sooner) which can setup a deploy like Archpriest of Parthene for truly monster stats when hitting a board filled with Order.

9th - Isadora, Daring Patrician

6 mana for 3/5 total stats (1/2 + 1/2 that becomes a 2/3 at EoT) is terrible. Asterius (4/6) would be a better deploy even on an empty board, as would Lysander or the previously mentioned Archpriest of Parthene (5/5 via Roar: Order 3). Sure, Isadora has Ward and Backline, but she's squishy and requires multiple turns for both generating Olympian Guards and ramping their stats. This is the epitome of "too little, too late".

10th - Aetheric Alarm

Churning out reactive 0/2 Aether blockers might be appealing if Light had proper Aether synergies like Magic does. The only Aether effect for Light is on Illustrious Planetar (3-cost Blessed 3/3) with the Ability to gain 5 Favor per Aether Light controls. This could definitely pile up a mountain of Favor, but Light also lacks anything that is boosted by Favor. Instead, it has multiple Favor generators which simply provide better access to the Sanctum.

The one notable exception is the Neutral Divine Messenger (7-cost 7/7 Aether with Roar: give +5/+5 and Ward to your entire deck if you have 80+ Favor), but Light can do better in the current meta than building towards a 7 mana delayed win condition. These supercharged creatures still need to be drawn and played, after all.

TRIAL OF THE GODS — Bottom 10 LEAST Played Cards

A true list of duds that I feel is fairly deserved. Nothing on this list struck me as being overlooked or understimated, so let the bashing commence!

13th - Burden of Proof

Everyone likes card draw, but I've repeatedly mentioned that Light's 2/2 theme isn't quite up to snuff in the current meta. While this card currently lacks appeal, a future 2/2 theme enhancement might pull this into more Light decks. Timing this spell would still be awkward, though, as Light needs to keep their 2/2's unbuffed long enough for the super draw before commencing with 2/2 targeted Creature Ramp like Asterius.

14th - Fortify

This is tailor-made for Healer decks, but by this point my opinion of such decks should be clear: They're currently too slow for the meta. If a counterpart to Duergar Priest were to gain strength or provide a more aggressive trigger for healing effects, this spell could see more niche play.

15th - Tartessian Sentry

Effectively a 4/4, it provides 5/5 states for 4 mana (a decent bargain), but we're talking about a Chosen One deck, again. That aspect is currently underdeveloped for Light in terms of the current meta. The repeated +1/+1 is interesting, however, but it requires not attacking and an application of Ward to avoid hard removal. Right now, the only way that can happen is via the Neutral Parthene Guardian (2-cost Frontline 1/1 with Roar: summon a copy of itself) that applies Ward to friendly Olympians with Afterlife.

With Olympians getting more attention in the next set, this might see more play in an Olympian deck with a few Chosen One cards sprinkled in like Parthene Shieldmate (an Olympian that gives Ward to the Chosen One) or Kadmos (a legendary Olympian that makes a random 6-cost creature the Chosen One and gives it Armor).

16th - Dragon of the First Pillar

Without Ward, this spiffy Dragon is vulnerable to hard removal before it's SoT trigger can begin showering friendlies with extra strength. That, and a Backline 7/5 or Frontline 5/9 is trumped by the Neutral Cyclops Defender (7-cost Frontline 6/10) or Neutral legendary Hercules (7-cost Frontline, Protected 6/7 that gives other Olympians +2/+2.

There are simply more effective means to achieving the same effects (Creature Ramp or Frontline stalling), and the delayed impact of this Dragon is unlikely to keep pace with other end-game win conditions common to the meta.

17th - Parthene Shieldmate

I'm legitimately confused by how poor this Olympian's win rate is. I suspect those using this in their decks are simply performing poorly, in general. It's a Frontline 3/3 for 3 (on par with Battle Aurochs) that has stat growth and Chosen One synergy. With Olympians gaining support in the next expansion, I would expect the win rate to gravitate closer to 45-50% unless Light Olympians proves so meta-worthy that Olympians as a whole start pushing a >50% win rate.

