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. One of the most compelling aspects of Magic: The Gathering is its rich diversity of Constructed formats and the multiple qualification paths that lead to the game's highest stage. Pioneer stands out as one of those Constructed formats, where Magic Online Challenges and ranked play on MTG Arena offer early stepping stones toward the Pro Tour.

In today's article, we'll dive into the current state of competitive Pioneer. I'll provide a current snapshot of the metagame, break down the five most successful archetypes, and explore how the latest two sets (Tarkir: Dragonstorm and Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY) have impacted the format.

The Pioneer Metagame in July 2025

Pioneer is a nonrotating format that includes all Standard-legal sets from Return to Ravnica onward, with the most notable exclusions being the ally fetch lands, which headline the format's ban list. With over 10,000 cards in its pool, Pioneer supports a wide range of powerful strategies and archetypes.

To capture a current picture of the metagame, I analyzed 960 published decklists from the past 30 Magic Online Challenges, held between June 14 and July 14. In all of these tournaments, cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm and Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY were legal.

To show which decks are dominating the top tables, I assigned points to each deck based on its rectified number of net wins—calculated as the number of match wins minus losses, with negative values adjusted to zero. By combining these points across all events, each archetype's share of the total rectified net wins blends popularity and performance into a single, comprehensive metric: the winner's metagame share.

In this table, each archetype name hyperlinks to a top-performing decklist that closely reflects its aggregate build. The "Other" category collects decks with less than one percent metagame share, including Gruul Prowess, Izzet Ensoul, Jeskai Creativity, Jund Sacrifice, Izzet Creativity, Enigmatic Incarnation, Azorius Spirits, Selesnya Auras, Boros Monument, Mono-Green Devotion, Rona Combo, and more.

Compared to the Pioneer metagame in March 2025, two archetypes have surged ahead: Mono-Red Aggro and Izzet Phoenix. New contenders like Orzhov Greasefang and Selesnya Angels have also entered the fray. Meanwhile, decks such as Rakdos Demons and Dimir Bounce have seen a noticeable decline in popularity.

Before diving into the new additions from Tarkir: Dragonstorm and Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY, let's first break down the top five decks in the Pioneer metagame.

14 Mountain 4 Kumano Faces Kakkazan 4 Burst Lightning 4 Monstrous Rage 4 Emberheart Challenger 4 Screaming Nemesis 4 Heartfire Hero 4 Manifold Mouse 4 Rockface Village 3 Reckless Rage 3 Sunspine Lynx 2 Mutavault 2 Lightning Strike 1 Ramunap Ruins 1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance 1 Den of the Bugbear 1 Shadowspear 4 Redcap Melee 3 Witchstalker Frenzy 3 Urabrask's Forge 2 Magebane Lizard 1 Sunspine Lynx 1 Rending Volley 1 Grafdigger's Cage

Although Heartfire Hero and Monstrous Rage have been banned in Standard, Mice are still a force to be reckoned with in Pioneer. The entire Top 4 of Arena Championship 8 was comprised of Mono-Red Aggro decks, and the archetype has firmly established itself as the frontrunner, currently boasting an impressive 28.4% share of the winner's metagame. It's capable of explosive starts, particularly when Manifold Mouse pairs with Monstrous Rage to create a trampling, double-striking powerhouse.

Mono-Red Aggro tends to struggle against the pinpoint removal from Rakdos Demons and Orzhov Greasefang, but it maintains a strong matchup against Selesnya Angels. While life-gain strategies are traditionally effective against red decks, this version can neutralize life gain through Screaming Nemesis and Sunspine Lynx.

4 Arclight Phoenix 4 Consider 4 Opt 4 Riverglide Pathway 4 Spirebluff Canal 4 Steam Vents 4 Sleight of Hand 4 Treasure Cruise 4 Artist's Talent 4 Cori-Steel Cutter 3 Picklock Prankster 3 Fiery Impulse 3 Lightning Axe 2 Island 2 Into the Flood Maw 1 Otawara, Soaring City 1 Stormcarved Coast 1 Hall of Storm Giants 1 Proft's Eidetic Memory 1 Torch the Tower 1 Shivan Reef 1 Spikefield Hazard 3 Brazen Borrower 2 Spell Pierce 2 Annul 2 Chandra's Defeat 1 Abrade 1 Negate 1 Into the Flood Maw 1 Anger of the Gods 1 Aether Gust 1 Brotherhood's End

With 16.4% of the winner's metagame, Izzet Phoenix uses its tried-and-true formula to win: put Arclight Phoenix into the graveyard and revive it by casting three low-cost spells in a single turn. Treasure Cruise remains an indispensable tool, drawing three cards at an absurdly low cost, while Fiery Impulse and Lightning Axe clear the board with ruthless efficiency.

