Episodes
3 days ago
#192 - Back to Square One
3 days ago
3 days ago
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/
Monday Mar 04, 2024
#191 - New Blood in Pioneer at Pro Tour Murder at Karlov Manor
Monday Mar 04, 2024
Monday Mar 04, 2024
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/
Friday Feb 16, 2024
#190- Murders at Karlov Manor Pioneer brews and early results
Friday Feb 16, 2024
Friday Feb 16, 2024
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/
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
#189 - The Murders at Karlov Manor Pioneer Set Review
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
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/
Monday Jan 22, 2024
#188 - Murder Afoot: A first look at Murders at Karlov Manor in Pioneer
Monday Jan 22, 2024
Monday Jan 22, 2024
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/
Tuesday Dec 26, 2023
Pioneer Year in Review: 2023
Tuesday Dec 26, 2023
Tuesday Dec 26, 2023
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/
Monday Dec 11, 2023
#186 - Welcome Back Co(p)ter
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Monday Dec 11, 2023
"Welcome back
Your ban was your ticket out
Welcome back to that same old place
That you hovered about
Well, the card names have all changed
Since you flew around
But those decks have remained
And they've turned around
Who'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 lot
Cause we got him in the 2 slot
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome back
Welcome 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/
Monday Nov 27, 2023
#185 - Lost Caverns of Ixalan Brews and News!
Monday Nov 27, 2023
Monday Nov 27, 2023
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/
Saturday Nov 11, 2023
#184 - Lost Caverns of Ixalan Pioneer Set Review
Saturday Nov 11, 2023
Saturday Nov 11, 2023
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/
Thursday Nov 02, 2023
#183 - First Look at Lost Caverns of Ixalan and a Goodbye to WOE Pioneer
Thursday Nov 02, 2023
Thursday Nov 02, 2023
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/