Call of the Stones Meta Report
Call of The
Stones
The first competitive chapter of Call of the Stones has now been written. With both the DC and Cincinnati events complete, we finally have our first meaningful dataset from a developing format. For the first time, we can move beyond theory and begin examining how players actually chose to build, compete, and succeed.
As both a longtime competitive TCG player and the Organized Play Coordinator for Wonders of The First, I spend a significant amount of time studying tournament results, testing strategies, and discussing the game with players across all levels of competition. While no metagame analysis is ever perfect, I have always believed that the strongest conclusions come from the data itself.
With that in mind, this report examines field representation, Top 8 conversion rates, statistical breakout performers, and lower-registration cards that appeared disproportionately in successful decklists. Rather than telling players what to think, the goal is to present the results as they occurred and provide a clear picture of the format’s first major competitive events.
One note on how to read the numbers: win rates and conversion figures carry more weight the larger the sample behind them. A card in 12 decks posting a 62% win rate is a meaningful signal. A card in one deck posting 87% is a fascinating data point about one player’s run — not yet a statement about the card’s ceiling. We’ve structured each section with sample size clearly in view.
The Numbers at a Glance
DC brought 19 decklists and Cincinnati followed with 21. The most-played card across both events was The First — a Legendary Land that grants all Orbital Links — appearing in 29 of 40 decklists. The only card to clear statistical significance for breakout performance was Market of Lost Wonders, a Landmark Land with a Kingdom 3 ability that alternates between bonus actions and bonus energy depending on the round.
Six Figures That Defined the First Events
Three metrics shape how we read the format: registration rate, Top 8 conversion, and win rate delta versus the field average. Here are the leading entries in each category from the combined dataset.
+22.0 WR delta · 44.8% Top 8 conversion
Legendary Land · Existence
68.7% win rate · +21.0 WR delta
Spell · Call of the Stones
62.5% Top 8 conversion · +20.5 delta
Wonder · Existence
66.6% Top 8 conversion · 62.5% win rate
Legendary Land · Existence
2.51x breakout multiple · 68.4% win rate
Legendary Wonder · Call of the Stones
71.4% win rate · Top 8 Unique
Item · Existence
Top 20 Most-Registered Cards Across Both Events
Sorted by field presence across the combined 40-deck pool. Win Rate Delta (WR ?) shows how the pilots running each card performed relative to the overall field average. A positive delta means those decks outperformed the field; the figure doesn’t imply causation.
| Card Name | Type | Set | Decks | Field % | Avg Copies | Win Rate | Conv % | WR ? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The First | Land | Existence | 29 | 72.5% | 1.0 | 57.3% | 44.8% | +22.0 |
| Moonfire Crystal Mouse | Wonder | Existence | 21 | 52.5% | 2.62 | 54.1% | 42.9% | +3.1 |
| Phoenix Quill | Item | Existence | 19 | 47.5% | 1.0 | 65.1% | 52.7% | +25.3 |
| Sunfire City | Land | Existence | 18 | 45.0% | 2.0 | 58.8% | 50.0% | +12.3 |
| Keeper of Beauty | Wonder | Existence | 16 | 40.0% | 1.69 | 58.3% | 37.5% | +8.9 |
| House of Verdantleaf | Land | Call of the Stones | 14 | 35.0% | 1.0 | 61.7% | 57.2% | +13.5 |
| Sirius Aetherblade | Wonder | Existence | 14 | 35.0% | 1.79 | 60.2% | 50.0% | +11.1 |
| Twilight Marsh | Land | Existence | 14 | 35.0% | 1.71 | 57.7% | 42.9% | +9.0 |
| Thunderpeak Vineyard | Land | Call of the Stones | 13 | 32.5% | 1.0 | 57.8% | 38.4% | +7.4 |
| Eternitum the Space Lich | Wonder | Existence | 13 | 32.5% | 1.0 | 60.6% | 53.9% | +11.7 |
| Market of Lost Wonders | Land | Existence | 12 | 30.0% | 1.0 | 62.5% | 66.6% | +14.9 |
| Nyx Fleetfoot | Wonder | Call of the Stones | 12 | 30.0% | 2.50 | 51.7% | 33.3% | -1.7 |
| Celestium Heights | Land | Existence | 12 | 30.0% | 2.33 | 60.3% | 50.0% | +10.6 |
| Indra’s Citadel | Land | Existence | 11 | 27.5% | 1.91 | 60.4% | 45.5% | +10.7 |
| Utterly Complex Compound Bow | Item | Existence | 11 | 27.5% | 1.0 | 61.8% | 54.5% | +12.8 |
| Vivi Bitstorm | Wonder | Call of the Stones | 11 | 27.5% | 1.0 | 55.2% | 45.5% | +2.0 |
| Galactic Sovereign Throne | Item | Existence | 11 | 27.5% | 1.63 | 60.0% | 63.7% | +10.6 |
| Plant Terror of Ethereal Grove | Wonder | Existence | 11 | 27.5% | 1.0 | 61.4% | 45.5% | +11.4 |
| Resonance Reach | Land | Existence | 11 | 27.5% | 1.91 | 55.7% | 54.5% | +3.8 |
| Fortress Orcscar | Land | Existence | 10 | 25.0% | 2.60 | 51.0% | 30.0% | -1.8 |
What the Top Cuts Had in Common
Conversion rate measures the percentage of decks running a given card that finished in the Top 8. Only cards with 4 or more appearances are included — below that threshold the figures reflect individual player performance more than anything pattern-based.