18th - Field Medic

The only use for this creature is in Light Olympians where creatures like Empire's Footman, Tartessian Talionis, and Phalanx Champion receive bonuses based on the number of Olympians in your void. With one card, Field Medic puts enough Olympians in the void to give Empire's Footman +2 strength and Protected (for a 2-cost Protected 3/1), +1 strength for Tartessian Talionis (for a 3-cost 3/5), and +1 health to Phalanx Champion (for a 4-cost 3/5 Frontline). If lucky enough to deploy 2 on turn 1, you're looking at +3 strength or health for the latter two Olympians.

19th - Fated Arrival

If you're not running a Chosen One deck, this spell is useless. Given that I've already established the Chosen One them is somewhat lacking for the current meta, this spell is therefore also lacking. If (and likely when) Chosen One decks make a comeback, this will probably be a 2x auto-include in every such deck.

20th - Dowsing Blade

Another Chosen One card that won't work outside of a Chosen One deck. I actually like that it continually pulls the Chosen One closer to the top of your deck without burning durability, so Light can choose when to apply the +1/+1 rather than being immediately forced into it. This is another card I expect to see a bump in popularity should Chosen One decks resurface.

21st - Blessing of Light

I previously mentioned that Favor decks lack a clear end goal for hoarding Favor. That makes this spell serve little purpose beyond pulling the Sanctum into Light's strategy. The only problem with this is the Sanctum doesn't have many synergistic options for Light beyond situational counters that Light usually has better versions of in their own Domain.

DIVINE ORDER — Top 10 MOST Played Cards

I've already pointed out the decline in play rates starting with Inquisitor Informant and Watchful Hound, but the predominantly <50% win rates surprised me. Divine Order received a number of changes, recently, that I would have expected to bring Light closer to the break-even 50% win rate indicative of "true balance". I suspect part of the problem is that Order Light (a theme introduced by Divine Order) still isn't consistent enough to stand on its own independent of meta Aggro Light. Instead, many Order cards are supplemental to Light's Creature Ramp theme.

It would seem that the CSR brought most of Light's attention to the Core set, as it currently experiences the best win rates on average. With a little sprucing, however, I could see (Divine) Order decks gaining enough viability to be a reasonable alternative at mythic levels of play.

1st - Sern, The Moderator

An auto-include for a Healer deck, but Sern shines for multiple reasons. Aggro Light, like any Aggro deck, can run out of steam if they fail to break down their opponent in the early game. Sern provides a source of card draw stacked on top of board control and a mini-power turn via AoE heal 2. There's a lot to like about this kit, so the extreme popularity and positive win rate is well-deserved.

2nd - Radiant Dawn

If Aggro Light is the current meta, it's obvious why Light would love AoE +1/+1 on top of its Creature Ramp theme. The win rate has slumped slightly after its nerf, but it still remains a justified staple of Light decks after the fact.

3rd - Empyrean Pacifist

Empyrean Pacifist + Vexing Vicar > Blind Martyr is a truly obnoxious opener if you don't have spot removal in your opening hand. If Light's opponent doesn't deal with the pacifist quickly enough, it'll eventually become a sturdy wall that can shut down other Aggro decks. Currently popular includes like Blind martyr and Holy Enchanter help quickly achieve 10 health at which point Light's board state becomes much harder to deal with.

While Control decks aren't as bothered by this kit, Aggro Light has an alternative Ward opener it can play if they're expecting hard removal in the early-game. That makes the early vulnerability of a 2-3 health creature less problematic.

4th - Inquisitor Informant

A holdout from Light's previous meta, early Order creatures helped Light secure control of the board while it built up a highly fortified position. The inquisitor is still viable in the current meta, but the lower play rate relative to other equally affordable options suggests that mythic players have begun trading it out for creatures more aligned with its Creature Ramp theme.

