Rakdos Prowess in Pioneer

The Power of Prowess

Aggro Rakdos with a Twist

Author: Zen Miyaji-Thorne

Hello everyone!

It’s been a while since I last wrote an article, as life has been quite eventful! My previous piece, published six months ago, was about making the Top 8 at the Australia/New Zealand Regional Championships to qualify for the Pro Tour. However, I had to defer my invite to the next Pro Tour (scheduled for Chicago in February) due to several major life changes. Our dog unfortunately passed away, we sold and moved house, got engaged, eloped to South Korea (hence my new surname!), and recently adopted a wonderful three-legged dog named Tao (editor’s note: Sadly, no dog pictures available). It’s been a whirlwind, but life has finally settled down a bit!

A few weekends ago, I competed in the most recent Australia/New Zealand Regional Championships, piloting Rakdos Prowess in Pioneer. I thoroughly enjoyed playing this deck and am excited to share everything you need to know about it!

Rakdos Prowess

Creatures

4 Heartfire Hero

4 Monastery Swiftspear

4 Emberheart Challenger

Instant/Sorcery

Enchantments

4 Kumano Faces Kakkazan

Lands

1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance

Sideboard

2 Ob Nixilis, the Adversary

1 Heartless Act

1 Jegantha, the Wellspring

Counsel Meeting

As always, I collaborated with Team Worldly Counsel for this event. The above list was submitted by four of us: Ben Kemp, Simon Harnden, and myself at the Australia/New Zealand Regional Championships, and Gabriele “Gorzone” Nardella at the European Regional Championships.

Special thanks to Ben, Simon, and Gabriele for doing most of the work tuning this deck and crafting sideboard plans. I was in South Korea on holiday until a few days before the tournament, so the majority of my knowledge on the deck came directly from them.

Over the weekend, including Last Chance Qualifiers, we achieved a combined score of 39-17, an impressive 70% win rate! I finished 15th at the Australia/New Zealand Championships, narrowly missing the Top 8 after losing the final round.

Gameplay

On the surface, the deck follows a straightforward strategy: deploy inexpensive creatures that benefit from being targeted or by casting spells, then utilize various pump effects to close out games. However, the intricacies emerge as you dive deeper into the deck’s potential.

What makes the deck particularly formidable is its flexibility. It has the capability to win as early as turn three but can also transition into a longer game plan. Cards like Emberheart Challenger and Claim//Fame allow you to gain incremental advantages, while the constant threat of a kill out of nowhere forces opponents to remain on high alert.

The combination of pump spells and Burn Together (the adventure side of Callous Sell-Sword) creates situations where your opponent’s options become severely limited, effectively placing them in a “checkmate” scenario. As they scramble to establish their board, you apply consistent pressure while keeping the possibility of a sudden win hanging over their heads.

One of the deck’s significant strengths lies in the versatility of its pump spells. These effects excel in both combat and as a response to removal spells, a rare combination historically only seen in cards like Blossoming Defense.

Turn Inside Out performs exceptionally well, not only in combat but also against sweepers such as Supreme Verdict, while Infuriate provides a valuable edge by enhancing your creatures’ power and countering damage-based removal like Fiery Impulse and Knockout Blow.

Managing this multi-layered strategy undeniably makes Rakdos Prowess more challenging to play than a traditional aggressive deck.

However, an often-overlooked aspect is how difficult it is for your opponent to navigate their side. As the pilot, you have full knowledge of your cards and potential lines, whereas your opponent must rely on inference and guesses, which increases their chances of error. While playing this deck, I frequently reflect on moments where different decisions could have improved my chances of winning.

At the same time, I’ve observed countless opponents make critical mistakes, taking lines that cost them games they might otherwise have won. Ultimately, despite its complexity, I would rather be the one piloting Rakdos Prowess than trying to counter it.

