As local game stores are once again buzzing with in-person play, there’s never been a better time to dive into the Pioneer format. For players eager to jump right into competitive matches without the hassle of building a deck from scratch, Wizards of the Coast released the perfect solution: Pioneer Challenger Decks! Released on October 15th, these preconstructed decks are your express ticket to battling in the Pioneer format, and they’re a fantastic starting point recommended by sites like MTGGoldfish for aspiring Pioneer players.
Pioneer Challenger Decks 2021
These aren’t your average intro decks. Pioneer Challenger Decks are meticulously assembled 75-card decks designed to be competitive at the local level right out of the box. Each deck includes a 60-card main deck and a 15-card sideboard, equipping you for diverse matchups you’ll encounter in the Pioneer format. Forget spending hours deckbuilding – these decks are primed for action straight away.
What makes these decks particularly appealing is their focus on the Pioneer format. Unlike Challenger Decks released in April that targeted Standard, these are built exclusively with Pioneer-legal cards. This means you’re getting a curated experience within a dynamic and exciting format that’s a sweet spot between the rotating nature of Standard and the vast card pool of Modern.
These decks are available worldwide in English, French, German, and Japanese, ensuring accessibility for a global community of Magic players.
Let’s take a peek at the strategic arsenal each Pioneer Challenger Deck brings to the table:
Azorius Spirits: Fly High and Control the Skies
For players who love evasive threats and disruptive countermagic, the Azorius Spirits deck is a dream come true. This deck leverages the power of Spirit creatures, many of whom boast flying, to soar over ground-based defenses and pressure opponents. Key cards like Supreme Phantom and Empyrean Eagle pump up your spectral squadron, while Spell Queller and Lofty Denial ensure you maintain control of the game by countering crucial spells. This deck excels at tempo-based gameplay, disrupting your opponent’s plans while maintaining a consistent aerial assault.
Alt text: Azorius Spirits Pioneer Challenger Deck icon for digital decklist download, representing deck strategy focused on blue-white spirit synergy.
The decklist includes notable cards:
- Creatures: Brazen Borrower, Mausoleum Wanderer, Remorseful Cleric, Selfless Spirit, Rattlechains, Shacklegeist, Supreme Phantom, Spell Queller, Spectral Sailor, Watcher of the Spheres, Empyrean Eagle.
- Instants: Lofty Denial, Spell Pierce.
- Lands: Glacial Fortress, Temple of Enlightenment, Plains, Island.
The sideboard further enhances its control capabilities with cards like Spell Pierce, Aether Gust, and Seal Away, allowing for customization against different archetypes.
Lotus Field Combo: Untap Potential and Dominate
If you enjoy intricate game plans and explosive turns, the Lotus Field Combo deck is right up your alley. This deck centers around the powerful land Lotus Field, which generates a massive three mana. The strategy revolves around untapping Lotus Field multiple times using cards like Vizier of Tumbling Sands and Hidden Strings to generate an overwhelming mana advantage. This mana fuels powerful card draw spells like Pore Over the Pages and Dig Through Time, digging for game-winning threats such as Peer into the Abyss or Omniscience, often tutored for with Fae of Wishes or Mastermind’s Acquisition. This deck demands careful planning and execution, but the payoff is spectacular, capable of overwhelming opponents with a flurry of spells in a single turn.
Alt text: Lotus Field Combo Pioneer Challenger Deck download icon, symbolizing complex mana strategies and combo finishes in Magic: The Gathering.
Key components of the Lotus Field Combo deck are:
- Creatures: Fae of Wishes, Arboreal Grazer, Vizier of Tumbling Sands.
- Sorceries: Mastermind’s Acquisition, Peer into the Abyss, Hidden Strings, Sylvan Scrying, Strategic Planning, Pore Over the Pages.
- Instants: Dig Through Time, Opt.
- Lands: Lotus Field, Thespian’s Stage, Yavimaya Coast, Temple of Mystery, Forest, Island.
The sideboard contains versatile options like Omniscience, Approach of the Second Sun, and Thought Distortion, allowing the deck to adapt to different metagame pressures.
Mono-Red Burn: Ignite the Battlefield
For those who prefer a fast and aggressive playstyle, Mono-Red Burn is the classic choice. This deck is all about speed and efficiency, aiming to reduce the opponent’s life total to zero as quickly as possible. It’s packed with cheap, direct damage spells like Lightning Strike, Wizard’s Lightning, and Wild Slash, complemented by creatures like Monastery Swiftspear and Soul-Scar Mage that amplify the effectiveness of these burn spells. Bonecrusher Giant provides both a creature threat and removal, showcasing the deck’s versatility within its aggressive strategy. If you enjoy lightning-fast games and overwhelming your opponent before they can establish a defense, Mono-Red Burn is your fiery path to victory.
Alt text: Mono-Red Burn Pioneer Challenger Deck download icon, representing fast, aggressive, direct damage strategies in Magic: The Gathering.
The Mono-Red Burn deck features:
- Creatures: Bomat Courier, Soul-Scar Mage, Ghitu Lavarunner, Monastery Swiftspear, Viashino Pyromancer.
- Sorceries: Light Up the Stage.
- Instants: Bonecrusher Giant, Wild Slash, Lightning Strike, Wizard’s Lightning.
- Lands: Ramunap Ruins, Mountain.
The sideboard offers tools to handle various threats, including Roiling Vortex against life gain strategies and Goblin Chainwhirler for creature-heavy matchups.
Orzhov Auras: Enchant and Overwhelm
If you appreciate a more strategic, creature-centric aggressive approach, Orzhov Auras offers a unique and powerful game plan. This deck focuses on enchanting creatures with Auras to create resilient and formidable threats. Cards like Ethereal Armor and All That Glitters provide massive stat boosts, turning seemingly small creatures like Alseid of Life’s Bounty and Hateful Eidolon into game-ending threats. Sram, Senior Edificer ensures you keep a steady stream of cards flowing as you suit up your creatures, while protection spells like Karametra’s Blessing keep your enchanted threats safe from removal. This deck combines resilience with explosive potential, capable of quickly overwhelming opponents with surprisingly powerful, aura-enhanced creatures.
Alt text: Orzhov Auras Pioneer Challenger Deck download icon, illustrating enchantment-based creature enhancement and black-white color synergy in MTG.
Key cards in the Orzhov Auras deck include:
- Creatures: Stonecoil Serpent, Sram, Senior Edificer, Alseid of Life’s Bounty, Hateful Eidolon, Selfless Savior.
- Instants: Karametra’s Blessing.
- Enchantments: Cartouche of Solidarity, Ethereal Armor, Gryff’s Boon, Sentinel’s Eyes, All That Glitters.
- Lands: Caves of Koilos, Concealed Courtyard, Plains, Swamp.
The sideboard offers disruption and resilience with cards like Thoughtseize, Duress, and Hushbringer, providing tools to adapt to control or combo matchups.
Get Your Pioneer Journey Started Today!
Pioneer Challenger Decks are an incredible entry point into the Pioneer format. They provide ready-to-play, strategically diverse decks that are not only affordable but also competitive at your local game store. For players looking to explore the Pioneer format, these decks offer excellent value and a fantastic foundation for further customization and upgrades.
Ready to jump in? Check out the full decklists to explore each deck in detail and consider heading to your local game store to pick up your Pioneer Challenger Deck on or after October 15th! For further insights, deck pricing, and community analysis, be sure to check out resources like MTGGoldfish to see how these decks are performing and how you can refine your Pioneer gameplay. Start your Pioneer adventure today!
