For years now, Pioneer has become MTG’s forgotten format, shunned from competitive play and seeing no real support. That, however, appears to be changing in 2027, with the format finally set to have an RCQ season. If you, like many others, are looking to dip your toes into this format, you’ll find the best MTG Pioneer decks here.
7 | Jund Sacrifice
MTGRocks
Much like the Standard version of the deck, Pioneer Jund Sacrifice is designed to maximize Biotech Specialist and The Sackville-Bagginses
The Sackville-BagginsesWhen The Sackville-Bagginses enter, you may sacrifice another creature or artifact. If you do, draw a card and create a Treasure token.
Whenever you sacrifice a token, target opponent loses 1 life. as payoffs. When combined with efficient, trinket-generating creatures like Greedy Freebooter and Shambling Ghast, you can quickly drain the opponent of all their life.
Where this deck gets a huge edge, however, is with the addition of Witch’s Oven
Witch’s Oven{T}, Sacrifice a creature: Create a Food token. If the sacrificed creature's toughness was 4 or greater, create two Food tokens instead. (They're artifacts with "{2}, {T}, Sacrifice this token: You gain 3 life.") and Cauldron Familiar
Cauldron FamiliarWhen this creature enters, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.
Sacrifice a Food: Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield.. These cards provide a steady engine for your sacrifice synergies, letting Mayhem Devil
Mayhem DevilWhenever a player sacrifices a permanent, this creature deals 1 damage to any target. consistently ping down opposing creatures. You can even loop multiple Cauldron Familiars with Ygra, Eater of All
Ygra, Eater of AllWard—Sacrifice a Food.
Other creatures are Food artifacts in addition to their other types and have "{2}, {T}, Sacrifice this permanent: You gain 3 life."
Whenever a Food is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put two +1/+1 counters on Ygra., creating an infinite life-loss combo.
Naturally, all the life gain and pinging elements make your creature-based matchups extremely strong. The presence of Lively Dirge also gives you a great chance to out-grind midrange decks. Unfortunately, your reliance on small permanents and your graveyard leaves you vulnerable to Temporary Lockdown and Rest in Peace
Rest in PeaceWhen this enchantment enters, exile all graveyards.
If a card or token would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead. from Azorius Control. As such, this deck isn’t perfect, but it can certainly compete.
6 | Mono-Red
MTGRocks
With many of Standard’s banned red cards sticking around, Mono-Red Aggro is extremely strong in Pioneer. In fact, for quite some time, the deck absolutely dominated the format, warping all of the other decks around it. This led to Heartfire Hero
Heartfire HeroValiant — Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability you control for the first time each turn, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
When this creature dies, it deals damage equal to its power to each opponent. being banned in Pioneer, but despite that, Mono-Red has kept up.
Nowadays, the deck runs a sort of aggressive Prowess build, using Monastery Swiftspear
Monastery SwiftspearHaste
Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) and Soul-Scar Mage
Soul-Scar MageProwess
If a source you control would deal noncombat damage to a creature an opponent controls, put that many -1/-1 counters on that creature instead. for fast starts. These are easily buffed up with direct-damage spells like Burst Lightning and the infamous Monstrous Rage, crashing in for tons of damage. Then, higher-cost aggressive bombs like Screaming Nemesis and Sunspine Lynx
Sunspine LynxPlayers can't gain life.
Damage can't be prevented.
When this creature enters, it deals damage to each player equal to the number of nonbasic lands that player controls. can close the game, making lifegain useless.
Despite having weaker results in recent days, Mono-Red remains one of the most popular decks in MTG Pioneer. The deck excels at beating up brews in particular, which are all over Pioneer right now, but can struggle against more established decks. Thanks to this, as the meta develops, this deck might get pushed out of the top spots.
5 | Izzet Phoenix
MTGRocks
While the classic Pioneer deck isn’t seeing as much play right now, Izzet Phoenix remains one of the strongest archetypes in the format. The goal is to get copies of Arclight Phoenix
Arclight PhoenixFlying, haste
At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you've cast three or more instant and sorcery spells this turn, return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. into the graveyard as quickly as possible, reanimating them after casting a flurry of spells. With tons of cantrips and removal, this is the most consistent deck that Pioneer has to offer.
