Hello, and welcome back to Metagame Mentor, your weekly guide to the top decks and latest Constructed developments on the path to the Pro Tour. Over the past few weekends, we saw 842 players gather for Regional Championships across Japan/Korea, Southeast Asia, Chinese Taipei, China, and South America, all vying for a total of 37 coveted Pro Tour invitations. Pioneer looked healthy and diverse, with the format thriving on fresh innovations. In this article, I'll break down the metagame and showcase the standout Pioneer decks that rose to the top.

Tomoaki Ogasawara Wins in Japan with Mono-Black Demons

Congratulations to Tomoaki Ogasawara, winner of the Champions Cup Final in Shizuoka (the Regional Championship for Japan/Korea), where he triumphed over Tatsuro Asano in an intense Mono-Black Demons mirror match. Both finalists secured invitations to Magic World Championship 31, set for 2025. Additionally, the Top 16 players had not yet qualified for the Pro Tour at MagicCon: Chicago in February 2025 earned their spots in that event.

14 Swamp 4 Unstoppable Slasher 4 Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber 2 Hive of the Eye Tyrant 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire 4 Thoughtseize 2 Castle Locthwain 4 Mutavault 2 Sheoldred's Edict 2 Graveyard Trespasser 2 Field of Ruin 4 Fatal Push 4 Duress 2 Invoke Despair 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 2 Reckoner Bankbuster 2 Go for the Throat 4 Bloodletter of Aclazotz 3 Caustic Bronco 1 March of Wretched Sorrow 1 Go Blank 2 Cut Down 2 Unlicensed Hearse 1 Ashiok, Dream Render 1 The Meathook Massacre 1 Misery's Shadow 1 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse 2 Invoke Despair

Mono-Black Demons operates as a midrange deck with a deadly combo finish. It opens with Fatal Push and Thoughtseize to disrupt opponents' early plays before setting up a lethal one-two punch using Unstoppable Slasher and Bloodletter of Aclazotz. When Unstoppable Slasher deals combat damage to an opponent, it forces them to lose half their life. Bloodletter of Aclazotz doubles that life loss, potentially ending the game in a single brutal attack. While a single blocker can thwart the combo, this deck is capable of closing games as early as turn four.

Both combo pieces shine individually as well. Unstoppable Slasher resists removal, persisting in grindy midrange match-ups, while Bloodletter of Aclazotz turns Unholy Annex into a life-draining powerhouse. Bloodletter even doubles the Room's life loss, costing the opponent 4 life at the end of your turn. Unholy Annex also synergizes with Mutavault and, in other builds, Archfiend of the Dross.

Mono-Black Demons was the breakout deck at the Japan/Korea Regional Championship as a significant portion of the field used the deck. Five copies reached the Top 16, culminating in a mirror match between two nearly identical Mono-Black Demons decks in the finals. Surprisingly, both finalists chose Invoke Despair over Archfiend of the Dross. While splashing a second color is possible, the mono-black mana base rewards players with powerful utility lands like Castle Locthwain, Field of Ruin, and Mutavault.

Benedictus Budisanjaya Wins in Singapore with Rakdos Prowess

Congratulations to Benedictus Budisanjaya, who claimed victory at the SEA Championships (the Regional Championship for South East Asia) with his Rakdos Prowess deck. This win earned him a spot at Magic World Championship 31, while the Top 6 eligible players also secured invitations to the Pro Tour at MagicCon: Chicago in February 2025.

4 Monastery Swiftspear 4 Heartfire Hero 4 Emberheart Challenger 4 Slickshot Show-Off 4 Titan's Strength 4 Ancestral Anger 4 Monstrous Rage 4 Blackcleave Cliffs 4 Blood Crypt 4 Kumano Faces Kakkazan 4 Sulfurous Springs 2 Den of the Bugbear 3 Ramunap Ruins 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance 2 Mountain 3 Callous Sell-Sword 1 Manifold Mouse 2 Claim // Fame 1 Reckless Rage 1 Fatal Push 1 Jegantha, the Wellspring 2 Ob Nixilis, the Adversary 3 Fatal Push 4 Thoughtseize 2 Urabrask's Forge 1 Hazoret the Fervent 2 Feed the Swarm Jegantha, the Wellspring

Rakdos Prowess is currently among the most popular and successful decks in Pioneer. Its strategy blends creatures with prowess and valiant abilities alongside pump spells like Monstrous Rage and Ancestral Anger for lightning-fast aggression. The Callous Sell-Sword's Adventure can enable a swift and lethal blow. If a Heartfire Hero with 7 power connects, following up with Burn Together and the Hero's death trigger deals lethal damage.

