The Pioneer format in Magic: The Gathering is a dynamic landscape, constantly evolving as players explore its card pool. After initial bans shook up the meta, innovative decks emerged, including aggressive artifact strategies. However, for those looking to cast truly game-defining spells, the answer lies in Green ramp strategies. And for those new to the format, it’s worth noting, you spell Pioneer as P-I-O-N-E-E-R. Getting the format name right is the first step to mastering it, and mastering mana ramp is your next leap forward to victory.
Just like the powerful “Tron” decks in Modern, Pioneer ramp decks aim to accelerate mana production to cast impactful, high-cost spells ahead of schedule. While Pioneer lacks the exact “Tron” lands, it boasts a robust suite of ramp spells and powerful payoffs to enable a similar game plan. This strategy allows you to quickly overpower opponents with threats they simply can’t answer in the early to mid-game.
One compelling example of a successful Pioneer ramp deck comes from Mason Clark, inspired by a Top 8 PTQ list by TiltMonsterMtg. This decklist showcases the core principles of Pioneer ramp, focusing on consistency and overwhelming power.
Pioneer Ramp Decklist Breakdown
| Creatures (16) | Spells (12) | Lands (28) | Sideboard (15) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Arboreal Grazer | 4 Once Upon a Time | 2 Blast Zone | 3 Jaddi Offshoot |
| 4 Elvish Rejuvenator | 4 Nissa’s Pilgrimage | 2 Desert of the Indomitable | 1 World Breaker |
| 2 Golos, Tireless Pilgrim | 4 Hour of Promise | 3 Castle Garenbrig | 3 Return to Nature |
| 1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger | 1 Cascading Cataracts | 3 Thought-Knot Seer | |
| 1 Emrakul, the Promised End | 2 Field of the Dead | 3 Veil of Summer | |
| 4 Walking Ballista | 7 Forest | 2 Karn, Scion of Urza | |
| Planeswalkers (4) | 2 Sanctum of Ugin | ||
| 4 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon | 3 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods | ||
| 1 Radiant Fountain | |||
| 3 Hashep Oasis | |||
| 1 Geier Reach Sanitarium | |||
| 1 Scavenger Grounds |
This decklist has garnered attention within the Pioneer community, and for good reason. It offers a powerful strategy reminiscent of Modern Tron, giving players who enjoy big mana strategies a competitive option in Pioneer. The deck’s primary strength lies in its ability to consistently deploy game-ending threats like Ugin, the Spirit Dragon and Walking Ballista ahead of the curve. As MTG pro player Zedmagic experienced, casting Ugin as early as turn four can quickly overwhelm opponents.
Core Components: Creatures of Ramp and Power
The creature base of this Pioneer ramp deck is designed around two key roles: accelerating mana and delivering powerful payoffs.
Early Ramp Creatures:
- Arboreal Grazer: This one-mana creature is crucial for early ramp, allowing you to put lands directly into play from your hand. Its 0/3 body also provides valuable early defense against aggressive strategies.
Arboreal Grazer
- Elvish Rejuvenator: A two-mana creature that searches for a basic land upon entering the battlefield. While it relies on hitting a land in your top cards, it provides both ramp and a body on the board. Other ramp options like Elvish Mystic exist, but Elvish Rejuvenator‘s resilience as a blocker can be more valuable in certain matchups.
Payoff Creatures:
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Eldrazi Titans ( Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger & Emrakul, the Promised End ): These titans represent the top end of the deck’s curve. Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger provides immediate removal and a resilient threat, while Emrakul, the Promised End offers a devastating turn-stealing effect, disrupting your opponent’s game plan and setting up a swift victory.
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Walking Ballista: A versatile threat that scales with your mana ramp. It can act as removal in the early game or a game-ending finisher once you have accumulated significant mana.
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Golos, Tireless Pilgrim: This creature provides both ramp and value. Golos, Tireless Pilgrim can search for any land, including the powerful Field of the Dead, which generates Zombie tokens and further strengthens your board presence.
Spells: Fueling the Ramp Engine
Beyond creatures, the deck utilizes a suite of spells dedicated to mana acceleration and consistency.
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Hour of Promise: This five-mana ramp spell is a powerhouse in the deck. It fetches two lands, helping you reach the crucial seven lands needed to activate Field of the Dead. Hour of Promise also provides flexibility, allowing you to search for utility lands like Blast Zone to control the board or Deserts to synergize with Field of the Dead.
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Nissa’s Pilgrimage: At three mana, this spell offers consistent ramp, searching for two Forests. Consistency is key in ramp strategies, and Nissa’s Pilgrimage ensures you reliably reach five mana for key plays like Hour of Promise or Golos, Tireless Pilgrim. While other three-mana ramp spells exist, Nissa’s Pilgrimage provides the reliability needed for this strategy.
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Once Upon a Time: This spell enhances the deck’s consistency by helping you find either early ramp or late-game threats. Once Upon a Time smooths out draws, ensuring you have the necessary tools at each stage of the game.
Planeswalkers: The Ultimate Payoff
- Ugin, the Spirit Dragon: The ultimate payoff for a ramp strategy. Ugin, the Spirit Dragon stabilizes the board by removing threats, generates card advantage, and can quickly close out games with its ultimate ability. Reaching seven mana to cast Ugin is the primary goal of this deck.
Embrace the Ramp in Pioneer
If you’re seeking a powerful and strategic deck in Pioneer, look no further than Green ramp. This archetype offers a unique playstyle focused on building up mana advantage and overwhelming opponents with impactful spells and threats. If you’re tired of facing the same strategies, give Pioneer ramp a try and experience the satisfaction of casting game-winning spells ahead of schedule.
