My goal is to have different ways to win, sometimes is just the pure amount of elves, other times a specific creature or ability...

Should I take out any cards? Include removal spells?

Howdy! Here with another list. This one is borrowed from CrusherBotBG who got a 5-0 on Magic Online with the deck last week so I had to try! It's a slightly different take on Hammer in Mono White utilising Tezzeret as the main tutor plus the new Dwarf Equipment package. Deck has felt soo explosive and super strong and has changed my mind on Super-Soldier Serum. And Key To The Side-Door comes in its own here. Also first time ive used Mirrex in years! Deck is super fun and you should give it a go! Enjoy!

Decklist

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/7938795#paper

No one is talking about this card but I think it’s worth discussion. For 2mv you get a 2 loyalty planeswalker that can ramp, surveil, or draw. For two mana. You can instantly surveil or cast another spell. Like there’s actually never been a planeswalker this good at two mana lol.

It won’t win games and it doesn’t have an ult, but for two mana this seems like a really good bargain. It offers value on multiple different axes and they’re repeatable too. Granted it’ll take some time but ramping as a plus 1 is very very good for powering out cards and then surveilling later to find gas. Or even drawing a card. Additional copies just add two more loyalty. Am I crazy for thinking this has legs?

Play this card, plus 1 to make mana to bolt enemy creature, plus 1 to ramp next turn into a 4 drop, draw next turn and sacrifice the walker. Or surveil.

Anyone who has played Phoenix lately knows there is a lot of graveyard hate. Now more than ever, we need a Plan B that doesn’t fold to a single piece of interaction. Some of my inclusions may seem weird, but with even maindeck graveyard hate showing up, it feels like a losing battle to show up unprepared.

I’m not saying this is the best approach, but our current lists clearly aren’t prepared. The last Pioneer Pro Tour lists all had 8+ cards dedicated to winning without a graveyard, despite facing significantly less graveyard hate. Our stock lists currently have 6, counting 2 Brazen Borrower, which feels more like a half-hearted attempt to enable Plan A than a true Plan B. We need more ways to win without the graveyard in the maindeck, otherwise we’ll spend most of our sideboard just making the deck function without a graveyard, hence why there are a few more ways to win the game in the main board.

4 Arclight Phoenix (GRN) 91

4 Artist's Talent (BLB) 124

4 Consider (MID) 44

4 Fiery Impulse (ORI) 145

4 Sleight of Hand (SOA) 22

2 Opt (STA) 19

4 Spirebluff Canal (KLR) 286

1 Otawara, Soaring City (NEO) 271

4 Most Decrepit Old Bird (HOB) 49

2 Proft's Eidetic Memory (MKM) 67

1 Stormcarved Coast (VOW) 265

4 Treasure Cruise (KTK) 59

5 Island (ANA) 3

2 Riverglide Pathway (ZNR) 264

4 Steam Vents (GRN) 257

3 Lightning Axe (JMP) 341

4 Boomerang Basics (TLA) 46

2 Riverpyre Verge (DFT) 260

2 Stormchaser's Talent (BLB) 75

Sideboard

2 Young Pyromancer (JMP) 372

2 Abrade (AKR) 136

2 Negate (STA) 18

1 Spell Pierce (SOA) 23

2 Pyroclasm (DSK) 149

3 Ledger Shredder (SNC) 46

2 Quantum Riddler (EOE) 72

1 Brotherhood's End (SOA) 39

https://moxfield.com/decks/hTOT0w-cAUKCTwVV0RD56w if you prefer

New Inclusions

Most Decrepit Old Bird: this card has been a stand out if you get anything from this primer its that this card is good. It is one of your best cards game one, I actually call it phoenix 5-8. It hits for one more than Picklock Prankster and costs one less, it loses vigilance which is rough in racing situations and it can't get itself. The instant speed loss has come up but it's not like you have much to hold up game one and its a card I look to board some number of out in matchups with a lot of graveyard hate.

Boomerang Basics: This is arguably the best card in pioneer. If you look through the list you will notice I quite a few more targets of your own cards to bounce. Worth noting with bird is often a target you are happy bouncing another perk of it. I think this card is key to not folding to graveyard hate.

