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Archetype

Survival

Real tournament results for Survival: meta share over time, card choices and the latest lists, with links to every source. Data through Oct 18, 2026.

Deck guide & prices →

Meta share · 90d: 3.3%; −1.1 pp down 24.5% over vs previous 90 days
Meta share · 30d: 3.0%; +0.8 pp up 35.7% over vs previous 30 days
Lists · 90d: 119; 336 in the last year · 78 Top 8s
MTGO win rate · 90d: 48.3%; 95% CI 39.3%–57.3% · 114 matches

Tier 3 by 90-day meta share (all events).

Share of placement points per week, all eligible events, plus the paper and MTGO split.

All eventsPaperMTGOWeekly points share; gaps = no eligible events that week.

Show data table

Survival weekly meta share
Week ending	All events	Paper	MTGO
Oct 18	2.2%	2.8%	0.0%
Oct 11	3.5%	3.9%	0.0%
Oct 4	3.7%	4.5%	0.3%
Sep 27	1.3%	1.4%	0.5%
Sep 20	3.3%	4.0%	0.2%
Sep 13	3.3%	4.1%	0.4%
Sep 6	0.9%	1.1%	0.0%
Aug 30	3.3%	3.6%	0.0%
Aug 23	1.1%	1.1%	0.0%
Aug 16	4.1%	5.0%	1.3%
Aug 9	4.9%	5.8%	2.1%
Aug 2	4.5%	3.9%	6.0%
Jul 26	7.6%	9.4%	0.8%
Jul 19	6.8%	8.8%	0.0%
Jul 12	1.1%	1.6%	0.0%
Jul 5	4.3%	7.3%	0.8%
Jun 28	2.2%	3.8%	0.0%
Jun 21	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Jun 14	5.4%	7.8%	1.6%
Jun 7	6.7%	8.2%	4.6%
May 31	8.1%	7.8%	8.4%
May 24	5.0%	0.0%	11.8%
May 17	4.6%	0.0%	10.9%
May 10	5.8%	6.8%	4.3%
May 3	3.9%	0.0%	7.3%
Apr 26	2.8%	4.2%	0.5%
Apr 19	3.4%	5.2%	1.3%
Apr 12	0.3%	0.0%	0.8%
Apr 5	2.0%	3.5%	0.5%
Mar 29	5.3%	8.4%	0.0%
Mar 22	5.1%	8.0%	0.5%
Mar 15	2.0%	2.9%	0.8%
Mar 8	2.0%	3.8%	0.0%
Mar 1	9.3%	13.5%	0.7%
Feb 22	3.3%	3.3%	—
Feb 15	0.0%	0.0%	—
Feb 8	6.8%	6.8%	—
Feb 1	3.7%	3.7%	—
Jan 25	0.0%	0.0%	—
Jan 18	5.7%	5.7%	—
Jan 11	6.0%	6.0%	—
Jan 4	5.5%	5.5%	—
Dec 28	0.0%	0.0%	—
Dec 21	0.0%	0.0%	—
Dec 14	4.6%	4.6%	—
Dec 7	9.0%	9.0%	—
Nov 30	3.5%	3.5%	—
Nov 23	10.6%	10.6%	—
Nov 16	17.5%	17.5%	—
Nov 9	8.4%	8.4%	—
Nov 2	5.5%	5.5%	—
Oct 26	13.5%	13.5%	—

Average list

Built from 119 lists in the last 90 days: the most-played cards at their typical counts. A reference point, not a recommendation.

Card play rates

Share of Survival lists (last 90 days) that play each card, average copies, and the change vs the previous 90 days (122 lists).

