Premodern Staples: The Most Played Cards
Which cards actually turn up in Premodern tournament decks, counted from the 39 decklists in this archive and the 17 archetypes tracked here. Maindecks and sideboards are counted separately, because they answer different questions: a card in half the sideboards is a hate card, not a format staple.
A card is listed once it appears in at least 3 decks. Average copies matters as much as the percentage: a card averaging 4.0 is an automatic playset, while one averaging under 2.0 is a one-of or two-of that many decks simply want access to.
Maindeck staples (67 cards)
| Card | Decks | Share | Avg. copies | Archetypes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duress | 12 of 39 | 31% | 3.8 | 6 of 17 |
| Swords to Plowshares | 12 of 39 | 31% | 4.0 | 7 of 17 |
| Cabal Therapy | 11 of 39 | 28% | 3.6 | 4 of 17 |
| Wasteland | 11 of 39 | 28% | 3.2 | 3 of 17 |
| Mishra's Factory | 10 of 39 | 26% | 3.5 | 3 of 17 |
| City of Brass | 9 of 39 | 23% | 2.8 | 1 of 17 |
| Dark Ritual | 9 of 39 | 23% | 3.9 | 3 of 17 |
| Gemstone Mine | 9 of 39 | 23% | 3.1 | 1 of 17 |
| Exalted Angel | 8 of 39 | 21% | 3.4 | 4 of 17 |
| Flooded Strand | 8 of 39 | 21% | 3.6 | 4 of 17 |
| Grim Lavamancer | 8 of 39 | 21% | 2.6 | 1 of 17 |
| Phyrexian Furnace | 8 of 39 | 21% | 2.1 | 4 of 17 |
| Smother | 8 of 39 | 21% | 1.6 | 3 of 17 |
| Cursed Scroll | 7 of 39 | 18% | 1.3 | 2 of 17 |
| Fact or Fiction | 7 of 39 | 18% | 2.7 | 4 of 17 |
| Lightning Bolt | 7 of 39 | 18% | 4.0 | 2 of 17 |
| Rishadan Port | 7 of 39 | 18% | 3.4 | 3 of 17 |
| Sylvan Library | 7 of 39 | 18% | 2.3 | 1 of 17 |
| Wooded Foothills | 7 of 39 | 18% | 4.0 | 1 of 17 |
| Wrath of God | 7 of 39 | 18% | 2.1 | 2 of 17 |
| Adarkar Wastes | 6 of 39 | 15% | 2.8 | 2 of 17 |
| Bloodstained Mire | 6 of 39 | 15% | 3.0 | 0 of 17 |
| Decree of Justice | 6 of 39 | 15% | 2.5 | 2 of 17 |
| Diabolic Edict | 6 of 39 | 15% | 1.0 | 0 of 17 |
| Impulse | 6 of 39 | 15% | 3.2 | 4 of 17 |
| Meddling Mage | 6 of 39 | 15% | 4.0 | 4 of 17 |
| Mogg Fanatic | 6 of 39 | 15% | 4.0 | 2 of 17 |
| Powder Keg | 6 of 39 | 15% | 2.0 | 4 of 17 |
| Withered Wretch | 6 of 39 | 15% | 3.8 | 2 of 17 |
| Counterspell | 5 of 39 | 13% | 3.4 | 5 of 17 |
| Disenchant | 5 of 39 | 13% | 2.0 | 1 of 17 |
| Graveborn Muse | 5 of 39 | 13% | 1.6 | 3 of 17 |
| Karplusan Forest | 5 of 39 | 13% | 3.6 | 0 of 17 |
| Mana Leak | 5 of 39 | 13% | 2.8 | 3 of 17 |
| Skeletal Scrying | 5 of 39 | 13% | 2.2 | 0 of 17 |
| Snuff Out | 5 of 39 | 13% | 1.6 | 0 of 17 |
| Ancient Tomb | 4 of 39 | 10% | 2.8 | 1 of 17 |
| Call of the Herd | 4 of 39 | 10% | 3.8 | 1 of 17 |
| Caves of Koilos | 4 of 39 | 10% | 3.0 | 0 of 17 |
| Dust Bowl | 4 of 39 | 10% | 1.5 | 0 of 17 |
| Fire // Ice | 4 of 39 | 10% | 2.5 | 1 of 17 |
| Incinerate | 4 of 39 | 10% | 3.5 | 1 of 17 |
| Lotus Petal | 4 of 39 | 10% | 3.2 | 1 of 17 |
| Reflecting Pool | 4 of 39 | 10% | 2.5 | 0 of 17 |
| Rotlung Reanimator | 4 of 39 | 10% | 4.0 | 1 of 17 |
