Izzet Prowess – Spellslinger Aggro in Standard (June 2025 Update)

Format: Standard

Archetype: Aggro-Tempo (Spellslinger)

Colors: Blue, Red (Izzet)

Meta Share: ~33% (Last 30 days)

Key Features:

  • Explosive Tempo: Rapidly deploy cheap prowess creatures to snowball damage with each spell cast
  • Token Generation: Cori-Steel Cutter remains the engine, generating Monk tokens each upkeep to widen the board. Drake Hatcher adds another token source, creating 1/1 Dragons as you cast spells (for an extra {R} each time)
  • Combat Tricks: Pump spells like Monstrous Rage give huge power boosts and trample for surprise lethal damage
  • Card Velocity: An abundance of cantrips ( Opt , Sleight of Hand , etc.) and cheap draw spells keep the deck fast and consistent

Izzet Prowess has firmly established itself as the premier Tier 1 deck in Standard, now occupying roughly one-third of competitive top decklists. Over the past 30 days it has dominated the meta (~32.8% share), a jump from about 26% a month prior, underscoring its continued dominance. This deck is a hyper-aggressive spellslinger archetype built around cheap creatures and noncreature spells that trigger prowess and other payoffs to quickly overwhelm opponents.

Opposing decks (from Mono-Red Aggro to Azorius control) have been forced to adapt to Izzet's presence, yet Prowess still boasts a balanced matchup spread with no glaring weaknesses in the field. In practice, Izzet Prowess follows a straightforward but potent gameplan: stick a low-cost creature (e.g. Monastery Swiftspear ) on turn 1, land a Cori-Steel Cutter on turn 2, then cast multiple spells each turn to pump your team and flood the board with tokens.

Every pair of cheap spells not only buffs your prowess creatures but also creates an extra 1/1 Monk via Cutter, rapidly building a wide army. By turn 3 or 4 the deck aims to present overwhelming damage – often a board of pumped 1/1 tokens plus a supercharged Cutter-equipped attacker – before the opponent can stabilize. Finisher spells like Monstrous Rage provide +4/+0 (or more) and trample, frequently turning a modest attack into lethal damage out of nowhere. In short, Izzet Prowess wins by leveraging an unrelenting stream of cheap spells, buffs, and token generation to overwhelm opponents fast.

Core Game Plan

Turn 1-2: Establish early pressure

Play a one-drop prowess creature on turn 1 – usually Monastery Swiftspear (the signature hasty 1-drop) or sometimes Slickshot Show-Off – then drop Cori-Steel Cutter on turn 2. If Cutter isn't in hand, a two-drop like Thundertrap Trainer (when included) or a second creature can follow. The critical setup is having at least one prowess creature in play by turn 2.

Turns 3+: Snowball with spells

Once Cutter is online, plan each turn to cast two or more cheap spells to maximize triggers. For example, a sequence might be: draw, cast Sleight of Hand , then cast Burst Lightning , before moving to combat. This would give +1/+1 to all prowess creatures twice and create a 1/1 Monk token from Cutter at upkeep, dramatically increasing your damage output. Stormchaser's Talent (the class enchantment) further rewards each spell cast with +1/+1 counters, making your board grow vertically as well as horizontally.

Close out the game

Use pump spells and smart sequencing to deliver the final blow. Cast combat tricks pre-combat to buff attackers before swinging (maximizing prowess). A well-timed Monstrous Rage gives a creature a huge power boost plus trample, letting it punch through blockers for lethal damage even if your opponent chump-blocks. Often by turn 4 or 5, you can attack with a board full of pumped monks/dragons and a massive prowess creature, forcing the opponent into impossible blocks.

Throughout each game, maintain a tempo-focused mindset. Every turn, ask how you can deploy your mana on spells that increase damage output or disrupt the opponent's answers. Timing is key: cast your buff spells before declaring attackers (to ensure prowess triggers) and save reactive spells for post-combat or critical interference. By relentlessly pushing damage while using minimal interaction to foil the opponent's gameplan, Izzet forces opponents onto the back foot early and never lets up.