Main deck

Survival main deck card play rates
Card	In lists	Avg	vs prev.
Survival of the Fittest	100%	4.0	+0 pp
Squee, Goblin Nabob	100%	1.4	+5 pp
Forest	98%	6.5	−1 pp
Birds of Paradise	84%	3.9	+37 pp
Wall of Roots	70%	3.2	+35 pp
Nantuko Vigilante	64%	1.1	+12 pp
Genesis	63%	1.0	+27 pp
Deranged Hermit	57%	1.4	+10 pp
Gaea's Cradle	53%	1.9	+10 pp
Basking Rootwalla	51%	3.3	−22 pp
Masticore	44%	1.0	+13 pp
Llanowar Wastes	42%	3.7	+22 pp
Wooded Foothills	40%	3.8	−19 pp
Cabal Therapy	40%	3.6	+20 pp
Mountain	40%	2.7	−19 pp
City of Brass	40%	2.3	+4 pp
Wall of Blossoms	40%	2.9	+15 pp
Swamp	38%	4.6	+17 pp
Bone Shredder	37%	1.0	+21 pp
Wild Mongrel	36%	4.0	−30 pp
Anger	35%	1.1	−23 pp
Uktabi Orangutan	35%	1.0	+16 pp
Arrogant Wurm	34%	2.4	−34 pp
Quirion Ranger	34%	1.6	+15 pp
Sylvan Library	32%	2.0	+5 pp
Duress	31%	3.4	+17 pp
Ravenous Baloth	31%	1.0	+15 pp
Withered Wretch	30%	1.0	+16 pp
Karplusan Forest	29%	3.8	−21 pp
Yavimaya Coast	27%	3.9	+1 pp
Recurring Nightmare	27%	2.2	+16 pp
Mesmeric Fiend	27%	1.2	+11 pp
Llanowar Elves	26%	2.0	+6 pp
Triskelion	26%	1.6	+18 pp
Island	25%	4.4	+1 pp
Winter Orb	23%	1.5	+15 pp
Spike Feeder	23%	1.0	+15 pp
Wasteland	22%	3.0	−35 pp
Krosan Tusker	22%	1.1	+17 pp
Windswept Heath	21%	3.2	−3 pp

Sideboard

Survival sideboard card play rates
Card	In lists	Avg
Naturalize	88%	2.6
Tormod's Crypt	59%	1.9
Tranquil Domain	33%	1.7
Uktabi Orangutan	31%	1.0
Xantid Swarm	28%	1.8
Engineered Plague	25%	3.0
Spike Feeder	23%	1.0
Red Elemental Blast	22%	1.9
Pyroblast	21%	2.1
Tsabo's Web	21%	1.5
Smother	19%	2.7
Withered Wretch	19%	1.3
Caller of the Claw	19%	1.1
Ray of Revelation	16%	1.2
Phyrexian Furnace	15%	1.3
Blue Elemental Blast	14%	2.5
Goblin Sharpshooter	14%	1.0
Reverent Silence	13%	1.9
Goblin Tinkerer	13%	1.1
Ravenous Baloth	13%	1.1
Pyroclasm	12%	2.5
Genesis	11%	1.0
Monk Realist	11%	1.0
Hydroblast	10%	2.2
Compost	10%	1.3

Top lists

Best finishes (last 90 days), largest events first. Open a list to see all 75, or follow the source link.

