Episodes
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/
Monday Oct 23, 2023
#182 - Pioneer 101: Boros Heroic
Monday Oct 23, 2023
Monday Oct 23, 2023
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/
Monday Oct 09, 2023
#181 - The First First Pioneers Fantasy Fantasy Draft
Monday Oct 09, 2023
Monday Oct 09, 2023
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/
Monday Sep 25, 2023
#180 - First Look at the Wilds of Eldraine Pioneer Meta
Monday Sep 25, 2023
Monday Sep 25, 2023
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/
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
#179 - Wilds of Eldraine Pioneer Brews!
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
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 Class
- RW Shrapnel Blast
- RW Convoke
- Jund Adventures
- GB Knights
- UG Manlands
- Enchanties
- 5 color Beanstalk
- GB Fight Club
- Doom Foretold Pact
Be 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/
Wednesday Aug 30, 2023
#178 - The Wilds of Eldraine Pioneer Set Review
Wednesday Aug 30, 2023
Wednesday Aug 30, 2023
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/
Sunday Aug 20, 2023
#177 - The Future of Pioneer
Sunday Aug 20, 2023
Sunday Aug 20, 2023
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/
Wednesday Aug 09, 2023
#176 - The Less Things Change, The More They are the Same
Wednesday Aug 09, 2023
Wednesday Aug 09, 2023
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/
Monday Jul 17, 2023
#175 - Exploring the Unexplored Reaches of Pioneer
Monday Jul 17, 2023
Monday Jul 17, 2023
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/
Monday Jul 03, 2023
#174 - Dear Wizards of the Coast . . .
Monday Jul 03, 2023
Monday Jul 03, 2023
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/