| Seal of Fire | 4 of 39 | 10% | 2.8 | 0 of 17 |
| Treetop Village | 4 of 39 | 10% | 3.0 | 2 of 17 |
| Undiscovered Paradise | 4 of 39 | 10% | 2.2 | 0 of 17 |
| Vindicate | 4 of 39 | 10% | 3.2 | 1 of 17 |
| Winter Orb | 4 of 39 | 10% | 2.8 | 0 of 17 |
| Barbarian Ring | 3 of 39 | 8% | 1.7 | 0 of 17 |
| Birds of Paradise | 3 of 39 | 8% | 3.7 | 0 of 17 |
| City of Traitors | 3 of 39 | 8% | 2.7 | 0 of 17 |
| Dromar's Cavern | 3 of 39 | 8% | 1.0 | 0 of 17 |
| Gaea's Blessing | 3 of 39 | 8% | 2.3 | 1 of 17 |
| Hypnotic Specter | 3 of 39 | 8% | 4.0 | 1 of 17 |
| Innocent Blood | 3 of 39 | 8% | 2.7 | 0 of 17 |
| Kor Haven | 3 of 39 | 8% | 1.0 | 0 of 17 |
| Mother of Runes | 3 of 39 | 8% | 3.0 | 2 of 17 |
| Naturalize | 3 of 39 | 8% | 2.3 | 5 of 17 |
| Phantom Nishoba | 3 of 39 | 8% | 3.0 | 1 of 17 |
| Polluted Delta | 3 of 39 | 8% | 3.0 | 2 of 17 |
| Portent | 3 of 39 | 8% | 3.3 | 1 of 17 |
| The Rack | 3 of 39 | 8% | 2.3 | 0 of 17 |
| Tsabo's Web | 3 of 39 | 8% | 1.0 | 4 of 17 |
| Underground River | 3 of 39 | 8% | 3.7 | 1 of 17 |
| Unearth | 3 of 39 | 8% | 2.0 | 0 of 17 |
Sideboard staples (33 cards)
| Card | Decks | Share | Avg. copies | Archetypes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineered Plague | 15 of 39 | 38% | 3.1 | 5 of 17 |
| Tormod's Crypt | 15 of 39 | 38% | 1.8 | 10 of 17 |
| Phyrexian Furnace | 14 of 39 | 36% | 1.5 | 4 of 17 |
| Red Elemental Blast | 11 of 39 | 28% | 1.8 | 3 of 17 |
| Pyroblast | 10 of 39 | 26% | 2.1 | 3 of 17 |
| Circle of Protection: Red | 7 of 39 | 18% | 1.7 | 3 of 17 |
| Dystopia | 7 of 39 | 18% | 2.7 | 2 of 17 |
| Naturalize | 7 of 39 | 18% | 2.0 | 5 of 17 |
| Annul | 6 of 39 | 15% | 2.5 | 6 of 17 |
| Gloom | 6 of 39 | 15% | 2.5 | 2 of 17 |
| Perish | 6 of 39 | 15% | 1.3 | 1 of 17 |
| Pyroclasm | 6 of 39 | 15% | 1.5 | 2 of 17 |
| Tsabo's Web | 6 of 39 | 15% | 1.5 | 4 of 17 |
| Aura of Silence | 5 of 39 | 13% | 1.2 | 2 of 17 |
| Diabolic Edict | 5 of 39 | 13% | 1.0 | 0 of 17 |
| Disenchant | 5 of 39 | 13% | 1.4 | 1 of 17 |
| Hydroblast | 5 of 39 | 13% | 1.8 | 6 of 17 |
| Overload | 5 of 39 | 13% | 2.2 | 0 of 17 |
| Powder Keg | 5 of 39 | 13% | 1.2 | 4 of 17 |
| Warmth | 5 of 39 | 13% | 1.6 | 3 of 17 |
| Blue Elemental Blast | 4 of 39 | 10% | 2.2 | 5 of 17 |
| Cursed Totem | 4 of 39 | 10% | 1.5 | 2 of 17 |
| Enlightened Tutor | 4 of 39 | 10% | 1.0 | 1 of 17 |
| Sacred Ground | 4 of 39 | 10% | 1.2 | 2 of 17 |
| Smother | 4 of 39 | 10% | 1.2 | 3 of 17 |
| Tranquil Domain | 4 of 39 | 10% | 2.2 | 2 of 17 |
| Anarchy | 3 of 39 | 8% | 1.3 | 0 of 17 |
| Crumble | 3 of 39 | 8% | 1.3 | 0 of 17 |
| Duress | 3 of 39 | 8% | 3.0 | 6 of 17 |
| Infest | 3 of 39 | 8% | 1.3 | 0 of 17 |
| Oath of Druids | 3 of 39 | 8% | 4.0 | 2 of 17 |
| Ray of Revelation | 3 of 39 | 8% | 1.3 | 1 of 17 |
| Seal of Cleansing | 3 of 39 | 8% | 2.0 | 4 of 17 |
Every card links to its own page with printing, price and the decks that play it. See also the full Premodern card list and the metagame tier list.
