Hello Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts!
Javier Dominguez here, and I’m excited to break down the Izzet Phoenix deck that propelled me to a 9th place finish at Pro Tour Murders at Karlov Manor. While finishing just shy of the Top 8 is always a little bittersweet, it speaks volumes about the power and consistency of this deck in the current Pioneer format.
[ – 2022/7/15
- Izzet Phoenix in Pioneer After the Bans
- Javier Dominguez
](https://article.hareruyamtg.com/article/63902/?lang=en) It’s been a while since I last discussed Izzet Phoenix – specifically, back when 《Expressive Iteration》 was banned. Interestingly, despite not heavily playing the archetype between then and just before the Pro Tour, I was able to pick it right back up. This highlights a key aspect of Pioneer: mastering an archetype can be a lasting advantage as long as the deck remains competitive in the evolving meta.
For the Pro Tour, Team Handshake refined the standard Izzet Phoenix lists, and I was thrilled with the performance of our updated build.
In my previous article on Izzet Phoenix, I covered some fundamental aspects of the deck. Today, I want to delve into the innovative changes we implemented and some crucial technical plays that are key to piloting this powerful Pioneer deck in MTG.
So, what makes this iteration of Izzet Phoenix tick? Let’s dive in and explore what makes it a top-tier Pioneer deck.
The Pro Tour Izzet Phoenix Decklist
Here’s the exact decklist we piloted at Pro Tour Murders at Karlov Manor:
Izzet Phoenix Decklist by Javier Dominguez – 9th Place, Pro Tour Murders at Karlov Manor
Izzet Phoenix has consistently been a strong contender in Pioneer, fluctuating between Tier 1 and Tier 2 status for quite some time. Leading up to the Pro Tour, it became increasingly clear that Izzet Phoenix was not only a top deck but potentially the most anticipated and played deck at the tournament.
Choosing to play a deck with such a high profile always carries inherent risks, especially at the Pro Tour level. Opponents are highly skilled and have ample time to prepare specifically for the expected top decks, potentially diminishing the effectiveness of the most popular choices.
Initially, I had reservations about playing Phoenix due to its expected popularity. However, I’m ultimately very happy with the decision to run it, and incredibly fortunate to have teammates whose deep experience and expertise with the archetype allowed us to significantly refine the stock lists we initially considered.
Ashiok, Dream RenderThe core of the Izzet Phoenix archetype is already highly optimized, resulting in many decklists that are largely similar. We were initially prepared to play a fairly standard version. However, Anthony Lee made a crucial suggestion that proved to be a game-changer: incorporating 《Ashiok, Dream Render》 into the main deck.
Within just a few hours of testing, we finalized our Pro Tour decklist, confident in the impact of this key addition.
Maindeck Tech: 《Ashiok, Dream Render》
《Ashiok, Dream Render》 proved to be a significant upgrade, particularly in some of the most critical matchups we anticipated at the Pro Tour.
Firstly, 《Ashiok》 is exceptional in the mirror match. Izzet Phoenix mirrors often extend into longer, grindier games. 《Ashiok》 provides an incredibly efficient answer to both 《Arclight Phoenix》 and 《Treasure Cruise》 simultaneously by exiling them from the graveyard. Moreover, having 《Ashiok》 in the main deck means we don’t have to worry about it being countered by 《Mystical Dispute》 in game one.
It’s also important not to pigeonhole 《Ashiok》 solely as a controlling planeswalker. While it can certainly take over a game if deployed early on an empty board, leading to a quick victory, it is also surprisingly effective as a late-game threat. Unlike many planeswalkers that are vulnerable to cheap interaction, 《Ashiok》 can be difficult to answer even in the late game, sometimes dodging even 《Spell Pierce》. Its strength in the mirror match was a primary factor in our decision to include it.
Lotus FieldHowever, the Lotus Field matchup is where 《Ashiok, Dream Render》 truly shines. In our testing, almost every game we won against Lotus Field involved 《Ashiok》. We initially considered it solely as a sideboard card for this matchup, but after testing it in game 1, it became evident that 《Ashiok》 significantly hampered their ability to execute their combo.
Dragonlord DromokaA significant advantage in game 1 against Lotus Field is that we typically have all our 《Fiery Impulse》 spells, while they often have fewer creatures to pressure us. This reduces the risk of losing to a surprise 《Dragonlord Dromoka》. We found 《Ashiok》‘s impact in this matchup to be immense. Having a hate card maindeck in a deck packed with cantrips means you can find it far more consistently than in decks lacking card manipulation.
《Ashiok, Dream Render》 is undeniably powerful in these specific matchups. However, including a card like this naturally comes with potential downsides in other matchups, particularly against creature-heavy decks, Rakdos Midrange, or Azorius Control. This is where 《Ashiok》‘s surprisingly decent floor becomes crucial.