Among the recent printings, Cori-Steel Cutter has emerged as a standout. It offers a formidable token engine that quickly snowballs into a relentless Monk army, fueled by cheap spells and efficient draw. The card fits seamlessly into Phoenix's strategy and has earned its place in the archetype. Bolstered by this new addition, Izzet Phoenix now typically boasts favorable matchups against Orzhov Greasefang and Rakdos Demons, though it still tends to falter against Selesnya Angels's fliers.

4 Cryptcaller Chariot 4 Monument to Endurance 4 Parhelion II 4 Greasefang, Okiba Boss 4 Guardian of New Benalia 4 Seasoned Hallowblade 4 Sheltered by Ghosts 4 Fatal Push 4 Brightclimb Pathway 4 Concealed Courtyard 4 Godless Shrine 4 The Mycosynth Gardens 4 Fleeting Spirit 2 Geier Reach Sanitarium 1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire 1 Plains 1 Shattered Sanctum 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire 1 Swamp 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 4 Thoughtseize 4 Portable Hole 4 Vanishing Verse 2 Go Blank 1 Duress

Greasefang decks have been a staple of Pioneer for years, aiming to put a Parhelion II into the graveyard on turn two and reanimate it with Greasefang, Okiba Boss on turn three. While the archetype has traditionally been found in Abzan and Mardu variants, recent months have seen Orzhov builds rise to prominence, featuring a potent discard package.

Monument to Endurance and Cryptcaller Chariot are the two powerful discard payoffs that have become cornerstones of the archetype. With a solid aggro backup plan enabled by two-mana creatures like Fleeting Spirit, Guardian of New Benalia, and Seasoned Hallowblade, the deck can still win when Greasefang doesn't show up on time. Moreover, the indestructible two-drops are ideal targets for Sheltered by Ghosts, helping shore up the matchup against Mono-Red Aggro. It took a while for this version to emerge—it wasn't played at Arena Championship 8 in March—but the Monument and the Chariot have since surpassed Stock Up as the most-played cards from Aetherdrift in Pioneer.

4 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker 4 Fatal Push 4 Blackcleave Cliffs 4 Blightstep Pathway 4 Blood Crypt 4 Mutavault 4 Thoughtseize 4 Unholy Annex 4 Bloodtithe Harvester 3 Blazemire Verge 3 Swamp 3 Fear of Missing Out 3 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse 2 Duress 2 Go for the Throat 2 Blade of the Oni 2 Abrade 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 1 Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger 1 Sulfurous Springs 1 Mountain 3 Invoke Despair 2 Torch the Tower 2 Extinction Event 2 Damping Sphere 2 Unlicensed Hearse 1 Kolaghan's Command 1 Duress 1 Anoint with Affliction 1 Go Blank

For much of Pioneer's history, black-red midrange decks have been a defining pillar of the format. Built around individually powerful cards like Thoughtseize, Fatal Push, Bloodtithe Harvester, and Fable of the Mirror-Breaker, the deck offers ideal balance of efficient interaction and excellent threats, allowing it to compete effectively against virtually any opponent.

Most black midrange builds have adopted Unholy Annex, which provides a steady stream of long-term card advantage. When combined with Blade of the Oni, Mutavault, or Ritual Chamber, the Annex becomes a relentless life-draining engine that grinds down opponents over time.

6 Plains 4 Bishop of Wings 4 Giada, Font of Hope 4 Resplendent Angel 4 Righteous Valkyrie 4 Skyclave Apparition 4 Collected Company 4 Kayla's Reconstruction 4 Branchloft Pathway 4 Brushland 4 Razorverge Thicket 4 Temple Garden 3 Elvish Mystic 3 Llanowar Elves 3 Inspiring Overseer 1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire 3 Archon of Emeria 3 Portable Hole 3 Tocasia's Welcome 2 Rest in Peace 2 Deafening Silence 2 Reidane, God of the Worthy

Selesnya Angels aims to start with Giada, Font of Hope or Bishop of Wings on turn two, then follow up with a chain of formidable threats. Righteous Valkyrie and Resplendent Angel turn life-gain triggers into a potent offensive weapons, while Collected Company and Kayla's Reconstruction allow you to assemble these synergies with startling consistency. Ultimately, you'll flood the skies and overwhelm the opponent with the sheer size of your air force.