Budisanjaya's decklist remains relatively standard, though he notably runs a full four copies of Titan's Strength, whereas other builds have started incorporating Infuriate or additional copies of Fatal Push in these slots. These differences are minor, however, and any Rakdos Prowess deck is more than capable of closing games at lightning speed.

Chen Szu Yuan Wins in Taipei City with Rakdos Demons

Congratulations to Chen Szu Yuan, who won the MIT Championship (the Regional Championship for Chinese Taipei) with Rakdos Demons, earning an invitation to Magic World Championship 31. Additionally, the Top 3 eligible players qualified for the Pro Tour at MagicCon: Chicago in February 2025.

2 Bloodletter of Aclazotz 4 Blightstep Pathway 4 Blood Crypt 4 Bloodtithe Harvester 4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 4 Fatal Push 3 Mutavault 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire 3 Blackcleave Cliffs 4 Thoughtseize 2 Swamp 2 Archfiend of the Dross 1 Mountain 1 Haunted Ridge 3 Blazemire Verge 1 Duress 2 Heartless Act 3 Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber 2 Unstoppable Slasher 1 Anoint with Affliction 1 Castle Locthwain 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance 1 Bonecrusher Giant 2 Reckoner Bankbuster 1 Kolaghan's Command 1 Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 1 Torch the Tower 2 Duress 1 Rending Volley 1 Extract the Truth 1 Ghost Vacuum 1 Pyroclasm 1 Abrade 1 Unlicensed Hearse 1 Go Blank 1 Extinction Event 1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship 2 Invoke Despair 1 The End 1 Withering Torment

Rakdos Demons builds upon the core of Mono-Black Demons, adding a red splash for impactful cards like Bloodtithe Harvester, Fable of the Mirror-Breaker, and a few well-chosen one-ofs. To accommodate these high-powered additions, Rakdos versions typically trim main deck copies of Duress and scale back the Unstoppable Slasher and Bloodletter of Aclazotz combo. This adjustment is common in Rakdos lists, though individual card choices vary between builds.

While the red splash raises the quality of individual spells, it comes at a cost of consistent mana. Running red requires more painful or tapped lands, along with limitting the number of utility lands like Castle Locthwain, Field of Ruin, or Mutavault. Ultimately, it's a trade-off, with merits to both splashing for red and staying as a mono-black deck. Over the past five Regional Championships, Rakdos Demons has risen in popularity to rival Mono-Black Demons, although the mono-black version has maintained a higher overall win rate. Still, Unholy Annex remains a powerful linchpin regardless of the deck's color configuration.

Chun Him To Wins in China with Enigmatic Incarnation

Congratulations to Chun Him To, who emerged victorious at the MTG China Open (the Regional Championship for China), piloting Enigmatic Incarnation to secure an invitation to Magic World Championship 31. Additionally, the Top 8 eligible players earned spots at the Pro Tour at MagicCon: Chicago in February 2025.