Even if we disregard its static ability in certain matchups – although this is rare, even against decks with cards like 《Kroxa, Titan of Death’s Hunger》 – untapping with 《Ashiok》 even once mills eight cards. This alone dramatically accelerates our game plan by fueling 《Treasure Cruise》, often reducing its cost to a single mana. But the benefits extend further, as it also helps us find and enable 《Galvanic Iteration》 and 《Arclight Phoenix》.
Temporal TrespassIn one game against Azorius Control, I was able to chain 《Treasure Cruise》 into 《Temporal Trespass》 on the same turn, entirely thanks to the graveyard fuel provided by 《Ashiok》. This kind of explosive potential solidified my decision to include 《Ashiok》 in the main deck.
While I might reconsider playing two copies if the metagame shifts dramatically, if Izzet Phoenix remains a dominant force, I firmly believe that including some number of 《Ashiok, Dream Render》 is the optimal configuration for the deck.
The Powerhouse: 《Picklock Prankster》
Picklock PranksterTo put it bluntly, 《Picklock Prankster》 is so impactful that I believe it’s the primary reason Izzet Phoenix has ascended to become the deck to beat in Pioneer, even considering the powerful 《Sleight of Hand》.
On the surface, it doesn’t appear particularly special. Initially, I, along with many other players, dismissed it as simply a weaker version of 《Pieces of the Puzzle》. We were, quite simply, wrong. Very wrong.
Go Blank《Picklock Prankster》 is the premium enabler for this deck. It mills cards into the graveyard and provides card selection in a way that no other spell in the deck can match. Crucially, its instant speed makes a world of difference. 《Go Blank》 used to be a devastatingly effective card against Izzet Phoenix, directly countering the graveyard-filling effect of 《Pieces of the Puzzle》 and severely hindering the ability to cast 《Treasure Cruise》. With 《Picklock Prankster》, casting 《Free the Fae》 at the end of the opponent’s turn puts you in an excellent position to follow up!
I believe 《Picklock Prankster》 shares a similarity with 《Fable of the Mirror-Breaker》. No matter how many times you read the card, its true power only becomes apparent when you play with it. The flexibility this card injects into the deck significantly improves the effectiveness of counterspells, which were often clunky when paired with the sorcery-speed 《Pieces of the Puzzle》.
Jegantha, the WellspringBut the benefits don’t stop there. 《Picklock Prankster》 also provides a “free” creature. While a 1/3 flying vigilance body for two mana might not seem game-breaking, its impact is more significant than it initially appears. Consider 《Jegantha, the Wellspring》, a companion that essentially becomes a 5/5 for 8 mana. Suddenly, a couple of 1/3s for two mana doesn’t sound so bad, especially when attached to a powerful enabler.
I genuinely believe 《Picklock Prankster》 functions as a pseudo-companion for Izzet Phoenix decks. They often become game-enders in resource-depleted scenarios where both players have traded heavily, and the Pranksters can close out games with chip damage.
Ledger ShredderThey also streamline the 《Temporal Trespass》 + 《Galvanic Iteration》 combo kills, making them more consistently achievable. Furthermore, they are excellent for triggering 《Ledger Shredder》 in topdeck mode. Essentially, 《Picklock Prankster》 does it all for the deck.
The Unsung Hero: 《Ledger Shredder》
Previously, I mentioned that 《Ledger Shredder》 contributed so much to the deck that it might even be better than 《Expressive Iteration》. Now, I’m ready to state definitively that 《Ledger Shredder》 is the most crucial threat in the deck, even surpassing 《Arclight Phoenix》 in overall importance.
In many matchups, particularly unfavorable ones, playing a turn 2 《Ledger Shredder》 can drastically swing the game in our favor, while failing to do so significantly weakens our position. My biggest piece of advice regarding 《Ledger Shredder》 is this: in bad matchups, aggressively mulliganing for hands that can deploy a turn 2 《Ledger Shredder》 is often a superior strategy to keeping a mediocre hand, especially in game 1. If you know you’re facing a tough matchup where Shredder is key, adjust your mulligan approach, and you’ll likely secure more game 1 victories.
A key decision point with 《Ledger Shredder》 is whether to play it on turn 2 or wait until turn 3 to guarantee a trigger. My default is usually to deploy it as soon as possible. However, I would consider waiting until turn 3 if my hand is otherwise weak, includes one or more 《Arclight Phoenix》 with no immediate discard outlet, or if I anticipate immediate removal from the opponent, such as against Rakdos Midrange when they keep a hand lacking a one or two-mana play.
Cantrip Conundrums: 《Opt》 vs. 《Consider》
ConsiderThe choice between 《Opt》 and 《Consider》 is a nuanced one. Generally, casting 《Consider》 first is often correct, as it fills the graveyard more quickly, accelerating your ability to cast 《Treasure Cruise》.