Key Card Choices

3x Manifold Mouse

At the time, most lists were beginning to include copies of Manifold Mouse, usually one or two copies. We found the card to be highly effective and superior to Slickshot Show-Off in grindier matchups.

As a result, we chose to run three copies of the mice, reducing the flying bird to two copies. Show-Off felt underwhelming, particularly against Izzet Phoenix, where its impact was minimal.

4x Turn Inside Out

Turn Inside Out was not widely played at the time, with many players favouring pump spells such as Ancestral Anger, Titan’s Strength, and Dreadmaw’s Ire.

We discovered Turn Inside Out while testing a version of the deck featuring Leyline of Resonance. This card fit perfectly as it added resilience against removal spells. Additionally, the three-power boost was invaluable in setting up a significant attack.

Alternatives like Ancestral Anger and Dreadmaw’s Ire had strict timing restrictions, while Titan’s Strength was too vulnerable to removal. Turn Inside Out offered the consistency and flexibility we needed.

4x Reckless Rage

While stock lists featured two Fatal Pushes in the main and another two in the sideboard alongside Reckless Rage, we opted for a different approach. We could see the appeal of Fatal Push – the most significant being that you can cast it on turn one, and you don’t need a creature in play to cast it.

However, our deck’s inability to reliably trigger revolt was a significant drawback for Fatal Push. In contrast, Reckless Rage synergised beautifully with Heartfire Hero and Emberheart Challenger, triggering valiant and providing strong interactions with Screaming Nemesis.

We decided to include a full playset of Reckless Rage in the 75 (two in the main deck and two in the sideboard), relegating Fatal Push to the sideboard primarily for the mirror match.

2x Thoughtseize

Thoughtseize is a strong effect, but we questioned its role as a four-of in the sideboard, as it is commonly played. Even in matchups where we wanted it, our preference was to establish board presence during the early turns and cast Thoughtseize later to disrupt key plays.

Running only two copies allowed us to avoid the awkward situation of drawing multiple copies early. We often found Thoughtseize more impactful when drawn on turn three or four, further solidifying our decision.

3x Screaming Nemesis

The inclusion of Screaming Nemesis was the standout innovation of our list. Initially added as a solution to Izzet Phoenix, it outperformed expectations and quickly became a staple for other matchups as well.

After testing other options, such as Unstoppable Slasher and Hazoret the Fervent, Gabriele suggested Nemesis, which proved to be the best choice. Its synergy with Reckless Rage was exceptional, making it a powerhouse against white-based creature decks like Mono White Humans, Selesnya Company, and Azorius Spirits.

This combination was so effective that we decided to lean fully into it by running the complete set of Reckless Rages.

4x Claim//Fame

Claim//Fame was our deck’s MVP against the two most popular decks – Rakdos Demons and Izzet Phoenix. It was often poor and too situational against other decks, so we only played two copies in the main deck, but it seemed clear to us that we wanted the full playset in the 75 as against both these decks we were happy to draw multiple copies of the card.

It acts as a two-for-one with the aftermath side, as well as often being a mini-Ritual effect as you would revive a two-drop creature for one mana, all the while triggering prowess! Interestingly, this choice garnered the most post-tournament questions, but both during and after the event, it felt like the right call.

No Feed the Swarm

Temporary Lockdown poses challenges for the deck, and while Feed the Swarm could address it, we found the card too weak overall. Withering Torment was also considered, but ultimately deemed too costly at three mana.

We chose to focus on more versatile and impactful cards for our sideboard slots.

Hands to Keep

This deck adheres to an A+B+C formula, where A represents creatures, B signifies pump spells, and C denotes lands. Winning often hinges on drawing a balanced combination of these three components.

Of the three, creatures are the most critical. A hand without creatures is almost always unplayable. While it’s possible to keep a hand with a single creature, it depends on the context. For instance, Kumano Faces Kakkazan is too slow, and a two-drop creature on the draw without Claim//Fame is generally too vulnerable.

