Episodes
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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/
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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/
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Missing episodes?
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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"Welcome backYour ban was your ticket outWelcome back to that same old placeThat you hovered aboutWell, the card names have all changedSince you flew aroundBut those decks have remainedAnd they've turned aroundWho'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 lotCause we got him in the 2 slotWelcome backWelcome backWelcome backWelcome backWelcome backWelcome 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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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 ClassRW Shrapnel BlastRW ConvokeJund AdventuresGB KnightsUG ManlandsEnchanties5 color BeanstalkGB Fight ClubDoom Foretold PactBe 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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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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/
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