Card Choices

Creatures – Prowess and Token Makers

  • Monastery Swiftspear (3–4 copies): The all-star one-drop, boasting haste and prowess. Every cheap spell turns Swiftspear into extra damage, often attacking as a 3/4 or larger by turn 3. Nearly every list runs the full playset as it can steal games single-handedly if unanswered.
  • Drake Hatcher (3–4 copies): A newer addition that has quickly become a staple (appearing in ~86% of lists). Drake Hatcher is a 1/3 Wizard that lets you pay {R} whenever you cast a spell to create a 1/1 Dragon token. This provides a second token engine alongside Cutter, helping the deck go wide even faster. It also has 3 toughness, making it a solid blocker vs. aggro and resilient to cheap removal.
  • Thundertrap Trainer (2–3 copies in ~50% of decks): A two-drop Wizard that some builds use to add mid-game punch. It features Offspring (allowing you to pay extra mana to create a token copy of it when it enters) and can copy instants/sorceries under certain conditions, giving the deck additional value plays.
  • Slickshot Show-Off (0–2 mainboard, often 2 in sideboard): This Flying 2-power creature was a fixture in earlier builds but it's seen less maindeck play recently (only ~25% of lists maindeck any). Many players now sideboard Show-Off to bring in against slower decks.
  • Vivi Ornitier (0–2, experimental): A legendary Wizard introduced in the Final Fantasy set, which a few players have tried as a top-end include. Vivi offers powerful effects (it's rumored to deal direct damage or generate advantage), but at a higher mana cost that can slow the deck's explosiveness. As a result, it's only appeared in ~15% of recent lists. Most Izzet pilots have found that raising the curve for Vivi isn't necessary – it conflicts with the low-curve, Cutter-focused gameplan – but you may see it tech'd in by some as a surprise finisher or sideboard option.

Artifact – Equipment

  • Cori-Steel Cutter (4): The lynchpin of the deck and essentially an auto-include 4-of in every Izzet Prowess list. This cheap Equipment (equips for free) gives the equipped creature +2/+0 and, crucially, creates a 1/1 Monk token at the start of each turn. Cutter is what enables the deck to swarm the board even with only one creature to start – every upkeep it generates an extra token, which itself can attack or chump block, and all of which get buffed by your spells.

Enchantments

  • Stormchaser's Talent (4): A Class enchantment that synergizes perfectly with the deck's strategy. All recent lists run the full 4 copies. Stormchaser's Talent "levels up" as you cast spells, granting bonuses like +1/+1 counters and trample. Essentially, it turns every spell into permanent growth on one of your creatures.

Cantrips and Draw Spells

  • Opt (4): The quintessential one-mana cantrip. Every single Izzet Prowess deck plays 4 Opt. It smooths your early draws, helps hit land drops or dig for Cutter/creatures, and crucially triggers prowess for just {U}.
  • Sleight of Hand (4): Another staple cantrip, providing card selection. Virtually 100% of recent lists run a full playset of Sleight. With no Preordain or Ponder in Standard, Opt and Sleight are the best we have – and you want as many cheap draw effects as possible.
  • Stock Up (4): Once a flexible slot, Stock Up is now considered a core card – it appears in essentially 100% of Izzet lists, often as a 3 or 4-of. This sorcery provides a burst of power by repeatedly buffing a creature while possibly making you discard and then draw back up. In practice, Stock Up serves two purposes: (1) it helps recover after a sweeper by massively pumping one surviving creature, and (2) it can convert excess lands or empty hand into raw damage.

Removal and Pump Spells

  • Torch the Tower (3–4 main deck copies): A cheap removal spell that has become nearly ubiquitous in the maindeck. Around 94% of recent Izzet Prowess lists include Torch the Tower, usually 3 or 4 copies. At one mana, Torch efficiently deals with small blockers or opposing early threats.
  • Into the Flood Maw (2–3 main): Another staple removal spell, included in ~97% of decks (averaging ~2.8 copies). Flood Maw is a versatile instant – it can exile a tapped creature or hit the opponent's face for 2 damage.
  • Monstrous Rage (3–4): The primary pump spell and game-ender. Roughly 81% of lists run Monstrous Rage, typically all 4 copies or at least 3. Rage gives +4/+0 (or +6/+0 if kicked for {R}) and trample at instant speed.
  • "This Town Ain't Big Enough" (1–2): A new utility instant that has become a popular inclusion (about 62% of lists, averaging ~2 copies). Despite the whimsical name, this card is a serious workhorse – it likely functions as a removal spell or combat trick.
  • Burst Lightning (0–4): Once a four-of staple, Burst Lightning is now a bit less universally played – around 39% of lists still include it main deck. Some pilots run a couple of Bursts as additional reach and removal.

Lands (21–22 total)

Core Cards Summary

The core 60 of Izzet Prowess has solidified even further in the current meta. A typical deck's non-negotiable core includes: 4 Cori-Steel Cutter , 4 Stormchaser's Talent , 4 Opt , 4 Sleight of Hand , 4 Stock Up , 3–4 Monstrous Rage , and a healthy package of low-cost removal. On the creature side, most decks run 4 prowess one-drops and 3–4 two-drop threats (commonly Drake Hatcher as a 3-of alongside either a couple Thundertrap Trainer or additional 1-drops).