Ideally, each opening hand includes a turn-one play, such as a one-drop creature or a card relevant to the matchup (e.g. Fatal Push against aggressive decks or Thoughtseize versus control). However, on the play, a hand without a turn-one play can be acceptable if it includes a turn-two creature with haste, like Emberheart Challenger or Slickshot Show-Off. On the draw, a turn-one play becomes almost mandatory unless facing a grindy matchup, such as Rakdos Demons, where card advantage takes precedence over early aggression.

Lands are the second most vital component. Generally, two lands are sufficient to function, while three lands allow the deck to utilise Emberheart Challenger’s triggers and cast multiple spells per turn. Conversely, hands with four or more lands are usually unplayable, as the deck’s reliance on non-land spells makes such draws inefficient. On seven cards, aim for four or five non-land spells. However, even on the draw, a one-land should be mulliganed on seven cards.

At six cards, flexibility increases. Hands with two lands and four spells are ideal, but three-land hands with three spells are also serviceable, as that is functionally similar to going down to five cards. Strong one-land hands can be kept on the draw, but are riskier on the play.

Non-creature spells are the most adaptable component and less critical in mulligan decisions. However, this is not to say they aren’t as important in gameplay. They very much are, as they are the backbone of the deck and without them, your deck is extremely weak as almost all of your creatures rely on valiant or prowess triggers to be powerful.

The reason they aren’t as prioritised when making mulligan decisions is because it’s not crucial to have them in your opening turns like creatures and lands are, and therefore you have time to draw into them later. That said, I still generally dislike and would often mulligan seven card hands that don’t have a pump spell. On six cards though, I would generally keep any hand as long as they meet the previously mentioned requirements around the number of creatures and lands.

In summary, I’m willing to mulligan aggressively when I am on seven cards, but at six cards I am willing to keep a much broader range of hands, as the deck doesn’t function well on five cards as you simply need a critical mass of non-land spells to win, and that is difficult on five cards.

As a general rule of thumb, on seven cards I prioritise consistency, but on six cards I prioritise volume of cards.

Sequencing

What makes Rakdos Prowess particularly challenging to play is deciding when to adopt a conservative approach (taking the safer route) versus going all-in (taking the high-risk, high-reward path).

There’s no universal answer to this; the decision is highly situational and often varies even within the same matchup. Your choice for a given turn can look entirely different depending on prior events and your interpretation of your opponent’s potential plays.

Ultimately, there are no definitive guidelines—building experience and trusting your instincts (while refining them through practice) is key.

Turn one is generally straightforward: leading with Kumano Faces Kakkazan is the default.

When deciding between Heartfire Hero and Monastery Swiftspear, it depends heavily on your hand and the matchup. If you have Manifold Mouse in hand or your opponent is light on removal, starting with Heartfire Hero is preferable.

Otherwise, Monastery Swiftspear is often the better choice. Against removal-heavy decks, deploying Heartfire Hero on turn two alongside Turn Inside Out can be particularly effective, as it ensures you can still deal five damage and replace the creature if it is targeted by their removal.

Beyond creature deployment, the timing of your pump spells is crucial. Casting them into an opponent’s removal spell can result in significant losses in tempo and resources.

My general philosophy is akin to how Splinter Twin combo operated in Modern: prioritise early board presence to apply pressure while keeping pump spells in hand to represent potential threats. This approach forces your opponent to act first, creating windows of opportunity to execute your game plan. Without sufficient board presence, opponents can simply develop their strategy while holding up removal.

That said, there are instances where taking a gamble is necessary. This typically arises in matchups where the game is a race, such as against Lotus Field, or when you’re behind on board and need to hope your opponent lacks the necessary removal to stabilise.

Interactive matchups like Izzet Phoenix or Rakdos Demons often allow for patient, measured play. However, when you sense that your opponent is about to gain the upper hand—such as casting Treasure Cruise or resolving Sheoldred, the Apocalypse—you may need to shift gears and adopt a more aggressive stance. Delaying too long in these scenarios can leave you irreversibly behind.

