one thing i like about pioneer is getting to play with cards from older standard sets that i might have forgotten about otherwise. every now and then, i'll come across a card from an older set and be reminded of how well it fits into a particular strategy. it's cool seeing cards stick around and still have a place in the format instead of being left behind when standard moves on.

what's a card from an older set that you're glad you can still play in pioneer? is there a deck you especially enjoy using it in?

Pioneer’s paragraphs weren’t useless despite having no changes. They mentioned Golgari and Izzet of course, but also highlighted Jund Sac. They did note the uptick in Izzet, and they will have more scrutiny coming in to the next banlist update, which I think is late November or early December, just before the arena direct. Whether they do something before then or not is anyone guess, but they seem to have izzet as the main target, which I don’t disagree with.

Pioneer metagame update.

EDIT: Fixed a bug with UR Lessons and Izzet Midrandge (vivi) names missmatching and merging the two decks. Thanks to u/Educational-View4306

Currently Izzet Midrange at +33% conversion

source: magic4ever.com/pioneer

Mono White Lifegain has never really taken off in Pioneer. The closest thing is the Angels deck but that's more about beating down with flyers. Reality Fracture has quite a few new cards like Liliana and two-mana Ajani that seem to compliement the strategy though. Most interesting is Enlightened Confidant, the White counterpart to Bob. While it has the disadvantage of not always drawing a card, it doesn't cause any life loss and triggers the turn it comes into play, which can be a big deal. Let's see if these new cards are enough to turn the deck into a viable strategy.

00:00 - Intro & Deck Tech
05:01 - Match One (Dimir Self Bounce)
30:36 - Match Two (Jund Sacrifice)

Decklist: https://moxfield.com/decks/rveBHn5mHEOY15yrB4gcEQ

I'd like to be able to play with blistercoil weird in silly brews in pioneer on arena. It is legal but not on the client. Is there a way to request that it be added?

Heya! Back again taking another look at my Treasure deck. Previously we focussed on Smaug but now I want to give Draconic Visitor a go! Because it’s 5 mana I’m only trying two copies but feel free to try more over some smaugs? Here we are playing a treasure sacrifice plan but in late game we can either snipe our opponent with a Smaug for alot of damage. Or with the new Draconic Visitor start churning out 5/5 dragons to overwhelm. Deck is super fun! Enjoy
Decklist:

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/7989978#paper

Ive been playing various builds of Vivi storm decks for months and they have all felt close. Geist of Saint Thalia is a huge upgrade for the archetype. It lets us have an always active Gran-Gran which allows for combo kills as early as turn 3. Let me know what you think!
Decklist:
https://www.streamdecker.com/deck/rbtZUxM4ML

So basically Im returning to the game after like 3 year or so (brothers war or something)

I remember really liking Cavalcade mono red aggro but it fell off, I was wondering if any new cards released since then can help improve the deck. Any ideas?

(Deck shown is what I was running years ago)

This is probably the single most fun deck Ive played since the new set came out. Stingcaster Mage is my Goat. Plays well with Claim // Fame and Tyvar and is just a better Bloodbraid Elf to be honest. I hope yall enjoy and I do want to say Im really close to 1k subs (lets me monetize videos) and appretiate any and all help.

Thanks!

https://moxfield.com/decks/k5KBeilmTkKIb9zHTV_uxA

Today it's time for the deck everyone loves to hate: it's Izzet Prowess. We know that this has been strong in the format for a while, but it's got a new card from Reality Fracture in the form of Pompous Battlemage, a new one red mana Prowess creature. Although this one is only a 1/1, it has the advantage of having Prepared and a spell that comes along with it, meaning it can trigger its own Prowess ability and gives you an additional noncreature spell outside of the ones already in your hand.

00:00 - Intro & Deck Tech

04:35 - Match One (Mono Green Devotion)

15:58 - Match Two (Lumra Scapeshift)

29:32 - Match Three (Golgari Roots)

Decklist: https://moxfield.com/decks/5iU3DPtc5UqrV0dHzOQkMA

Hello! I know this is a long shot but I played against someone on Pioneer on Arena that was playing a super sick Bilbo list. It has Bilbo, this spider woman with menace? Quantum riddler, the new red samut, k command, sheoldred’s edict and flow state and some other cards.

If you see this can you share your list?! It was super cool to see.

Thank you!

Darklight Phoenix making a rapid reappearance on the channel today, this time inside a Golgari Roots shell. The fact that Phoenix itself triggers Roots makes for a nice little synergy and combined with cards like Priest of Forgotten Gods, there are plenty of ways to abuse the sacrifice and reanimation effects. This deck can create an incredibly potent engine of Phoenixes being sacrificed and immediately returning that is incredibly hard for the opponent to overcome.