4 Overlord of the Hauntwoods 1 Overlord of the Boilerbilges 4 Overlord of the Floodpits 4 Overlord of the Mistmoors 4 Zur, Eternal Schemer 1 Kutzil's Flanker 1 Linvala, the Preserver 1 Skyclave Apparition 1 Atraxa, Grand Unifier 4 Vanishing Verse 4 Fatal Push 4 Nowhere to Run 4 Up the Beanstalk 4 Leyline Binding 4 Enigmatic Incarnation 3 Breeding Pool 2 Overgrown Tomb 3 Gloomlake Verge 4 Floodfarm Verge 2 Godless Shrine 1 Plains 4 Cavern of Souls 4 Hushwood Verge 1 Swamp 3 Zagoth Triome 4 Indatha Triome 4 Spara's Headquarters 2 Rest in Peace 1 Yorion, Sky Nomad 1 Archon of Emeria 4 Knockout Blow 1 Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines 4 Thoughtseize 1 Thought Distortion 1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed Yorion, Sky Nomad

Since the release of Overlord of the Hauntwoods in Duskmourn: House of Horror, Enigmatic Incarnation decks have been soaring in popularity. A turn-three Overlord of the Hauntwoods not only triggers Up the Beanstalk and unlocks domain for Leyline Binding but also becomes a six-drop creature with Enigmatic Incarnation. Chun Him To demonstrated the archetype's potential with a win in China, utilizing the now standard removal package of Fatal Push and Nowhere to Run to keep Rakdos Prowess in check. Additionally, his list relies on innovative new tech in the form of four copies of Zur, Eternal Schemer.

Zur, Eternal Schemer pairs exceptionally well with Overlord of the Hauntwoods. By ramping to five mana by turn four, you can cast Zur and immediately target the Overlord, transforming it into a 5/5 creature with lifelink that generates value off attacks—even if it still has time counters. Zur synergizes similarly with Overlord of the Floodpits and Overlord of the Mistmoors, both of which Chun Him To included four copies of. Zur can even turn Leyline Binding into a 6/6 life linker!

Recently, Four-Color Zur decks that omit Enigmatic Incarnation have also been gaining traction, further signaling that this Wizard is scheming to make a significant impact on Pioneer.

Adam Schwartz Wins in Chile with Izzet Phoenix

Congratulations to Adam Schwartz, who won the South American Magic Series Final (the Regional Championship for South America). Piloting Izzet Phoenix, Schwartz earned an invitation to Magic World Championship 31, while the Top 4 eligible players qualified for the Pro Tour at MagicCon: Chicago in February 2025.

4 Consider 3 Island 4 Opt 4 Sleight of Hand 4 Picklock Prankster 4 Treasure Cruise 1 Stormcarved Coast 4 Lightning Axe 1 Proft's Eidetic Memory 4 Arclight Phoenix 3 Fiery Impulse 1 Torch the Tower 4 Riverglide Pathway 1 Shivan Reef 4 Spirebluff Canal 4 Steam Vents 2 Spell Pierce 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Brazen Borrower 4 Artist's Talent 1 Into the Flood Maw 2 Abrade 1 Proft's Eidetic Memory 1 Brazen Borrower 2 Annul 2 Negate 2 Third Path Iconoclast 1 Beacon Bolt 2 Mystical Dispute 2 Anger of the Gods

Izzet Phoenix, an archetype focused on reviving Arclight Phoenix from the graveyard by casting three cheap spells in a single turn, has been the most played deck across the last five Regional Championships. Schwartz leveraged this strategy to claim the South American title, notably running four copies of Artist's Talent, a popular alternative to Ledger Shredder. This switch was wise given the current Pioneer metagame where Fatal Push is the most played card.

Artist's Talent is an ideal tool for discarding Arclight Phoenix and digging deeper into the deck. By chaining cantrips, it fuels Treasure Cruise to ensure a steady supply of action spells. With such impressive card-drawing capacity, you can swiftly find and discard multiple copies of Arclight Phoenix, bring them back from the graveyard, and overwhelm your opponent.

The Metagame and Win Rates

In total, 842 decklists were submitted across the five Regional Championships. After correcting and standardizing archetype names, I calculated the combined metagame share and the match win rates (excluding mirror matches, byes, and draws) for every archetype during the Swiss rounds. In the following table, each archetype name links to a top-performing decklist that closely reflects the aggregate build of that archetype.