In situations where your opponent’s board development is minimal, you can afford to play slowly.

Focus on hitting your land drops and deploying creatures with mana up for a pump spell. Protect key creatures by either transforming them into additional threats with Turn Inside Out or making them resilient to damage-based removal with Infuriate.

One common mistake among less experienced Prowess players is panicking when games extend longer, fearing that their opponent’s powerful late-game cards will take over. However, the efficiency of your deck’s cheap spells often outweighs the opponent’s expensive options. Even with eight lands in play, they may only cast two spells per turn cycle, while you can potentially cast four or five impactful cards.

What you don’t want to do is to break your patience and end up walking into their The Wandering Emperor.

At the same time, playing too cautiously can result in missed opportunities to leverage the deck’s explosive power and speed. Even slower Pioneer decks are adept at quickly turning the corner and overwhelming you, making it essential to adopt a more assertive position just before they reach that tipping point. This necessity imposes an inherent limit on how slowly you can afford to play.

Striking the right balance between aggression and caution is undeniably challenging and is one of the reasons piloting Rakdos Prowess optimally is so demanding. Hopefully, the principles outlined above provide a helpful starting point. With practice and experience, you’ll refine your decision-making and become adept at navigating these complex situations.

Tips and Tricks

Kumano Faces Kakkazan’s initial trigger is excellent for taking down planeswalkers, particularly The Wandering Emperor. It also damages all planeswalkers your opponent controls, so against Azorius Control, you can orchestrate an attack to use the trigger to finish off multiple planeswalkers.
A strong early sequence is turn one Heartfire Hero followed by Turn Inside Out and Burn Together on turn two. This combination delivers fifteen damage and leaves you with a 2/2 body, making it hard for opponents without lifegain to recover.
You can use Fatal Push on your Heartfire Hero to deal damage. While Reckless Rage can also target your Hero, its four-damage portion can only hit opposing creatures, limiting it to two damage on your Hero.
You can cast pump spells on your opponent’s creatures. A possible situation is you want to grow your opponent’s creature large enough that it trades in combat with your Heartfire Hero. All your pump spells can target your opponent’s creatures.
In some scenarios, it’s beneficial to deliberately cast a pump spell into removal to bait your opponent into targeting a weaker creature. For example, using a pump spell on Monastery Swiftspear might lure out removal, leaving your Heartfire Hero free to close the game.
Occasionally, you can surprise your opponent by responding to their removal spell with enough pump effects to make your Heartfire Hero lethal when the removal spell resolves and it dies.

Callous Sell-Sword is surprisingly versatile. In creature mirrors, you can sacrifice one of your creatures to remove an opponent’s stronger threat, such as Manifold Mouse or Emberheart Challenger. The Sell-Sword then becomes a 3/3, effectively trading two of your cards for one of theirs while leaving you with a solid body in play.
With Turn Inside Out, you almost always want to manifest dread creatures. Heartfire Hero works particularly well, allowing you to surprise opponents with lethal damage by flipping it before it dies. Pumping a face-down creature before flipping it retains the increased power, though Heartfire Hero’s base power reduces by one when flipped. You may want to flip Heartfire Hero before casting your first pump spell to trigger its +1/+1 counter ability.
Against decks with bounce spells, you can manifest dread a non-creature spell face-down. If they bounce the creature, you get to put the spell into your hand.