5th - Watchful Hound

Like the previous inquisitor, Watchful Hound was a staple prior to the CSR. It stills makes an appearance in many Light decks, but it's less popular than the inquisitor because its Order effect can be negated. For 3 mana, alternatives like Light's Levy and Bright Mage have become more appealing options for Aggro Light.

6th - Kadmos, Son of Lysander

Because this legendary is designed for a Chosen One deck, it suffers from the slower pace inherent to the theme. I fully expect to see Kadmos become more popular if the new set is able to revive the Olympian and/or Chosen One theme(s).

7th - Protective Benediction

While I've certainly seen effective uses for this card, Radiant Dawn sees more play because it's 1 less mana and isn't limited to 2 creatures. The most common choices I've experienced are Protected and +1 Armor, but Imperious Smite and Holy Enchanter are often better at achieving the same result. Imperious Smite is hard removal that frees up the Protected creatures to attack elsewhere (such as the opposing God), and Holy Enchanter proves a larger net effect than +1 Armor in the short-term.

8th - Helios Justicar

On her own, this kit is less reliable for the mana cost. In an Order deck, this helps maintain control of the board. Unfortunately, Order decks have shifted to Light's back burner, so the lower play rate and win rate is unsurprising. I do believe Order Light is viable in the current meta, but it lacks staying power at the highest levels of play.

9th - Divine Judgment

Obliterate is highly underrated given its ability to negate various protections and triggers, but it's tied to the Order theme which, as I just discussed, is waning in popularity. If Light isn't running ample sources of Order, this removal is often a dead card in the hand. I believe Order is likely to be expanded in the future, so I fully expect to see this return to the meta when that happens.

10th - Parthene Proscenium

In short, this is another slow kit that has superior versions of its individual parts. While Holy Enchanter only provides +2 health, it doesn't require creatures to be damaged to be useful. Similarly, Canonize can give a targeted +3/+3 and Protected (Prayer of the Desperate is an AoE +2/+2) without needing to wait a turn or default to Light's weakest creature on the board. This Structure is certainly cost effective for what it does, but it seems like Light has to sacrifice tempo to play it at an important time in most matches.

DIVINE ORDER - Bottom 10 LEAST Played Cards

As usual, the majority of these play rates are supported by the pitiful win rates they provide.

Let's discuss!

20th - Anubian Redeemer

This is the only surprise for me, as I recall some initial excitement when considering the stat efficiency this Anubian offered at 5 mana. A guaranteed 5/7 with thoughtful play, it is strictly better than every same-cost creature save Ruthless Caipora (5-cost 3/3 with Roar: +1/+1 for each friendly creature) when dropped into a full board. If deployed behind a Frontline creature, 6/8 becomes possible followed by 7/9 by the time Light is ready to attack with it.

So, why is this getting overlooked? Canonize and Prayer of the Desperate both cost 5 mana and provide immediate effects at a time Light is looking to make moves. The potential for 7/9 is also vulnerable to hard removal without Ward. As such, I suspect Light would rather run 2x of both +X/+X spells and call their 5-mana slots good rather than sacrifice earlier aggression for what amounts to Midrange pressure.

21st - Generous Aid

Yay for potentially endless healing, but that isn't as useful to Light's current Creature Ramp meta. If Healer decks become meta viable, however, I would expect this to see a jump in popularity and effectiveness.

22nd - Thaeriel's Anvil

9 mana. 9 mana! This is a passive 4/6 that summons equally passive 4/7's each turn during the late-game. Yes, it'll likely provide a continuous stall for Light until one player or another draws their win condition, but Aggro Light did something wrong if it's relying a 9-cost Frontline engine to stay alive rather than a lower-cost creature to win outright.

At 8 mana, Alexis is much more aggressive (5/7 that fills the board with Frontline 2/2's), and the staple Neutral creatures Helian Elite (8-cost Frontline, Protected 10/12) or Polyhymnia (9-cost Frontline, Protected, Warded 6/10 with 4 Armor and EoT Ward) make more sense. Granted, Light is effectively trading early-game aggression for Midrange+ "just in case" creatures that don't harmonize with Light's meta strategy.

