The First Pioneers: Recent Episodes
The First Pioneers
Keeping you up to date with what is new, interesting and powerful in the Magic the Gathering Pioneer format
Get in your car and start your engines! The First Pioneers are revved up for the newest Magic the Gathering set. Special guest and crazy deck pilot Conorman 11 joins us this weekend to talk about all the speedy new vehicles, out of control spells, and which cards will crash and burn. While some people are saying that the new set won't have much impact on Pioneer, we think that it's going to be great for the casual crowd and that the "Timmy" players will have a lot of fun playing demolition derby with all the big cards in the set. Stop in and see which cards we picked to be at the starting line in the next Pioneer season!
Be sure to stop in to talk about your favorite cards if we didn't mention it in the episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
It's been a while since The First Pioneers were able to record an episode but we finally got a chance to and it's a DOOZY. There was a lot to unpackage from the announcements Wizards of the Coast made during the event in Las Vegas, and we talk about each and every thing that relates to Pioneer and how it will impact the format.
Magic Foundations was also just released but due to the heavy reprints and cards already in Pioneer, we decided to do a Top 10 list of cards we think will make a splash instead of doing a full review episode. Be sure to stop into our Discord or follow us on Social media if you want to share your own top 10 list or to talk about cards you're excited to play with in Pioneer!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
It seems like all we ever have time for these days is set reviews with the amount of cards coming out and accelerated release schedule from Wizards of the Coast. We barely get a chance to play with the cards from a new set before more are on the way. It's suffocating, it's hard to breathe, it's . . . no wait, it's this house? It's having some kind of effect on me and it feels like I'm going to die! RUN!
The newest set, Duskmourn: House of Horrors preys on our fears and chills us to the bone with its disturbing images and homage to some of our favorite horror movies. The set has had countless flavor wins so far and is sure to be "killer" with commander players, but how about in Pioneer?
So far the overall opinion of the First Pioneers is that it is one of the stronger sets to come out for the format in a while, and we look forward to testing out some of the new cards in our favorite decks. See which new cards make the "cut" and which other ones will be left hanging in the rafters of the attic!
Be sure to contact us if you are looking forward to play with some of the new cards or want to talk with them!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Bloomburrow is bringing bunches of new typal cards and adding more choices to previously underwhelming categories of cards that should eventually lead to an expanding choice of decks in Pioneer. While we might not see the immediate change in the format, it doesn't hurt to explore. In this week's episode the First Pioneers talk about updates to some of their favorite decks as well as some new strategies they think might finally have what it takes to break into the metagame.
Be sure to stop by our Discord or Twitter afterwards to talk about some of your own brews you're working on with cards from the newest set, Bloomburrow!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
The First Pioneers come off their long hiatus to talk about the newest Magic the Gathering Set, Bloomburrow, and how it might fit into the Pioneer metagame. The new set brings a lot of new typal cards with it, with an interesting mix of non traditional effects that could amplify the power of current decks, revitalize dead or dying archetypes, or birth "offspring" into the format with entirely new decks. Listen to see where we think these cards will fit into Pioneer then be sure to join us on Twitter or on our Discord afterwards to discuss the new cards!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
They ridiculed me. They laughed at me. They told me Waste Not would never be a playable deck in Pioneer. BUT WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?!?!? This week the First Pioneers break down the latest build of the Waste Not deck and talk about how the deck is winning, why it's suddenly better than it has been in past metas, and how you can play it. If you feel like talking more about it, be sure to stop in to our Discord or follow us on Twitter/X!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Howdy Partners! This week the First Pioneers put on our cowboy boots, holster our six-shooters, and straighten the brim of our Stetson hats to bring you the Pioneer set review for Outlaws of Thunder Junction! We go over what cards are going to make a splash in the format, which ones will be fun to brew with, and which will ones could end up being role players. After listening be sure to stop by our Discord or Twitter to share your top 5 or to talk about what cards you're most excited to play with from the new set!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
It's been quite a while since we talked about one drops in the Pioneer format (almost 3 years to be exact. Strixhaven had just come out!), but with the recent influx of powerful and useful one drops in Pioneer we felt it was time to revisit the topic! The First Pioneers talk about what used to be good, what new one drops have joined the previous ones, what one drops have potential, and which one drops are stuck in limbo with no decks to go into. If you're looking for some cards to brew with, or hoping to revisit some past strategies, this week's episode is a great deep dive into format's best one mana cards!
If your favorite one drops didn't get mentioned in the discussion, be sure to join the discussion about it in our Discord or on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Vampires had been counted out of Pioneer for a while. It was a fun deck and one of people's favorite typal strategies, but it hadn't been relevant for a while. That all changed last weekend during Pro Tour Murder at Karlov Manor. Seth Manfield and a team of other players brought resurrected the archetype with Black/Red vampires, backed by the new card Vein Ripper. This new blood proved to be too strong for his competitors and he took down the event. The following week more and more people were turned (into vampire players) and now the vampire menace is among us.
This week the First Pioneers go over all results from last week and talk about what comes next. Be sure to listen then stop in to our Discord to chat about the new Pioneer metagame!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Welcome to a new Pioneer Metagame! Or is it? While a few new cards have snuck their way into Pioneer this season from the newest set, most of the other cards seem to be biding their time and waiting for the right moment to make their move from the shadows. This week the First Pioneers talk about some new brews and updates they have with the cards from Murders at Karlov Manor, and take a look at the early online results before the next major event in Chicago.
If you have some cool brews of your own be sure to stop in to our Discord later and share them! We'd love to see how you're using the newest cards.
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
There seems to be a lot of killing going on in Ravnica, but does the Murders at Karlov Manor set have any killer cards for Pioneer? This week the First Pioneers team once again breaks down all of the cards in the newest set and talks about their potential impact in Pioneer before making our top 5. As you listen, make your own top 5 and if you think we missed any cards in our review be sure to let us know on Twitter or Discord afterwards!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
After a slow winter vacation for The First Pioneers and the Pioneer format, both of us are ready to get back into the swing of things. Murder is afoot in Ravnica and a group of magical gumshoes are on the case. While that's about the extent of my knowledge of the story for the next set, what we DO know is that Murders at Karlov Manor is bringing back some older mechanics as well as introducing some brand new ones. Since we'll be devoting our next episode entirely to the full spoiler of cards, this week seemed like a great time to talk about the potential effect these new abilities and mechanics could have on the format. Will it enable new decks, power up old ones, or fall flat and soon be forgotten?
Before the full spoiler is out, wrack your brain with ours and join in the conversation on our Discord and Twitter! Which cards and decks do YOU think will be the biggest winners once the investigation at Karlov Manor is concluded?
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Pioneer has had some good and bad things happen in 2023, so in this final episode of the year we go over what we think had positive impacts on the format, as well as what things hurt it. We also go over our hopes for Pioneer in 2024, our favorite cards of 2023, and our favorite decks of 2023!
See if your favorite things made the list and if they didn't, stop in to your Discord or Twitter and let us know!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
"Welcome back
Your ban was your ticket out
Welcome back to that same old place
That you hovered about
Well, the card names have all changed
Since you flew around
But those decks have remained
And they've turned around
Who'd have thought they'd need you
(Who'd have thought they'd need you)
Back here where we loot with you
(Back here where we loot with you)
Yeah, we squeeze him in a lot
Cause we got him in the 2 slot
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back"
Johhann Bastion, Kaladesh Thopter Enthusiast
Welcome back to Pioneer Mr. Co(p)ter! I personally was very sad to see you go after such a short time in the then fledgling format, but now I think that Pioneer is ready to take competition to the next level. While the unbanning of Smuggler's Copter was exciting for many of us, that wasn't the only thing that came with last week's Banned and Restricted announcement. After a few short weeks, Geological Appraiser was buried, and after years of wishboarding Karn, the Great Creator was finally unmade.
These bans had created some monumental shifts in the Pioneer metagame and we at the First Pioneers took a first look at all of the new decks that have popped up with Smuggler's Copter in them and the decks that are coming back because Karn is gone. We also discuss where the Pioneer format goes from here and what to look out for down the road as the metagame shifts and adapts to these changes.
Be sure to listen before going into your next event or choosing your deck for this season, and if you want to talk more about the current state of Pioneer be sure to join us on Twitter or in our Discord!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
It's been an exciting time in Pioneer since Lost Caverns of Ixalan was released. The format has seen new decks, new cards, and new strategies pop up all over the place. Aside from doing our usual brew episode, we added in a deep discussion on two of the best new decks this season: Explore Combo and Discover Combo. The decks seem like they are here to stay and we wanted to talk about the current iterations and where they go from here.
We also talked about which cards from our set review panned out, and which ones ended up disappointing us. If you want to skip ahead to the brews at the end, we talk about a new version of Ensoul Artifact, Dinosaurs, Vampires, and Dredge! Be sure to stop by our Discord later to share your own brews and to talk about the decks we went over in this week's episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
There was quite a bit of apprehension about the newest Magic the Gathering set after recent misfires, but to say that people aren't excited about the Lost Caverns of Ixalan set would be an understatement. While people expected a number of typal strategies to get better (such as Merfolk, Vampires, etc), I think people didn't expect the sheer number of cards that would compliment existing strategies in Pioneer. There are also a number of cards that could spawn their own decks themselves, and a few that could give second chances to dead archetypes. As you listen to the set review, be sure to put together your own Top 5 list and when you finish head on over to our Discord or Twitter and share it!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
This week's special bonus episode wraps up the Wilds of Eldraine Pioneer metagame and goes over the mechanics of the Lost Caverns of Ixalan.
A lot has changed in Pioneer since the start of October and in this episode we take a macro look at the format to see how it's changed, why it changed, and also discuss the difference between the paper and digital metagames. We dive deep into the combo and midrange decks that made a splash this season, and also talk about control's downfall (even before Cavern of Souls was announced).
With our upcoming Lost Caverns of Ixalan set review bound to be packed with hot takes, all star picks, and honorable mentions, we simply wouldn't have time to say everything we wanted to about the set so in this episode we went over the themes, the new and returning mechanics, and discussed how that might figure into a future Pioneer metagame.
If you have anything you're excited to talk about from the new set, be sure to stop in to our Discord after listening or drop us a line on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
With the Boros Pia, Boros Convoke, and even Boros Burn (way back in the day), the only Boros (red/white) deck we hadn't covered yet on The First Pioneer's podcast was Boros Heroic. It was never really a player in the Pioneer format, just showing up from time to time when the metagame conditions were right. But with the printing of Monstrous Rage in Wilds of Eldraine, the deck seems to have reached a tipping point and has put up some interesting results. While the deck probably won't ever be solidified as a top tier strategy, it does lock in Boros as one of the most diverse aggro colors in all of Pioneer. You can now go fast, go hard, go wide, or go to the face with the colors now.
So how does Boros Heroic compare to the other red and white strategies and how does it work? Listen to this week's episode to find out everything you need to know whether it's how to play with or play against the deck. And after you're finished, be sure to stop by our Twitter or Discord to discuss the deck or Pioneer in general!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
No, you didn't read that episode title wrong. This week we did our first ever "draft" of the best cards, our favorite cards, or cards we just straight up "vibe" with in the Pioneer format. But it's not a draft in the essence of how people in Magic the Gathering usually draft. This episode is probably more closely related to a sports draft where we can pick any card we want from a card type as long as nobody else has already chosen it. We're also not drafting these to play them together in a deck, but rather just to have the "rights" to them such as sports franchises do when they draft a player for their team.
As you listen through our choices for each card type, make a list of your own top 3 choices for each (minus Battles we decided), and then see how they match up with ours. We'd also love to hear who you think drafted the best cards for each type of card afterwards, so be sure to let us know in either our Discord, or on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
After all the talk players made about which Wilds of Eldraine cards would break out in the new season of Pioneer, we finally have some initial results and they are quite promising! Join the First Pioneers as we take a look at some recent events and talk about how the newest cards to the Pioneer format are making some waves in the metagame! If you're gearing up for a big tournament and want a snapshot of the new meta or are putting together some decks and want to know what's good, be sure to check out this episode!
Afterwards feel free to hop into our Discord and post your own event results and talk about any prep you're doing for upcoming events!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Updates, upgrades, and new decks galore in this episode of The First Pioneers! We go over no less than 10 Pioneer decks total this week and showcase a variety of archetypes such as combo, aggro, and midrange that have added in new Wilds of Eldraine cards (Sorry, no control brews this time). In no particular order, we go over:
- GR Bard Class
- RW Shrapnel Blast
- RW Convoke
- Jund Adventures
- GB Knights
- UG Manlands
- Enchanties
- 5 color Beanstalk
- GB Fight Club
- Doom Foretold Pact
Be sure to listen how the decks work in the podcast, then head over to the Discord channel to see the decklists. If you try them out, be sure to let us know how you'd optimize them, and if you have any brews of your own be sure to share them in our various colored channels!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
The next set has finally dropped and The First Pioneers are ready to head deep into the woods with the Wilds of Eldraine! As always we focus on the cards we think will have the biggest impact on the Pioneer format, talk about which archetypes will get a boost, and give our Top 5 picks we think will make a splash.
After listening, if you want to drop your own Top 5 picks from Wilds of Eldraine, be sure to visit our Discord or let us know on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Gen Con in Indianapolis dropped A LOT of information about the future of Magic the Gathering, or at least one heck of a timeline of new sets that will be affecting the Pioneer format when they release. Before we jump into the Wilds of Eldraine next show, we want to invite you to go over all the new sets that were announced and talk about their potential impact on our favorite eternal format. In this episode we talked about what these new sets are going to be about, what kind of themes we can expect, as well as a wishlist of cards we'd like to see show up and any possible reprints.
But what about your reaction to all the news? Are you as excited as us or are you being a little more cautious? Whatever you're thinking, we'd love to hear it so be sure to jump into our Discord or find us on Twitter after listening!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Pioneer players were met with the news that there would be NO cards banned or restricted in Wizards of the Coast's annual ban announcement this week, deflating a lot of people's hope that the format would have some new life breathed into it after a draining season of qualifiers against Mono Green devotion, Rakdos, and various combo and control decks. We at The First Pioneers had been taking it easy this summer making content so we could focus on self care and enjoying a slower pace of life for once, but after this announcement we could stay quiet no longer. There is a lot we want to say about the silence and deaf ear being turned to competitive formats in Magic the Gathering, and we're sure many of our followers would like to hear their concerns voiced as well.
We also go over some of the early spoilers from Wilds of Eldraine and talk about what kind of cards we'd like to see printed (or reprinted!) in the set. After listening to this week's episode, if you would like to add to the discussion you can do so on our Discord or you can give us a follow on Twitter.
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
One of the great things about Pioneer is that new decks are still being discovered every season. While it might now be at the same frequency as the format's early years, you can still count on things to be shaken up from time to time. Color combinations of all types have found strategies to play, and since we finished most of the land cycles, mana bases have never been better. But not all color combinations have been so fortunate. For every Rakdos or Azorious archetype, color combinations like Orzhov (BW) and Golgari (BG) have few or none.
In this week's episode the First Pioneers want to get to the bottom of the reason why not every Guild combination is created equal. We focus solely on those forgotten colors with very few or no playable archetypes in Pioneer and discuss what we think their identity should be. We also go over what Wizards of the Coast needs to print in those colors in order to make them viable.
After listening, if you want to add some suggestions of your own, stop into our Discord and join the discussion or tweet at us on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
As the end of the Pioneer regional qualifier season draws to a close, The First Pioneers go over the most recent results from the last 2 weeks of events and talk about the future of the Pioneer format. While the majority of Pioneer players probably think that the format is fine, many people would be happy to see it change too. But what are the problems that Wizards of Coast needs to fix in Pioneer and how should they fix them? There's always room for improvement and we give Wizards of the Coast a long list of things we don't like about the format at the moment and what we'd like to see happen to it in the near future.