The Impact of Tarkir: Dragonstorm

Tarkir: Dragonstorm has brought a fresh infusion of power into Pioneer, reshaping both main decks and sideboards. The table below highlights the twelve most played new-to-Pioneer cards from the set across the successful Magic Online decklists I analyzed from June 14 through July 14.

By sheer volume, Cori-Steel Cutter has emerged as the defining new card from Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Its synergy with cantrips like Sleight of Hand, Opt, and Consider make it a natural fit in Izzet Phoenix where it routinely floods the board with Monks. Yet its impact is greater. In smaller numbers, Cori-Steel Cutter is also played in Gruul Prowess, Hammer Time, Izzet Prowess, Rakdos Prowess, and Rona Combo, demonstrating its power across archetypes.

Several other cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm have improved sideboards. For example, Voice of Victory has given Lotus Field Combo a way to shut down post-board interaction. Likewise, Heritage Reclamation and Mistrise Village have become valuable sideboard tools for Spelunking Scapeshift. And Twinmaw Stormbrood, a clean and efficient removal spell, has helped Mono-Red Aggro shore up its matchups after sideboarding.

In terms of main-deck impact, several cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm have managed to breathe new competitive life into strategies that previously hovered beneath the surface.

2 Authority of the Consuls 2 Beza, the Bounding Spring 1 Builder's Talent 4 Caretaker's Talent 4 Carrot Cake 1 Castle Ardenvale 1 Day of Judgment 1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire 3 Elspeth, Storm Slayer 4 Enduring Innocence 3 Field of Ruin 3 Fountainport 1 High Noon 3 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx 4 Ossification 19 Plains 4 Portable Hole 1 Runed Halo 2 Seal from Existence 3 Sunken Citadel 4 The Birth of Meletis 2 The Restoration of Eiganjo 1 The Wandering Emperor 4 United Battlefront 3 Wedding Announcement 2 Day of Judgment 2 Heliod's Intervention 2 High Noon 3 Rest in Peace 2 Surge of Salvation 3 Voice of Victory 1 Yorion, Sky Nomad

Mono-White Tokens greatly benefited from the additions of United Battlefront and Elspeth, Storm Slayer, helping the archetype claw its way to 1.5% of the winner's metagame. While its Standard counterpart relies on Lay Down Arms for removal and Overlord of the Mistmoors as a token engine, Pioneer features Portable Hole and Wedding Announcement. These cheap noncreature permanents unlocked United Battlefront as a powerful value engine.

Elspeth, Storm Slayer has also proven to be an ideal top-end threat in a deck that capitalizes on tokens. When paired with Caretaker's Talent or Carrot Cake, her abilities can quickly spiral into an insurmountable advantage. Together, these new tools from Tarkir: Dragonstorm have elevated Mono-White Tokens into a real contender in Pioneer.

1 Adventurer's Inn 1 Arid Archway 2 Blossoming Tortoise 2 Boseiju, Who Endures 1 Brokers Hideout 4 Crumbling Vestige 3 Echoing Deeps 3 Forest 4 Glimpse the Core 4 Hedge Maze 1 Ipnu Rivulet 1 Island 4 Lotus Field 4 Lumra, Bellow of the Woods 2 Nature's Rhythm 1 Nissa, Resurgent Animist 1 Otawara, Soaring City 4 Port of Karfell 4 Scapeshift 4 Spelunking 2 Starting Town 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire 1 Thassa's Oracle 4 The Wandering Minstrel 2 Unable to Scream 1 Heritage Reclamation 2 Mistrise Village 2 Negate 3 Ray of Frost 1 Summon: Leviathan 2 Tishana's Tidebinder 2 Tranquil Frillback 2 Unable to Scream

Spelunking Scapeshift is a convoluted combo deck that has picked up steam with recent set releases. At its heart lies an infinite loop: with one Lumra, Bellow of the Woods on the battlefield and another in the graveyard, you can sacrifice Port of Karfell to return Lumra, causing you to lose the other to the legend rule. You return Port of Karfell and two Lotus Fields off Lumra's trigger, all of which enter untapped thanks to Spelunking. Tap them for mana, sacrifice the Lotus Fields, activate Port of Karfell once more, and repeat the loop. After milling your entire deck, you can add infinite mana, gain infinite life, and win with Thassa's Oracle.