| Card | Type | Decks | Field % | Win Rate | Conv % | WR ? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Meltdown | Spell | 8 | 20.0% | 68.7% | 87.5% | +21.0 |
| Dreameater | Wonder | 8 | 20.0% | 64.0% | 87.5% | +14.5 |
| Cast Out | Spell | 5 | 12.5% | 64.3% | 80.0% | +13.2 |
| Eye of Petraia | Wonder | 4 | 10.0% | 75.0% | 75.0% | +24.4 |
| Bloomstone Stream | Land | 4 | 10.0% | 56.0% | 75.0% | +3.3 |
| Caelith Leaftracker | Wonder | 6 | 15.0% | 59.4% | 66.7% | +7.9 |
| Oakthorn’s Elysium | Land | 6 | 15.0% | 64.5% | 66.7% | +13.4 |
| War’rinoco, Nature’s Firstborn | Wonder | 9 | 22.5% | 59.2% | 66.7% | +8.3 |
| Market of Lost Wonders | Land | 12 | 30.0% | 62.5% | 66.6% | +14.9 |
| Galactic Sovereign Throne | Item | 11 | 27.5% | 60.0% | 63.7% | +10.6 |
| Vaylen Vos | Wonder | 8 | 20.0% | 68.9% | 62.5% | +20.5 |
| Cosmolife Entity | Wonder | 8 | 20.0% | 57.5% | 62.5% | +5.8 |
| Shattered Veil Society | Land | 5 | 12.5% | 65.4% | 60.0% | +15.3 |
| Thought Tempest | Spell | 5 | 12.5% | 64.5% | 60.0% | +12.7 |
| House of Verdantleaf | Land | 14 | 35.0% | 61.7% | 57.2% | +13.5 |
| Phoenix Quill | Item | 19 | 47.5% | 65.1% | 52.7% | +25.3 |
Market of Lost Wonders — The Only Statistically Confirmed Breakout
Breakout analysis measures whether a card’s over-representation in Top 8 cuts is statistically meaningful or within the expected range of variance. We use chi-squared significance testing to make that determination.
Out of 425 unique cards across both events, one cleared the threshold:
30%
66.6%
62.5%
2.08x
Market of Lost Wonders appeared in Top 8 decklists at more than twice the rate its field share would predict. That over-representation is confirmed statistically significant — making it the most data-supported card in the format through these two events.
The cards below posted performance multiples of 2.50x or higher but have not yet cleared the chi-squared threshold due to lower registration counts. They are candidates for confirmed breakout status — the next event will tell us more.
| Card | Field % | Top 8 % | Multiple | Supporting Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aethereon the Cybertusk | 7.5% | 18.8% | 2.51x | 68.4% WR · 100% conv · Top 8 Unique |
| Dreameater | 7.5% | 18.8% | 2.51x | 64.0% WR · 87.5% conv — highest sample candidate |
| Dustfall Badlands | 7.5% | 18.8% | 2.51x | Cincinnati-specific presence |
| Cast Out | 5.0% | 12.5% | 2.50x | 64.3% WR · 80.0% conv |
| Eye of Petraia | 5.0% | 12.5% | 2.50x | 75.0% WR · 75.0% conv |
| Desert Survivor NBC Suit | 5.0% | 12.5% | 2.50x | 71.4% WR · 100% conv · Top 8 Unique |
| Knighthood | 5.0% | 12.5% | 2.50x | 64.2% WR · 100% conv |
| Time Temple | 5.0% | 12.5% | 2.50x | 64.2% WR · 100% conv |
| Power of Bloodlines | 5.0% | 12.5% | 2.50x | 64.2% WR · 100% conv |
| Radiant Rebirth | 5.0% | 12.5% | 2.50x | 61.5% WR · 100% conv · Attuned Boundless |
| Roman Silvershot | 5.0% | 12.5% | 2.50x | Top 8 Unique in Cincinnati |
| Starway the Guide | 5.0% | 12.5% | 2.50x | Top 8 Unique · 61.5% WR |
| Bio-Circuit Plant | 5.0% | 12.5% | 2.50x | Top 8 Unique · land package presence |
Cards Found Almost Exclusively in Top 8 Decklists
Top 8 Unique cards are those with very low field presence that appeared almost entirely in Top 8 finishing decklists. A high uniqueness score reflects how concentrated a card’s appearances were in top-finishing lists. All uniqueness signals from this dataset came from Cincinnati; DC produced zero cards with uniqueness scores above zero.