Even though you can cast a Turn Inside Out in response to a removal spell, it’s not always correct to do so. When playing against interactive decks, you might have a creature heavy hand, where it’s important to be aware that you don’t want to get stuck with underpowered threats. Therefore, you may want to hold the Turn Inside Out, as the damage output on it is more valuable than the creature it produces if you have multiple other creatures you can deploy. This also means that it’s important to save your protection spell for something that is actually threatening. This is generally why against interactive decks you want to lead with a Monastery Swiftspear and deploy your Heartfire Hero when you have Turn Inside Out up to maximise the damage from the trigger.
Reckless Rage pairs exceptionally well with Screaming Nemesis, enabling you to deal two damage to an additional target with its trigger. It also works effectively with Heartfire Hero and Emberheart Challenger by triggering their valiant abilities for extra value.
When facing decks with blockers, conserve trample-granting pump spells like Monstrous Rage. Opponents often take smaller hits early, relying on chump blocks for larger threats. Holding back trample effects ensures you can break through at critical moments later in the game.
Post-board, if you bring in Thoughtseize, aim to cast it on turn two or three, focusing on establishing board pressure first. Use Thoughtseize a turn before your opponent can resolve problematic cards, such as Temporary Lockdown, casting it on turn three when on the play or turn two when on the draw.

A key interaction against big creatures is when you have Heartfire Hero and Manifold Mouse in play, and you can kill them via pumping on the second set of combat damage. For example, your opponent is on five life with an Archfiend of the Dross in play. You have a 2/2 Heartfire Hero and a Manifold Mouse. You can use the Mouse to trigger valiant (make Hero a 3/3) and give the Hero double strike and attack. They have to block, otherwise they die. If they block with Archfiend of the Dross and you have an Infuriate in hand, if you cast it before first strike damage, your Heartfire Hero simply eats the Archfiend of the Dross and you deal no damage as the Hero doesn’t trample. However, if you let first strike damage happen first, then cast the Infuriate, it grows the Heartfire Hero to a six-power creature that also trades with the Archfiend, and the trigger will kill them.
Similarly, let’s say you have a Monstrous Rage and Infuriate in hand. If their Archfiend blocks your 3/3 Mouse and you cast both before first strike damage, you will trample over for three damage initially and kill the Archfiend, and then deal nine damage on the second combat damage and deal twelve damage in total. However, if you let first strike damage happen first, you put three damage onto the Archfiend initially, and then you can grow it to a 9/6 creature before the second combat damage. This will then allow you to trample over for six damage (as three damage is already on the Archfiend from the first strike damage), and then the Heartfire Hero will trade with the Archfiend, and you will deal another nine damage from the trigger, dealing fifteen in total.

Matchup Guide

Matchup: Izzet Phoenix

+3 Screaming Nemesis

+2 Claim//Fame

OUT

-2 Slickshot Show-Off

-1 Turn Inside Out

-2 Reckless Rage

(if they have three or more valid targets e.g. Third Path Iconoclast, you can cut a further 2 Turn Inside Out for 2 Fatal Push)

You want to spend the early turns getting on board as much as you can. Aim to be tapping out on the first three turns of the game to cast creatures and put on pressure. You’re happy to cast Callous Sell-Sword as a 2/2 creature if you don’t have another play.
The general plan is to apply pressure on board, which will then force them to act. This either means they have to tap out on a key turn, which lets you set up your lethal turn with multiple pump spells and Burn Together, or they are forced to use their removal spells in a spot where they might have to walk into an Infuriate or Monstrous Rage.
If they sideboard out Arclight Phoenix (you can usually tell as they go through so much of their deck now with Artist’s Talent), you can sideboard back in Slickshot Show-Off for game three. While it’s not very good in this matchup, it is effective if they are leaning on Third Path Iconoclast and you can plot it to play around Anger of the Gods or set up a turn where you cast it with Infuriate up to beat Fiery Impulse.

Matchup: Rakdos Demons

+1 Heartless Act

+2 Screaming Nemesis

+2 Claim//Fame

OUT

-2 Infuriate

-1 Callous Sell-Sword

-2 Reckless Rage

You need to take risks in this matchup, as you can’t play too conservatively because they are good at turning the corner and going over the top of you in a quick manner. They’re very good at swapping from the control role to the aggressive role in a turn or two.
Similar to the Izzet Phoenix matchup, you want to spend the first few turns tapping out for creatures and getting on board, so that it forces them to tap out on turn three or four to keep up with you, and then you can set up a powerful turn with multiple pump spells.
Plotting Slickshot Show-Off is a good way to not walk into their Fatal Push, especially if you are on the play, as you don’t want them to Fatal Push your creature into a turn two Bloodtithe Harvester.