I'm sure many of you also have some suggestions for Pioneer and we'd like to hear from you! Join our discord and talk about it or give us a follow on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
The First Pioneers aren't some group of jive turkeys. We're cooler than cool, hipper than hip, and if you want to play a card nobody else plays in Pioneer, we can dig it. In fact, we love to dig up new things to do in the format. After our last show's topic on Boros Convoke, we wanted to expand on Knight Errant of Eos' ability to "dig" for cards. Were there any other cards that could do the same type of thing in Pioneer? What kind of ways can you "dig" through your deck?
After discussing the idea with my co-hosts we decided that any ability that lets you look at 4 or more cards at a time would be included, and with that in mind we went through the entire pool of Pioneer. We started with the most played cards that can "dig" and finished with cards that also dug into decks, but weren't seeing much or any play. We hoped that somebody else would hear about these cards and further help expand the format. You'd be surprised by how many dig cards there are that people currently aren't using. We hope that after listening to this week's show though, that you too, can "dig" it.
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
The Boros Convoke deck has made big waves in Pioneer over the last few weeks but not everybody has been able to wrap their heads around it. As with every other new deck that breaks onto the scene, at first it seems broken and unstoppable. But is it? Does it have any bad match ups? And what about its good ones? What are the main cards of the deck and what is the best deck list?
This week The First Pioneers give you the total run down on this new strategy and talk about its place in the new Pioneer metagame. We go over the last few weeks of Pioneer tournament results, including the Grand Open Qualifier at Valencia, and discuss what Pioneer will look like going forward with this new deck.
If you're looking to learn to play or play against Boros Convoke, definitely give this week's show a listen!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
This week The First Pioneers hop into the way back machine to revisit some of the best decks the Pioneer format has ever seen to talk about what made them tick, what the format lost when the decks disappeared, and what happened to the deck's cards when the deck was forgotten. We believe it's time to take another look at some of those past strategies and cards to see if they could have life once more in the Pioneer format in some other shape or form.
While we were on the topic of cards that were once we good, we thought it would also be good to talk about cards that we think people should give a chance to in Pioneer. New cards are always pushing old ones to the forefront in Magic the Gathering, but just because we find one thing that works doesn't mean we should stop looking. Join us this week as we rediscover cards and look for new things to do in Pioneer!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
This Mother's Day, skip out on the flowers and candies and get her something special, like a break down of the Pioneer metagame leading up to March of the Machines Aftermath. She'll be grateful for your thoughtfulness and happy that you care (about Magic the Gathering).
While short, the MOM metagame created a lot of innovation and added a lot of new lines of play to a wide variety of decks. But will the new decks and cards stick around as the Aftermath cards shake things up yet again? Will we continue to see decks innovate and optimize or players give up on doing so until after the next Pioneer qualifier season? Listen to The First Pioneers discuss what's happened to the Pioneer metagame since March of the Machines since it launched, and where we think it will go now that Aftermath is out.
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
The paint on the cards in March of the Machines had barely dried when Wizards of the Coast decided to release Aftermath, a supplemental, undraftable mini set (but Standard/Pioneer legal). How will competitive players react to this set? Will they embrace the cards or will they dismiss them as an afterthought? The First Pioneers believe we should give some of them a try in the Pioneer format, but with players still feeling out the last set, it might be some time before any of the Aftermath cards makes a splash in the format.
If you're feeling some new set fatigue or just don't want to devote any time to the new cards right now, let us give you some suggestions to get you started brewing or to prepare you for what you might see in the metagame this summer. And if we missed some cards be sure to pop into our Discord or onto our Twitter to let us know how you'd build decks with them!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
One of the biggest decks to come out of the Phyrexia: All Will Be One metagame was Neoform Atraxa. The deck joins a long list of powerful midrange strategies that can effectively combo out early into an Atraxa, Grand Unifier and take over the game with either a huge creature or incredible card advantage. While it might not be able to always play against the top decks of the format like Rakdos Midrange, it has shown itself not to be taken lightly and that it can take unsuspecting metagames by storm.
With Dreams of Ashiok still on vacation, he introduced us to one of his friends in Canada that has a lot of experience with the deck. The First Pioneers welcome Canadian Magic the Gathering player Andrew (@andrw1232) to tell us everything he knows about this new and exciting strategy. Whether you've been wondering how to play the deck, or how to beat it, be sure to listen to this week's episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Does Pioneer have an aggro problem? Absolutely, but it's less the cause of the problem and more the result of everything else. Recently The First Pioneers discussed how Combo decks in the format had taken advantage of Pioneer, and while midrange and control decks have been able to keep combo in check somewhat, the rise of these archetypes has totally pushed aggro out. But you might be saying "what about mono white humans?" Well, can you honestly name any other recent aggro decks in Pioneer that have done well consistently in the format? Sure we have the occasional "flash in the pan" deck that can spike tournaments, but it seems like whenever somebody sleeves up mono red aggro or Atarka red, it's just one unlucky result after the other.
So how do we fix this aggro problem and what caused it? In this week's episode, we go into depth about the current state of aggro and offer some solutions on how to fix it. After listening, if you have some thoughts of your own on what to do about the current state of Pioneer, be sure to reach out to us on Twitter or on Discord!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Midrange and Combo players rejoice! Mother of Machines brings tons of new cards that can slip right into your existing decks in Pioneer, and some that are great for building around. Whether they'll end up being strong enough for competitive play is yet to be seen, but if you're itching to try out something new, The First Pioneers have a little bit for everyone. This episode we bring you no less than 11 MOM brews for Pioneer! We have decks centered around +1/+1 counters, a never before seen tribal strategy (Phyrexians!), and even a deck with Happily Ever After as one of its win conditions! You'll definitely want to check out the decklists and listen to how we would play them! After listening, if you have some sweet brews of your own be sure to stop into our Discord and share them in our Decklists or Jank channels!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Wizards of the Coast has been giving us less of what we want and more of what we need in Pioneer, at least from my point of view. Gone are the days when one card would go into every deck. Nowadays where a card fits into the metagame has become more blurred. Cards that seemed unplayable in the format now find themselves as core cards of previously fringe decks thrust into the spotlight due to new cards. However, this doesn't always work out. Will Mother of Machines further expand the Pioneer metagame, or be nothing more than just a few updates to what we already have?
This week The First Pioneers look into how Mother of Machines will Impact Pioneer. Will the Battles fight their way into midrange decks? Will Collected Company get new hits to put into the battlefield at the end of turn? Or perhaps control will find new ways to spoil our fun. Find out all this any more in this week's episode! And after listening, if we didn't get a chance to talk about one of your favorite cards from the new set, be sure to drop us a line on Twitter or Discord!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
It's been a while since the Pro Tour flipped the Pioneer metagame on its head. We had a few new decks join the metagame, and a few others make a glorious comeback. But when the dust settled, where did that leave Pioneer? In our final episode before the Mother of Machine spoilers explode all over the internet, The First Pioneers talk about what has happened in the format over the last few months, where Pioneer was at the start of MTG ONE, and how this last season not only changed the cards we play with, but also how we play the game.
Whether you're looking forward or backward in Pioneer, we got you covered with this week's show!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
The Modern format has always been known for the strong power level of its cards. At the inception of the format there were a number of bannings and as more and more cards were added into the pool, those once powerful cards were now deemed disposable. Players who had shelled out top dollar for cards like Liliana of the Veil and Phyrexian Obliterator were finding that their favorite cards were becoming more and more irrelevant due to new sets like Modern Horizons.
If you had asked me at the start of Pioneer if these Modern playable cards would have been good for the format I would have had my doubts, but here we are. Both those mentioned cards (Liliana of the Veil and Phyrexian Obliterator) are now legal in Pioneer which makes me want to ask; is it time to bring more past Modern power level cards to The First Pioneer's favorite format?
In this week's episode we talk about all the cards that have made their way to Pioneer from Modern so far, what Modern mechanics have been introduced into the format, what other cards sharing those mechanics we'd like to see, as well as other mechanics and cards not yet in Pioneer that we think would make a great addition to the format.
Be sure to join the Discord if you already haven't to talk about what other Modern cards and mechanics you'd think make great additions to the Pioneer format in the future!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
This week we're shifting gears to focus more on the financial side of Pioneer as we discuss how people can play the format competitively while not spending an arm and a leg. The recent Pro Tour catapulted the Pioneer format to new heights but with that popularity some cards reached new heights in price as well. In the past we've focused on a few decks and tried to make budget versions of them in the $50 and $100 range, but we believe that has become unsustainable and unrealistic. Prices are going up, and people want to have fun playing Pioneer but also want to win. So this time around instead of building an inconsistent budget deck around a few pricey cards, we decided to do the opposite: replace the pricey cards of the deck with cards that can work with the strategy but are also a fraction of the deck's original cost.
If you want to know which expensive cards you can prune from the top decks in Pioneer and still be competitive, you'll definitely want to give this episode a listen. It could save you hundreds of dollars before you invest in a deck for your next event, and also enable you to build a very useful gauntlet of decks that emulate the Pioneer metagame.
Don't let your wallet dictate what decks you can or can't play and get creative with your builds of Pioneer metagame all-stars! If you have any other ideas for budget versions of decks be sure to join our discord and share them!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
With the fastlands in Phyrexia: All Will Be One, the Pioneer format finally finished all of it's enemy and friendly manabases (well all the relevant ones at least). We had complained on more than one occasion that the format wouldn't really be fair and fully functional until they all were printed. So now that we have them all, what has changed? Were our wishes granted? Did our manabase dreams come true? In this week's episode The First Pioneers talk about what the full manabase means for the format, from building them for all types of decks to how to splash when you need that extra color to cast a powerful spell.
If you're still working on collecting your lands for the format or want to learn how to fine tune the manabases in your current decks, be sure to check out this episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
A combo deck won the last Pioneer Pro Tour. A few other combo decks have been showing up regularly in the format lately. Is Pioneer currently in a combo metagame? If so, do we need to be worried about it? This week The First Pioneers (+ Dreams of Ashiok) take a deeper look at the combo decks currently doing well in Pioneer, and also talk about the other ones that are very close to breaking into the top tiers of the metagame.
But maybe you're not a combo player? Maybe you're hoping to learn how to beat these combo decks. Don't worry, we got you covered from that angle too. We also go over the weakness of each combo deck, and which sideboard cards or strategies you can use to beat them. A must listen for all players before their next big Pioneer event!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Due to the popularity of our last Pioneer 101 episode on Angels and Vehicles, as well as the renewed interest in the Enigmatic Fires deck after the Pro Tour, we thought we'd do another breakdown this week to get people up to speed on all the new tech that people are using. And who better to talk about the deck than one of its most vocal supporters and champion of Enchanties, Dreams of Ashiok. Aside from the new tech, Ashiok walks us through the core cards of the deck, the alternative cards you can play in it, Enigmatic Fire's match ups, and how to play it. Whether you're looking to use the deck in your next event or want to learn how to play against it, you don't want to miss this episode!
If you have any questions or want to talk more about it afterwards, be sure to join our Discord or tweet at us on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Pioneer was front and center on the biggest stage of Magic the Gathering last weekend: The Pro Tour. The excitement that had been building through the previous qualifier seasons finally boiled over into the mainstream. Tens of thousands of players watched the top Pioneer players in the world battle it out live on camera, and when all was said and done, ONE player remained: Reid Duke.
But how did we get to this point? The new set, Phryexia: All Will Be One, went live barely a week before and even with a full spoiler it left most teams scrambling to figure out the new metagame. To help us chart a course from that first day to the Pro Tour, The First Pioneers welcomed back Dreams of Ashiok to talk about how he tested with the new cards that first week, and also to explain why some of new cards lived up to their hype while others fell flat. We break down lots of decklists, talk above innovation, and discuss where the Pioneer format goes from here on out in this week's episode.
Be sure to stop into our Discord or drop us a line on Twitter afterwards if you want to talk about the results of last weekend's Pioneer Pro Tour more!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
While we wait for the upcoming Pioneer Pro tour to shake things up, The First Pioneers decided it would be a good idea to showcase two of the biggest decks to rise to popularity in the last season: Angel Company and Gruul Vehicles. One deck seeks to gain a bunch of life and sends legions of flyers over the heads of your enemy, and the other likes to go fast. Like really fast (and sometimes furious). The Pioneer 101 series (which seeks to educate listeners about the ins and outs of decks in Pioneer that they might not know about) is joined by Dreams of Ashiok once again this week. Ashiok helps us to break down the key cards from both strategies, gives us ideas for alternate cards, reasons for sideboard choices, as well as what the decks' match ups are like.
If you're looking to learn how to play or how to beat these decks, you'll definitely want to give this episode a listen. If you want to talk about either Angels or Vehicles more after listening, be sure to pop into our Discord!
(NOTE: This episode had audio issues which needed to be fixed and re-recorded which is why it's being released out of order. 158 will be next week!)
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
At first glance Phyrexia: All Will Be One might not have any obvious homeruns for the Pioneer format, but maybe that's a good thing? If we don't know where the cards go at first we'll just have to brew with them until we see where they fit! MTGO grinder and fellow lover of brews Conorman11 joins us this week to throw some new decks together and see what sticks. We start with some updates to crowd favorites (Bard Class, Esper Parhelion, Enigmatic Incarnation) and then move into some really spicy lists like Anvil Blast, UB Rogues, a new take on Hammertime in white, and more! If you're looking to try something new in Pioneer and want to take these lists for a spin be our guest! And afterwards, be sure to stop into our Discord to let us know how they went or to share some ideas of your own.
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Will Phyrexia, All Will be One be another Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty set for the Pioneer format with a huge impact, or be more subdued like Innistrad: Crimson Vow with only a handful of cards seeing any play? Returning guest Dreams of Ashiok joins us again this week to finish up what we started with our first reactions episode. Do the other cards in the new set have what it takes to reshape Pioneer? Or will the best decks in the format shrug off the challenge from these pesky Phyrexians? Be sure to listen for the cards we think can become all stars, which will be relegated to role players, and what cards could become sleeper hits.
If some of your favorite cards don't show up in the podcast, be sure to hop into the Discord to let us know why you like them!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
With our Pioneer set review due out next week for Phyrexia: All Will be One, we thought we'd save ourselves some time by talking about what cards we think will have a big impact on the format like the reprint of the allied Fastlands, and also cover all the other things that MTG ONE is bringing to Pioneer. Special guest Dreams of Ashiok joins us again to talk about Toxic, Phyrexian mana, proliferate, and everything else from the new set and how it relates to the Pioneer metagame. Be sure to listen to this primer before diving into all the playable cards next week on the set review!
(NOTE: We had audio issues for episode 154 and will be releasing it when we have the time to re-record parts of it.)
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
While everybody is currently focused on the future and what the next set will bring for Pioneer this February, we thought it would be a good idea to look back. We did a few episodes on Explorer last year and how it inches ever so closer to a normal Pioneer format, but before Explorer was a thing everybody was playing Historic. I was one of those people and while everybody was out there trying to win, I was out there trying to collect cards that would be playable in Pioneer in the future when it came to the MTG Arena platform. I remember being excited by each Historic Anthology and looking for cards that I could make a "Pioneer lite" deck with, but now that Explorer is a thing I've kind of forgotten about many of those Historic cards.
But maybe we shouldn't have. Did you know that there are a good number of cards in Historic that came with Historic Horizons and Jumpstart that are legal in Pioneer such as Slivers? Or maybe you've always wanted to try and make Goblin Dark Dwellers work. Unfortunately, finding these Pioneer/Explorer legal cards on Arena can be a chore, especially if your parameters are set to only include Explorer legal sets. While some of these cards will show up if you type in the card type in a general search, if you don't know exactly what cards to look for you could be missing on on some neat tech your deck is missing.
But why stop there? While researching these cards in Historic, The First Pioneers thought it would be fun to see which other cards not in Explorer, such as the Modern Horizon or Alchemy Cards, might also make great additions to the Pioneer format in the future. And while you're listening, feel free to make a list of your own cards you think aren't too powerful for Pioneer from older sets and be sure to share them with us on Discord our Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
The year 2022 started very unassuming for Pioneer but it ended up being one of the most eventful years since the format's inception. We had tons of break out cards, new decks appeared, some old ones returned to the metagame, there were bannings, and through it all The First Pioneers were there cover it. There was so much going on in Magic the Gathering you might have confused what did and did happen this year in Pioneer, so with this week's episode we want to set the record straight and help everybody understand how we got to where we were so we can look forward to next year.
