Welcome to the May 2023 Pioneer/Explorer Power Rankings! In this article, you’ll find an overview of the top 15 deck archetypes in the Pioneer format right now, based on a mixture of popularity and performance. As the Explorer card pool continues to grow, the difference between Pioneer and Explorer has become smaller and smaller, so the rankings are also relevant for MTG Arena players.
For each of the 15 archetypes, I have an aggregate deck list that contains the most commonly played and best-performing cards in representative quantities, and I will point out any cards that are important to the Pioneer version but not yet available in Explorer. Where applicable, archetype names hyperlink to a recent Deck Guide on CFB Pro.
The deck lists and rankings are based on an analysis of nearly 800 successful Pioneer deck lists from events held between April 19 and May 17. From this date range, I used all Magic Online deck lists from scheduled events, as well as Top 8 deck lists from dozens of tabletop Regional Championship Qualifiers. To rank archetypes, I estimated each archetype’s sum of match wins minus match losses, which yield a record-weighted metagame share. I then sorted in ascending order of these winner’s metagame percentages.
Honorable mentions
Izzet Phoenix, Selesnya Angels, Enigmatic Fires and Selesnya Auras fell out of the Top 15 this month. These decks remain competitively viable, speaking to the health and diversity of the Pioneer format, and they remain perfectly fine choices for experienced pilots. However, since these archetypes haven’t put up many top finishes as of late, they’ve dropped out of the Power Rankings.
15. Grixis Transmogrify (1.5%)
Aggregate Pioneer Grixis Transmogrify
Planeswalker (2)
Creature (3)
Artifact (2)
Land (25)
Deck summary: Grixis Transmogrify is a combo deck that uses Transmogrify to turn a Shark token from Shark Typhoon or a Goblin token from Fable of the Mirror-Breaker into Atraxa, Grand Unifier. It’s wrapped in an interactive Grixis shell with efficient removal, discard, and countermagic.
Previous rank: N/A. Grixis Transmogrify is a relatively recent innovation. It could be viewed as an Izzet Creativity deck that uses Transmogrify instead of Indomitable Creativity to enable a better mana base with a black splash. As it was not played at Pro Tour Phyrexia, it was not included in the February Pioneer Power Rankings.
Viability in Explorer: The deck is fully legal in Explorer.
14. Omnath to Light (1.7%)
Aggregate Pioneer Omnath to Light
Companion
Creature (12)
Artifact (2)
Land (27)
Deck summary: Omnath to Light is a five-color deck that uses Omnath, Locus of Creation as a midrange value card and Bring to Light as a tutor that can immediately cast the card it finds. The knock-out punch is casting Bring to Light for Valki, God of Lies, which can then be cast as Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor. By doing so, you access one of the most powerful cards legal in the format for the affordable price of five mana.
Previous rank: #15.
Viability in Explorer: In Explorer, Bring to Light, Sylvan Caryatid and Chained to the Rocks are not available, so the deck cannot be built in the same way.
13. Neoform Atraxa (1.8%)
Aggregate Pioneer Neoform Atraxa
Enchantment (4)
Land (22)
Deck summary: Neoform Atraxa is a combo deck that aims to fill the graveyard, delve out a six-cost creature, sacrifice it to Neoform, and put Atraxa, Grand Unifier onto the battlefield. A key card in the deck is Founding the Third Path, which sets up delve, casts Neoform from your graveyard and makes the whole strategy more consistent.
Previous rank: N/A. Neoform Atraxa appeared after Pro Tour Phyrexia, so it was not included in the February Pioneer Power Rankings.
Viability in Explorer: On MTG Arena, Hooting Mandrills; Tasigur, the Golden Fang; Stubborn Denial and Abrupt Decay are not available. Accordingly, Neoform Atraxa is not viable in Explorer.
12. Mono-Red Aggro (2.2%)
Aggregate Pioneer Mono-Red Aggro
Creature (20)
Enchantment (4)
Deck summary: Mono-Red Aggro is a fast, aggressive deck with several different versions. Creature-heavy Embercleave versions have fallen out of favor after Copperline Gorge made Gruul Vehicles a more natural home for the card, but burn-heavy builds remain. The most prominent version over the past month has been a Wizard-based one that uses Viashino Pyromancer and Wizard’s Lightning to take the opponent down to zero life as quickly as possible.
Previous rank: N/A. Mono-Red Aggro temporarily fell out of the February Pioneer Power Rankings, but the strategy will always be around.
Viability in Explorer: Roast is not available, but it can be replaced with Obliterating Bolt.
11. Rakdos Sacrifice (2.4%)
Aggregate Pioneer Rakdos Sacrifice
Companion
Creature (17)
Artifact (4)
Enchantment (4)
Land (22)
Deck summary: Rakdos Sacrifice is centered around Mayhem Devil, Cauldron Familiar and Witch’s Oven, which create a once-per-turn loop that drains your opponent, deals two damage, and allows you to block for free. Claim the Firstborn and Deadly Dispute can be a deadly combo as well.