The "Other" category encompasses a broad array of archetypes, including Abzan Greasefang, Gruul Prowess, Acererak Combo, Boros Tokens, Mono-Red Wizards, Goblins, Mono-White Humans, Boros Convoke, Esper Control, Jund Transmogrify, Boros Prowess, Dimir Control, Selesnya Angels, Golgari Demons, Dimir Doomsday, Jeskai Control, Izzet Ensoul, Golgari Food, Rakdos Sacrifice, Rona Combo, Sultai Landfall, Gruul Vehicles, Sultai Oculus, Boros Creativity, Orzhov Reanimator, Mono-Red Obosh, Elementals, and many more. The sheer diversity of viable strategies in Pioneer is remarkable.

The current Pioneer metagame looks vibrant and healthy. No single archetype accounted for more than twelve percent of the field, and a wide variety of strategies achieved competitive success. Compared to the recent metagame at the US Regional Championship, several archetypes have seen increased representation, including Selesnya Company, Mono-Black Demons, Rakdos Demons, and Mardu Greasefang. The rise of Mardu Greasefang in particular is a notable development that warrants a closer examination.

4 Greasefang, Okiba Boss 4 Thoughtseize 4 Bloodtithe Harvester 4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 4 Fear of Missing Out 1 Bitter Triumph 2 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship 4 Parhelion II 3 Overlord of the Balemurk 1 Torch the Tower 3 Fatal Push 4 Blackcleave Cliffs 2 Battlefield Forge 4 Blightstep Pathway 4 Concealed Courtyard 2 Godless Shrine 2 Elegant Parlor 4 Sacred Foundry 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire 1 Swamp 2 Vanishing Verse 3 Reckoner Bankbuster 3 Duress 2 Vanishing Verse 2 Unlicensed Hearse 3 Abrade 1 Fatal Push 1 Torch the Tower

Like its counterpart Abzan Greasefang, Mardu Greasefang is a combo deck aiming to put a Parhelion II into the graveyard by turn two and crew it with Greasefang, Okiba Boss on turn three. Mardu Greasefang opts for red instead of green, using Overlord of the Balemurk to replace the green self-mill spells while leveraging Fear of Missing Out as a powerful enabler. This strategy has gained traction recently. Following Ryota Takeuchi's Top 16 finish at the Regional Championship for Japan/Korea, Marcelo López Lagos propelled Mardu Greasefang to a Top 4 finish at the South American Championship just this past weekend.

While Mardu Greasefang stepped into the spotlight, other archetypes have struggled in the evolving Pioneer metagame. Notably, Azorius Control struggles to address the card advantage generated by Unholy Annex. This enchantment provides significant value over time, and Azorius Control's creature removal suite is ill-equipped to answer it. With Demons decks on the rise—and Mono-Black Demons boasting an impressive 57.1% win rate across the last five Regional Championships—Azorius Control has seen a decline in popularity. Conversely, decks that once struggled against Azorius Control, such as Jund Sacrifice, are now capitalizing on the shifting metagame with unexpectedly strong results.

Another deck showing excellent win rates in the current field, given the sample sizes, is Enigmatic Incarnation. With red and black traditionally weak against enchantments, Enigmatic Incarnation enjoys favorable match-ups against both Mono-Black Demons and Rakdos Demons, thriving in the present metagame. It stands as a solid choice for those looking to combat Unholy Annex decks effectively.

Spice Corner: Red Aggro Decks

While most Pro Tour invitations at the recent five Regional Championships were claimed by well-established archetypes, several surprising and innovative decks also made their presence felt. Among them, my two favorites are two aggressive red builds.

1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance 1 Mountain 2 Ramunap Ruins 4 Cacophony Scamp 3 Fireblade Charger 3 Legion Loyalist 3 Play with Fire 4 Skirk Prospector 4 Battle Cry Goblin 4 Goblin Instigator 4 Rundvelt Hordemaster 2 Hobgoblin Bandit Lord 3 Reckless Bushwhacker 4 Cavern of Souls 4 Copperline Gorge 2 Cragcrown Pathway 4 Karplusan Forest 4 Stomping Ground 3 Atarka's Command 1 Mutavault 2 Chandra's Defeat 3 Redcap Melee 3 Goblin Ringleader 3 Pick Your Poison 2 Questing Druid 2 Agatha's Soul Cauldron

Despite the presence of a few Rakdos Goblins players at the Regional Championships, Yuta Funabashi stood out as the only brave soul to pilot a Gruul Goblins deck. His bold choice paid off, as he went 9-3 at the Regional Championship for Japan/Korea, ultimately finishing in 12th place and securing a Pro Tour invitation.