1stImBrianFellowsPremodern Challenge 32Jul 28, 202648 players
Main (60)
4Survival of the Fittest
4Duress
4Llanowar Wastes
2Recurring Nightmare
1Genesis
1Squee, Goblin Nabob
1Bone Shredder
1Graveborn Muse
1Nantuko Vigilante
10Forest
6Swamp
4Birds of Paradise
1Withered Wretch
4Wall of Blossoms
4Wall of Roots
1Masticore
2Deranged Hermit
1Tempting Wurm
1Ravenous Baloth
1Mesmeric Fiend
1Uktabi Orangutan
4Cabal Therapy
1Plague Spitter
Sideboard (15)
3Smother
4Naturalize
4Engineered Plague
2Tormod's Crypt
1Spike Weaver
1Spike Feeder
Source: mtgo.com decklist (opens mtgo.com in a new tab) · event page (opens mtgo.com in a new tab)
1stFrancesco MessinaLega Milano 4/4 @ La Casa dei Giochi (Milan, Italy)Oct 9, 202628 players
Main (60)
3City of Brass
8Forest
3Gaea's Cradle
2Island
4Yavimaya Coast
3Basking Rootwalla
4Birds of Paradise
1Deranged Hermit
1Genesis
1Gilded Drake
3Llanowar Elves
1Man-o'-War
1Masticore
1Nantuko Vigilante
1Phantom Nishoba
2Quirion Ranger
1Squee, Goblin Nabob
1Sylvan Safekeeper
2Tradewind Rider
1Verdant Force
2Wall of Blossoms
3Wall of Roots
2Natural Order
3Opposition
4Survival of the Fittest
2Winter Orb
Sideboard (15)
3Blue Elemental Blast
1Caller of the Claw
1Calming Verse
1Meddling Mage
3Naturalize
3Tormod's Crypt
1Uktabi Orangutan
2Xantid Swarm
Source: MTGTop8 decklist (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab) · event page (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
1stNiccolò BertaPREM Brescia - S4T3 @ Planet Fun (Rovato, Italy)Sep 30, 202627 players
Main (60)
7Forest
1Gaea's Cradle
4Karplusan Forest
3Mountain
4Wooded Foothills
1Anger
4Birds of Paradise
1Bottle Gnomes
1Deranged Hermit
1Genesis
3Goblin Welder
1Krosan Tusker
1Llanowar Elves
1Mindless Automaton
1Nantuko Vigilante
1Phyrexian Colossus
2Quirion Ranger
2Shield Sphere
1Squee, Goblin Nabob
1Thopter Squadron
2Triskelion
2Wall of Roots
1Phyrexian Furnace
4Survival of the Fittest
3Sylvan Library
4Tangle Wire
2Tsabo's Web
1Winter Orb
Sideboard (15)
2Anarchy
1Elvish Lyrist
1Goblin Tinkerer
1Hull Breach
1Naturalize
1Pyroblast
3Pyroclasm
1Red Elemental Blast
1Smokestack
1Tormod's Crypt
1Winter Orb
1Xantid Swarm
Source: MTGTop8 decklist (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab) · event page (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
1stDan BrownGeddon Gang Fall 1K @ Gamer Geeks (Warrior, AL)Sep 26, 202627 players
Main (60)
2City of Brass
6Forest
2Gaea's Cradle
6Island
4Yavimaya Coast
3Arrogant Wurm
4Basking Rootwalla
4Birds of Paradise
1Gilded Drake
1Man-o'-War
2Merfolk Looter
1Phyrexian Devourer
1Quirion Ranger
1Squee, Goblin Nabob
1Tradewind Rider
1Triskelion
1Volrath's Shapeshifter
3Wall of Roots
4Wild Mongrel
1Counterspell
2Frantic Search
1Memory Lapse
1Miscalculation
1Power Sink
2Opposition
4Survival of the Fittest
Sideboard (15)
1Blue Elemental Blast
2Caller of the Claw
1Genesis
3Hydroblast
4Naturalize
2Tormod's Crypt
1Tranquil Domain
1Uktabi Orangutan
Source: MTGTop8 decklist (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab) · event page (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
1stMaximiliano Arguello SosaFNM @ Magic Lair (Buenos Aires, Argentina)Aug 14, 202625 players
Main (61)
7Forest
9Island
4Yavimaya Coast
2Aquamoeba
3Arrogant Wurm
4Basking Rootwalla
1Gilded Drake
1Phyrexian Devourer
4Squee, Goblin Nabob
1Triskelion
1Volrath's Shapeshifter
1Waterfront Bouncer
4Wild Mongrel
1Wonder
4Careful Study
4Circular Logic
3Daze
1Deep Analysis
2Frantic Search
4Survival of the Fittest
Sideboard (15)
2Blue Elemental Blast
2Cave-In
4Naturalize
4Pyrokinesis
2Reverent Silence
1Tranquil Domain
Source: MTGTop8 decklist (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab) · event page (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
1stFrancesco MessinaLega Milano 4/5 @ La Casa dei Giochi (Milan, Italy)Oct 16, 202622 players
Main (60)
3City of Brass
8Forest
3Gaea's Cradle
2Island
4Yavimaya Coast
3Basking Rootwalla
4Birds of Paradise
1Deranged Hermit
1Genesis
1Gilded Drake
3Llanowar Elves
1Man-o'-War
1Masticore
1Nantuko Vigilante
1Phantom Nishoba
2Quirion Ranger
1Squee, Goblin Nabob
1Sylvan Safekeeper
2Tradewind Rider
1Verdant Force
2Wall of Blossoms
3Wall of Roots
2Natural Order
3Opposition
4Survival of the Fittest
2Winter Orb
Sideboard (15)
3Blue Elemental Blast
1Caller of the Claw
1Calming Verse
1Meddling Mage
3Naturalize
3Tormod's Crypt
1Uktabi Orangutan
2Xantid Swarm
Source: MTGTop8 decklist (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab) · event page (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)