What better way to wrap things up for the year then than to have one of the best competitive Pioneer guests on to talk about what happened both competitively and digitally in Pioneer than Harry13SCO. He found himself in the thick of things in 2022, going from frustration to elation as he battled through various metagames, sometimes finding himself at the bottom but near the end of the year, coming out on top. He offers us valuable insight on not only the metagame but also the decks he played, why some cards did better than others, and why some were a big let down.
Make sure to listen to this episode before the new year so you can start Pioneer with a fresh slate in 2023! We'd also like to wish all our listeners out there happy holidays!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
She's making a list, and checking it twice,
going to find out who's naughty or nice,
She-oldred is coming to town.
She knows when you are drawing,
She gains life while she's awake,
She know if your removal is goodorbad so
be good for goodness sake.
- Phyrexian Holiday Song
It's that time of year again, and I don't mean me trying to write horrible music lyrics related to Magic the Gathering. No, the holiday's are just around the corner and instead of asking for presents this year the First Pioneers are asking for some things for the Pioneer format in 2023. But does every deck deserve presents? We beg to differ. Some decks were very naughty this year and think they shouldn't get any presents, while other decks tried really hard to be good but just couldn't cut it. But which ones? And what kind of presents should they get?
In this week's episode we talk not only about what we want for each of those decks, but also what we want for the Pioneer format as a whole. If you think some decks deserve some different presents than what we talked about, be sure to pop into our discord and share your own holiday wishlist!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
While our 150th episode probably deserves more pomp and celebration, there is simply too much going on in the world of Pioneer to take a week off! With the Explorer Anthology 2 dropping on MTG Arena this week, we're guessing there are more than a few of you wondering if you can finally play your favorite Pioneer decks on the client. The new anthology drops 24 new cards into Explorer, and while some of them are obvious inclusions for the Arena only Brawl or Historic formats, we feel like the majority of cards will find homes and totally change the "Pioneer-lite" format.
The real question is, after we add all of these cards, how much closer does that bring us to having Pioneer available to the masses for free (grinding included)? Will the Explorer metagame finally mirror the Pioneer one? Will you be able to test out new decks on the client before your next paper Pioneer event? We're hoping you will, and Ryan also tries to convince Kevin to finally drop MTGO and open up Arena on his computer. Whether he succeeds or not ... well you'll just have to listen.
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Continuing our tradition from last year, Kevin and I over at The First Pioneers own up to the mistakes we made on our Top 5 picks during our Pioneer set reviews (and also gloat about the picks we DID get right in 2022). While The Innistrad Double Feature set released in January, this years set reviews only included:
- Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
- The Streets of New Capenna
- Dominaria United
- The Brother's War
While the Brother's War set only recently came out, we've seen enough results to remake our previous top 5s into new ones, and did the same for the other sets that came out in 2022. Listen to find out what our new top 5 cards from each set this year was, why we got our original Top 5's wrong, and what cards might still have a chance to shine in the coming year!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
The Bard Class deck in Pioneer has been on everybody's radar for a while now, but it's yet to be played in large numbers. Part of this is probably because many people don't understand how the deck works and how to play it, so in this week's episode The First Pioneers invited ClaudiohMTG on to talk about it and to explain why it joins a larger family of combo decks in Pioneer.
While Bard Class is more of a storm deck that goes off and creates an overwhelming advantage on board for the win, the other combo decks in Pioneer have different ways of winning. After defining what we believe being a combo deck means, we break down every combo deck in the format, starting with the mainstays like Lotus Field and Parhelion, and then introducing some newer ones such as the Acererak Infinite Dungeons combo and the Storm Herald Combo that broke out at recent Pioneer events during the Regional Championship season.
Whether you're a combo player looking to try something new, or somebody trying to understand all of these combo decks in Pioneer so you're not 'caught with your pants down' in the next tournament, you don't want to miss this episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
We had a huge weekend for the Pioneer format last week as hundreds of players from all over the world gathered in their countries and other central areas for their Regional Championships. To make sense of it all, we invited Dreams of Ashiok onto the show again to talk about the top 8s, the meta break downs, interesting decks, and what the future holds as other countries plan to hold their events in the coming weeks. We also covered a number of smaller events that took place last Saturday and Sunday such as the God of Pioneer 9 in Tokyo, and the 10K events that took place on the second day of the regionals.
If you're interested in seeing what Brother's War cards made it in this new Pioneer format, want to see how the metagame shifted, or want to understand all those new and interesting decks, you don't want to miss this episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Not going to lie, brewing Pioneer decks with Brother's War cards has been some of most fun I've had in a long time. Don't listen to the people saying that the Brother's War set won't have an impact on the format. Sure, your top tier decks like Rakdos Midrange or mono white humans might not get a lot of new toys to play with, but the sheer amount of enablers for previously fringe decks is mind-boggling. Wizards of the Coast continues to fill Pioneer with more and more strategy specific cards and the result will breathe a lot of life into the format. The top 8 and top 16 deck lists on Magic Online or at a weekend open might not change much, but I expect a lot of people to try out new stuff at their local game stores or at smaller tournaments.
Today's brews focus on: Mono Black Aggro, Colorless Aggro, Mono White Blink, Green/White Scales, Blue/White Soldiers, and Green/Red Elemental Ramp. We also featured some listener made decks as well! If you're looking for some fun new decks to play with, try out our brews and then pop into our Discord and let us know how they were. You're also more than welcome to share your own brews in our decklist channel!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
I for one welcome our robot overlords to Pioneer and hope they have a good time. Following up our last episode on Artifacts in Pioneer, we finally got a look at all of the new artifacts and have found quite a few that could find a home in the format. But that's not all. The First Pioneers go over every card in each color worthy of seeing play and talk about all their implications. Some people playing the popular decks in the metagame might be a little disappointed in the set but we believe that the decks in the fringes are going to get a lot more playable cards and that this could really shake up the Pioneer format. Stop in to see which decks we think are going to be the winners and losers from this set, and be sure to check out our Top 5 as well!
If we missed one of the cards you really liked from Brother's War, stop in to our discord and let us know!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
With many people expecting the new Brother's War set to bring a number of playable artifact cards to Pioneer, we thought now would be a good time to look into the format and see just how many playable artifacts there are. Look at any eternal format in Magic the Gathering, and you can find some iconic artifacts: Sol Ring in EDH, Metalworker in Legacy, Aether Vial in Modern, but what comes to mind when you think of Pioneer?
In this week's episode we go over which artifacts in Pioneer are vying for that recognition, talk about what kind of artifacts the format is missing, and also make a wishlist for the rest of the Brother's War set and what artifacts we'd like to be reprinted into Pioneer from older sets. If you're wondering what more artifacts means for Pioneer, don't miss this episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
It never stops. Somebody is always calling for a card to get banned. It doesn't matter what format it is, but somebody loses to a card and suddenly they are being loud and vocal online, calling for it to be removed from the format. Pioneer seems like it's a rather balanced format, but some people will never be satisfied until a card is gone. If the card gets banned, is it the end of the line for your deck though? Not necessarily.
In this week's episode The First Pioneers are joined by MTGO grinder DreamsofAshiok and talk about how decks could survive a banning. It wouldn't be the first time that a card was banned and a deck bounced back. There have been a handful of decks that have done so, and we discussed how they were able to keep going after losing a key card. We cover all of the cards people are currently calling to be banned, as well as some others that people don't like and dive deep into what kind of ripples these bannings would create.
And if you stick around until the end of the show we also talk about cards we think could be unbanned to give more decks a chance of winning in the current metagame. See if one of your favorite banned cards get mentioned!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
It's only a matter of time until Pioneer comes to the MTG Arena platform, and the announcement of Shadows Over Innistrad Remastered and the next anthology coming out early next year and late this year brings us one step closer to this realization. Yes there is still a problem with dusting and adding another 50+ rares and mythics to use your wildcards on will only exacerbate this problem, but there is also the excitement of adding new decks to the Explorer format and being able to emulate your favorite Pioneer decks any time and anywhere.
So what would a good Shadows Over Innistrad block set need to include to make Pioneer players happy? In this week's episode The First Pioneers pick what commons, uncommons, rares, and mythics we'd love to see in the set, and also discuss which cards should be added into the next anthology or as part of this set.
Wondering what decks might finally become viable in Explorer? Curious as to how many few cards after this set are going to be needed to make Pioneer on Arena a reality? Don't miss this episode then and be sure to check out our Twitter or Discord later if we didn't mention one of your favorite cards from the block!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You can find our other episodes on the Untap Leagues website as well! https://untapleagues.com/author/the-first-pioneers/
Are the new Pioneer challenger decks for 2022 any good? Are they worth picking up? Are they playable right out of the box? In this week's episode The First Pioneers break down each of the decks and talk about what we liked, didn't like, and also what opportunities were missed. While they will undoubtedly have an impact on prices (especially the the uncommons) and make Pioneer more accessible overall, there is definitely a lot to be improved on before the next iteration of Pioneer Challenger decks come out in the future. After listening, be sure to stop in to the Discord or leave us a message on Twitter about what cards you would have liked to see in these decklists as well as what you didn't like in them.
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
"Omae wa mo shinderu"
Magic the Gathering is a game of numbers. Do you have enough cards left? Do you have enough life left? And most importantly, do you have enough time left? Do you keep playing when you're dead on the board or do you give up and move on to the next game? How do you know you're dead? While deck choice is important for any tournament you go to, knowing when to move onto your next game to better your chances to win the round is also an important skill.
That being said, Pioneer is not a turn 2 or 3 format most of the time. While there are decks that can kill quickly, some can go on for longer and as the clock ticks down you have to make the decision if you should keep on playing or try to do better in the next match. In this week's episode The First Pioneers talk about how to recognize those unwinnable situations in Pioneer when you're "Already Dead", but also what you can do to bring yourself back from the brink of death, as well as what the best cards to stabilize you in each color are.
Be sure to stop by the Discord afterwards to add your own two cents about what cards leave people dead on board, and which cards can save you!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Pioneer is a flawed and imperfect format, but that's not going to stop us from playing it. Sometimes we get to play the best cards available to us, and other times we have to suck it up and play cards that ... kinda suck. That's one of the format's greatest charms in our opinion, that there isn't one card that's an auto include in every deck. Sometimes you have to play a card that isn't great because there simply isn't anything better for the situation. And don't even think about NOT running this card, because if you do you run the risk of the entire deck coming apart. For better or worse, you're stuck with this card until something better is printed in Pioneer.
Martin Porter (aka Harry13SCO), star of such First Pioneer hits as "Your Deck Sucks", joins us in this week's episode to talk about what cards in the Pioneer metagame kinda suck, really suck, and some that are actually really good! Are you playing a deck without any bad cards? Are you forced to play bad cards in your deck? And does playing with bad cards reduce your chances of winning or just make you have to work a little bit harder? We answer these questions and ask even more, so don't miss this week's episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
You might think with a new set out that the August metagame doesn't matter as much, but you'd be wrong. Pioneer is a format with many well established and optimized decks, and it's going to take some time until Dominaria can make bigger waves. Also, with some people going into their regional Pro Tour Qualifiers and last chance trials, knowing what you're up against and why these decks are doing well will be key to your success.
One person who's no stranger to success in Pioneer, ClaudiohMTG, joins us this week to go over all the results from the month of August, to talk about how the new metagame is shaping up at the start of September, and also commenting on why some decks are showing up in paper top 8's but haven't had the same type of success online. A great episode for competitive players to listen to, as well as people who are getting ready for big tournaments in September!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
While there are a lot of obvious homes for the new cards from Dominaria United in Pioneer, some cards need to have their home built from the ground up. Others might have to have their homes totally rebuilt to be stronger against the ever changing Pioneer metagame. In this week's episode, the First Pioneers take a look at some of the lesser hyped and largely untested cards from Dominaria United and brew around them. If you're looking for new tribal, aggro, combo, midrange, or synergistic strategies to try out in Pioneer be sure to check out our ideas for new decks before the new season starts!
Also if you have some fun or cool new decks of your own you want to share, stop into our discord or talk about them on our Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
With a gripping story and a cast full of interesting characters, the new Dominaria United set has a lot going for it. But aside from some great new lore, the set is also overflowing with a lot of Pioneer potential. So much in fact that The First Pioneers needed to recruit MTGO grinder Conorman11 to sort through it all. Our guest brings the perfect balance of Timmy excitement and Spike energy needed to separate what could be playable, what could be fun, and what's not worth our time.
Join us to hear about what cards we think will be played, which decks they might fit in, and what new strategies might be viable once the set releases! While we might not have been able to go over each and every card we wanted to, we did cover quite a bit and come out with a Top 5 list as well! If you don't hear us talk about a card you were excited about, be sure to join us in our Discord or stop by our Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
We still have about a week to go until all of the Dominaria United Spoilers are out, but there are simply too many things to talk about in one episode. To get a jump on it, MTGO legend ClaudiohMTG joins us this week to discuss the new mechanics, the cycles, and our favorite cards so far from the new set and also goes into all of the possibilities these cards could bring to the Pioneer format.
While we're sure that Liliana of the Veil will be the most talked about card from Dominaria United, we don't think it will have the biggest impact. Be sure to listen to hear why as well of more of our first impressions of the set. What cards are you most excited about right now? How do you think Pioneer will change? Join us in the discord or on Twitter to talk more about Dominaria United!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
I'm sure that most, if not all of our listeners, are fans of Pioneer. But we might have a friend, or a friend of a friend that just got into Magic through MTG Arena or their local game store and have only been playing standard for the last year or two. They find themselves on a precipice; Do they continue playing standard next season and buy into the next year of sets? Or are they ready for something more? In this week's episode we'd like to appeal to those friends of yours that are thinking of jumping into Pioneer but aren't sure how to go about it.
We take a look at the standard decks that took over their respective seasonal metagames over the last year or so, and talk about how these decks could make the jump to Pioneer if they haven't done so already. We also look at cards that have done well in standard but haven't come to Pioneer yet and discuss if they have what it takes to become a player in an eternal format.
While we wait for the next Pioneer season to start, say good bye to the old one and help us welcome new players to the format with open arms!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
While most people are talking about what the first Explorer Anthology on MTG Arena didn't have, The First Pioneers thought we'd focus on what it did. What's the phrase, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade? With Explorer Anthology we took the jank and made brews out of them! While some are more straightforward than others, we did try to use as many of the cards from the Explorer Anthology I as we could.
If you're like me, you've been testing out all of the new cards we got and trying to see if they have what it takes to survive on Arena. While some cards like Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet might have an obvious home, there are quite a few we have to think more about. Check out our 6 brews for Explorer on Arena, then share your own on our Discord channel and let us know if you think the format feels closer to Pioneer than it's ever been!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
I don't know if you know this, but Harry13SCO is kind of a big deal in Pioneer (at least that's what we keep telling him to get him to come back on this show from time to time ^_^). With all of the Pioneer WPN qualifiers, MTGO Showcases and leagues, and everything else in between, there is a lot of information about Pioneer to compile these days. MTGO grinder and and TacTeam member Harry13SCO joins us once again to make heads or tails of the Pioneer format and to tell us where it's been and where it's going.
Martin (Harry13) not only gives us some valuable information about the Pioneer metagame, but also tips on how to be a better competitive player and talks about his win online at the July 18th Pioneer Challenge with UW Control. If you're looking to improve your play or want to get a better grasp on what's going on in Pioneer at the moment, you don't want to miss this week's episode, especially if you're going to a big event soon!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
The standard rotation cycle is just over a month away and the Pioneer organized play season will be over soon as well. That means the market will be flooded with cheap cards, especially those that will no longer be in standard. But which ones are worth buying or holding onto from these sets, and which ones should you hold off on getting? This week, The First Pioneers sort through the chaff of Zendikar Rising, Strixhaven, Kaldheim, and Adventures of the Forgotten Realm and come up with some lists to help you decide which cards are worth grabbing out of the bargain bins at your local game shop, and which ones should stay in there and collect dust.