The key payoffs for this Goblin-centric strategy are Battle Cry Goblin and Rundvelt Hordemaster. Battle Cry Goblin provides a boost to your entire team, while Rundvelt Hordemaster delivers free value, particularly when you sacrifice your creatures to Skirk Prospector. Cacophony Scamp and Fireblade Charger are especially valuable, as they can take out an opponent's 1/1 creature while generating a red mana. If you either control Rundvelt Hordemaster or activated Battle Cry Goblin, Scamp or Charger can kill 2-toughness threats upon their death.

Building on this core, more typical Goblin decks often splash black for Call of the Death-Dweller, which excels at returning Goblin Chainwhirler from the graveyard. However, Funabashi combined the Goblin strategy with Reckless Bushwhacker and Atarka's Command, focusing on going wide with Goblin Instigator and boosting all his creatures to overwhelm the opponent. This creative approach demonstrates that success in Pioneer can come from virtually any direction.

3 Bonecrusher Giant 4 Light Up the Stage 4 Slickshot Show-Off 1 Castle Embereth 4 Kumano Faces Kakkazan 4 Soul-Scar Mage 4 Den of the Bugbear 4 Monastery Swiftspear 4 Monstrous Rage 11 Mountain 4 Wizard's Lightning 4 Play with Fire 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance 2 Witchstalker Frenzy 3 Ghitu Lavarunner 3 Ramunap Ruins 4 Magebane Lizard 1 Rending Volley 2 Roiling Vortex 1 Jegantha, the Wellspring 3 Rampaging Ferocidon 2 Case of the Crimson Pulse 2 Witchstalker Frenzy Jegantha, the Wellspring

Wizards have also made a significant impact, with Hiroki Toyota achieving a Top 8 finish at the Regional Championship for Japan/Korea by incorporating four copies of Wizard's Lightning. Although this strategy has lingered on the fringes of Pioneer for some time, its newfound success illustrates the myriad ways aggro enthusiasts can construct their decks.

Looking ahead, Magic: The Gathering Foundations will soon be legal in Pioneer, and Boltwave may emerge as a formidable addition to this type of deck, enhancing its competitive potential. While Lava Spike has never been legal in Pioneer, this new variant could find a welcoming home. It's important to note, however, that although Foundations will be immediately legal worldwide this coming weekend, there's a special exception at this weekend's Regional Championships for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia/New Zealand, where Foundations will not yet be permitted for play.

Looking Ahead: The Remaining Pioneer Regional Championships

Four Pioneer Regional Championships remain in this cycle, with the upcoming weekend featuring events for Australia/New Zealand and Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

The event in Lille, France—dubbed the Ultimate Guard European Magic Series – Regional Championship—will award an impressive $130,000 in prizes, alongside 36 Pro Tour invitations and two World Championship invites. The event hall will also feature Last Chance Qualifiers on Friday and a $20,000 Pioneer sixteen-slot RCQ on Sunday, making this a key destination for competitive play in the region.

For those wishing to catch the Pioneer action live from home, be sure to tune in to the Fanfinity Twitch or YouTube channels. Coverage will be broadcast on both Saturday, November 9, and Sunday, November 10, starting at 9 a.m. CET (3 a.m. ET / 5 p.m. JST) both days. You can also follow along on Fanfinity and PlayMTG's social media accounts or with the hashtag #UGEMS.

In the following weeks, we'll see the Regional Championship for Canada, scheduled for November 16–17, and the Regional Championship for Mexico/Central America/Caribbean, which will take place on November 30–December 1. I look forward to witnessing all the Pioneer innovations that will emerge from these tournaments!