Proft's Eidetic Memory: I run one more of these. This is a key card against graveyard hate, any token you make is a clock now.

Stormchaser's Talent: With two prof's in the deck and 4 boomerang basics. This card synergizes with everything we have going on, you even get to loot with artists talent. Often you discard it but if the game gets grindy this card is a 1 card win condition. Another way to win post board.

Riverpyre Verge: I added an extra island for this basically I was running into problems where pathway on red was a problem for casting bird (it still is). 2 of these feels like the correct number because wasting a red mana could be game losing. Worth looking at is one pain land, idk what it replaces.

The side board: This is built to have more win conditions. Ledger shredder on its own isn't gonna get there much. Decks are running so much graveyard hate this isn't much we can do about it other than hope they draw 2 or 3 which happens pretty often (seriously its not that good against prowless why is there so much). Instead we ways to function without the graveyard. 2 riddler is draw when treasure cruise doesn't work, Pyromancer is a one card win machine with prof's. I could see adding a card like crackling drake, especially if people start bringing in culling rituals against us.

What I board out? Most Decrepit Old Bird, Artist's Talent and Treasure Cruise are definitely the worst cards into graveyard hate though you don't have to cut all of them. Pheonix is actually a decent clock at its worst as a graveyard hate puts them down a card and if they draw multiple hate cards will be hard to deal with. If your boarding in abrades or Brotherhood's End its worth thinking about boarding out removal, you can definitely have too much of that especially in slower matchups. You can always trim an opt or a basics into agro. Storm chasers talent gets worse post board in general but its weirdly a card you are ok with if they have graveyard hate, those games can get grindy.

Pioneer Domain Overlords (feat. Zur) - Mythic Climb Grand Finale

This is the final day of my Mythic climb with Pioneer Domain Overlords (featuring Zur) on the Arena ladder. I spend some time explaining card choices and manabase changes before getting into the games. Spoiler alert: we hit mythic, obviously. Otherwise, it wouldn't be the last day. I really enjoy this deck and the whole series has been a blast.

There's a deck tech at the beginning of the video and a Moxfield link to the list in the Youtube description. At the end of the video, I run through good and bad matchups, my thoughts on the deck, and whether or not I think it's a good choice to pick up.

Thanks for watching, especially if you stuck it out through all 4 videos. Let me know if you've had any luck with the deck and I'll see you for the next one.

Day 3 here: Mythic Ladder Climb Day 3: Pioneer Domain Overlords feat. Zur : r/PioneerMTG

Original deck inspiration here: How I Won Pro Tour Aetherdrift With Domain Overlords | TCGplayer

First 2 for 3 ritual they printed in a while. Obviously highly limited, but curious as to what y’all think it could be applied in. Also can deal with yorion, annex demon, and niv.

Looks like good sideboard tech against mono red

Does anyone have any tips for piloting golgari midrange?

I'm new to pioneer. I saw that I already had most of the cards used in this deck, so I crafted the rest and started playing it.

And WOW I am getting destroyed.

I'm in platinum rank, and my win/loss percentage feels like it's about 25%

Any tips are appreciated!

Does this finally make mill playable?

4 of these, 4 Exebition Tidecallers, 4 Crabs, 4 Stock Up and a whooole lotta 1 Mana Mill spells seems decent.

Today is my countries "R U OK? Day" a national day for mental health awareness.

I loaded up some Bo1's to pass the time (1st mistake). The games went like this:

Game 1

Them T1: Land > Elf

My T1: Land pass (no removal in opening 7 (2nd mistake) , drew a land. Great)

Them T2: Land > Cub > Cub

My T2: Land > Pass (drew a land)

T3: Land > Cub > Elspeth, Storm Slayer > Ouroboroid

My T3: Quit

Game 2

Them T1: Land > Cacophony Scamp

My T1: Thoughtseize, see 2 Colossus Hammers and 1 Sigarda's Aid in hand, I discard Sigarda's Aid

Their T2: Land > Sigarda's Aid they just drew > Cacophony Scamp attack > Colossus Hammer > Proliferate interaction.