Previous rank: #7. This means that it’s dropped a little bit over the past months. However, Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin from March of the Machine: The Aftermath may bolster the archetype going forward.
Viability in Explorer: The deck is fully legal in Explorer.
10. Azorius Spirits (2.6%)
Aggregate Pioneer Azorius Spirits
Creature (24)
Enchantment (4)
Land (22)
Battle (2)
Deck summary: Spirits are cheap, evasive and pair well with Curious Obsession and permission spells to back them up. Mausoleum Wanderer, Rattlechains, Supreme Phantom and Shacklegeist form the backbone of all Spirit decks. The most common color combination is Azorius, which unlocks Spell Queller and, as a new addition from March of the Machine, Invasion of Gobakhan. The battle offers disruption and is easy to defeat thanks to all the fliers.
Previous rank: #13. It has gained a few ranks over the past months.
Viability in Explorer: The deck is fully legal in Explorer.
9. Gruul Vehicles (2.7%)
Aggregate Pioneer Gruul Vehicles
Creature (26)
Enchantment (1)
Land (24)
Deck summary: Gruul Vehicles is a midrange deck that uses Llanowar Elves or Elvish Mystic to ramp into Reckless Stormseeker on turn two. Its triggered ability allows Esika’s Chariot or Skysovereign, Consul Flagship to attack right away, allowing you to dominate the battlefield by turn three or four. The Vehicles also allow you to tap a stolen creature in response to the third chapter of The Akroan War, which is often played in higher numbers in slower versions with Jegantha, the Wellspring. Roughly half of the Gruul Vehicles players, including the most successful ones, use faster versions with Werewolf Pack Leader and Embercleave instead, and this approach gets my personal stamp of approval.
Previous rank: #11.
Viability in Explorer: The deck is fully legal in Explorer.
8. Lotus Field Combo (3.1%)
Aggregate Pioneer Lotus Field Combo
Creature (10)
Sorcery (23)
Instant (4)
Enchantment (1)
Land (22)
Deck summary: Lotus Field Combo is a combo deck that can generate a lot of mana in a single turn. The plan is to find Lotus Field, make another copy via Thespian’s Stage, and untap those lands with Hidden Strings and Pore Over the Pages. Through a combination of Emergent Ultimatums, wishes, and tutors, you generally put Omniscience into play, grab Approach of the Second Sun from your sideboard, and cast it twice to win the game.
Previous rank: #9.
Viability in Explorer: On MTG Arena, this archetype is missing Thespian’s Stage, Hidden Strings, Sylvan Scrying, Dark Petition, Behold the Beyond, Dragonlord Dromoka and Voyaging Satyr. As a result, it’s not a viable strategy, and this is one of the biggest differences between Explorer and Pioneer.
7. Dimir Rogues (3.8%)
Aggregate Pioneer Dimir Rogues
Planeswalker (3)
Creature (18)
Land (23)
Deck summary: The best Rogues are Thieves’ Guild Enforcer and Soaring Thought-Thief, which mill the opponent to enable Drown in the Loch. Yet Drown in the Loch is not the only piece of interaction – between countermagic, discard and removal, Dimir Rogues has a lot of ways to disrupt the opponent. An important new addition to the creature base is Faerie Mastermind, who has the right creature type, fits with the instant-speed style of play, and can provide free cards when opponents use Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner or the second chapter of Fable of the Mirror-Breaker.
Previous rank: N/A. Before March of the Machine introduced Faerie Mastermind, Dimir Rogues was a fringe deck at best.
Viability in Explorer: Apart from a singleton Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, the deck is fully legal in Explorer.
6. Mono-White Humans (3.9%)
Aggregate Pioneer Mono-White Humans
Creature (33)
Instant (2)
Enchantment (3)
Deck summary: Mono-White Humans is a streamlined aggro deck that focuses on curving out with powerful Humans on turns one, two and three, using Thalia’s Lieutenant to boost them all. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben is a punishing threat that will disrupt the opponent along the way. Although various color combinations are possible, the mono-white build is the most popular. It allows you to easily fit Mutavault and Castle Ardenvale into the mana base and provides enough basic lands for Ossification.
Previous rank: #10. This means that it has gained a few ranks over the past months. In addition, Coppercoat Vanguard from March of the Machine: The Aftermath may bolster the archetype going forward.
Viability in Explorer: In Explorer, the entire deck is legal save for the singleton Kytheon, Hero of Akros, which is easily replaced by, say, a singleton Skrelv, Defector Mite.
5. Abzan Greasefang (5.2%)
Aggregate Pioneer Abzan Greasefang
Planeswalker (1)
Instant (4)
Enchantment (3)
Land (21)
Deck summary: Abzan Greasefang is a combo deck with a decent midrange backup plan. The dream is to put Parhelion II into the graveyard on turn two and to crew it with Greasefang, Okiba Boss on turn three. The rest of the deck is built to fill the graveyard and support this combo. There is a midrange backup plan involving Esika’s Chariot, which means that anti-graveyard cards are not lights out. Nevertheless, they are still very effective, so Abzan Greasefang players should be happy that Leyline of the Void is not a very popular sideboard card right now.