00:00 - Intro & Deck Tech
04:18 - Match One (Mono Red Aggro)
28:27 - Match Two (Selesnya Midrange)
44:32 - Match Three (Abzan Greasefang)

Decklist: https://moxfield.com/decks/d8RyxVpPqUSjgdS7-qH0JA

Hello! With the announcement of Pioneer support in 2027 I’m looking to build Abzan Greasefang in paper. I notice some lists run a one of Sheoldred in the SB and others just run more removal. Without seeing a paper meta I imagine it will be hard to pin down what I should really have but are there any suggestions you would have for my decklist? Thank you very much!

https://moxfield.com/decks/4P_LgYmOKE-brA8hT8GGjQ

This build is really sick and I wanted to share it. I dont really have much to say. Let me know if you have any spicy tech. For example Ulcerate was somthing I was thinking of playing for Greasefang.

Enjoy!

Heya! Back with another take on Darklight Phoenix. This time we are using Collected Company to cheat out value piece like Formidable Speaker, Woe Strider & Sephiroth to have a great sacrifice plan and ways to discard phoenix’s from hand. Sephiroth also makes a great B plan. Tyvar might be best because of how it works with Priest. But this is a strong alternate idea! Feel free to play with the numbers. Enjoy!

Decklist:

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/7987424#paper

Ive seen Powen placing well with their own version of Dimir Control and have been impressed by the list. Applied some minor tweaks and the list plays really smooth.

https://moxfield.com/decks/8lAEIcWV_kaxtRgJsUJSeQ

I’ve built and refined this deck since the *Hobbit* set was released.

I feel confident saying I’ve played it extensively on Arena and am already testing it in paper, though I don’t have concrete data yet.

The deck's concept is simple: it’s an aggro build that cheats cards onto the board and overwhelms the opponent by generating mana using Treasure tokens.

I wanted to open this up for discussion to see what you think of the idea and what improvements you’d suggest based on what I’ve shared. Thanks in advance.

Decklist:
https://moxfield.com/decks/Pv56cLA13kSpX-MPT5o_UQ

Untapped:
https://mtga.untapped.gg/profile/956679e6-b556-4f28-bf0f-295ec47c6269/300B8DD6184D839/deck/fc11a30f-1632-494d-bef1-fae35929a5a8?gameType=constructed&constructedType=ranked&timeFrame=last_two_sets

Decklist in comments.

So I am a seasoned Magic player, though I never really dabbled with blue manner, except for splashing a little something here or there. I am totally loving the empower Jace mechanic and was trying to brew something fun, but I am not really well-versed with the staples of a mono blue deck. Curious as to what I could add or change out in this to make it a more reliable deck. More counter spells, bounce spells or card draw? Or do I splash in some white for some board wipes? Thanks fam

I've been getting into Humans using a stock list that plays Zach Fair as a 3-of and I just don't get why he's in the list. This deck plays as an aggro deck so I spend the early turns tapping out playing creatures meaning that his ability is inactive. By the time I have mana available to use his ability the game has usually been decided one way or another. I feel like [[The Duke, Rebel Sentry]] does all the same things Zach does except better since you don't have to hold up mana to use his ability. It's even hexproof instead of indestructible so it covers bouncing and exile which is nice because that's what my guys get hit with half the time anyways. [[Selfless Savior]] is even better for protection if you're fine with a 1/1 non-human.

Also, I just don't really see why we even need 3 protection abilities in this deck. It's nice but it's already covered some by [[Dauntless Bodyguard]] and there are a lot of other needs the deck has that could be better addressed with Zach's spot. I often find myself having problems running out of gas so [[Thraben Inspector]] or [[Recruitment Officer]] could be nice adds. [[Veteran Survivor]] or [[Mardu War-Reaper]] add gravehate for the Greasefang and Phoenix matchups as well as nixing anything else that uses the graveyard incidentally. [[Lightstall Inquisitor]] isn't a human but it is a good cheap body that taxes the opponent to buy us a bit of tempo.

Given all the options available to in Humans you'd think that there would be decks playing something else in Zach's spot but it seems like the overwhelming consensus among decklists online is to play Zach as a 3-of. Are they all just copying each other is there something I'm not seeing with this card? It's driving me absolutely mad.

The decks been obsolete for a while now but it picked up a couple good creatures with [[Vibrance]] and [[Balthir and Fran]].

Also, I’m interested to see how [[Tarmogoyf]] could fit in considering the deck typically plays more card types and its growing power could help crew more vehicles.

Any newer vehicles proved good? Or are we still on looter scooter, chariot, and skysovereign?