Recent results

Recent Survival results
Finish	Player	Event	Players	List
1st	Francesco Messina	Lega Milano 4/5 @ La Casa dei Giochi (Milan, Italy)Oct 16 · Paper	22	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
5-0	Veracruz	Premodern LeagueOct 14 · MTGO	—	mtgo.com (opens mtgo.com in a new tab)
5-0	topdeckr	Premodern LeagueOct 13 · MTGO	—	mtgo.com (opens mtgo.com in a new tab)
5-0	edward40hands	Premodern LeagueOct 11 · MTGO	—	mtgo.com (opens mtgo.com in a new tab)
1st	Jose Pouza	Júpiter Madrid Semanal @ Júpiter Juegos (Madrid, Spain)Oct 10 · Paper	12	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
1st	Jose Pousa	Semanal @ Júpiter Juegos (Madrid, Spain)Oct 10 · Paper	10	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
1st	Francesco Messina	Lega Milano 4/4 @ La Casa dei Giochi (Milan, Italy)Oct 9 · Paper	28	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
5–8	Jacobheer	$1K Friday 10:30am @ SCG CON Los AngelesOct 9 · Paper	21	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
2nd	Moritzf	Cologne (First October Event) @ Tempelstr. 29 (Köln, Germany)Oct 8 · Paper	14	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
5–8	Henrique Yoshimoto	Semanal @ Ludenz Games (São Paulo, Brazil)Oct 7 · Paper	16	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
18th(2-3)	Heebie_Jeebies	Premodern Challenge 16Oct 4 · MTGO	24	mtgo.com (opens mtgo.com in a new tab)
3–4	Luís Pedro Santos	Portugal - Spanish Supercup 2027 Qualifier VI @ Taberna Topdeck (Coimbra, Portugal)Oct 3 · Paper	13	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
3–4	Martin Møller	Århus Onslaught 2.0 @ Århus (Denmark)Oct 3 · Paper	41	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
5–8	Theodore Lockman	New England Autumn Regional - Duress Crew @ Great Stories Inc (Whitinsville, MA)Oct 3 · Paper	80	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
5–8	Riccardo Montagna	In the far west 1 @ Joker Comics & Games (Milano, Italy)Oct 3 · Paper	37	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
27th(0-4)	Rahmaki	Premodern Challenge 16Oct 2 · MTGO	29	mtgo.com (opens mtgo.com in a new tab)
1st	Niccolò Berta	PREM Brescia - S4T3 @ Planet Fun (Rovato, Italy)Sep 30 · Paper	27	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
3–4	Zhao Yisong	PM Magic Beijing #58 @ PMBJ (Beijing, China)Sep 30 · Paper	33	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
3–4	Henrique Bitner Yoshimoto	Semanal @ Ludenz (São Paulo, Brazil)Sep 30 · Paper	17	MTGTop8 (opens MTGTop8 in a new tab)
5-0	Heebie_Jeebies	Premodern LeagueSep 30 · MTGO	—	mtgo.com (opens mtgo.com in a new tab)

How lists are classified

A list counts as Survival when its main-deck signature cards reach the rule threshold (5): Survival of the Fittest (4), Recurring Nightmare (2), Hermit Druid (1), Genesis (1), Volrath's Shapeshifter (1), Basking Rootwalla (1), Wonder (1), Anger (1), Braids, Cabal Minion (1), Academy Rector (1), Pattern of Rebirth (1), Squee, Goblin Nabob (0.5), Birds of Paradise (0.5), Natural Order (0.5), Opposition (0.5), Carrion Feeder (0.5), Karmic Guide (0.5), Wall of Roots (0.5). Rules 2026-10-18.v3; see the methodology.

Survival

Average list

Main deck (60)

Sideboard (13)