Be sure to stop by our Discord or Twitter afterwards to share any other good deals you think will be out there!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Yes, we know that most of the Jumpstart cards won't be legal in the Pioneer format, but we recognize the opportunity the set has for Pioneer "lite", or Explorer on MTG Arena. For the first part of the show Kevin and I talk about what cards we'd like to see show up in the 4 new Pioneer challenger decks coming out in October and which reprints would help the format the most. From there, we move on to the announcement about each standard set having a corresponding Jumpstart release along side of it.
If the last Jumpstart appearing on MTG Arena is any indication, new Jumpstart sets every few months can go a long way to bringing the Pioneer format to the masses on the platform. If we were to get a Dominaria United and Brother's War Jumpstart set, what would that look like? We go over reprints we'd like to see, cards that need to be in the Explorer format to bring Pioneer closer to a reality on there, and what cards could add more depth to Arena. Hopefully we'll all be playing a more true Pioneer format online by the end of the year!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Stop me if you've heard this one; What's red, green, and blue all over? Parhelion decks. The powerful archetype started out in one color combination, but as the Pioneer metagame evolved so did the deck, spreading out into 3 other color combinations. Are they the same deck though? While they do have the same core of cards, Esper, Mardu, and Abzan Parhelion have access to a different suite of cards and play very differently from one other. If you're wondering how different they are, you'll want to listen to this week's episode.
Friend of the podcast, streamer, and MTGO grinder Conorman11 joins us to talk about his longtime experience with the archetype and to help us understand what separates one version of Parhelion from another. If you can't decide what version to build or are struggling against this archetype at your local store, don't miss it!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
So much happened to Pioneer in June that it might be hard to keep track of it all. From bannings at the start of the month to the shifting metagame, we thought it would a good idea to put all this data and information in once place so that you don't have to go searching around the internet to know what's going on in the format. We talk about how a bunch of green meanies took over after Winota left, the Phantom Menace that followed, and also go over a lot of paper and MTGO results to discuss how the metagame is shaping up going into July.
If you're preparing to play in some qualifiers at your local store this month or next, you don't want to miss this episode! Be sure to stop into our discord later for all of the top 8 lists and links to the decks!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Bacon and Eggs. Cookies and milk. Apples and Oranges? Sometimes a combination works so well it's hard to imagine one part without the other. Other times the two parts bounce off each other to crash and burn. Magic the Gathering is no different. We've seen a number of strategies come and go in the Pioneer format, some lost to time, while others suddenly come back repackaged and better than ever. Take Jund Food for example. It was an okay deck until it wasn't. Rakdos Anvil was also good deck in its own right, but was never going to dominate by playing subpar cards. But when they came together into the Jund Sacrifice deck? Perfect. Adding Cauldron Familiar and Witches Oven really took the deck to another level. This got me thinking, are there other archetypes that we could meld together to make them better?
In this episode, The First Pioneers Kevin and Ryan brew up some decks that fuse two archetypes together and see if they could work. The combinations are endless though, and where we might have failed, maybe you could succeed! Be sure to jump into our Discord or Twitter later and share your own fused deck ideas. You never know, it might just be the next better than chocolate and peanut butter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Fresh off a few top finishes and qualifying for the next Pioneer Pro Tour, IslandGoSAMe (Twitch streamer and MTGO Grinder) joined us to talk about his recent experiences with the new Atarka Ramp deck, as well how the Mono green devotion deck has been fairing since the Winota ban. While we did originally have on Dreams of Ashiok to talk about Mono green planeswalkers a while back, we thought it was time for an update and Sam was kind enough to join us with his take on the deck. We also took the new Atarka Ramp and Green Devotion deck head to head to see which would come out on top in a fight. If you like big mana, big plays, and even BIGGER creatures, you don't want to miss this episode! Learn how to play, how to beat, and how to build each of the decks for your next tournament!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Magic players felt a great disturbance in the Pioneer metagame last week as thousands of Naya Winota players suddenly cried out in terror and then were silenced. The ban hammer dropped hard on the archetype and effectively erased it from existence. While Expressive Iteration was also banned in the same announcement, the shockwave from the Winota banning will be felt for months to come.
Just how wide reaching will it be and which decks will be the winners is yet to be seen, but luckily the First Pioneers were able to call on top MTGO grinder and good friend ClaudiohMTG to help make heads and tales of everything. While losing your favorite deck in a format is never an easy thing, we do give some advice to those players on how they can repurpose their Winota cards in other decks, as well as talk about how the metagame will react as organized play starts in less than 3 weeks.
Whether you're scrambling to choose another deck now or wondering what kind of changes you have to make due to a gaping hole in the metagame, you don't want to miss this week's episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
"Gotta find a card that 2 for 1s for meeee, Card to keep me drawin, drawin and keeping my synergyyyy
Won't you take me to,
Value Town?
Won't you take me to,
Value Town??"
- Icatian Moneychanger bedtime song
You can't blame those moneychangers for knowing value when they see it. When a effect gives you a board advantage, draws you a lot of resources, or is able to be used again and again, we call that "value". There's a reason decks like 5 Color Niv Mizzet are called "Value Piles". In this week's episode we cover some obvious value cards, some less obvious value cards, and some cards you probably never considered to be value cards. People were quick to jump on cards like Fable of the Mirror Breaker for all the value it creates for you, but there's so much more value out there that we haven't even considered!
If you think we missed some cards of value though, be sure to come into our discord or Twitter and let us know!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
We all have our pet decks, our favorite colors, or our favorite cards. We love them so much that sometimes we just can't see that they are bad. Blinded by our affection, sometimes the only way we can be made to see how we went wrong is with some tough love. Personally, I'm too much of a Timmy player to deal out that kind of pain, but luckily resident MTGO grinder and voice of reason Harry13SCO has none of those reservations. When we need the truth and want to be spared the ridicule of our deck choices, Martin knows what to say.
The question is, does your deck REALLY suck, or is your deck just a bad choice for an event? The First Pioneers and Harry13SCO seek to break the format in two this week and separate the hopeful decks from the hopeless ones. Some decks might just need a few changes to be better, but others might just have to wait until better cards are printed for it. Does your deck "suck", or is it just unlucky? Listen to this week's show to find out!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
As more and more people flock to Pioneer, prices are heating up and inventory is going down. So where does that leave people wanting to get into the format? When the popularity of Modern hit a fever pitch a few years back, prices in the format got a little out of control as stock dried up. Wizards knew they had to do something to address the lack of inventory and get cards into the hands of players, so they released Modern Masters. Not only were the packs incredibly popular, but so was the limited format.
Since then, we've also got legacy themed masters set, as well as different iterations of Modern Masters. Seeing as this is the tried and true way to infuse cards into eternal formats, it's only a mater of time before we get a similar masters set for Pioneer. The real question is when, how much, and which cards will show up in it. In this week's show, The First Pioneers explore what a Pioneer Masters set would look like, what kind of limited strategies it could have, and go over which cards are either desperately needed or would be great for Pioneer players to have.
If we missed a card you think should be in this theoretical masters set, or if you have some ideas for the limited format, be sure to join our discord!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
MTGO Grinder and Pioneer Twitch all-star Conorman11 joins us on The First Pioneers this week to talk about what's been happening in the format since Streets of New Capenna came out. We go over recent results, new cards making waves, resurrected archtypes, and how it will all fit together when Pioneer organized play finally starts next month.
Listen for some valuable insight on deck selection and what you can expect to see a lot of at these events. With no new cards set to enter the Pioneer format until the fall, it's time to settle in for the long haul and learn everything you can about the New Capenna metagame!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
One different card, one different line, and the entire way of playing a deck can change. If I told you that there were various versions of decks within the same colors with the same cards, would you believe me?
What started as an idea to help new players evolved into what I'd like to call, "metashifting". Have you ever found your deck hated out of the format or your local meta? Do you only have access to a limited amount of cards? Do you find it hard to pick up an entirely new archetype, especially if they are in different colors?
In this week's episode, The First Pioneers talk about how you can build the maximum amount of decks with the minimum amount of cards. We jump into the most popular color combinations and suggest the best decks out of each, and what you would need to build them with the least amount of effort and cost possible.
Interested? Check it out and jump into the Discord afterwards to share your thoughts or other ideas on how to use your cards more efficiently!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Pioneer is one of the most fun (and affordable) eternal Magic the Gathering formats out there, and while the number of players grows daily it still hasn't reached its full potential. Wizards of the Coast's Arena team released a new format last week called "Explorer", which eventually will turn into the Pioneer format we know and love on this somewhat 'free' platform. But should you play it?
In this week's episode I try to convert my co-host Kevin, who is a long time MTGO player, to Arena. While there are a number of restrictions right off the bat (such as the MTG Arena economy), there are also a great number of benefits to starting an Arena account to play Explorer. As one of the players who's been playing since the platform launched, I have quite the collection of cards and decks that I can make. But what about somebody like my co-host who is just NOW starting to play Arena? I take Kevin's concerns in stride and try to allay his worries, helping him to get up to speed, start his collection of cards, and to give him some tips on building decks going forward.
Whether you're a long time player like me who's on the fence about buying into the Explorer format, or a first time Arena player like Kevin looking to learn the in and outs of the platform, you don't want to miss this episode! If you have any other questions, feel free to join our Discord and check out the newly created Explorer channel!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Demon, Cats, and Angels oh my! EkerossMTG joins us again after a long break to talk about Streets of New Capenna Pioneer brews (and the people who love them). We go over a variety of archetypes, both new and old, and discuss if some of these new cards finally give some decks what they needed to win. Listen and choose which brew you think is the best, and then join us on Twitter or Discord to share your brews and ideas!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Is Streets of New Capenna good for Pioneer? Is it bad? Which cards will probably see play and which cards could start a new archetype? MTGO grinder and recent Face to Face games event winner Dreams of Ashiok (@DreamsofAshiok on Twitter) joins Ryan and Kevin on The First Pioneers to walk these "streets" and to recruit some hired muscle for our favorite Magic the Gathering format.
Find out if your favorite cards from the set make the cut! If we missed it, be sure to hop into our Discord or Twitter and let us know what you think of the set!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Or at least I'd like to think that we know what cards you need for Pioneer if you're getting into the format. We've been doing Pioneer set reviews for longer than I care to remember, and we also went over every plane in Pioneer before Eldraine came out, breaking down all of the mechanics, staples, and playable cards in each. That, coupled with our constant contact with MTGO greats like Harry13SCO, ClaudiohMTG, and EkerossMTG, leads me to believe we know or stuff and we want you to know it as well.
Starting from Throne of Eldraine, Kevin and I go through every card that has shown up in Pioneer and discuss whether or not we can consider it a staple of the format that players should have in their collection. With so many people jumping into the format now, it seemed like a good time to help people put together their paper collections. Whether you're starting your collection from scratch, filling in missing slots in your playsets, or on the fence about whether or not to bite the bullet and get a card, you'll want to listen to this episode!
If you think we missed some staples, be sure to jump into our Discord or to let us know on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
PAST STAPLE EPISODES:
Ravnica: https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-k8x34-fc3627
Kaladesh: https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-gp68d-f1b62b
Dominaria and Origins: https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-nws3b-f3bd58
Theros: https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-sub72-ee384c
Tarkir: https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-yrvk7-e3e142
Core Sets: https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-ekmt8-dff9a5
Zendikar: https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-kr5b8-d66896
Ixalan and Amonkhet: https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-7tuuf-d14d4e
Innistrad: https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-kkut6-d042d7
We prayed so hard for Wizards to give some relevancy to Pioneer over the last two years and after some teasing (the challenger decks) and some hiccups (never getting Pioneer on Arena), finally our prayers were answered in the form of the new Organized Play system.
If you're a new player you're probably not sure what organized play is and wondering what this means for you. If you're a Pioneer player you're probably excited but not sure what steps you need to take next as excitement around the format builds. Well look no further because we answer all those questions and more with the help of MTGO grinder and all around swell guy Martin Porter (@Harry13SCO on Twitter). Get all the details here and get ready to launch your Magic career into over drive this year!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Before 5 Color Humans could run in Pioneer, they had ClaudiohMTG holding their hands to help them walk. He was an early supporter of the archetype and along with his and a few others' efforts, a new deck was born. The deck isn't quite fully optimized just yet but it's close and with a few missing lands and one or two key cards it should be able to take down any kind of event! Whether you're a fan of the archetype in other formats, think the deck looks like fun, or just looking for something fresh to play, give 5C Humans a try!
Uncle Claudioh will tell us what the key cards of the deck are, how to play the deck, and also how it matches up against the rest of the metagame. Also, If you're planning on participating in a big Pioneer event in the future make sure you listen to all of our Pioneer 101 episodes to get an idea for how to play with and how to play against some of the most popular decks in the format or to get some ideas on how to play some others!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Competitive Pioneer made its return to Paper Magic in the USA at the Star City Games Open and 5k and The First Pioneers wanted to have a good look at all the decks that were being played at the event. While it was part of a team event, Pioneer fans should still get a lot of great data and information about the format from the results. We also took a look at the 5K event the following day as well.
Aside from the results, last weekend we also got a chance to see what the format was like without its good friend Lurrus. How did those decks that had Lurrus previously change their style, their gameplay, and their sideboard? We took a look at some of the newest post Lurrus decklists as well as described how the metagame has changed without it. If your Lurrus deck took a hit, be sure to check out how to go about fixing it!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
We had originally planned to have Harry13SCO on last weekend for another topic but when the Lurrus ban in Pioneer was announced we dropped everything to record our take on it. Aside from the obvious discussion on what decks will be getting worse without our favorite ethereal feline, we also talked about what decks would get better, which 3 drops might see play in aggro decks now that there's no longer a "soft" 2cmc limit to permanents, and also made 3 wishes about what we'd like to see happen in the Pioneer format in the banning's aftermath.
Will Pioneer get better? Was the banning necessary? Does your pet card get better? All that and more in this week's episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
The closer Pioneer moves to the mainstream the higher the price of decks are going to become, but that doesn't mean you still can't play some of the best decks in the format. While the $300 average price tag of Pioneer decks are relatively cheap compared to other eternal formats like Modern and Legacy, it's still a hefty amount for some people which is why we at The First Pioneers like to make cheaper versions of the top decks to help people get into the format from time to time.
We once again called in our budgetary constultant, ServoToken, and had him run the numbers with us to make sure we didn't break the bank. In this episode we go over $120 and $50 versions of:
- UW Control
- BR Anvil
- Mono Green Stompy
- Abzan Greasefang
- RW Heroic
- 5 Color Humans
Each deck is remarkably playable, albeit missing some of the more powerful cards, but the cores and a number of key cards are still intact which make these budget brews great starting points for getting into the format or just to build your gauntlet of Pioneer decks. Which one is your favorite? What are some other good cards you'd suggest for each of the brews? Be sure to jump onto Discord or Twitter and let us know!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
It's been a while since we had our good friend and MTGO grinder Harry13SCO (Martin Porter) on so we thought we'd ask him to stop by and give us his thoughts on how the Kamigawa Neon Dynasty Pioneer metagame is shaping up. Well he had some thoughts, and then had some more. Martin gives us a great in-depth look at how the metagame started when Kamigawa was released, as well as how it has continued to evolved a few weeks in.
Following last week's Gauntlet episode, we also asked him what decks he would build to play against so that he could prepare himself for tournaments. There's no better place to hear about where the Pioneer format has been or where it's going than with the First Pioneers! If you're going to be playing at our local game store, online, or if you're heading to a big tournament, there's no better place to get competitive edge than with The First Pioneers!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
The Kamigawa Neon Dynasty metagame is starting to heat up so The First Pioneers thought we should talk about some of the fun new decks everybody is playing as well as how our picks did in our set review episode. We also thought it was a good time to talk about making a Pioneer Gauntlet. Many of the decks in the current metagame have been around for more than a few seasons so it would make sense to prepare yourself for strategies that you're going to see over and over again in competitive Pioneer. Whether you're like Ryan and want to go from a casual player to a competitive one, or if you're focused on becoming one of the best Pioneer players there is, you're going to need to understand how the decks in the format work, how to beat them, and how to play them if you're going to choose a deck for your next event. We go over all the permutations and combinations of the aggro, midrange, combo, and control decks you might see at an event and give suggestions on how to build your own!