To set up this engine, the deck has always relied on Scapeshift to find the precise configuration of lands, but you also need to find the right creatures. That's where Nature's Rhythm from Tarkir: Dragonstorm comes in, adding valuable consistency to the deck. The creature tutor can even be harmonized from the graveyard, fitting perfectly with the deck's self-mill effects.

Combined with The Wandering Minstrel, a recent addition from Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY that mimics Spelunking, this intricate combo has evolved into a streamlined machine. As of this month, it claims 1.8% of the Pioneer winner's metagame.

The Impact of Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY

Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY has introduced a wealth of potent new cards into Pioneer, revitalizing both established and emerging archetypes. The table below highlights the twelve most played new-to-Pioneer cards across the decklists I analyzed.

By sheer volume, Starting Town has emerged as the most played card from Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY in successful Pioneer decklists on Magic Online over the past month. The card's strength lies in its ability to improve the colored mana consistency of three-color aggro or combo decks, especially those that rely on curving out with one- and two-drops across different colors. Starting Town has shown up in 23 Bant Auras decks, 14 Lotus Field Combo decks, 9 Spelunking Scapeshift decks, 7 Mardu Greasefang decks, and various others. Let's zoom in on the most promising home for this new land.

3 All That Glitters 1 Alpha Authority 4 Audacity 4 Botanical Sanctum 1 Cartouche of Solidarity 1 Curious Obsession 4 Ethereal Armor 4 Gladecover Scout 1 Gryff's Boon 1 Kaya's Ghostform 4 Light-Paws, Emperor's Voice 4 Mana Confluence 3 Razorverge Thicket 4 Saiba Cryptomancer 3 Seachrome Coast 1 Sentinel's Eyes 1 Shardmage's Rescue 4 Sheltered by Ghosts 3 Staggering Insight 4 Starting Town 3 Temple Garden 2 Toadstool Admirer 2 Damping Sphere 4 Leyline of Sanctity 4 Portable Hole 3 Stubborn Denial 2 Wilt

Bant Auras relies on the most efficient one- and two-mana hexproof creatures in the format, suiting them up with powerful enchantments. With Ethereal Armor providing a fast clock on hexproof creatures that dodge spot removal, the deck puts pressure on quickly. However, building a consistent mana base for this three-color aggro deck has long been a challenge.

Bant Auras was already using Mana Confluence to ensure access to all colors and hit its early drops on time. Starting Town is an excellent complement, enhancing the colored mana consistency further. Thanks to lifelink-granting auras like Sheltered by Ghosts and Staggering Insight, the deck can largely ignore the occasional life loss. With this new mana base upgrade, Bant Auras has climbed to 2.4% of the winner's metagame.

2 Castle Locthwain 4 Cecil, Dark Knight 4 Dark Confidant 4 Deep-Cavern Bat 4 Fatal Push 4 Gifted Aetherborn 4 Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor 4 Go for the Throat 2 Hive of the Eye Tyrant 4 Mox Amber 4 Mutavault 10 Swamp 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire 4 Thoughtseize 4 Tinybones, the Pickpocket 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 1 Damping Sphere 4 Duress 2 Grafdigger's Cage 4 Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber 2 Unlicensed Hearse 2 Withering Torment

Mono-Black Legends has become the most popular home for both Cecil, Dark Knight and Dark Confidant. This midrange deck can leverage Mox Amber for explosive openings; imagine playing a turn-one Cecil, Dark Knight or Tinybones, the Pickpocket and following that up with Mox Amber to enable Fatal Push or Thoughtseize. These turn-one openings are among the best you can have in Pioneer, and Cecil, Dark Knight helps enable them.

Because the deck's average mana value is quite low, Dark Confidant is a reliable draw engine with minimal life loss. The usual downside of life loss can even accelerate Cecil, Dark Knight's transformation, providing excellent synergy. Buoyed by these new additions, Mono-Black Legends now makes up 1.1% of the winner's metagame.

