FotD Banned and the Rise of Oko Decks

The expected happened, Fields of the Dead is banned in Standard. The rule of the Golos decks in the metagame is finished. While it did not win the recent Mythics Championships, being the highest number in the participants’ decks proved the reason that most pro players will pilot the deck. Producing Zombies in the late game for free is just too imbalanced.

I was expecting not only the land to be banned but also the second card with the huge target mark on it: Oko, Thief of Crowns. The metagame knows that once the Golos decks are gone, Simic-based Food decks will rise to dominate. Basing on what Wizards did on their previous bannings, they also ban cards that are potentially abusing. One example is Rampaging Ferocidon which got banned in the era of Mono-Red aggro and Energy decks in Kaladesh Standard. I think this time they would be needing more data and on what the Standard metagame will turn out after this banning announcement.

Two main components of the Oko decks, the planeswalker himself and Questing Beast had its price rapidly rose in two days. Oko is currently at 61 USD and the beast at 37 USD. We will then expect Esper and maybe Grixis Control decks to rise again to battle these Oko Simic decks. Bedevil, Murderous Rider and even Planar Cleansing can see play again. We shall see in the coming weeks as to what the turnout would be.