What is your area's metagame like? What decks are you trying to beat? Share your ideas for a Pioneer gauntlet in our Discord or @ us on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
With a set leaning heavily on technology and the futuristic, you can be sure that there will upgrades galore in the Pioneer format. But technology also brings changes. Old tech becomes obsolete and things that used to work very well in the past are now thrown away. In this week's episode MTGO grinder and streamer ClaudiohMTG joins us again to talk about what cards he's excited to brew with, how he'll be making "upgrades", and also helps out the First Pioneers with their brews.
If you have cards you want to brew with or some sweet brews of your own, be sure to join our Discord channel and Twitter and share them with us!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
The Pioneer format continues to grow and draw in new players. Decks are being optimized and new strategies are being made viable every week. Even with all this remarkable growth there is still a lot of exploring yet to be done and with Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty the format is set to expand once more. Twitch streamer and MTGO grinder EkerossMTG joins us this time to talk about what cards he's excited for in competitive Pioneer, while Kevin gives us his "Johnny" perspective and Ryan brings you jank that only an overly optimistic "Timmy" player can dream up.
Whether you're looking for new deck ideas, ways to make your current deck better, or just want to see if we talked about your favorite cards from the newest set, be sure to listen to this week's show! Also don't forgot to join the Discord channel and share what cards you're most excited for from the new set!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
With Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty just around the corner, the First Pioneers wanted to get a jump on some of the new cards and mechanics and talk about what kind of impact the newest Magic the Gathering set will have on the Pioneer format. We're happy to welcome back returning guest ClaudiohMTG to talk about his recent experiences in Pioneer, his thoughts on the Pioneer Mana Traders invitational, as well as what he's most excited about from the new Kamigawa set.
We break down the newest spoilers and how the Crimson Vow Pioneer season ended in this weeks episode, so if you want to keep yourself up to date with everything new and interesting in the world of Pioneer, don't miss this show!
No, we're not remaking the classic Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah rom com, this week we're discussing "splashing" a color into Pioneer decks. We want to explore what it means to splash a 2nd or 3rd color into an existing deck, what impact a splash of color can make, which cards are worth adding another color for, and which deck could improve with another color.
If your brew hasn't been doing as well as you would like it to, you want to make your favorite deck fresh again, or just want some ideas as to how you can out meta your opponents, be sure to check out this week's episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
The Pioneer format is heating up and with more events firing online and more events being held in Paper, there's a good chance you're going to be doing some tournaments this year. While the format is diverse and there are various builds of individual archetypes out there, every once in a while you will face the dreaded mirror match. If you're joining the metagame, and not attacking it, then you better be prepared to be your own worst enemy.
In this week's episode Kevin and Ryan talk about which decks are most likely to come face to face with themselves in the mirror match, and which cards you could be playing to break that mirror (and hopefully not get 7 years bad luck in the process). If your favorite deck is also many other's favorite deck, don't miss this show!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
ClaudiohMTG, streamer and S-tier MTGO player, joins us to wind down the Crimson Vow Pioneer season and to talk about what the future holds for the format. In this week's episode we go over how the format has evolved since the most recent set was released, the latest results from large events like the Pioneer PTQ at the start of January, how the SCG event announcement will affect paper Pioneer, as well as if Ryan is making a good or bad deck choice for next week's paper Pioneer event in Tokyo.
If you're looking to stay up to date with everything that's happened or is happening in Pioneer be sure to listen to this week's episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
In our last episode of 2021, the First Pioneers thought we'd wrap up the year with another look at the mechanics of Pioneer. Having already finished talking about the Planes of Pioneer, we thought it would be a good idea to talk about how the newer mechanics fit into the format from Ikoria forward. New mechanics mean new opportunities and we don't want to miss a chance. So which of the newer mechanics are worth playing? Which have potential? And how does the returning mechanic of Ninjutusu find its way into Pioneer? All this in more in our final episode of the year!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
We've been putting together Pioneer 101 shows for a while now to help new players and curious ones who want to know more about the decks of the Pioneer format, so it seemed like a perfect idea for our 101st episode. This also coincided with one of the most prestigious Vampire players making their comeback to Pioneer so of course we had to ask EkerossMTG to come on two weeks in a row to tell us whether or not vampires suck in the literal sense or just when they find their prey.
Whether you want to know how the deck plays, what cards are best for it, or how it matches up with the rest of the Pioneer metagame we got you covered! Luckily the last two sets gave the archetype a lot of new tools to work with so there is quite a lot to talk about. Listening to us talk about vampires for an hour might be a 'pain in the neck' but it's totally worth it! I promise!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
The were many ups and downs in 2021 for Magic the Gathering but after some shaky footing in 2000, the Pioneer format hit the ground running and never looked back. We had some bans, some new decks, some brave new strategies, but most of all we had a record number of players turn to the format. Just what lies in store for Pioneer in the future? Special guest EkerossMTG makes his triumphant return to the podcast (after his big move and new job) and joins The First Pioneers to close out the year and hype up our listeners for what's next!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Are the cards banned in Pioneer really that bad? What if we were allowed to play one banned card in a deck? Which decks would come out on top and which cards would you choose? The First Pioneers are always looking for new ways to explore the format and in this week's episode we took a page out of the Modern Banned Guantlet that recently showed up on MTGO and decided to talk about something similar for the Pioneer format. I for one would love to see people getting the chance to experience the wild days of Pioneer's past and explore how these banned cards would fit into the current meta too.
With all the cards that have been added to the format since these bannings, are they still as dangerous or are they worse than before? We also talk about possible unbannings and how a Pioneer Alchemy format would look with "fixed" banned cards. If there is another banned card or deck you'd love to see return, be sure to share your thoughts in our discord or on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Which decks have been naughty and which ones have been nice this year? What decks should get shiny new presents next year and which ones should get coal? In this week's episode the First Pioneers make a holiday wishlist for the format and talk about what cards we'd love to see show up all nice and wrapped on top of our decks for next year. We also go over some spicy new decks that showed up in a recent Japanese Pioneer tournament, and take a look at the Pioneer PTQ from the previous weekend.
What kind of cards would YOU like to see your favorite deck get for next year? Be sure to join our Discord and follow our Twitter to describe your Wishlist!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
It's only been a week since Crimson Vow went live in Pioneer, but already we've had results pouring in from a variety of sources: A Pioneer Showcase, a 103 person paper event in Japan, and dozens of Pioneer leagues on MTGO. What are we to make of all this data? With so much information to go through The First Pioneers thought it best to have somebody who's been on the frontlines make odds and ends of it all.
Martin Porter, aka Harry13SCO, joins us from his MTGO grinding and Twitch streaming to talk about the current metagame as well as where he thinks it's going. We also touch on possible bans in the Pioneer format and Martin gives us a sweet deck tech on his newest UB control deck that carried him all the way to a top 4 finish in last weekend's online Pro Tour Qualifier! This episode is absolutely jammed pack so be sure to listen to it all from start to finish. You can also find the decklist Martin talked about on our Discord! Join the discussion!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Special guest and MTGO grinder ClaudiohMTG joins the First Pioneers this week to talk about his newest green white Pioneer brew with cards from the Crimson Vow set and gives us feedback on our own unique brews. Is Cultivator Colossus any good in the format? Can Kaya, Geist Hunter cut it? We also discuss what other cards from the newest set might be worth brewing around. If you're looking for some new decks to try out or just want some ideas on something fresh and new in Pioneer be sure to check it out!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
We were barely able to scratch the surface of Innistrad in Midnight Hunt before Crimson Vow was spoiled, but there is no rest for the weary. Following our first ever card previews from Wizards of the Coast, MTGO grinder and part time Twitch streamer Dreams of Ashiok joins us in this month's set review to discuss what cards from the new set could possibly make an impact in the format. We have plenty of hot takes, some jank, competitive implications, and even the start of some brews in this set review episode! Whether your cards made the cut or not, swing by our Discord afterwards and talk about what cards you're most excited about from this new set and what you'd have in YOUR top 5!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Just when you thought it was over we have yet ANOTHER free preview card from Wizards of the Coast!
Winged Portent portent is a blue instant that does what blue loves the most; draw cards. But there's a catch, you have to have creatures in play to do so. Which blue decks don't already have a way to get more cards and how could you use drawing a lot of cards to your advantage? In our 2nd Crimson Vow preview the First Pioneers discuss how Winged Portent could be played for both its regular and Cleave cost and share our brews with you! If you have other ideas on how to best use it, be sure to join the conversation on our Discord and to share your decks and thoughts!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
We've had a few guests from Wizards of the Coast on our podcast before and we couldn't be happier to be sent this free Crimson Vow preview content! The fact that Wizards has shown some love for Pioneer by giving us this preview gives us a lot of hope for the future of the format!
Stormchaser Drake is an aggressively costed flyer with a great ability tacked on to it, but how would it measure up in Pioneer? Join hosts Ryan Schwenk and Kevin Finkle of the First Pioneers as we talk about all the possibilities this card could hold for the format!
In this episode we go over what cards would work great with it, what decks would want it, and also discuss our brews with it! Be sure to check the Decklist channel in our Discord while you listen (or after), and if you have any sweet brews of your own be sure to post them as well!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
The Naya Winota deck has been a thing ever since Ikoria was released. It struggled to find its footing at first as good mana bases were being built and more powerful 'hits' for the deck were printed, but now that the deck has a handful of new toys from the werewolves of Midnight Hunt, the deck seems to be a wrecking ball. Will you swing with it or be on the receiving end of this seemingly unstoppable force?
MTGO Twitch streamer and Naya Winota aficionado NobodyKnowsImADog joins us on this week's show to go into depth about the deck. We talk about how it wins, what cards it plays, how to build it, and much much more! Whether you're looking to build it, beat it, or learn about it you don't want to miss this show!
Be sure to join the Discord for links to the deck and to get in on the discussion!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
With a number of mid-level paper Pioneer events happening in October all around Japan, it seems like there finally might be a proper paper metagame for the format. But will this paper metagame end up just being a reflection of the online one, or will it come into its own by the time Hareruya holds the largest paper Pioneer event of the year at the end of the month?
With a few mid level events already concluded, there are a handful of top 8 paper results to look at from Japan. The First Pioneers bring on ClaudiohMTG to talk about the current MTGO metagame, the results of these paper events, and also to discuss the possible differences between online and paper tournaments in Pioneer.
If you want to talk about your local paper Pioneer events or just talk about what deck you will play when you can play in paper Pioneer events again, join the discussion in our Discord or follow us on Twitter! You can also find links to all of the decklists we discussed in our Discord as well!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
No card has had a bigger effect on Pioneer than Bring to Light. It is the premier tutor effect in the format, but is it the only one worth playing? In this week's episode the First Pioneers explore more of the format by looking at all of the cards that let you search for other ones, be they in your library or in your sideboard. But even if you have these powerful effects, what use are they without equally powerful targets? We answer all of these questions as well as discuss which tutor effects need to study harder and which wish targets need to be stronger in order to be playable in Pioneer.
Whether you're a competitive player trying to get a deeper grasp on the format or a new player that wants to brew and explore Pioneer more, be sure you don't miss this! Join our discord to talk about your own favorite wish and tutor cards!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Innistrad Midnight Hunt dropped a few weeks back and has already started to "claw" its way into the Pioneer metagame. What better way to look for clues in this new meta than to have on our re-occurring guest and honorary co-host EkerossMTG to talk about how the format transitioned from the Forgotten Realms metagame to the new one. Ekeross gives us an in depth look at the MTGO metagame from the Mana Traders Pioneer league that happened in September and talked about his deck choices, as well as how new cards from Midnight Hunt found their way into many people's decks after the swiss portion of the tournament.
Whether you're updating your own decks after last season or just curious to see what cards from the new set are actually seeing play, check out this week's podcast. We also talk about the possibility of online and in paper metagames being different in the future, so if you're interested be sure to listen all the way to the end!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
A few weeks back Wizards of the Coast announced they would be releasing Pioneer Challenger decks for players both new to the format as well as those looking for a competitive deck that does more damage to your opponents than to your wallet. No stranger to building on a budget and brewing decks in the Pioneer format, the First Pioneers were very impressed with what Wizards released. So much that we wanted to know more about how the new challenger decks came to be.
We reached out and got a hold of Michael Hinderaker, a Game Designer at Wizards of the Coast who worked on the Pioneer Challenger decks and picked his brain about each and every choice he made while he put them together. If you have ever wondered about the process Game Designers go through when they produce supplemental material like this and about the hard choices they have to make to keep the decks fair and affordable, you don't want to miss this week's episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
While everybody loves spoiler season and seeing all the new cards, the second best thing about a new set is all the wonderful new brews it brings. Innistrad: Midnight Hunt was chock full of tribal cards for wolves, vampires, and zombies, but it also brought the Flashback mechanic back to us. We also got a number of other interesting cards that could super charge some lesser known archetypes that had been lost to time and the metagame. MTGO grinder extraordinaire EkerossMTG joins the First Pioneers after his short vacation from streaming to talk about how excited he is to brew with this new set.
I can proudly say that this episode is heavy with jank and that we explored quite a bit of the lesser known archetypes of Pioneer in this episode. If you have any cool brews you'd like to share with us, be sure to check out our Discord and post it in either our Channel O' Jank or Decklist channel. Looking forward to seeing what you came up with!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
MTGO end boss ClaudiohMTG joins First Pioneer host Kevin Finkle and special guest Jonathan Medina for the set review of Innistrad: Midnight Hunt! We've always wanted to have a competitive player on a set review and thankfully Claudioh answered the call! With Ryan taking the week off, the focus shifted more to competitive playable Pioneer cards, but as always Mr. Medina is there to keep the dream of Timmy's alive. Whether you're a brewer, a competitive grinder, or a casual Pioneer player, you'll want to hear about all the new set has to offer.
You can check out our Top 5 lists in our discord, and don't be afraid to add your own as well!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Back in the day standard rotations didn't mean much in Magic the Gathering. Most cards that were popular in eternal formats or in EDH were bought early and when sets did leave the standard environment those cards usually cratered in price. But with Pioneer to pick more of the misfit cards that don't belong in older formats, will this still be the case? In the second ever standard rotation with Pioneer as an eternal format, The First Pioneers thought it would be a good idea to check out what deals could be had on some of these cards while their use as at it's lowest and their supply is at its peak.
This week we talk about which cards from M21, Ikoria, Theros Beyond Death, and Throne of Eldraine are worth picking up for Pioneer and also talk about how the new Pioneer Challenger decks will affect prices too. If you didn't go out and buy cards after our Paper Pioneer Collection episodes, this could be your last chance to do so before Pioneer takes off! As always, if you think we missed any cards that would be a good pick up at rotation, be sure to join the conversation in our Discord and on Twitter to let us know!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
The Midnight Hunt spoiler season has been teased but with only a few more weeks to go until it is released, we couldn't wait to talk about it any longer. While it's unfortunate there hasn't been any new cards added to the spoiler in more than a week, what we DO know about the set so far has our imaginations working in over drive. In today's episode The First Pioneers and guest host EkerossMTG talk about what's shown up so far from Midnight Hunt and how it could fit into Pioneer, what past plane of Innistrad cards we'd love to see reprinted for the format, and also how Flashback will impact it. We're hoping that Wizards will start to shake the format up with even more past mechanics like Flashback in the future and even talk about which ones we'd like to see in Pioneer the most!
If you want to share your list of mechanics you'd like to see show up in or just want to join in the conversation, come say hello on Twitter or in our Discord!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
It has been a while since we worked on some budget builds of the best decks in Pioneer, but with all the renewed interest in the format we thought it would be both a fun exercise and a way to help those new people getting into the format without breaking the bank. The question is, can you still win with a budget version of the best decks in the format? The First Pioneers, along with budget Pioneer deck aficionado ServoToken, try to prove that you can. We go over semi-budget $120 versions, as well as budget $50 decks of Mono black aggro, Phoenix, Spirits, Ensoul Artifacts, Enigmatic Incarnation, as well as Black/Red Arcanist so whatever your price point we got your covered.