Matchup: Rakdos Prowess

+2 Fatal Push

+2 Reckless Rage

OUT

-2 Kumano Faces Kakkazan (4 OTD)

-2 Emberheart Challenger (OTP)

The mirror match is very volatile, and circumstances can change quickly for both players. You need to be aware of this and adapt quickly.
You generally want to find a way to win on turn three, and if you can’t, use your removal spells in a defensive manner. Often you’ll end up taking both positions – you try to win on turn three, but they disrupt you so you can’t, so then you have to swap over to a defensive role to prevent them from killing you. Generally, it is better to be the aggressive one, as your pump spells are better on attack than on defense.
Monstrous Rage makes blocking very difficult. Therefore, you only want to block as a last resort. Utilising your removal spells is how you play the defensive role.
Make sure you don’t walk into their removal spells, as that can be a massive tempo swing that you cannot recover from.

Matchup: Selesnya Company

+2 Fatal Push

+2 Reckless Rage

+1 Heartless Act

+3 Screaming Nemesis

OUT

-2 Slickshot Show-Off

-4 Turn Inside Out

-2 Claim//Fame

You generally want to ignore their mana creatures, and instead hold your removal spells for Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Archon of Emeria and Werefox Bodyguard. Use Burn Together as a removal spell if you need to.
If they have Thalia, Guardian of Thraben or Archon of Emeria in play, you may want to cast Monstrous Rage at their end step to get a monster role token to set up an attack on your turn.
Hold basic Mountain in hand to play after they resolve Archon of Emeria.
A flipped Kumano Faces Kakkazan with a Reckless Rage lets you exile their Enduring Innocence.
Do not plot Slickshot Show-Off against them due to Archon of Emeria.

Matchup: Jund Sacrifice

+2 Claim//Fame

+2 Screaming Nemesis

OUT

-4 Infuriate

You want to close out the game quickly, as they have inevitability if the game drags out with Mayhem Devil, Scavenger’s Talent and Ygra, Eater of All.
Make sure you play around Claim the Firstborn – you don’t want them to steal your Heartfire Hero and sacrifice it for a large chunk of damage.
To minimise the impact of Cauldron Familiar’s chump-blocking, you often cast Monstrous Rage aggressively so that your creature has trample for the coming turns as well.
Always be aware of how many food tokens they can generate, as you may think you have a lethal attack only for them to make some food tokens out of nowhere and gain enough life to survive.

Matchup: Azorius Control

+2 Thoughtseize

+3 Screaming Nemesis

+2 Ob Nixilis, the Adversary

OUT

-3 Infuriate

-2 Claim//Fame

-2 Reckless Rage

You want to keep jamming threats in this matchup to put them on the backfoot, and force them to act. Generally, present two threats at a time. If they kill one, present another. Don’t commit further, as you don’t want them to get too much out of their sweepers.
Hold your haste creatures for post-sweeper. This is why we bring in Screaming Nemesis in this matchup.
Sometimes you can’t play around sweepers, so then just be aggressive and cut them out of time to draw into one.
Don’t walk into The Wandering Emperor. However, sometimes you can try to bait it out to finish it off in the second main phase with Kumano Faces Kakkazan’s chapter one trigger.
Plotting a Slickshot Show-Off and keeping it in exile until after they tap out for a sweeper is a strong play that comes up often.
Post-board, if they have Chrome Host Seedshark, you may want to keep some copies of Reckless Rage. You also want to Thoughtseize them before they get a chance to resolve High Noon or Temporary Lockdown. Adjust accordingly based on whether you are on the play or the draw.