Tips & Tricks

Maximize Prowess Triggers

Always cast your noncreature spells before attacking to pump your creatures. For example, if you have two cheap spells in hand, play both in your first main phase, then attack – each prowess creature will typically get +2/+2, and Cutter will produce a Monk token on your next upkeep. The difference is huge: a Monastery Swiftspear attacking as a 3/4 (after two triggers) versus as a 1/2 can be the difference between the opponent comfortably taking the hit or having to chump block.

Sequence Spells Smartly

When you have multiple spells to cast in a turn, consider their impact and sequencing. Cast cantrips ( Opt , Sleight of Hand ) first to dig for exactly what you need. If you're digging for a land or specific card, do it before casting pump spells. Also, if running Drake Hatcher , remember to leave a {R} open for each instant/sorcery you plan to cast so that you don't miss out on creating Dragon tokens.

Utilize "Surprise" Interactions

Monstrous Rage tricks: Because Rage grants trample and can be cast at instant speed, you can use it mid-combat for tricky plays. One move is to go to damage, let your attacking creature assign lethal to a blocker, then before damage is dealt, cast Rage on that creature. The +4 power often means it will "overkill" the blocker and trample through additional damage. This requires careful timing (cast Rage after blockers are declared but before damage) and can turn a trade into extra face damage.

Sideboard Planning

Proper sideboarding can shore up weaker matchups. Versus control or midrange: bring in your disruption and long-game cards. Nearly every list runs 2 Ral, Crackling Wit in the side – Ral is a planeswalker that provides card advantage and a source of direct damage, excellent against grindy decks. Also bring in Ghost Vacuum against any graveyard-centric strategy; Vacuum is nearly ubiquitous in sideboards (95% of lists) because it can single-handedly neuter reanimation combos.

Counting Damage & Setting Up Lethal

It's crucial to accurately count your damage each turn, especially after sideboarding when games can go a turn or two longer. Always account for prowess when calculating lethal. For instance, if you have two spells and two prowess creatures, each creature will get +2/+2, effectively adding an extra 4 damage on board. Don't forget to include trample from Monstrous Rage or any tokens that might appear mid-combat.

Play Around Sweepers When Ahead

While you should be aggressive, be mindful of over-committing into a potential sweeper (like Depopulate or Farewell from control decks). If you have a solid board that's already pressuring the opponent, consider holding an extra creature or two in hand, especially if you suspect a sweeper is coming. You already have Stock Up as insurance to rebuild after a wipe. Also use Stormchaser's Talent to your advantage here – its counters stay even if the creature dies, so often you can create a single huge threat that survives damage-based sweepers.

Matchup Guide

Mono-Red Aggro (Even/Slightly Favorable)

Mono-Red is the other popular aggressive deck (about 12–13% of the meta) and plays out as a pseudo-mirror in terms of speed. Both decks aim to race, but Prowess has a slight edge thanks to its token generators providing chump blockers and its pump spells allowing for more explosive turns. Your goal: survive the early onslaught and turn the corner by midgame.

Sideboard Plan:

Bring In:

  • +1–2 Torch the Tower (to max out removal)
  • +1 Pyroclasm (sweeper for their swarm)
  • +1 Sunspine Lynx (lifegain/blocker)
  • +1 Witchstalker Frenzy (to swing races)

Take Out:

Key Tip: Mulligan for a one-drop and removal. Kill their early creatures on sight – don't be afraid to trade creatures; a Monastery Swiftspear can block an opposing 2/1 if it saves you damage, because you will win the long game with Cutter tokens. Remember, every turn you survive, Cutter is making a Monk – which gives you more bodies than Mono-Red can easily handle.

Mono-Black Midrange (Even)

Traditional mono-black midrange has fallen off in popularity (under 1% of meta now), but you may still face variants or similar strategies. Black decks pack heavy removal and tough threats like Sheoldred, the Apocalypse that demand answers. The matchup is typically even: you are faster, but they have lifegain and disruption that can swing momentum.

Sideboard Plan:

Bring In:

  • +2 Spell Pierce or Negate (counter their removal/Sheoldred)
  • +1 Into the Flood Maw (answer to Sheoldred)
  • +1 Disdainful Stroke (hits expensive bombs)
  • +1 Witchstalker Frenzy (lifegain in racing)

Take Out:

Key Tip: Try to hold a Spell Pierce when approaching turn 4; countering a Sheoldred on the stack is often game-winning tempo. If Sheoldred sticks, use Into the Flood Maw or double-spell to take it down. Keep an eye on your life total once Sheoldred is out – your own draw spells start hurting you.

Dimir Midrange/Control (Slightly Favorable)

Dimir Midrange has emerged as a popular anti-meta choice (~12% of decks) combining black's kill spells with blue's counterspells. This matchup plays out similarly to Mono-Black, but their added counters mean they can interact on the stack as well. Your goal: force through an early threat and tax their interaction, then overwhelm them.