2 Abrupt Decay 2 Al Bhed Salvagers 4 Blooming Marsh 1 Boseiju, Who Endures 4 Cauldron Familiar 4 Darkbore Pathway 4 Deadly Dispute 3 Dredger's Insight 4 Fatal Push 1 Forest 4 Gilded Goose 2 Hive of the Eye Tyrant 3 Llanowar Wastes 4 Overgrown Tomb 4 Scavenger's Talent 2 Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER 2 Swamp 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire 2 Trail of Crumbs 4 Witch's Oven 3 Ygra, Eater of All 1 Abrupt Decay 2 Anoint with Affliction 1 Extinction Event 2 Go Blank 4 Pawpatch Formation 3 Thoughtseize 2 Unlicensed Hearse

Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY also brought several upgrades to sacrifice-based strategies. The standout is Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER, a welcome addition to both Golgari Food and Rakdos Sacrifice. In decks that churn through Cauldron Familiar and Witch's Oven, his drain triggers the stack quickly, and his built-in card draw makes him a potent standalone threat.

Some lists have experimented with Al Bhed Salvagers, which triggers from sacrificing Food as well, though it hasn't shown up as frequently as Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER. Yet even just factoring in this new legendary addition (and Dredger's Insight from Aetherdrift), Golgari Food has made notable gains in 2025, now representing 4.2% of the winner's metagame.

4 Astrologian's Planisphere 4 Consider 4 Cori-Steel Cutter 4 Fiery Impulse 2 Into the Flood Maw 3 Island 1 Monstrous Rage 4 Opt 1 Otawara, Soaring City 4 Riverglide Pathway 2 Riverpyre Verge 4 Sleight of Hand 4 Spirebluff Canal 4 Steam Vents 4 Stormchaser's Talent 1 This Town Ain't Big Enough 2 Torch the Tower 4 Treasure Cruise 4 Vivi Ornitier 2 Abrade 1 Aether Gust 2 Annul 1 Chandra's Defeat 3 Slickshot Show-Off 2 Spell Pierce 2 Torch the Tower 2 Unlicensed Hearse

While Izzet Phoenix remains one of Pioneer's most played decks—relying on Artist's Talent, Picklock Prankster, and Lightning Axe to discard or mill Arclight Phoenix—a less graveyard-reliant sibling has started gaining traction as well. Izzet Prowess, now making up 1.2% of the winner's metagame, also capitalizes on Opt, Sleight of Hand, and Consider, but it pairs them with Astrologian's Planisphere and Vivi Ornitier.

These Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY cards allow the deck to put on significant pressure, but unlike Arclight Phoenix, they are not as vulnerable to graveyard hate. This can be a crucial advantage if cards like Unlicensed Hearse or Rest in Peace would get more popular in the future. Vivi Ornitier has also appeared in sideboards of Lotus Field Combo or main decks of Rona Combo, while Astrologian's Planisphere occasionally made its way into Izzet Ensoul, underscoring the versatility and potential of both new cards across different archetypes.

4 Battlefield Forge 1 Chainsaw 4 Cloud, Midgar Mercenary 4 Colossus Hammer 4 Cori-Steel Cutter 1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire 4 Inspiring Vantage 4 Kellan, the Fae-Blooded 4 Kemba, Kha Enduring 1 Lavaspur Boots 2 Mutavault 3 Needleverge Pathway 1 Plains 4 Portable Hole 4 Raubahn, Bull of Ala Mhigo 4 Sacred Foundry 1 Shadowspear 4 Sigarda's Aid 4 Sunbillow Verge 2 Zack Fair 2 Knockout Blow 4 Magebane Lizard 3 Rest in Peace 2 Surge of Salvation 4 Unexpected Request

Hammer Time aims to bypass the massive equip cost on Colossus Hammer through Sigarda's Aid or Kazuul's Toll Collector, and one of the key challenges for the deck has been finding Colossus Hammer reliably. As Cloud, Midgar Mercenary acts as a powerful tutor for the deck's namesake card, it has been a formidable addition. Even better, when Cloud, Midgar Mercenary is equipped with Cori-Steel Cutter, the Monk-creating ability will trigger twice.

Some lists have also tried Raubahn, Bull of Ala Mhigo as an additional free-equip enabler and Zack Fair as a way to protect key equipment wielders. These cards haven't become staples in the archetype, but they provide additional options. All in all, thanks to these Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY additions, Hammer Time has become more consistent and has climbed to 1.4% of the winner's metagame.

What's Next for the Metagame?

Pioneer may still be a format where Mono-Red Aggro leads the pack, but Tarkir: Dragonstorm and Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY have injected the format with a fresh wave of innovation. From upgraded mana bases to spicy new engines and archetypes, there's plenty of explore in Pioneer.

Join me over the next two weeks as I shift gears to Standard, breaking down the winners and losers of rotation and sharing the first wave of deck ideas for post-rotation Standard!