After you listen, be sure to tell us which versions are your favorite on our discord or Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
There has been a lot of news and buzz surrounding Pioneer over the last week or so and we wanted to talk about what this means for the format. It all started with the announcement of Historic Horizons on Arena, and once it was revealed that the format could only ever be played online, people suddenly gave Pioneer a second look as a paper format. Who's talking about it? What are people saying? And what does this mean for Pioneer going forward? We discuss the implications of the Arena announcement and cover all the other Pioneer news that came out recently in this week's topic.
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Control players unite! Your archetype is not dead or forgotten in Pioneer! You just need a hero who will carry the mantle of "Draw Go" on their shoulders into battle, and that hero is UB Control specialist Harry13SCO, MTGO grinder and Twitch Streamer. Fresh off of multiple top finishes with his deck in various MTGO Pioneer events, we thought it would be a great time to have him on the show to help people wrap their heads around how to play the deck, how to play against it, and how to win with it.
A long time player of Pioneer, his wisdom and experience of the deck should help you master this archetype in time for your next Pioneer event, be it online or in paper as more people get vaccinated in your area!
Find his deck in our discord and join the discussion!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
MTGO streamers and grinders Harry13SCO and EkerossMTG join us on this week's show to talk about how the new AFR Pioneer metagame is shaping up, how their decks are doing, what cards they are most excited about, as well as where they think the metagame is going. If you're looking to jump into competitive Pioneer this season, be sure to to check out this episode for insight into the new decks as well as what you should look out for when you start playing.
You can find each player on both Twitter and Twitch respectively at Harry13SCO and EkerossMTG. Also be sure to jump into our discord if you want to talk about everything that's going on in Pioneer!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
We wrap up our series on building your Paper Pioneer collection this week with probably one of the most relevant episodes. Mana bases are the most important part of any format and with all the choices that Pioneer offers, which ones should you be investing in? We go over which color producing lands you should get as well as what the best utility lands are before diving into the most integral artifacts in Pioneer and what 3 color or more multicolor cards should be on your radar.
Whether you are a competitive player trying to build your gauntlet of decks or a brewer wanting to do powerful and fun things, be sure to check out this episode before you start building decks and buying cards! Also, if you have any other tips or suggestions about which cards people should pick up in Paper, join our Discord or give us a follow on Twitter! We'd love to have you in on the discussion!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
It seems like the last few sets we've gotten from Wizards of the Coast have toned down the overall power level a little bit, but that doesn't mean that playable cards aren't being made. I for one, have honestly enjoyed exploring the more subtle interactions and restrictions of the cards in recent sets. As a long time brewer and player of 'jank' I like to push the envelope on the ridiculous and insane. Kevin always takes the more pragmatic approach to deck building but he really goes all out in this week's show!
Between Kevin, EkerossMTG, and I, we came up with 9 decks for your playing pleasure. We talk about fun new combos, neat interactions, and also discuss updates to some of your favorite decks in the Pioneer format. As always, if you have some really cool brews you want to share, join our discord and pop into Ryan's Channel O Jank! We'd love to see them!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
There has been an absolute onslaught of spoilers attacking Magic players unceasingly over the past few months, but the only ones that matter to us are the newest non-eternal sets. Forgotten Realms is such a set, and like Strixhaven before, it doesn't seem like it will shake the Pioneer format to its core but there are quite a few enablers to allow fringe decks to become better and many cards that should strengthen currently existing competitive decks.
Jonathan Medina of MedinaStreams on Twitch joins us once again go over all the cards in the new set to discuss the possibilities both obvious and less obvious. We managed to go over all the cards in Forgotten Realms right after the full spoiler was released, so don't "forget" to listen to this week's episode before you start brewing new Pioneer decks and updating your old ones!
Join us on Discord or Twitter to talk about the new cards more!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
As we get closer to being able to play safely in person at paper MTG events, the need to buy your Pioneer deck in paper is becoming more apparent. The First Pioneers continue their series on the staples of the format and give you suggestions on how to build your paper collection without breaking the bank or wasting your time.
This week's episode covers the two color multi-color cards. We explain what cards you should be buying, how much you might end up paying for them, as well as how many you might need if you want to play Pioneer in paper. Even if you already have a large Pioneer collection, you'll want to listen to hear about all the updates to the competitive decks as well as some of the newer cards that have snuck into various strategies.
If you think we might have missed a few cards then hop onto Twitter or our Discord and join the discussion!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
If you take a look at older eternal formats such as Legacy or Modern the decks, for the most part, are optimized. Sure new sets shake them up every once in a while, but you'll never have a red deck NOT playing Lightning Bolt or a white deck NOT playing Sword to Plowshares or Path to Exile. Is that true of Pioneer though?
When people say that Pioneer isn't fun because there are only a few good decks or that it's solved, I can't help but shake my head and sigh. I for one, do not honestly believe that Pioneer is anywhere close to being a solved format and in this week's episode Kevin and I (along with our re-occuring guest Amit, a.k.a. EkerossMTG) to explain why we think so.
Sure there are a few decks that seem to be optimized for the Pioneer metagame, but in our opinion the large majority of them still have work to be done. We talk about what decks need optimization, what optimizing a deck in Pioneer means, as well as how to optimize decks. Whatever deck you're playing, listen to this week's episode and ask yourself if YOUR deck is optimized. If it isn't, join our Discord community to talk about how to optimize it or if it is we'd love to see it!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Pioneer has had many a problem since its inception but most have been at no fault of its own. Honestly, we at the First Pioneers have some 'beef' with how Pioneer has been handled, rolled out, and executed since it was born almost two years ago at the end of 2019. It seems that somebody or something is standing in its way and keeping it from succeeding at every twist and turn and we're tired of it so we're calling these problems out so the tired anti-Pioneer tropes and misinformation stops.
Aside from calling out the issues plaguing the format, we offer various solutions to each and explain how they should be implemented. I'm sure there have been some of you that have wanted to play Pioneer or have been trying to play Pioneer but there was something standing in your way. We're here to say that doesn't have to be the case anymore, and that if we work together as a community we can find a salve that will cure all the negativity and ignorance infecting the format.
If you want to chat more about this topic, join us on our Discord or find us on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
This week Ryan takes a week off from the podcast not only because the topic has blue cards in it, but also because we wanted to jam pack this episode with guests. For the first time ever we have fellow MTGO grinders and Twitch streamers EkerossMTG and ClaudiohMTG on the same show!
Blue and Red decks have been around since the inception of the format (UR Prowess and UR Ensoul), but it took another big metashift from the Strixhaven Pioneer format and all the new Prismari cards to finally let it play with the big boys. However, just what IS the best UR deck to play now? Izzet Phoenix? Izzet Tempo? Izzet Arcanist?
Kevin, Amit, and Claudioh break down just what the deck is, what it wants to be, and what it could be in this week's show. If you've always been a fan of the archetypes or are interested in building in these colors be sure to listen to this week's episode! We talk about everything you need to know so you don't have to ask yourself, "What Izzet?"
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Not everybody is going to be able to go back to their local game stores right away later this year to play MTG, but I'm sure it will become a lot easier to get friends together at each other's places for some casual MTG. Cubing has been out for a few years but it's been growing in popularity year over year. The idea is simple: You take 360+ of your favorite cards, balance the colors, and then stick them in a box with some land. Once you have 6 or more people to play, you shuffle those cards up and then break them into 15 card "booster packs" which you and your friends then draft.
It's like drafting, but without the cost associated with having to buy packs all the time. You can use all of those Pioneer cards not already in your decks that are sitting your collection, and the beauty of it is that Cubes are highly customizable. Whether you like playing with big dumb creatures, combos, or control cards, Cubes have it all.
Special guest Dreams of Ashiok joins us once again to talk about the MTGO Pioneer cube that was available a while back. We talk about what cards we liked in the cube, what cards we'd love to see added to the cube, and also discussed all the variety of ways you could build your own personal cube in the future. It's a great way to introduce your friends casually into the wonderful Pioneer format and also to have something you can always take with you to events in the future!
Be sure to join our Discord or Twitter to discuss all the possibilities of Pioneer cubing and share your ideas with us!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Vaccinations and masks permitting, the threat of pandemic will fade and we'll be back in our local game stores in the next few months playing Magic the Gathering with our friends. But if you're like Kevin and Ryan on the First Pioneers, then you probably haven't been buying a lot of MTG singles over the past year. Sure we had a lot of the pre-Covid cards in paper, but when it comes to everything that was released last year, our collections are severely lacking.
On a previous show, our guest Amit (EkerossMTG) had mentioned that because he plays most of his games on MTGO, that he actually has very few cards in Paper. So we got to thinking, there are probably a lot of other people out there in the same situation. If we plan to play the Pioneer format in Paper in a few months, we better be ready for it. Part staple and part finance episode, this new series will focus on what cards every Pioneer player should have in their paper collection. Sure there might be more staples in each color, but we feel like these cards are probably the most necessary in order to build either a large variety of decks or to play some of the best decks.
Luckily for our listeners, most of our suggestions in white, blue, black, red, and green don't break the bank! If you're itching to play Magic in Paper again and only got into the format during the pandemic, you definitely don't want to miss this! Also, if we missed a card you think should have been included be sure to @ us on Twitter or join the discussion in our Discord!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Many, if not all of the other competitive Magic the Gathering formats, are defined by their speed. Some people might say that Legacy is a 1 or 2 drop format, Modern probably tops out at 3. Sure they can cheat out some bigger cards, but most decks are playing as low to the ground as they can go and as fast as they can go. This leaves out many of the other cards at 4 converted mana cost or higher. But where does Pioneer stand?
Is Pioneer the first 5 drop competitive eternal format? Can you safely play 5 drops and get value from them either right away or over a number of turns? Today we turn our focus to competitive 5 mana spells in the Pioneer format and talk about what makes a 5 drop good, why we should play them, which ones are our favorites, and also which 5 mana spells we'd love to see played in the format in the future.
Resident streamer and competitive MTGO grinder EkerossMTG joins us once again to evaluate the 5 mana cards of the format and to tell Ryan he's living in Magic Christmas Land while telling Kevin that he's absolutely right.
Join the discussion on Twitter and Discord if you have some other fun 5 drops you think we should have talked about!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
MTGO grinder and Pioneer player extraordinaire EkerossMTG (aka Amit), visits this week's show to talk about the first few weeks of the Strixhaven Pioneer metagame and how the new set has affected the format. We go over what's been doing well in Pioneer, what hasn't, what new cards have shown up, cool deck ideas, and also what we're working on this season.
Keep yourself up to date with everything that's happening in the format and what has changed since you last played! If you have thoughts on the current state of Pioneer or have some experiences you'd like to share, join the discussion in our discord channel and on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Following up our set review and brew episode, we had a lot of ideas for cards we thought were good but just couldn't find a home. Lots of these cards we considered from the Pioneer card pool seemed good, so why weren't they seeing any play? The First Pioneers needed a bigger brain to figure it out so we got the biggest brain we could think of, MTGO streamer ClaudiohMTG!
In this week's show we talk about which cards we think are good enough for Pioneer but haven't found a home yet (or currently don't have one). Claudioh plays the role of the "fun police", shutting down any cards that might be deemed too ridiculous to be playable, while Kevin and Ryan throw a wide range of ideas at him. We consider why these cards don't have a home, what archetype they could possibly fit into, and also what kind of deck would want them in the future. Whether you're a brewer or a competitive player looking for alternative cards for your decks, you'll want to listen to this week's episode!
As always, you can find our information on our Discord channel and are welcome to further discuss this topic so don't be a stranger and hop on in! You can also follow us on Twitter!
(NOTE: Apologies for some of the audio issues we had in recording this episode).
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Brewing around cards from a new set is one of my favorite times of the year, and it's also the one time I can convince my cohost Kevin to think as janky as possible. There are a number of build around cards in Strixhaven, and while we couldn't talk about all of them today we did do quite a few! We have combos, control, and killer cards galore in this week's episode! It's also our first time taking listener submitted decklists and talking about them on the show so if you want to share your brews next time and get a shoutout on air be sure to join our discord or follow us on Twitter!
(NOTE: All decklists can be found on our Discord if you'd like to see them in full!)
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Once more into the fray.
Jonathan Medina of Medina Streams on Twitch is back along with the First Pioneers to finish up all of the cards we couldn't talk about in last week's podcast. There are untold possibilities that Strixhaven could bring to the Pioneer format and we wanted to make sure all of our bases were covered. Today's topic centers around all of the Strixhaven two color school cards, as well as our top 5 for the whole set.
As always you can count on Kevin to be the voice of reason and competitive cards, Jonathan to mix in some EDH and talk about the buzz that's been going around the MTG community, and Ryan to bring you some sweet, sweet jank. This episode has all of those in spades! Be sure to give it a listen!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
It's that season again and after checking out the full Strixhaven spoiler last week the First Pioneers dialed up their good friend Jonathan Medina (from MedinaStreams on Twitch and medina_mtg on Twitter) and asked him to hang out and go over all of the Pioneer possibilities of the new set. We talked competitive cards, we talked jank, and we also talked about cards that we thought would be fun overall in the Pioneer format. This week's show covers only the mono colored cards so be sure to join us next week when we cover the multi-color and all the others!
If you have some suggestions about what cards will be good from Strixhaven that we didn't talk about, want to share some new brews, or want to add some information to what we said in the show, join our Discord chat or send us a line on Twitter! We'd love to have you in the discussion!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Strixhaven is giving us some interesting one drops which got us thinking; just how important are one drops in a format and which ones are playable in Pioneer? We wanted to discuss which one drops were playable and the decks they were being played in, so who better to have on as a guest than Conorman11? Conorman11 is a Twitch streamer of all things aggro on MTGO, focusing mainly on the Pioneer and Modern formats. He's brought us interesting Pioneer decks such as Hammertime and RW Vehicles, and also has a lot of experience with BW humans and RW Burn. If you want to do things fast, Conorman is the person to talk to.
From creatures, to spells, to sideboard cards, we got it all covered. Decks need to have a good one drop, so before you go building your next tribal deck or beatdown strategy, be sure to give this episode a listen!
(NOTE: We had some audio issues and parts of the podcast had to be cut to preserve quality. We apologize if it sounds strange in some parts).
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
It's only a matter of time until Pioneer is available on Arena, and when it finally does become available players can expect some of the same treatment that Standard and Historic gets on the platform. One such feature of having an online platform is letting people play test what it would be like if certain cards were removed from a format without actually banning the cards. This is what the MTG Arena team has dubbed "Shakeups". They choose a number of cards to be removed from either Standard or Historic and then sit back and watch.
Now what if this feature was available in Pioneer? What cards would be removed and how would the format settle without them? This week the First Pioneers chose which cards had the biggest impact on the Pioneer format and removed them to see how Pioneer would react. Does the new version of the format still seem enjoyable? Do your favorite cards survive? And last but not least, is your 'jank' now playable? (short answer is probably not ;) ). Be sure to listen to this week's podcast and join us on Twitter and Discord to share what decks you would play during a "Pioneer Shakeup"!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Card evaluation isn't an exact science. We've done a lot of set reviews with special guest Jonathan Medina on our show since the Pioneer format started back in 2019. We've made a lot of crazy calls, evaluated some cards incorrectly, and sometimes forgot to talk about some playable cards altogether. But on the other hand we also made some really good picks and while everyone might not have agreed with us initially it does feel good to finally be validated.
Covering Theros Beyond Death, Ikoria, the M21 Core Set, and Zendikar Rising, today the First Pioneers talk about how we feel about the correct calls we made about Pioneer playable cards, why we think the incorrect ones didn't pan out, and if we think there is still hope for some of these cards we were originally very high on.
Feel free to check out our original episodes down below or join our discord to talk about what we got right and poke fun at us for what we got wrong!