Matchup: 5C Enigmatic with Zur

+2 Thoughtseize

+1 Heartless Act

+3 Screaming Nemesis

OUT

-4 Turn Inside Out/ Infuriate (depends on their list)

-2 Claim//Fame

They have no sweepers main deck, so you can over-commit to the board and go wide.
You need to kill them quickly and/or have an answer to Zur, Eternal Schemer, or else the legendary creature will take over the game.
Infuriate is better than Turn Inside Out if they play cards like Elspeth’s Smite, Nowhere to Run or Knockout Blow. You may also want to cast Infuriate pre-combat if they have these cards to play around Elspeth’s Smite or Knockout Blow.
If they are light on exile removal spells, you can keep in some copies of Claim//Fame.

Matchup: Lotus Field

+2 Thoughtseize

+2 Ob Nixilis, the Adversary (if they have Nine Lives

or Screaming Nemesis (if they don’t have Nine Lives)

OUT

-2 Claim//Fame

-2 Reckless Rage

Pre-board, you can over-commit to the board as much as you want. Post-board, you need to play around their sweepers, so hold your haste creatures back.
Archdruid’s Charm can be used to fight with Arboreal Grazer. They can also search up Otawara, Soaring City. Be aware of this as a way for them to potentially break up a kill with Burn Together.

Matchup: Rakdos Transmogrify

+2 Claim//Fame

+1 Heartless Act

OUT

-3 Turn Inside Out/Infuriate (depends on their list)

You want to apply pressure on board quickly and force them into a spot where they have to tap out for a Transmogrify to stay alive, and hopefully you have a removal spell in that spot to blow them out.
They don’t block very well, so take advantage of that.
You want them to tap out to set up a lethal turn. Sometimes they will tap out for a Transmogrify into an Atraxa, Grand Unifier, but if you have dealt enough damage up to that point, you may then be able to set up a kill with Burn Together without having to attack into Atraxa.

Matchup: Azorius Humans

+2 Fatal Push

+2 Reckless Rage

+1 Heartless Act

+3 Screaming Nemesis

OUT

-2 Kumano Faces Kakkazan

-4 Turn Inside Out

-2 Claim//Fame

Prioritise killing Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, as the tax on your mana is hurtful.
Screaming Nemesis + Reckless Rage is extremely strong in this matchup. Screaming Nemesis is also good at keeping Adeline, Resplendent Cathar at bay, as attacking with Adeline may just leave them dead if it’s large enough.

Conclusion

I hope you found this article insightful, as I covered the details of the deck we played and everything you need to know to pick it up, including sideboarding strategies against the top-tier decks. Playing this deck was a thoroughly enjoyable experience for me. While Pioneer hasn’t always been my favourite format, discovering a deck that resonated with me was a rewarding moment—even if the format’s presence in Organised Play is now diminishing! That said, Pioneer retains a strong following on Magic Online and Arena, so if you enjoy those platforms, I highly recommend trying this deck out.

As for me, Pro Tour Aetherdrift is just two months away! I haven’t touched Standard since May, so it’s time to dive back in and start preparing. I’ll be working diligently with Team Worldly Counsel as we gear up for the tournament in Chicago. The road ahead promises to be challenging yet exciting, and I’m looking forward to what’s to come.

Till next time!

Zen Miyaji-Thorne

@mtgzen on X

About the Author

Zen Miyaji-Thorne is a seasoned writer and mainstay on the Three for One Trading writing team. He is an avid Eternal player from Auckland, New Zealand and enjoys competing in local Legacy events and playing Old School over webcam with friends.

Previously, he was a Silver Pro for multiple years and his results included five Grand Prix Top 8s, a 27th place at Pro Tour Amonkhet, three consecutive online Regional PTQ wins, and he co-created the Modern Dredge deck.

Nowadays though, he primarily plays Legacy, his favorite format, but he also branches out into Pioneer and Modern.