On January 25th, our monthly cash event for Pioneer took place. What made this event special was the release of the newest set, Theros: Beyond Death. This has been the first set to be released after Pioneer became a format so this is the first time Pioneer will see any form of potential shakeup in the meta that isn’t just a card or two getting banned. Did any off the new cards make an impact? Lets take a look by looking at the top 8 decks from this event.
Steve Walsh – Blue-Green Lotus Storm
CREATURES (9): 3 Arboreal Grazer 1 Fae of Wishes 1 Thassa’s Oracle 4 Vizier of Tumbling Sands ENCHANTMENTS (4): 4 Underworld Breach SPELLS (23): 4 Chronic Flooding 3 Dig Through Time 4 Hidden Strings 4 Pore Over the Pages 4 Strategic Planning 4 Sylvan Scrying LANDS (24): 1 Blast Zone 4 Botanical Sanctum 1 Forest 4 Lotus Field 4 Mana Confluence 4 Temple of Mystery 4 Thespian Stage 2 Yavimaya Coast | SIDEBOARD (15): 2 Anger of the Gods 2 Blink of an Eye 1 Jace, Wielder of Mysteries 3 Ratchet Bomb 3 Return to Nature 4 Swan Song |
A take on the Ral Lotus Storm deck that was starting to rise in popularity in Pioneer before Theros: Beyond Death. This deck took the ability to constantly untap Lotus Field to net mana that the current Lotus Storm deck had but added Chronic Flooding to also fill the grave at the same time. Why would you want the grave filled? It’s to help fuel your Underworld Breach, a new card from Theros: Beyond Death that lets you cast cards from your discard as if they had escape! And guess what cards get cast? All your untap cards so you can keep going and going. The end goal is to run out of cards in deck (or come very close) and cast Thassa’s Oracle to win the game. Since both these cards got leaked it was very apparent they would be powerful and this deck shows it didn’t take long for someone to go ahead and figure out how to make them work.
James Tennant – UW Control
CREATURES (1): 1 Dream Trawler PLANESWALKERS (9): 1 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion 1 Jace, Architect of Thought 2 Narset, Parter of Veils 2 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria 3 Teferi, Time Raveler ENCHANTMENTS (2): 2 Cast Out SPELLS (23): 4 Absorb 4 Azorius Charm 2 Blessed Alliance 2 Dig Through Time 4 Opt 1 Settle the Wreckage 4 Supreme Verdict 2 Syncopate LANDS (25): 1 Castle Ardenvale 2 Castle Vantress 2 Field of Ruin 1 Geier Reach Sanitarium 4 Glacial Fortress 4 Hallowed Fountain 2 Irrigated Farmland 6 Island 3 Plains | SIDEBOARD (15): 2 Cataclysmic Gearhulk 1 Detention Sphere 2 Disdainful Stroke 2 Dovin’s Veto 2 Dream Trawler 1 Grafdigger’s Cage 1 Heliod’s Intervention 1 Rest in Peace 1 Sorcerous Spyglass 2 Spell Queller |
Brandon Czosnowski – UW Control
PLANESWALKERS (10): 2 Narset, Parter of Veils 4 Teferi, Time Raveler 2 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria 1 Jace, Architect of Thought 1 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion ENCHANTMENTS (3): 2 Cast out 1 Detention Sphere SPELLS (22): 4 Absorb 4 Azorius Charm 2 Dig Through Time 1 Disallow 1 Dovin’s Veto 4 Opt 4 Supreme Verdict 2 Syncopate LANDS (25): 2 Castle Ardenvale 2 Castle Vantress 1 Field of Ruin 1 Geier Reach Sanitarium 4 Glacial Fortress 4 Hallowed Fountain 2 Irrigated Farmland 5 Islands 4 Plains | SIDEBOARD (15): 1 Aether Gust 1 Blind Obedience 2 Dovin’s Veto 2 Lyra Dawnbringer 2 Mystical Dispute 1 Narset, Parter of Veils 1 Pithing Needle 2 Rest in Peace 1 Settle the Wreckage 2 Summary Dismissal |
Both of these players played very similar builds of Blue White Control. The only real changes that control gets from Theros: Beyond Death we see in James’s deck in Dream Trawler and Heliod’s Intervention. Of these two cads Dream Trawler is the one that has been getting a lot of buzz for Standard as well as the new control finisher! This powerful creature does everything control wants from their big end game creatures some like what you find in Bitcasino slots. It draws cards, can protect itself, close out games, and to top it all off it has flying and lifelink.
Collin Britton – UW Spirits
CREATURES (37): 1 Archangel Avacyn 4 Empyrean Eagle 4 Mausoleum Wanderer 4 Nebelgast Herald 4 Rattlechains 4 Reflector Mage 4 Selfless Spirit 4 Spectral Sailor 4 Spell Queller 4 Supreme Phantom SPELLS (1): 1 Unbreakable Formation LANDS (22): 4 Glacial Fortress 4 Hallowed Fountain 6 Island 4 Plains 4 Unclaimed Territory | SIDEBOARD (15): 2 Authority of the Consuls 1 Declaration in Stone 2 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 2 Immolating Glare 2 Negate 1 Settle the Wreckage 3 Surge of Righteousness 2 Teferi, Time Raveler |
Blue White Spirits is probably the most popular tribal archetype in Pioneer at the current moment. Spirits are known for usually having flying and flash which definitely adds to their appeal. Being able to play your creatures at the end of your opponents turn will keep them safer from removal than other tribes can guarantee. This combined with their ETB synergies makes Spirits a tribe to watch out for!