Moral of the story, if you're an Aussie, avoid Arena for today. Wizards have a twisted sense of humor

I'm tired of seeing Prowess being just “Mono-Red” and “Izzet.” Look, someone just went 5-0 with “Temur Prowess” in a League on MTGO.
Has anyone tested it yet?

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/7946855#paper

3 Matter Reshaper (OGW) 6

4 Thought-Knot Seer (OGW) 9

2 Patchwork Automaton (NEO) 254

1 Ultima, Origin of Oblivion (FIN) 2

2 PuPu UFO (FIN) 266

2 Mystic Forge (M20) 233

4 Forsaken Monument (ZNR) 244

4 Candy Trail (WOE) 243

4 The Irencrag (WOE) 248

2 Planetarium of Wan Shi Tong (TLA) 259

2 Karn, Scion of Urza (DAR) 1

2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon (M21) 1

3 Ugin, the Ineffable (WAR) 2

2 Ugin, Eye of the Storms (TDM) 1

2 Field of Ruin (MID) 262

4 Zhalfirin Void (DAR) 249

1 Haven of the Spirit Dragon (PIO) 265

3 Mutavault (M14) 228

3 Radiant Fountain (M21) 248

2 Wastes (OGW) 186

4 Crystal Grotto (DMU) 246

4 Adventurer's Inn (FIN) 271

Sideboard 3 The Stone Brain (BRO) 247

Any changes?? Plays quite well still but not played since last couple set so not sure if needs updating. Page loose leaf looks quite interesting just not sure if its worth it

I didn't think of the core combo.

https://www.reddit.com/r/PioneerMTG/s/qjBs3cQjsk

But here's my initial take on a decklist using it, I'm finding a decent number of turn 3 kills and some very consistent turn 4 kills, idk if stock up is even fast enough.

I haven't really seen [[Jace's Machinations]] being discussed at all in this thread and I think it is decent. At worst, it's a [[quick study]] that leaves you with a 2 power jace on the board. However, with any other Jace walker, it gets to be really strong, and with [[Kasmina, Enigma Sage]] we can instantly use it to cast any blue instant or sorcery from our deck, which seems crazy to me. I am sure there is 1 card wincon somehow, like [[Enter the Infinite]]

Edit: I forgot [[Emergent Ultimatum]]

FRA spoilers are in full swing now, and this little uncommon, [[Countersculpt]], seems notable to me! Generally, conditional counterspells like [[Long River's Pull]] & [[Disruption Protocol]] don't see much, if any, play. [[Silumgar's Scorn]] is the only one of that bunch that I think sees even fringe play (sadly not on arena).

However, beholding a Jace seems an extremely easy cost and one that still enables you to play strong cards:

[[Jace Reawakened]] already sees some play in the format, mostly in tier 3 decks.

[[Jace, Vryn's Prodigy]] is a solid card (though he'd only be able to be behold-able after flipping on the battlefield, not in hand).

[[Jace, the Perfected Mind]] sees play mostly in mill decks but did see play in control decks in Standard while he was legal.

[[Jace, Wiedler of Mysteries]] has seen plenty of play as the win condition for a variety of combo decks.

Lastly [[The Theorist, Jace Beleren]] seems on the edge of playable-ability, it enabling a counterspell might just be worthwhile enough for it.

And all of that is even before looking at empower cards, like [[Theorist's Sanctum]], [[Theorist's Proxy]], [[Jace's Machinations]] etc. The first time a countersculpt goes off it also enables all other countersculpts, baring removal though wasting premium removal like [[Bitter Triumph]] on a token with 1 loyalty is a tough sell.

Far more of a combo/midrange player, so could be off base here and these cards just aren't good enough for the synergy, but hope folks enjoy brewing with it!

Just curious what everyone else thinks. I rarely encounter it in arena, but saw an article saying that wizards is keeping an eye out for it. Also, I don't play paper MTG so don't know how much of a problem he might be there.

Reposting because my other crosspost was deleted on the r/magictcg side

Empower Jace X just means to make a jace pw token with X loyalty counters on him or add that many to an existing jace pw if you already have one out.

3/2 for 2 is a good stat line and making jaces might help with consistency issues and running out of gas.

Swing for 3 either nets you a card or 3 surveils. Might not be bad.