Another factor to consider (pun intended!) is the interplay between 《Consider》 and 《Opt》. Ideally, you want to cast 《Consider》 when you are likely to put cards into your graveyard and 《Opt》 when you anticipate keeping most of the cards on top of your library.
For example, if you cast a cantrip and the top two cards are a land and a removal spell that you want to keep, you’re unlikely to put anything into your graveyard with 《Consider》. In this situation, casting 《Opt》 first might be preferable. You also need to perform some mental 《Treasure Cruise》 math to ensure you don’t miss the opportunity to cast it because you opted for 《Opt》 instead of 《Consider》 and didn’t fill your graveyard sufficiently.
Other factors that influence the decision between 《Opt》 and 《Consider》 include:
– 《Opt》 places a card at the bottom of your library. While this might seem worse than putting it in your graveyard, it’s not always the case. Adding a card to the bottom can effectively extend your deck size, potentially granting you an extra turn of life in decking situations. In long, drawn-out games where you’re at risk of decking yourself, 《Opt》 can be beneficial as it provides an extra turn to attack.
In scenarios where you’ve mulliganed and placed crucial cards like 《Temporal Trespass》 or even 《Arclight Phoenix》 at the bottom of your library, 《Opt》, alongside 《Sleight of Hand》, can help you redraw them while ensuring you maintain sufficient cards in your library to avoid decking. Keep this in mind when choosing 《Consider》 over 《Opt》 and try to remember if you’ve placed key cards at the bottom of your deck.
– 《Graveyard Trespasser》 and 《Go Blank》 are potential reasons to cast 《Opt》 first. If you anticipate getting an 《Arclight Phoenix》 into your graveyard, you might prefer to have it ready to be reanimated on your turn. Similarly, if you might put a 《Ledger Shredder》 into the graveyard against 《Graveyard Trespasser》, opting first could be strategically advantageous in matchups like Rakdos Midrange.
Cantrip Sequencing: 《Sleight of Hand》 vs. 《Opt》/《Consider》
While 《Sleight of Hand》 is often the cantrip we prioritize playing first due to its sorcery speed, I’ve identified a common exception when facing discard spells. If you have 《Opt》 and 《Sleight of Hand》 against a 《Thoughtseize》 deck, it can be strategically wiser to simply pass the turn and forgo the flexibility of sorcery speed for the moment. This approach offers two key advantages.
ThoughtseizeFirstly, it conceals information from your opponent about your hand composition. This means they cannot preemptively remove a key card like 《Ledger Shredder》 that you might draw into with your cantrip since you haven’t drawn it yet. This information advantage is valuable in itself, but there’s more. Secondly, delaying your cantrip allows you to gain insights into your opponent’s game plan before committing to your card selection. Often, discard spells reveal significant information about the contents of your opponent’s hand and their likely strategy.
Treasure CruiseFor instance, if you hold a 《Ledger Shredder》 and a 《Treasure Cruise》, and they discard the 《Ledger Shredder》, it strongly suggests they lack immediate removal in hand. Leveraging this information allows you to extract greater value from your cantrip spells, outweighing the minor inconvenience of delaying the sorcery speed 《Sleight of Hand》 in the early turns.
Sideboarding Guide for Izzet Phoenix in Pioneer
Now for arguably the most crucial part: the sideboarding guide!
Izzet Phoenix Mirror Match
Izzet Phoenix Mirror Match Sideboard
Out
Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse
In
AbradeAzorius Control Matchup
Azorius Control Sideboard
Out
Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse
Lightning AxeIn
Young Pyromancer Young Pyromancer
Negate
Mystical Dispute Mystical Dispute Mystical Dispute
Rakdos Midrange Matchup
Rakdos Midrange Sideboard
Out
In
Brazen Borrower Brazen Borrower
Lotus Field Combo Matchup
Lotus Field Sideboard
Out
Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse
In
Young Pyromancer Young Pyromancer
Amalia Combo Matchup
Amalia Combo Sideboard
Out
Arclight Phoenix Arclight Phoenix Arclight Phoenix Arclight Phoenix
In
Anger of the GodsBoros Convoke Matchup
Boros Convoke Sideboard
Out
Galvanic Iteration Galvanic Iteration
In
BrotherhoodEnsoul Artifact Matchup
Ensoul Artifact Sideboard
Out
Galvanic Iteration Galvanic Iteration
In
[
Niv-to-Light Matchup
Niv-to-Light Sideboard
Out
Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse Fiery Impulse
In
Young Pyromancer Young Pyromancer
Javier Dominguez (Twitter / Twitch)
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Javier Dominguez He is the representative player of Spain. Grand Prix Top 8 is six times, including won the Grand Prix Paris 2014 and Grand Prix Rotterdam 2016 winning victories. At the Pro Tour level, he has brilliant achievement such as winning the 9th place in Pro Tour Battle of Zendikar and Pro Tour Hour of Devastation, and finally top8 in Pro Tour Rivals of Ixalan. Read more articles by Javier Dominguez