- Zendikar Rising Part 1
- Zendikar Rising Part 2
- M21 Core Set
- Ikoria
- Theros Beyond Death Set Review Part 1
- Theros Beyond Death Set Review Part 2
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Sideboarding can be tough, especially with a metagame that changes every season. Just because a card was good in a previous season doesn't mean it will still be worth a sideboard slot in this one. You also have to consider how important the sideboard card is which then in turn affects how many slots you devote to it. Do you have enough exile effects? Enough disruption? Enough targeted hate cards?
In this week's episode The First Pioneers focus on how important sideboarding is in the Pioneer format and discuss multiple strategies for dealing with various archetypes. We suggest numerous cards that you should consider for you sideboard and also which types of cards you absolutely MUST have in it. As the format settles this season, make sure you're ready for whatever comes your way!
Be sure to join our discord and follow us on Twitter if you have some more suggestions and want to join the conversation!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
The bannings in Pioneer not only let the decks that were being held back by Uro and Teferi shine, but they also opened the format to a much larger variety of strategies we had never seen before. We only had a few weeks to enjoy Kaldheim in the format before the bans shook the format to its core. Now the door has been flung open and anything seems possible. A huge number of "Rogue" decks that previously didn't exist as an archetype in Pioneer are putting up good numbers and creating utter chaos in the metagame.
In this week Martin Porter, aka Harry13SCO on Twitch and Twitter, joins us once again to discuss just which of these new rogue decks have what it takes to rise to the top and become a permanent part of the Pioneer scene. If you're looking for some new strategies to try out or just can't make heads or tails of the Kaldheim meta, give it a listen and join the conversation in our Discord and on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
A format is the sums of all its sets, and not just the best cards in it. Pioneer has been around for more than a year now and has seen many cards come and go due to bannings and the ever evolving metagame. Just because you only see the best cards show up in top decklists doesn't mean the format is figured out or that another card isn't good. It just means that there's still so much to learn. When Kevin and I first started this series last year we set out with one mission in mind:
Explore the Pioneer format.
With today's final episode on Ravnica, we bring the series to a close. We talk about the mechanics, the archetypes, and the best cards the plane has to bring to the Pioneer format and discuss all the possibilities available to us with these cards. Covering 7 sets, (including War of the Spark) was no easy task and choosing the best cards wasn't simple either. If you're a fan of brewing, new to the Pioneer format and what kind of things you can do with the cards available to you, or if you're just curious which cards are the best from the plane, you'll definitely want to listen.
If you're interested in hearing the rest of the series, I've compiled a list for you so you can check them out when you have the time! We've explored the format so you don't have to do it yourself!
- Dominaria and Origins
- Kaladesh (basically a Planes episode)
- Theros
- Tarkir
- The Core Sets
- Zendikar
- Ixalan and Amonkhet
- Innistrad (with special guest Christian Calcano!)
JOIN THE DISCUSSION ON OUR TWITTER OR DISCORD!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
With Uro gone, graveyards have become a little bit safer, but also putting things INTO graveyards has become safer as well. Our good friend and MTGO Grinder Amit, AKA EkerossMTG, joins us to talk about one of his favorite decks, the sole purpose of which is to put things of your opponent's into their graveyard and then get cards out of yours. That's right, BR Arcanist, named after the card Dreadhorde Arcanist which is so good that it was deemed too powerful in older eternal formats. The deck always seemed to be on the cusp of greatness but was held back by the Simic Titan.
With Uro, Reclamation, Teferi, and the Spy cards from Oops All Spells gone the world is the Arcanist's playground. If you've ever wanted to play the deck, wanted to know how to play against it, or want to know all the inner workings and lines of play that go into piloting the archetype, you definitely don't want to miss this episode. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and also join our Discord for the full decklist. If you can't get enough of BR Arcanist, look for EkerossMTG on Twitch and follow him on Twitter with the same name!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
An absolute bomb was dropped on the competitive Magic the Gathering community last week in the form of an announcement that stated that there would be a banning of Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath across multiple formats in the second week of February. We couldn't just sit on this news and not react to it as soon as possible, so Kevin and I dropped everything that we were doing and talked about what this means for the Pioneer format going forward.
What decks will be affected by the banning? Which decks get better? What will the metagame look like with Uro nowhere to be seen? We cover all of these topics and more in this week's episode and hope you'll join us in our Discord or on our Twitter to discuss what you think of this announcement.
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Dreams of Ashiok, Twitch streamer and MTGO grinder, joins us this week to talk about one of the most exciting decks of the new Kaldheim Pioneer season; Mono Green Planeswalkers. The deck has always been a competitor and has stuck around as a tiered deck since the beginning of the format. It's been hit multiple times by bannings but the deck continues to bounce back. Fresh off a top 8 in a recent Pioneer league, we thought it would be a great time to talk about this unique strategy.
The deck has gained a few new tricks from Kaldheim, namely Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider. But to understand just how much the deck has evolved with this new card and what else has changed since the Zendikar Rising metagame, you'll need to listen to the full episode. If you've ever been curious about the mono green planeswalkers deck, want to learn how to beat the mono green planeswalkers deck, or want to learn how to play it and win with it, this episode is a must listen!
Be sure to join our Discord channel if you want to see the full deck list, and follow us on Twitter if you want to find more Pioneer content!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
I have to admit, I've been rather skeptical of the last few sets and their impact on the Pioneer format, but ever since the full Kaldheim card gallery came out both Kevin and I have been brewing like crazy. While the "Spike's", or competitive players of the format, might be unexcited about what the new set brought to Pioneer, the "Timmy's" and "Johnny's" who like doing big things and trying to break things got lots of new toys. While some of these ideas probably won't pan out, quite a few are showing promise and have the potential of rising in the ranks of the Pioneer metagame soon, if not in this season.
Your hosts talk about some of our favorite Kaldheim cards to brew around, what cards got us excited to brew the most, share a few of our own brews and describe how they work, and also for the first time ever we did some "cross" content with another Pioneer podcast. The Crew3 podcast team graciously shared some of their own brews with us and we break them down and give some of our own ideas on other ways to work with their strategies! Be sure to join our discord channel for full access to the deck lists!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Jonathan Medina may sound like he literally 'dialed it in' on the phone in today's episode, but audio issues and joking aside, set release time is one of the most exciting times of the year for the First Pioneers. Kaldheim is bringing a lot of brewing potential to the Pioneer format and while there are no clear cut broken cards like in some of the more recent sets, it seems like it will be adding a little to A LOT of strategies. Listen and find out where Kaldheim cards will fit into the Pioneer format, which archetypes we think will get better, what separates jank from the all stars, and what we think the best cards of the set are. Be sure to jump into our Discord afterwards to talk about what cards you're most excited for in Pioneer and don't forget to follow us Twitter for the latest Pioneer results and news!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
“The Tribes They are a Changelin”
Come gather ’round tribes Wherever you roam And admit that the power creep Around you has grown And accept it that soon You’ll be damaged to none If your life to you is worth savin’ Then you better start blockin’ or you’ll die like a chump For the tribes they are a-changelin’
Come warriors, angels Please heed the company’s call Don’t stand on the battlefield Don’t block into open mana For he that gets hurt Will be he who has been 2 for 1’d There’s a battle on the table and it is ragin’ It’ll soon fill the playmat and rattle your walls For the tribes they are a-changelin’
- Goblin NaBob Dylan
We've talked about the tribes of Pioneer before but Kaldheim has brought so many new tribal cards into the format that we thought it would be worth updating old strategies, giving a second look to tribes we passed over before due to a lack of cards, and also evaluating the power level of the tribal cards of the new set. The introduction of the Changeling ability brings new possibilities to the tribal decks of Pioneer, and we discuss a few places where those types of cards might fit in. We also cover the major tribal "Lords" of Pioneer and the narrow "buffs" that make your tribal cards stronger.
By the time you listen to this week's podcast the full spoiler list will probably already be out, but before you start brewing up a storm be sure to listen to what we have to say about all of these new tribal cards to save you time in evaluating them and also to give you a few ideas for the starting points of your decks. There was so much to talk about that we didn't have time to cover everything tribal related, so if you have any other ideas or cards you'd like to suggest be sure to let us know on Twitter or on Discord!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Martin Porter, aka Harry13SCO on Twitter and Twitch, world renowned MTGO grinder, joins us once again to talk about Magic the Gathering and Pioneer. In this week's episode we continue our series that explores the decks of the Pioneer format and Martin tells us all about his favorite deck; Sultai Reclamation. He's been tearing up the leagues and other online events with this deck and we wanted to know how he's doing it.
We go over how to play the deck, what cards are used in the deck or what can be used as alternatives, his current list, match ups, and much much more! If you're looking to become more competitive in Pioneer, want to build this archetype, or want to learn how to beat it, don't pass by this episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
In other eternal formats the mana bases have been set for quite a while now. You'll always need playsets of Dual Lands for Legacy, and fetch lands for Modern. Shocklands see play in all of the eternal formats to some extent, but they are the best 'duals' that Pioneer has at the moment. For the format to truly come into its own, Wizards needs to complete the rest of their land cycles. It will happen eventually, but it will probably take quite a long time to finally be able to build any deck you want and have perfect mana for it.
But what will the format looks like when that happens? Today the First Pioneers explore what land cycles are unfinished and what a perfect mana Pioneer format will look like in the future. Which decks and cards would get better from more pain lands? From more fast lands? From more Triomes? We cover a variety of archetypes and what ifs and also talk about what the finished Pathway cycle will mean for Pioneer.
If you want to share your thoughts on a perfect mana Pioneer format be sure to hop on over to the Discord channel after listening to discuss it or drop us a few lines on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
There were many ups and downs in 2020 for Magic the Gathering, and none were affected more by all the upheavals than Pioneer. The format started off promising at the beginning of the year after a few rounds of bannings right after its inception. The Magic Fests revealed a number of new decks for players in January, and the release of Theros Beyond Death shook up Pioneer even more. But the shadow of the COVID 19 pandemic has overshadowed everything this year, impacting the "Gathering" part of Magic horribly and removing any momentum the format had. How has Pioneer survived this year so far and what path is it on for the future?
In this week's podcast the First Pioneers and our good friend Amit (EkerossMTG) goes over where the Pioneer format has been in 2020, where it's at, and where it's going in 2021. We cover bannings, metagames, decks, and a variety of other Pioneer related topics so that our listeners are prepared for what is to come next year.
As always if you like the topic and want to discuss or comment on it please join our discord or follow us on Twitter!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Volcanic Hike Survivor. Visitor of over 70 Countries. Eaten at over 20 Michelin Star restaurants. Food Blogger. Paid Artist. Film Critic. Fashion model. There are many things that Gavin Verhey has done in his life, but first and foremost he's a Senior Magic: The Gathering designer at Wizards of the Coast.
We wanted to do something big for our 50th episode spectacular, so we shot for the stars. Gavin graciously accepted our invite and allowed us to ask everything we've always wanted to know about Pioneer straight from the mouth of a Wizards of the Coast employee. We talk about the Pioneer format, Pioneer design space, as well as a number of other Pioneer related topics you've always wanted to know about so don't miss this episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Join us as we continue our series on the core decks that make up the Pioneer format!
Are you a control player that wants to play Pioneer and that is looking for a different take on the archetype? Do you love playing with Thoughtseizes? Are cards that are hard to interact with and give your opponents fits your thing? Then look no further than Esper Yorion! This 80 card deck gives you everything a control player could want and more.
Swedish native, Magic player, and MTGO grinder Rasmus Enegren (@mussie_99 on Twitter) joins us to talk about one of his favorite decks in the Pioneer format and explains why he likes it, what cards make up the optimal 80 for this unique take on control, and how the deck matches up against others in Pioneer. Whether you're thinking of playing it or want to know how to play against it you don't want to miss this episode!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Magic formats are the sum of all their pieces, or so we would think. But as we get further and further away from the start of Magic the Gathering, the impact is felt much less. With Pioneer it's different. We get a little bit from every new set and plane we visit. While not one set has a stranglehold on the format, the loss of one would affect Pioneer considerably. That's why we enjoy doing these episodes where we explore Pioneer and find out where each plane fits in to the format.
As we near the end of this journey of exploration, only a few planes remain. Today it's the plane of Dominaria and the planes of Magic Origins. To understand the planes of Magic Origins, Kevin gives us a short lesson on all 10 planes involved and we talk about the background story for each.
We also discuss what archetypes the planes enable, what mechanics they introduce, and also go over what cards we think will have a big impact on Pioneer and ones that have already made quite the splash. Grab your hiking shoes boots and join us on today's expedition to Dominaria and beyond!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
We've had Martin Porter (aka Harry13 on MTGO) on our show more times than we can count so we thought it was only fair to give him his own series. Personally my vote was for Mr. Martin's Metahood but Magic Meta Moment slides off the tongue much easier.
We welcome him back this week to talk about the big Pioneer events that happened in November, both online and at paper events in Tokyo. With most of the events averaging 100+ people and one even reaching over 200, it seemed like a good time to check in on how the Pioneer metagame has been developing since we last talked with him at the beginning of the Zendikar Rising season.
Martin gives us his insight on what decks are doing well, what decks aren't, how people should be preparing for the Pioneer metagame if they plan on playing over the next 2 months before the new set comes out, as well as what he'd like to see happen to the format in order to make it more engaging and fun to play. A must listen for competitive Pioneer players or anybody getting ready to play in tournaments!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
Israel National's 2018 champ and a member of the runner up team from the World Magic Cup in the same year, Amit Etgar, joins us on today's First Pioneer podcast to give advice on how to become a better competitive player in Pioneer.
Amit, also known as EkerossMTG on Twitter and Twitch, has been a notable fixture on the Pioneer MTGO scene since the format shifted largely online earlier this year and has been honing his skills every week there. He's no stranger to making tough plays and trying new strategies, so for this week's episode we hit him with a variety of difficult questions about the current Pioneer format.
He talks about his approach to preparing for big events like Pro Tour Qualifiers, such as how to test decks out, what kind of archetypes seem to work best in the format, what the best decks are in each major archetype, as well as what type of cards you should have answers for. If you're looking to improve your competitive Pioneer skills in the coming months before paper Magic returns, or plan to start playing the format on MTGO, be sure to give this episode a listen!
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/SBRF8DH
Our Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtgPioneer
The addition of Kaladesh Remastered to MTG Arena in November brings us one step closer to a fully realized Pioneer format on the platform. But how close? In this week's episode we talk about what the new cards from the plane of Kaladesh bring to the Historic format and also discuss how to build some of your favorite Pioneer decks that use cards from the set on Arena. Other topics include what cards didn't make it into the set, what set we'd like to see remastered next, and which archetypes from Kaladesh are no longer viable.
Whether you're a competitive Historic player and want to know what cards you should be looking out for, or a Pioneer player patiently biding their time and collecting singles to build some of your favorite archetypes, this episode has a little bit of everything. If you like the episode be sure to subscribe and share it with your friends!
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Pioneer continues to grow both in popularity and in card pool size, and with each new season new decks pop up. Not all decks survive the seasonal change and bannings, but a few have withstood the test of time. In this new series The First Pioneers hope to dig to the depths of the most popular and powerful decks in the format in order to enlighten our listeners, whether you are a competitive or a casual player.
Special guest, MTGO grinder, and 11 time Pioneer league trophy winner ClaudioMTG joins us from Brazil in this week's episode to talk about all things 5 Color Niv Mizzet. He's gained a lot of notoriety in the MTGO community with this archetype and has mastered the ins and outs of it. We pick his brain and listen to his insights on the deck, so if you currently play it and want some tips or if you're thinking of building it, this is a must listen episode!
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With Halloween less than a week away we thought we'd treat our listeners to an episode based around the holiday season. Using only Pioneer legal cards the First Pioneers crew and guest Jonathan Medina 'boo'rewed up some spooky decks to get you in the mood to play some Pioneer. You'll be terrified by some of the janky decks we came up with, but you might even be more scared to know there are some playable ones as well! Listen and choose "witch" decks you think are the best!
We'd like to invite all of our listeners to share their own spooky Pioneer deck ideas with us, so if you have some free time join our Discord and post them in the decklist channel!