| Card | Top 8 Apps | Total Field Apps | Uniqueness Score | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rustic Duneshark | 1 | 1 | 52.40 | Cincinnati only · all appearances in Top 8 |
| Starway the Guide | 1 | 1 | 52.40 | Cincinnati only · also a 2.50x breakout candidate |
| Cosmolife Entity | 5 | 8 | 6.55 | Strong combined presence — heavily skews toward Top 8 |
| Aethereon the Cybertusk | 2 | 2 | 4.80 | All appearances in Top 8 · 68.4% WR |
| Desert Survivor NBC Suit | 2 | 2 | 4.80 | All appearances in Top 8 · also breakout candidate + watch list |
| Gearheart Enclave Inner | 2 | 2 | 4.80 | All appearances in Top 8 · land |
| Roman Silvershot | 2 | 2 | 4.80 | All appearances in Top 8 · also 2.50x breakout candidate |
| Bio-Circuit Plant | 4 | 7 | 1.37 | Growing field presence · moderate uniqueness signal |
High Win Rates at Small Sample Sizes
These cards appeared in exactly two decklists each. The win rates and conversion figures are real — but with a two-deck sample, variance is still significant. Cards with 100% conversion (both pilots made Top 8) are noted as particularly interesting entries to track at the next event.
| Card | Type | Win Rate | Conv % | WR ? | Set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caden Windwhisper | Wonder | 78.6% | 100% | +27.8 | Existence |
| Rootling Terror | Wonder | 78.6% | 100% | +27.8 | Existence |
| Tech Nomad Nix | Wonder | 78.6% | 100% | +27.8 | Existence |
| Stealthy Spriggan | Wonder | 78.6% | 100% | +27.8 | Existence |
| Captain Rostar Corewind | Wonder | 76.9% | 50% | +26.9 | Existence |
| Stellar Harmony Tea Set | Item | 75.0% | 100% | +23.9 | Existence |
| Desert Survivor NBC Suit | Item | 71.4% | 100% | +22.0 | Existence |
| The Crimson Marauder | Wonder | 69.2% | 50% | +18.1 | Existence |
| Princess Aurora Waveheart | Wonder | 69.2% | 50% | +17.7 | Existence |
| Sand Goggles | Item | 69.2% | 50% | +17.7 | Existence |
| Blackbeak’s Hidden Cove | Land | 64.3% | 100% | +12.4 | Call of the Stones |
| Knighthood | Spell | 64.2% | 100% | +12.2 | Call of the Stones |
| Time Temple | Land | 64.2% | 100% | +12.2 | Call of the Stones |
| Power of Bloodlines | Spell | 64.2% | 100% | +12.2 | Existence |
| Romalax Starwielder | Wonder | 64.2% | 100% | +12.2 | Existence |
What the Data Shows
-
1A core group of Existence cards dominated field presence. The First, Phoenix Quill, Sunfire City, and Keeper of Beauty each appeared in 40–72% of decklists and posted positive win rate deltas across both events.
-
2Core Meltdown and Dreameater posted the highest Top 8 conversion of any cards with 4+ deck appearances. Both recorded 87.5% across 8 decks — a figure shared by no other card in the dataset at that sample size.
-
3Market of Lost Wonders is the only card in the dataset confirmed as a statistical breakout. Its 2.08x performance multiple cleared chi-squared significance with 12 deck appearances, making it the most data-supported card in the combined pool.
-
4All Top 8 Unique signals originated from Cincinnati. DC produced zero cards with uniqueness scores above zero. Whether that reflects regional deckbuilding differences, field size, or variance is something future events will help clarify.
-
5Desert Survivor NBC Suit appeared on three independent signal lists — Top 8 Unique, Breakout Candidates, and the Watch List — the only card in the dataset to do so. Its combined metrics (100% Top 8 conversion, 71.4% win rate, 2.50x breakout multiple) across two registered appearances are notable.
-
6183 cards appeared in exactly one decklist. Win rates for single-deck entries track individual player performance across a tournament. Those figures are included in the full dataset but are not analyzed in this report.
-
7Call of The Stones cards made a meaningful appearance in the Top 20 field presence list. House of Verdantleaf (35% field, 57.2% conversion), Thunderpeak Vineyard (32.5% field), and Nyx Fleetfoot (30% field) were the three most-registered Call of the Stones cards in the combined pool.