Despite primarily functioning as a tempo deck, Izzet Phoenix can pull off combo-esque finishes with Proft’s Eidetic Memory
Proft’s Eidetic MemoryWhen Proft's Eidetic Memory enters, draw a card.
You have no maximum hand size.
At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you've drawn more than one card this turn, put X +1/+1 counters on target creature you control, where X is the number of cards you've drawn this turn minus one.. After drawing tons of cards with Treasure Cruise and your other cantrips, this enchantment can buff one of your fliers, swinging out for tons of damage. This allows Izzet Phoenix decks to turn the corner extremely quickly, punishing lists that can’t outspeed it.
Thanks to a nice balance of consistency and power, Izzet Phoenix has game against any deck, absolutely dominating opposing midrange decks. Shells that rely heavily on establishing specific cards, like Greasefang, Okiba Boss
Greasefang, Okiba BossAt the beginning of combat on your turn, return target Vehicle card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Return it to its owner's hand at the beginning of your next end step., can also struggle against Phoenix’s onslaught of removal. In exchange, Izzet Phoenix struggles with creatureless combo decks like Lotus Field combo, and is also hurt by Pioneer’s high amounts of graveyard hate.
4 | Abzan Greasefang
MTGRocks
Greasefang, Okiba BossGreasefang, Okiba BossAt the beginning of combat on your turn, return target Vehicle card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Return it to its owner's hand at the beginning of your next end step. has been a part of Pioneer for a really long time, and it remains one of the best decks in the format. This deck offers a midrange pile with a combo finish, whose main priority is to get vehicles like Parhelion II
Parhelion IIFlying, first strike, vigilance
Whenever Parhelion II attacks, create two 4/4 white Angel creature tokens with flying and vigilance that are attacking.
Crew 4 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 4 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.) or Esika’s Chariot
Esika’s ChariotWhen Esika's Chariot enters, create two 2/2 green Cat creature tokens.
Whenever Esika's Chariot attacks, create a token that's a copy of target token you control.
Crew 4 into the graveyard. Greasefang can then reanimate the Vehicle, and swing for 13 Flying Damage with Parhelion in particular.
To find Greasefang and Parhelion quickly, this deck runs both Overlord of the Balemurk
Overlord of the BalemurkImpending 5—{1}{B} (If you cast this spell for its impending cost, it enters with five time counters and isn't a creature until the last is removed. At the beginning of your end step, remove a time counter from it.)
Whenever this permanent enters or attacks, mill four cards, then you may return a non-Avatar creature card or a planeswalker card from your graveyard to your hand. and Cache Grab
Cache GrabMill four cards. You may put a permanent card from among the cards milled this way into your hand. If you control a Squirrel or returned a Squirrel card to your hand this way, create a Food token. (To mill four cards, put the top four cards of your library into your graveyard. A Food token is an artifact with "{2}, {T}, Sacrifice this token: You gain 3 life."), getting your Vehicles into the graveyard. If Parhelion gets stuck in your hand, Formidable Speaker can discard it for the perfect creature, or Professor of Symbology can grab a Lesson from your sideboard.
With an absurd amount of tutoring and an aggressive combo plan, Abzan Greasefang has an incredible matchup into straightforward creature decks like Mono-Red. Slower decks that give Greasefang time to find the perfect answers, like Lessons and Azorius Control, are also quite strong. In exchange, the deck really struggles against Vivi Cauldron, whose combo can race Greasefang while naturally packing graveyard hate.
3 | Izzet Vivi Cauldron
MTGRocks
While Vivi Ornitier
Vivi Ornitier{0}: Add X mana in any combination of {U} and/or {R}, where X is Vivi Ornitier's power. Activate only during your turn and only once each turn.
Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put a +1/+1 counter on Vivi Ornitier and it deals 1 damage to each opponent. has long been banned in Standard, it still makes a splash in Pioneer alongside Agatha’s Soul Cauldron. This deck aims to use a low-cost discard outlet like Fear of Missing Out to get Vivi into the graveyard, then exile it under Cauldron. This way, any of your creatures that get counters will provide a big burst of mana.
Once you add Proft’s Eidetic MemoryProft’s Eidetic MemoryWhen Proft's Eidetic Memory enters, draw a card.
You have no maximum hand size.
