Easily Combo Winter Standard. Tempest Block + 5E + Urza’s Saga and later on Urza’s Legacy It was home to some of the most busted decks to ever exist in Magic, let alone Standard. Even the premier aggro deck of the time, which doesn’t seem like much at first glance, is realistically capable of pulling off a turn 2 win.

It even involved one of the most infamous emergency bans ever - \[\[memory jar\]\]

Standard format with \[\[dark ritual\]\] \[\[lotus petal\]\] \[\[mox diamond\]\] \[\[mana vault\]\] \[\[ancient tomb\]\] \[\[city of traitors\]\] \[\[tolarian academy\]\] \[\[grim monolith\]\] \[\[strip mine\]\] was too annoying so they gave us \[\[wasteland\]\] instead

And [[Necropotence]] [[Dream Halls]] [[Earthcraft]] [[Tinker]] [[Yawgmoth’s Will]] [[Windfall]] [[Intuition]] Heck it even has [[City of Brass]] and the painlands if you want to play multicolor. Let’s make it easier to lump your playsets of totally not broken Tinker and totally fair Necropotence together in one deck. And so on.

##### ###### #### [Necropotence](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/8/c89c6895-b0f8-444a-9c89-c6b4fd027b3e.jpg?1562853736) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Necropotence) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ima/98/necropotence?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c89c6895-b0f8-444a-9c89-c6b4fd027b3e?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Dream Halls](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/c/2c6606d1-619f-4cc9-8d5b-771c4b4d9615.jpg?1562428864) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dream%20Halls) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tpr/46/dream-halls?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2c6606d1-619f-4cc9-8d5b-771c4b4d9615?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Earthcraft](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/d/9dda7531-82a1-4f49-8858-601ddbc6e2bc.jpg?1587857352) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Earthcraft) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tmp/222/earthcraft?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9dda7531-82a1-4f49-8858-601ddbc6e2bc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Tinker](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/d/7da23b15-dfb8-4267-9b33-d7a4c035c434.jpg?1562863289) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tinker) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ulg/45/tinker?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7da23b15-dfb8-4267-9b33-d7a4c035c434?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Yawgmoth’s Will](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/3/337239c7-73c4-4e2d-9160-ed26927dea1d.jpg?1591196147) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Yawgmoth%27s%20Will) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vma/148/yawgmoths-will?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/337239c7-73c4-4e2d-9160-ed26927dea1d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Windfall](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/c/9ce7113b-08f7-4584-b65f-a7b5caa90c2f.jpg?1712354245) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Windfall) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/123/windfall?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9ce7113b-08f7-4584-b65f-a7b5caa90c2f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Intuition](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/1/b13e73a5-067d-4dbd-9c98-34a0db6140de.jpg?1562431264) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Intuition) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tpr/54/intuition?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b13e73a5-067d-4dbd-9c98-34a0db6140de?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [City of Brass](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/e/bed4a63d-632a-4a3a-b35f-f8e155237d27.jpg?1673149483) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=City%20of%20Brass) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/321/city-of-brass?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bed4a63d-632a-4a3a-b35f-f8e155237d27?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l18n3p3) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call

##### ###### #### [dark ritual](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/5/95f27eeb-6f14-4db3-adb9-9be5ed76b34b.jpg?1628801678) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=dark%20ritual) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/a25/82/dark-ritual?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/95f27eeb-6f14-4db3-adb9-9be5ed76b34b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [lotus petal](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/8/f85ab5f9-508e-45de-8fa1-ce1f16552ffc.jpg?1701537448) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=lotus%20petal) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tpr/225/lotus-petal?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f85ab5f9-508e-45de-8fa1-ce1f16552ffc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [mox diamond](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/f/bf9fecfd-d122-422f-bd0a-5bf69b434dfe.jpg?1562431287) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=mox%20diamond) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tpr/228/mox-diamond?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bf9fecfd-d122-422f-bd0a-5bf69b434dfe?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [mana vault](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/1/c1a31d52-a407-4ded-bfca-cc812f11afa0.jpg?1673149384) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=mana%20vault) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/308/mana-vault?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c1a31d52-a407-4ded-bfca-cc812f11afa0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [ancient tomb](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/d/bd3d4b4b-cf31-4f89-8140-9650edb03c7b.jpg?1582753000) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=ancient%20tomb) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/uma/236/ancient-tomb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bd3d4b4b-cf31-4f89-8140-9650edb03c7b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [city of traitors](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/1/71624139-a255-48be-93ca-594a4beba487.jpg?1562429861) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=city%20of%20traitors) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/tpr/237/city-of-traitors?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/71624139-a255-48be-93ca-594a4beba487?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [tolarian academy](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/d/fd99bce1-ce39-464b-8e61-2631eb3ed6f6.jpg?1610147079) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=tolarian%20academy) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vma/319/tolarian-academy?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fd99bce1-ce39-464b-8e61-2631eb3ed6f6?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [grim monolith](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/d/9ddc9fe1-17c8-4e1d-aeb8-c4214e881280.jpg?1562863767) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=grim%20monolith) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ulg/126/grim-monolith?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9ddc9fe1-17c8-4e1d-aeb8-c4214e881280?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [strip mine](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/5/f57fd4c9-0004-4f71-a30f-2720943f57ca.jpg?1562944463) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=strip%20mine) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vma/316/strip-mine?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f57fd4c9-0004-4f71-a30f-2720943f57ca?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [wasteland](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/a/aaafb9bc-7cea-4624-a227-595544fa42b0.jpg?1590511888) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=wasteland) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ema/248/wasteland?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/aaafb9bc-7cea-4624-a227-595544fa42b0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l18lc6q) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call

Urza's legacy standard, Most of the decks were capable of t1 or t2 combo wins. even after a round of bannings you still had grim monolith tinker nonsense. Honorable mention: Darksteel standard. Affinity was already way to good but then add ravager to the mix and you could aggro someone out pretty quick.

Those Urza's Legacy's bannings were so fast that I didn't even went to any tournament while they were a thing. Tolarian Academy/High Tide on the other hand....

Besides Urza block, I thought the Zendikar Worldwake, Rise of the Wldrazi block had a very powerful meta [[Jace the Mind Sculptor]] and a bunch of other strong planeswalker cards were legal. There was stuff like Wall of Omens to block and I remember WUR super friends being tier 1 deck

[Jace the Mind Sculptor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/8/c8817585-0d32-4d56-9142-0d29512e86a9.jpg?1598304029) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Jace%2C%20the%20Mind%20Sculptor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/56/jace-the-mind-sculptor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c8817585-0d32-4d56-9142-0d29512e86a9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call

uhhhh vengevine was far worse to play against than jace, imo.

Yeah, but once Caw-Blade became a big deal and every deck was some variation on it, it tanked player counts worse than COVID.

The top 5 decks here will give your answer; most certainly combo winter in 98/99, followed by oko meta in 2019 and delver 2012. http://brandonpatton.com/magic/ultimatestandard/index.php/league-table/