23rd - Glaring Talisman

This relic does little more than stall at a time when Light has ample options for more aggressive (and effective) plays. Since Order Light can come across as a Midrange deck that builds towards Archpriest of Parthene (+1/+1 per point of Order on the board), I wouldn't be surprised to see this gain popularity if Order Light was further developed down the road. As I previously stated, I fully expect Order to be expanded with future sets, so this relic is likely a sleeper card until such a time.

24th - Righteous Apparition

While technically buffed by the last round of changes to Divine Order before cementing the set, it's simply too slow in the current meta. You can setup single-target lockdown for the following turn, or you can play Holy Enchanter for AoE +2 health. I keep using Holy Enchanter as an example, but that's because it's so affordable as a common that it's the easiest to demonstrate my point with.

Simply put, Order Light is a slow theme, and this kit is a clear example of the delayed playstyle.

25th - Divine Chains

This belongs in Order Light or some form of Control Light, neither of which are as competitive as Aggro Light at mythic levels of play.

26th - Animated Armory

This is an odd one for me, as both Olympians and Mystics are seeing development in the next set. Since we're talking about the current meta, this tribal kit doesn't mesh well with Aggro Light that, again, has Holy Enchanter available at the same mana cost.

27th - Zealous Ecclesiast

Blessed is an indirect form of Favor, and I've already discussed how Favor decks aren't well-suited to Light despite it's multiple Favor engines. Even worse, Light only has two creatures with Blessed (this and Illustrious Planetar) outside of the handful of Neutral Blessed creatures Light would need to run to better utilize this kit.

In other words, this is a creature that straddles the Healer and Favor decks while also acting as an extention of an Aether deck (2 of the Neutral Blessed creatures are Aethers) that also aligns with the Favor theme. Thus, until Light has a clear end point (or win condition) for a Favor deck other than Divine Messenger (mentioned above), this adjacently related theme enabler just doesn't fit into the current meta.

28th - Mentor of Salvation

This creatures is overburdened by a split desire to be a stat-heavy creature with Ward and a creature recycler through it's Roar effect. Ward doesn't make sense because Roar doesn't benefit from it, and being a 7-cost 6/6 undermines the usefulness of the Roar thanks to a significantly delayed timing.

I would have preferred to see a 5-cost plain 4/4 with the Roar effect to allow it to be played at a useful time during the match while still have sufficient stats to be a decent deploy. Unfortunately, that'll never happen.

29th - Shielded by Light

Unless played on a Frontline creature with Ward, the chosen target is just asking to be bumped off the board with hard removal. The additional downside of being temporary means that Patron's Sacrament (1-cost spell granting Frontline/Protected) is going to be strictly better in most situations. Of course, Patron's Sacrament is in the bottom 10 least played cards for its set which further illustrates why this spell is also a bottom 10 card in the current meta.

The one exception I can think of for this spell is when played on Venerable Paladin (3-cost Frontline 3/1 with 1 Armor that gives its armor to the weakest friendly creature via Afterlife). If Light managed to kill off the paladin (a tall order with 4 Armor), that armor could be permanently transferred to something else. This combo is highly situational, however, and this spell would sit idle in the hand if held for that specific situation.

This concludes our meta report for Light's sets in March of 2022! Please let us know what you think of this format, and feel free to offer any differences of opinion you might have regarding how I've assessed Light's cards in the current meta! Is the top/bottom 10 enough? (Is it too many?!) We welcome constructive feedback that'll help us make these reports useful for teh community.

Otherwise, Magic is up next, so keep an eye out for it early next week :)

Sources

Images

https://market.x.immutable.com/

Data

https://cardsunchained.com/

Set Spreadsheets

• Core
• Genesis
• Trial of the Gods
• Divine Order

Twitter

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