At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you've drawn more than one card this turn, put X +1/+1 counters on target creature you control, where X is the number of cards you've drawn this turn minus one. into the mix, it becomes trivial to grow your creatures significantly while getting a massive mana boost. Between Leveling Up Stormchaser’s Talent
Stormchaser’s Talent(Gain the next level as a sorcery to add its ability.)
When this Class enters, create a 1/1 blue and red Otter creature token with prowess.
{3}{U}: Level 2
When this Class becomes level 2, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
{5}{U}: Level 3
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, create a 1/1 blue and red Otter creature token with prowess., hard-casting Quantum Riddler, or maximizing Jadzi, Steward of Fate’s prepared spell, you have tons of places to sink excess mana. Your card draw also helps you dig for Voldaren Thrillseeker, which, alongside Cauldron, enables wins entirely outside of combat.
Even though this deck is nothing new, Seasoned Cryomancer has proven to be a significant upgrade. Beyond just its natural synergy with Cauldron and Memory, its stun ability buys you a lot of time against Mono-Red Aggro and Izzet Prowess. While this tool doesn’t solve every weakness, like this deck’s vulnerability to graveyard hate, it makes the strategy more robust than ever.
2 | Golgari Midrange
MTGRocks
Pioneer is one of the few formats where Magic’s traditional Midrange archetype still thrives. Thanks primarily to Badgermole Cub
Badgermole CubWhen this creature enters, earthbend 1. (Target land you control becomes a 0/0 creature with haste that's still a land. Put a +1/+1 counter on it. When it dies or is exiled, return it to the battlefield tapped.)
Whenever you tap a creature for mana, add an additional {G}. and Professor Dellian Fel, Pioneer’s current flavor has migrated from Rakdos to Golgari. Not only has this sped the midrange deck up, but it also gives the deck access to removal like Abrupt Decay
Abrupt DecayThis spell can't be countered.
Destroy target nonland permanent with mana value 3 or less. and Tear Asunder that can deal with more than just creatures.
After slowing your opponent down with removal and hand disruption, Golgari Midrange aims to pull ahead by using draw engines like Unholy Annex. Eventually, your opponent will run out of resources, allowing your resilient suite of creatures like Graveyard Trespasser to take over the game.
With lots of creature removal and incremental lifegain, Golgari Midrange prays on all the creature decks of the format. In exchange, however, Golgari Midrange loses to slower, value-based matchups like Izzet Lessons, and combo decks like Scapeshift.
1 | Izzet Prowess
MTGRocks
Despite the ban of Cori-Steel Cutter, Izzet Prowess remains the most popular deck in Pioneer, and for good reason. On top of offering Mono-Red’s explosiveness, Izzet gets to run interactive elements like Boomerang Basics
Boomerang BasicsReturn target nonland permanent to its owner's hand. If you controlled that permanent, draw a card. and Reckless Rage
Reckless RageReckless Rage deals 4 damage to target creature you don't control and 2 damage to target creature you control., to remove opposing threats. All of these cheap spells will rack up Prowess triggers for your various threats like Emberheart Challenger, blitzing the opponent.
The most powerful thing about Pioneer Prowess, however, is its access to Academic Dispute, functioning as two Prowess triggers, removal, and a tutor. With the Learn mechanic capable of finding Accumulate Wisdom
Accumulate WisdomLook at the top three cards of your library. Put one of those cards into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. Put each of those cards into your hand instead if there are three or more Lesson cards in your graveyard. for card draw, Octopus Form for protection, or Firebending Lesson
Firebending LessonKicker {4} (You may pay an additional {4} as you cast this spell.)
Firebending Lesson deals 2 damage to target creature. If this spell was kicked, it deals 5 damage to that creature instead. to kill something, Academic Dispute does it all.
With a game plan that’s both flexible and extremely aggressive, Izzet Prowess beats down on slower value decks, like Izzet Cauldron, Lessons, and Phoenix. The deck otherwise boasts relatively even matchups against the rest of the field, only losing to niche removal-heavy decks like Azorius Control. With the recent printing of Pompous Battlemage making this deck better than ever, you’ll need to prepare for Izzet Prowess to win in MTG Pioneer.
Stick with us here at dev.mtgrocks.com: the best site for Magic: The Gathering coverage. Be sure to check out our deckbuilder for your next big brew, and our brand new MTG Rocks Podcast!