Daniel Guajardo – Sultai Stuff
CREATURES (13): 2 Atris, Oracle of Half-Truths 2 Brazen Borrower 4 Frilled Mystic 2 Nightpack Ambusher 1 The Scarab God 2 Torrential Gearhulk ENCHANTMENTS (4): 4 Wilderness Reclamation SPELLS (18): 4 Abrupt Decay 4 Censor 2 Dig Through Time 4 Growth Spiral 3 Sinister Sabotage 1 Supreme Will LANDS (25): 4 Breeding Pool 2 Castle Vantress 3 Drowned Catacombs 1 Forest 4 Hinterland Harbor 2 Island 1 Lumbering Falls 2 Overgrown Tomb 4 Watery Grave 2 Woodland Cemetery | SIDEBOARD (15): 2 Aether Gust 1 Heroic Intervention 3 Mystical Dispute 2 Noxious Grasp 1 Pithing Needle 2 Scavenging Ooze 2 Skylasher 2 Tireless Tracker |
A deck full of good cards in Sultai colors with a Flash subtheme to help abuse Wilderness Reclamation. Getting full value out of your turns AND your opponent’s turns is the name of the game with this deck!
Matt Borgerson – Boros Feather
CREATURES (21): 2 Dauntless Bodyguard 3 Dreadhorde Arcanist 4 Favored Hoplite 4 Feather, the Redeemed 4 Monastery Swiftspear 4 Tenth District Legionnaire SPELLS (19): 3 Boros Charm 4 Defiant Strike 4 Gods Willing 4 Reckless Rage 4 Titan’s Strength LANDS (20): 3 Battlefield Forge 3 Clifftop Retreat 4 Inspiring Vantage 3 Mountain 3 Plains 4 Sacred Foundry | SIDEBOARD (15): 2 Adanto Vanguard 1 Ajani’s Presence 2 Declaration in Stone 1 Deicide 2 Fry 1 Gideon Blackblade 2 Hushbringer 2 Rampaging Ferocidon 1 Rest in Peace 1 Revoke Existence |
Abusing spells that target your own creatures to give them buffs or abilities like first strike. Feather, the Redeemed helps make this easier by returning these spells back to your hand at the end of the turn! Being able to use cards that draw you cards every turn gives this deck card advantage that can’t be beat!
Mason Hiler – Blue White Monument
CREATURES (29): 2 Angel of Invention 4 Charming Prince 4 Deputy of Detention 3 Elite Guardmage 4 Militia Bugler 4 Reflector Mage 4 Selfless Spirit 4 Thraben Inspector PLANESWALKERS (1): 1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar ARTIFACTS (4): 4 Oketra’s Monument SPELLS (2): 2 Dusk // Dawn LANDS (24): 1 Castle Ardenvale 4 Glacial Fortress 4 Hallowed Fountain 4 Island 9 Plains 2 Westvale Abbey | SIDEBOARD (15): 3 Conclave Tribunal 3 Declaration in Stone 2 Dovin’s Veto 1 Dusk // Dawn 2 Mystical Dispute 1 Rest in Peace 3 Teferi, Time Raveler |
Oketra’s Monument makes white creatures cheaper and rewards you with a 1/1 token for playing creatures. The goal of this deck is to fill it with cheap creatures with enter the battlefield effects to add to the perks of casting cheap creatures. Flooding the board with small creatures to destroy your opponent!
Scott Lemon – Fire Superfriends
CREATURES (3): 3 Fae of Wishes PLANESWALKERS (14): 1 Ajani Unyielding 1 Chandra, Awakened Inferno 1 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion 2 Jace, Architect of Thought 3 Narset, Parter of Veils 1 Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh 1 Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God 1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria 3 Teferi, Time Raveler ARTIFACTS (1): 1 Grafdigger’s Cage ENCHANTMENTS (6): 4 Fires of Invention 2 Oath of Teferi SPELLS (10): 2 Abrade 3 Deafening Clarion 2 Drawn from Dreams 3 Supreme Verdict LANDS (26): 1 Castle Vantress 2 Clifftop Retreat 2 Glacial Fortress 3 Hallowed Fountain 4 Interplanar Beacon 1 Irrigated Farmland 1 Island 1 Mountain 1 Plains 2 Sacred Foundry 2 Steam Vents 1 Sulfur Falls 1 Temple of Enlightenment 2 Temple of Epiphany 2 Temple of Triumph | SIDEBOARD (15): 1 Alpine Moon 1 Anger of the Gods 2 Authority of the Consuls 1 Casualties of War 1 Day’s Undoing 1 Detention Sphere 1 Grafdigger’s Cage 1 Pithing Needle 1 Possibility Storm 1 Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God 1 Rest in Peace 1 Sorcerous Spyglass 1 Supreme Verdict 1 Wear // Tear |
A newer take on the Superfriends archetype utilizing the card Fires of Invention printed in Throne of Eldraine to be able to cast powerful planeswalkers and lock the game out in various ways. The downside of Fires of Invention is the inability to play cards on your opponent’s turns, but when you lock an opponent out of playing the game who needs to play things on their turn.
If you are interested in any of the cards you see in this article go to Mythicmtg.com to pick up whatever you may need for your deck, also if you want to have a better gaming gaming experience check the info at footballaustralia.info.
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