Previous rank: #3.
Viability in Explorer: In Explorer, Abzan Greasefang is viable and a popular choice, even if Abrupt Decay are not available as a sideboard card.
4. Azorius Control (7.1%)
Aggregate Pioneer Azorius Control
Instant (16)
Enchantment (3)
Land (27)
Deck summary: With a solid suite of spot removal, countermagic, card draw, sweepers and planeswalkers, Azorius Control has remained the premier control deck in Pioneer. While builds with Yorion, Sky Nomad or without a companions also exist, the most prominent build as of late starts with Kaheera, the Orphanguard in the companion zone.
Previous rank: #4.
Viability in Explorer: In Explorer, Azorius Control is popular even though it misses Prairie Stream and Brimaz, King of Oreskos. Brimaz enables a transformational sideboard alongside Regal Caracal that satisfies Kaheera, but Lyra Dawnbringer, Baneslayer Angel and/or Hullbreaker Horror are also useful when opponents board out their removal spells. Prairie Stream is an important part of the mana base for Lay Down Arms, but it’s not a universal inclusion in Pioneer, and choosing a build without Lay Down Arms is the natural choice in Explorer.
3. Izzet Creativity (7.6%)
Aggregate Pioneer Izzet Creativity
Creature (4)
Sorcery (4)
Instant (23)
Land (24)
Deck summary: Izzet Creativity is a control deck first and a combo deck second. Half of the deck is comprised of efficient interaction, but eventually Indomitable Creativity on a Treasure token, Goblin token or Shark token will win the game. The exact win condition, however, has diverged over time. In February, Reid Duke aimed to cast Indomitable Creativity for X=2, putting Worldspine Wurm and Xenagos, God of Revels onto the battlefield. In early April, the most prominent build planned to cast Indomitable Creativity for X=1 into Atraxa, Grand Unifier. And over the past month, builds with Torrential Gearhulk and Magma Opus have risen to prominence.
Previous rank: #1. When Reid Duke wrote the last Power Rankings after wining Pro Tour Phyrexia, he naturally put Izzet Creativity in the top spot. Although I am not Reid Duke, Izzet Creativity remains a highly rated deck. And for what it’s worth, I believe the Worldspine Wurm version might still be the best build after all.
Viability in Explorer: This Torrential Gearhulk version is fully legal in Explorer.
2. Mono-Green Devotion (13.8%)
Aggregate Pioneer Mono-Green Devotion
Creature (19)
Sorcery (4)
Battle (1)
Deck summary: Mono-Green Devotion is the premier ramp deck in Pioneer. The deck uses mana Elves and Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx to potentially ramp into a turn-three Storm the Festival, which can put multiple permanents onto the battlefield. The inclusion of Karn, the Great Creator turns Mono-Green Devotion a formidable force, especially when it sets up convoluted infinite loops involving The Chain Veil; Pestilent Cauldron // Restorative Burst; and Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner. The latest addition from March of the Machine is Polukranos Reborn, who adds to devotion, deters aggro decks and blocks fliers.
Previous rank: #5, which means that it’s risen a bit. The introduction of Polukranos Reborn has bolstered Mono-Green Devotion, reviving it as a top-tier archetype. If you compete in an RCQ, then you can expect to face Mono-Green Devotion at least once, so every deck needs a plan against it.
Viability in Explorer: In Explorer, Oath of Nissa and The Chain Veil are not legal, but the core of the deck is available, making Mono-Green Devotion a fairly popular choice on MTG Arena. Several Pioneer builds have already replaced one Oath of Nissa with an Invasion of Ixalan for more flexibility and to mitigate the downside of being a legendary card, and Explorer builds may draw inspiration from that.
1. Rakdos Midrange (22.5%)
Aggregate Pioneer Rakdos Midrange
Planeswalker (1)
Creature (16)
Artifact (2)
Enchantment (4)
Land (26)
Deck summary: Rakdos Midrange is the most popular deck in Pioneer, and for good reason. It’s well-rounded and customizable, with reasonable game against everything. Featuring efficient discard, powerful removal, resilient threats and flexible sideboard options, Rakdos Midrange has the highest individual card quality in the format, and even though it has trouble answering cards like Enigmatic Incarnation; Skysovereign, Consul Flagship or Witch’s Oven, it keeps putting up numbers.
Previous rank: #2. Rakdos Midrange is definitely the deck to beat right now, with a dominating metagame presence. If you compete in an RCQ, then you may face Rakdos Midrange more than once throughout the day, so you definitely need a good plan against it.
Viability in Explorer: Rakdos Midrange is also one of the most popular choices in Explorer. Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and Dreadbore are the only cards from the aggregate deck list that are not on MTG Arena, but they are easily replaceable.