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Some people just love to make the argument that Pioneer (and Frontier before it) was just all the old, best standard decks put into one format. But is it true?
We've discussed a few old decks before, but in today's episode the First Pioneers try to put that tired old trope to rest and set out to explore which of these past "best decks" in standard survived the test of time. Is it true that you can pick up any of those old standard decks and that they are still viable in the Pioneer? Or did some decks falter and fail in their transition to this new eternal format? If so, how could we update them to be competitive again? Listen to find out if your favorite old standard deck can still cut it!
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Whether you're a competitive player looking to win some games on MTGO, a casual player playing with friends at home, or a brewer that wants to see if your deck can beat the "big boys" of the format, it's in your best interest to keep up with all the new tools, tricks, and types of strategies Pioneer has to offer.
Martin Porter, aka Harry13 joins us from Scotland once again fresh off a few weeks of Pioneer on MTGO and gives us the lowdown on what you need to know about the Zendikar Rising meta; whether it be a new card, a new archetype, or a new way to build a previous deck. Make sure to listen and get all the data you can from today's episode before diving into the deep end of Pioneer!
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Our journey through the planes of Pioneer continues as we make a stop at Theros to talk about how much the plane impacted the format. Many people thought Wizards of the Coast was taking a big risk when they added Theros block, RTR block, and M14 into what was basically the casual "Frontier" format. Many people who had played during Theros block remembered the pain that Thoughtseize brought with mono black decks, and how it single handedly let Abzan aggro take over the following Khans of Tarkir meta. But are those fears unfounded? Just how many Theros cards have what it takes to make it into Pioneer?
Be sure to listen as we go over each color and talk about the best cards from them, as well as what Theros has to offer in terms of archetypes and strategies to the format.
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What's up PARTY PEOPLLLLE! "DJ" Hobbyist and Icky Fink of the First Pioneers comin' at you LIVE from the rising of Zendikar to bring you the sickest hits and some of the hardest Warriors, Clerics, Wizards, and Rogues Pioneer has to offer.
We're bringing some of the maddest beats each tribe has in the format and hope you'll consider raising the roof for some of them before you kick them out to the curb. Drop the needle and listen to us spit the truth of the heartiest, partiest people!!
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Continuing our discussion from last time, the First Pioneers and guest Jonathan Medina dive deeper into the the stony depths of Zendikar Rising to see what makes it tick. In part 2 we talk about red, green, multicolor, artifacts, and lands. Does red bring the "fire" and green bring the "beats"? Are the lands actually relevant if they don't have another mode on them? And which cards are not quite good enough for Pioneer play? Be sure to listen to the rest of our set review to find out, and join our Discord and follow our Twitter to see what cards we ended up choosing for our top 5!
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Jonathan Medina joins the First Pioneers once again to talk about a new set and today we discuss how we see the cards from Zendikar Rising fitting into the Pioneer format. We ask and try to answer all the hard questions about the new set. Is the set better than the panned Battle for Zendikar and Oath of the Gatewatch sets? Will Zendikar Rising have any impact on the Pioneer format? Where will these new cards fit in? And most importantly, why does Ryan keep talking about jank?
Part 1 covers all of the white, blue, and black cards from ZNR. We talk about the new "Party" mechanic, how to use the new modal lands in constructed play, and also throw some sweet interactions and deck ideas your way. Be sure to listen to it before listening to Part 2 later this week!
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If you haven't been following the Pioneer format since the flurry of bannings over a month ago, you're in for a shock. The competitive environment has totally changed since we last talked about the metagame, and to make sense of it all the First Pioneers once again asked our resident MTGO grinder "Harry13" to explain what's been happening. If you're getting back into Pioneer after a break, are a casual player looking to up your game, or just wondering if the decks you built in the past are still viable, you don't want to miss this episode.
Martin tells us what's good, what's not good, why, and how we can prepare ourselves for this new metagame going into the Zendikar Rising season.
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September 2020 marks the first ever standard rotation in Magic the Gathering where Pioneer is an official format. While the cards from Ravnica Allegiance, Guilds of Ravnica, War of the Spark, and the M20 core set have all been legal in Pioneer since they were printed, the standard format is going to lose more than 1000 cards. In the past, many a player loathed this month as a time when all of the cards they paid premiums for had their values reduced to pennies since almost none of them could ever cut it in eternal formats like Legacy or Modern. That's not the case anymore however, and today the First Pioneers would like to help current standard players to the Pioneer format since they can't play their cards in their format anymore, as well as to inform current Pioneer players what cards they should pick up as rotation nears and prices bottom out on previously expensive cards.
If we don't mention a card you think should on the list, be sure to comment on it here or on our discord channel in the link below!
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It's been far too long since the last time we looked at budget options for Pioneer, so in today's episode the First Pioneers would like to revisit that topic. We initially talked about 6 deck choices in episode 15 of this podcast which you can find here. Today we bring you 6 brand new deck choices, and just like before we have a $50 "super budget" version that helps you learn the basics of the deck and build your core cards, as well as a $100 version that is more powerful and adds in staples to make your deck competitive.
As always feel free to comment on today's decks, add your own, or view the decklists we talked about in this week's episode on our discord channel and be sure to subscribe so you know when the next show is released!
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Ryan and guest Thomas Fletcher hijack the show from Kevin today to talk all about the new Amonkhet Remastered set on MTG Arena and how it fits into the Historic format. As we rush towards a full Pioneer format on Arena this winter at break neck speed, we want to make sure that people don't overlook any of the great cards from the plane of Amonkhet. In this episode we explore what cards you should be considering for your decks in Historic, as well as which of those you should be looking to acquire before Pioneer launches.
As each of us were previously Frontier players we can all remember the time when the cards from Amonkhet and Hour of Devastation impacted that format. Hopefully our suggestions and insights help you so you aren't caught off guard and can hit the ground running! Make sure you don't get buried in the sand!
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If you're an overpowered Magic card in Pioneer, your days are numbered. The entire Pioneer Magic community was shocked by the sudden banning of Walking Ballista, Inverter of Truth, Kethis the Hidden Hand, and Underworld Breach. While players had been calling for some kind of shake up in the format, nobody expected Wizards to make such a decisive move that would not only 'nerf' one deck, but a handful of them all at once.
In today's episode we dive deep into the reasons behind the bannings, how the bannings will affect each archetype in Pioneer, and also which decks have the most to gain from this shakeup. If you're a player trying to make sense of things after your favorite card was banned, or if you are a returning player that is looking to pick up a new deck in this fresh meta, the First Pioneers and special guest MTGO grinder Harry13 cover a variety of options for both of you. While I'm sure some people will claim that their deck is dead, perhaps with a change or two your deck will be back on its feet with a new way to win! Be sure to listen to all of our suggestions and insights, and leave some of your own if you want!
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Before the banned and restricted announcement shook up the Pioneer format during the M21 season, the First Pioneers took a look at how the format was shaping up with the unbanning of Oath of Nissa. New power ranking predictions, what decks have been doing well, and some sweet deck ideas from Japan are discussed in this week's show.
We also complained about how the format had too much combo in it and that it would do Pioneer good to have a little more variety. Little did we know how right we were! We also compared Pioneer to other eternal formats like Modern and Legacy and tried to explain why some decks such as burn or Jund don't exist in Pioneer but can in other formats.
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The Historic format on MTG Arena has been abuzz with activity since the new Historic only set, 'Jump Start', was added. But how would the best Historic decks stack up against the best Pioneer decks? We put the decks of each format head to head against one another to see which could come out on top, and make a wish list of all the Jump Start cards we'd love to see show up in Pioneer in the future.
If you've been building your collection on MTG Arena and want to know what you should spend your wildcards on before Pioneer Masters drops at the end of the year, check it out!
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While you wait for more Pioneer results from early in the M21 season, join The First Pioneers as we explore more of the planes of Pioneer! Today's episode is all about the plane of both the Khans and Dragons: Tarkir. Tarkir was an incredibly rich plane that introduced the new 3 color wedges to Magic the Gathering, gave us incredibly powerful cards that redefined eternal magic formats like Ugin, the Spirit Dragon and Hardened Scales, and also added a variety of mechanics to Magic like Delve that ended up being too powerful for every other format outside of Pioneer.
If you're interested in learning about what Tarkir brings to the Pioneer format, what the best cards are, and what other future possibilities are in store for the plane, be sure to give it a listen!
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Pioneer MTGO grinder Martin Porter, aka Harry13 joins us once again to explore the format. Last time we had him on we talked about the Ikoria metagame and how companions shook up the format. There have been many changes since then, and with Harry playing competitive Pioneer almost daily The First Pioneers podcast thought we'd pick his brain to get a jump on this new season. In today's episode we talk about the effects the companion rule change had on the format, how M21 is starting to shape up in Pioneer, as well as what cards we think we'll see more of as the season progresses. If you're looking to build some new decks after the recent banned and restricted announcement, this is a great place to start!
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Were the cards currently on the Pioneer ban list unfairly banned? Should they get a second chance to prove that they are fair? Have enough new cards been printed since they were banned that the format has found balance and can accommodate them without leading to unfair lines of play? In today's episode we'll tell you that most of these cards deserved the hammer and are still unsafe, but we do make quite a few caveats and also discuss which ones might show up in the near future if Pioneer gets its hands on a few more effective cards. Be sure to explore this topic with us today!
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As with the past core sets before it, Kevin and I can barely contain our excitement for the newest one, M21. Each year the designers at Wizards of the Coast outdo themselves with better cards and great reprints, and this year is no different. With the M21 Core Set not legal in all formats until July 3rd, for this episode we thought it would be best to brew up some decks using the new cards and to share them with you. Whether it's aggro, combo, or one of the other popular archetypes, we got you covered. Be sure to join our Discord channel to check out our deck lists in full as well as to share yours!
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Jonathan Medina joins the hosts of The First Pioneers once again to explore the impact of the newest Magic the Gathering set on the format. M21 is bringing some very welcome reprints to Pioneer from sets that were already legal in the format, but what makes it even more exciting are the other reprints from past sets that were not legal before. With the recent power creep in core sets, just what kind of dynamic will these cards create in Pioneer? What new decks are sure to spring up? What cards should you be prepared to face in the format? Be sure to listen and find out!
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With M21 on the horizon, we thought we'd warm our listeners up for the new metagame by talking about the "plane" that is the core sets. While not technically a "plane" of Pioneer, the core sets have a special place in the format. They might not have the highest number of playable cards but without them the format would be a very different place. Just where exactly do the core sets fit in? We hope to uncover that and more as we talk about the power creep, reprints, and the endless possibilities future core sets could bring to the Pioneer format.
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First time guest and one of the youngest players to ever make the Magic Pro Tour, Milan Bhayana, joins us on this week's episode to talk about the recent change in the companion rule and how it will affect the format as a whole. Should you still play companions in your deck? Should they be in the main deck or in the sideboard? What decks get worse with the rule change? Which decks get better? We discuss this and more in this installment to better prepare our listeners who are gearing up to play competitive Pioneer this summer. If you like the show and want to hear more like this be sure to follow us and share it with friends!
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Is Pioneer a difficult format to play? What challenges do players face in the format? How can you become a better Pioneer player? In today's episode we welcome Pioneer grinder Martin Porter from Scotland to talk about these topics as well as to focus on the technical side of the format. If you're looking to up your game and to take competitive Pioneer seriously, you'll definitely want to listen to this week's show.
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Special guest and long time friend Thomas Fletcher from our Frontier format days joins us in today's episode to talk about the best Planeswalkers Pioneer has to offer. While planeswalkers have lost quite a bit of power since the early days of the format when cards like Oko and Oath of Nissa were common place, they are still every bit as potent in a variety of strategies. With companions still shaking things up in the format, some previously powerful planeswalkers are struggling. Which ones still make the cut as playable in Pioneer, and which ones have lots of potential? Join us as we discuss this and more and see if your favorite planeswalkers made the list!
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While most people were focused on how commonplace and strong Companions are in the Pioneer format, the MTG Arena team quietly released their 3rd anthology for the Historic format. While very few of the cards this time around are actually Pioneer playable, it got us wondering if these older cards could actually break Pioneer. Aside from the historic only cards currently available, we discussed which cards from past sets before the Pioneer format could be reprinted without taking it to its breaking point.
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With companions in some form or another looking more and more like they will become a big part of the Pioneer format, what’s a Magic player to do? In this episode Your hosts discuss just what players should expect from a future full of companions.
As less of a competitive player, Ryan tries to work out all the details of what a companion metagame will look like with the help of our resident Johnny/Spike player Kevin. If you’re still trying to wrap your head around this new meta and need some tips on how to approach it then be sure to give this episode a listen
Companions seem to have taken Pioneer by storm, just as they have done in almost every other Magic the Gathering format. In today's episode we take a look at recent Pioneer MTGO results and discuss just how much of an impact Companions have had on it. Will Companions stick around for long or will they be a 'flash in the pan'? Which companions can you expect to see in Pioneer from now on? How can you beat them? All this and more in this week's episode!
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With Ikoria still fresh off the presses and most events unlikely to explore the format in depth for weeks to come, the time is ripe to brew to your heart’s content in Pioneer. In today’s show we explore early brews people are playing with on Magic Online and also share some ideas we had for our own. Now seems like a great time to brew and have some fun playing Pioneer. How will YOU attack the metagame this season? Be sure to share your deck ideas with us after listening!
Out of all of the beasts and baddies of Ikoria, which will make the cut in Pioneer? Join “The Pioneers” and special guest Jonathan Medina as we peer over the reinforced walls of human resistance in Ikoria and decide which creatures are our foe and which are our friends in the Pioneer format.
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A few weeks back the MTG Arena team let slip that they were working on releasing Amonkhet block, as well as a Pioneer Masters set for the free to play online Magic the Gathering software. Both of these announcements bring us one step closer to being able to play Pioneer any time and anywhere with an internet connection. In today’s topic we discuss how the current Historic format will slowly morph into Pioneer lite with the new sets, as well as which cards need to be included in Pioneer Masters to make Arena the closest thing to Pioneer online for the masses.
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Wizards of the Coast has been releasing challenger decks for years and while there have been more misses than hits, they’ve been doing a lot better as of late. Back when we were a Frontier podcast we had fun making our own starter/challenger decks for people getting into that format, but now that the Pioneer metagame has started to solidify we thought it would be good to revisit this topic. Prices are starting to go up on some cards and players getting into the format need to have a good jumping off point to get them started. Challenger decks seem like a great way to deal with both problems. In today’s episode Kevin and I pick 6 of the strongest decks in Pioneer and discuss how we’d make a cheap challenger deck for new players as well as a budget deck that’s a bit more expensive but also more powerful.
For those of you interested in the Frontier starter deck episode you can find it here: Frontier Archive Project Ep. 40 - Building Frontier Starter Decks, https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-4sqaw-c2a49a
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Luckily the Eldrazi never took over Pioneer like they did in the other eternal formats, but the same can't be said for Zendikar. In today's episode we continue our series about the Planes of Pioneer and discuss how each one fits into the format. Zendikar brought us a lot of interesting cards that form up the backbone of many decks. Its cards also helped to fill in gaps of others where they were lacking. While most if not all of the Plane's mechanics were utter failures, the block itself still has a lot of potential in Pioneer. Join us as we explore the verdant lands of Zendikar!
Thank you for joining us during our first live show! Did you miss it? No worries, there will be more. Be sure to join the Discord so join our next live podcast!
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When Wizards first announced there was going to be a post-modern format, Kevin and I were still doing a Frontier podcast. Having played that casual format for so long, we felt we had a pretty good handle on what Wizards of the Coast needed to do in order to start this new format off on the right foot. In this episode we look back on our advice to see if Wizards of the Coast has followed any of our suggestions and if so how this decision affected Pioneer. We also discuss Pioneer’s current health heading into the last stretch of the season as well as what Wizards can do to further improve the format.
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With plenty of results to look at, Kevin and Ryan believe that the Pioneer metagame is starting to settle. But where do we go from here? In this episode we discuss what we think the rest of the season will look like, talk about what we think the best decks of the format are, and also which cards are currently format all stars.
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