Sideboard Plan:

Bring In:

Take Out:

Key Tip: The play pattern is to bait their removal and counters on low-impact things and resolve a key threat. Try to multi-spell in one turn: cast a Sleight of Hand (draw out a counter), then immediately play a threat like Drake Hatcher while they're tapped or low on answers.

Jeskai Oculus Reanimator (Unfavorable to Even)

Jeskai Oculus (around 2% of the meta currently) is a three-color combo/control deck that uses cards like Cathartic Reunion and Cruelty of Gix to dump and reanimate Abhorrent Oculus – a massive game-ending creature. This matchup was one of Izzet's toughest, but recent innovations (notably Ghost Vacuum in virtually every sideboard) have improved this matchup.

Sideboard Plan:

Bring In:

Take Out:

Key Tip: Post-board, mulligan aggressively for Ghost Vacuum or at least a counterspell. Ghost Vacuum can single-handedly win the game – exile the Abhorrent Oculus from their graveyard as soon as it's in there, and suddenly their reanimation spells have no target. Apply max pressure early and leave up interaction starting turn 4.

Domain "Overlords" Control (Favorable)

"Domain Overlords" (roughly 5–6% of the meta) is a five-color control deck that leverages domain (having all basic land types) to power up spells and plays big top-end threats like Aurelia, the Warleader or Atraxa. This matchup is generally favorable for Izzet Prowess. Domain decks have a greedy mana base and typically spend early turns on setup, giving you a window to smash them.

Sideboard Plan:

Bring In:

Take Out:

Key Tip: Race, race, race. Domain's biggest weakness is the early game – they often take turn 2 or 3 off to play a tapland or setup spell. Punish this by coming out fast. Try to hold a Spell Pierce from turn 4 onward if you have a decent board. If you counter their sweeper, they usually can't recover.

Azorius Control (Favorable)

UW Control (around 4–5% of the meta) focuses on counterspells, removal, and sometimes a win condition such as Maze's End or The Eternal Wanderer. Izzet Prowess historically preys on traditional control because you present threats faster than they can answer them all, and you have counterplay in the form of cheap counterspells and recursive threats.

Sideboard Plan:

Bring In:

Take Out:

Key Tip: Don't overextend into sweepers. Aim to have 2 threats out, not 4, if you suspect a Depopulate. Force them to have single-target answers. Try to bait them with relatively innocuous spells first; if they counter a Sleight of Hand , that's one less counter for your Cori-Steel Cutter or Stormchaser's Talent .

General Matchup Advice

Overall, Izzet Prowess currently has one of the most balanced matchup spreads in Standard. The deck has no truly unwinnable matchup – part of why its meta share is so high. You have the speed to punish slow decks, the reach (burn/trample) to finish off midrange decks, and the sideboard tools to interact with combo and control.

When unsure how to sideboard, err on the side of speed in Game 1, then bring in interaction Game 2. Leverage your strengths: speed, resiliency through card draw, and snowballing tokens. Force your opponents into unfavorable decisions: make them have the removal every time, make them choose between killing a creature or stopping a draw spell. Because if they falter even briefly, Izzet Prowess will capitalize and the game will end swiftly in your favor.

Conclusion

Izzet Prowess continues to reign as Standard's defining aggro-tempo deck. Over the past 30 days it has put up consistent results across MTGO Leagues and Challenges, often with multiple pilots going 5-0 or winning tournaments. The deck's refinement is evident – nearly every list converges on the same efficient core, and new inclusions from recent sets (like Drake Hatcher and Thundertrap Trainer ) have only bolstered its power.

The current meta is largely shaped by the presence of Izzet Prowess: other decks must account for its blazing speed and robust gameplan or risk being left in the dust. For players, Izzet Prowess offers a high-reward playstyle that punishes mistakes mercilessly. It's a deck that rewards tight play – sequencing your spells correctly, managing prowess triggers, and smart sideboarding can elevate your win rate significantly.

As Standard evolves with new sets, Izzet Prowess has shown it can adapt by incorporating the best new cards while maintaining its core identity. Going forward, expect Izzet to remain a top contender. Until a strategy emerges that can reliably prey on it, Prowess will be the deck to beat.

If you're looking to win in Standard right now, you either play Izzet Prowess, or you build your deck with a very good plan (and sideboard) to defeat it. Given its balanced matchups and explosive power, it's hard to go wrong sleeving up Blue-Red. Just remember: always count to 20 – you'll be surprised how easily this deck gets there with the right sequence of spells!

Data Sources: All data and card popularity stats are sourced from mtg-standard.com's last 30 days of Standard tournaments and ladder results (June 2025). This guide reflects only Standard format information from the past month, ensuring the insights are up-to-date with the current metagame. Last updated: June 2025.