Three More Cards Join the Pioneer Ban List
If someone asked you to pick three cards to ban in Pioneer this week, would you have picked the right ones?
Mike says he could have picked Smuggler’s Copter and Once Upon a Time.
Patrick is sure he would have picked Field of the Dead.
So what do we think about the bans… And more importantly what’s next for Pioneer?
At Least Smuggler’s Copter was Fun
Was Smuggler’s Copter the best card in Pioneer? Strong, very strong, maybe.
But there has to be a best card, right?
Patrick empathizes with the choice because the Mono-Black deck was too good. Smuggler’s Copter was so good it made Night Market Lookout playable!
The problem is that — at least around the Mono-Black deck — Smuggler’s Copter will be replaced with Pack Rat. Or…
Guess which card is really fun, and guess which card is really not fun?
Simic StOmPy Might Have Been Too Repetitive
With Llanowar Elves, Elvish Mystic, and Gilded Goose all at the one, Simic StOmPy could play a hyper-reliable first couple of turns.
If it wasn’t Steel Leaf Champion it was Lovestruck Beast. If it wasn’t a five power beater on the second turn, it was Oko, Thief of Crowns.
This deck — which won last weekend’s Pioneer PTQ on MTGO — was arguably the most beat up archetype by this week’s bans. Not only did it lose the Copter… It lost Once Upon a Time!
Speaking of which… 10 one mana accelerators, 12 or more insane three mana plays, and Once Upon a Time? Yeah… Probably a bit too repetitive.
Is the Big Winner Mutavault?
Mutavault was already a good card in the best deck (Mono-Black).
With a projected move from Smuggler’s Copter to Pack Rat… What does that say about Mutavault?
Hint: It’s also a Rat.
But on top of that? Field of the Dead being banned in Pioneer is also great for Mutavault.
Because: There will be far fewer 2/2 Zombie tokens holding off Mutavaults!
Or What About Castle Garenbrig?
This card is going to have some good setup from Hour of Promise.
Hour of Promise will, in turn, get lift from Nissa’s Pilgrimage and especially — new tech alert — Natural Connection.
What does one do with a “free” six-on-five (or even six-on-four)? I’m thinking… More Ramp?
… And loads more!
Three more cards join the Pioneer ban list. Long live Pioneer!
