Hi! This is a short post meant to add a bit of knowledge for those interested in our Pioneer Neoform list that Kevin Anctil used to make Top 8 at the Canada Regional Championship last weekend.
My list had 1 Golgari Charm instead of 1 Tear Asunder, my sideboard guide below includes the Charm. If you don’t expect much Humans or Boros Convoke, you can play the Tear Asunder.
Deckbuilding
You’ll see that our list has a bunch of Instant/Sorcery 1ofs throughout the 75. That’s because once you Neoform into Atraxa, Grand Unifier, you essentially have access to your entire deck. Let me explain. You’re seeing 10 cards with Atraxa, but between Gaze and Strategic Planning, which you have cast prior Atraxa and likely will after, you see and drop in the graveyard tons of cards. Add Founding the Third Path into the mix and you now even have access to those in the graveyard. That’s why we believe having versatile cards such as Fading Hope, Tear Asunder, Aether Gust and such is important.
Pithing Needle is included for similar reasons, it’s a new type to find with Atraxa.
Keep that in mind when making changes to the deck in the future.
Otherworldly Gaze
As I mentioned on Twitter, Otherworldly Gaze might be one of the trickiest cards I’ve ever cast. In a vacuum it’s not very good because it’s card disadvantage. Yet, it’s amazing in this deck because it fuels your delve cards and finds your combo pieces. Think of it as Dark Ritual AND Vampiric Tutor combined!
The reason it’s so tricky is that if you’re not using it properly, it will quickly be the reason you’re losing the game. You’re trading a card for card selection, so you better make sure the cards you’re digging for are worth the card and the tempo you’re losing. Everytime you leave an incorrect card on top, think of it as basically paying mana to lose two cards. Now you can understand why that would lose you the game right?
It will require a lot of practice and matchups understanding. If your opponent does not interact, it’s fairly easy, you dig for delve creatures and Neoform (generally Neoform). Don’t be afraid to aggressively dump anything that’s not a Neoform. If you believe you have more turns to spare, you can leave cards that help you dig deeper on top (Strategic Planning and Founding).
Our deck is capable of comboing, interacting and even having a plan B (delve creatures beatdown or Jegantha casting Atraxa/Atarka). You need to consider all of this when casting Gaze. If you identify that your opponent has a hard time dealing with a delve creature on turn two, just cast Gaze on turn one to dump 3 cards in the graveyard and cast the creature exiling the Gaze on turn two. Riding that creature followed by Thoughtseizes, Fatal Push, Stubborn Denial and Founding the Third Path to flashback them is a very legit game plan.
Notes:
- You can use it to guarantee not drawing your Neoform target. Similarly with Founding the Third Path, I will mill my opponents to not risk milling my targets.
- Think about casting Otherworldly Gaze during your draw step (before Founding the Third Path 3rd counter is put on the stack) so that you have something decent to flashback. Sometimes, it makes more sense to do it upkeep so that you control what you’re drawing, but that specific draw step situation happens when I’m looking for a Thoughtseize to put in the graveyard. Once I know I’ll have access to the Thoughtseize, it’s easier to know what I’ll want to leave on top with Gaze.
- As a general idea, against blue decks (with counterspells) I want to make my land drops more importantly than anything else. Otherworldly Gaze is bad there, because card disadvantage means less resources, less resources means less cards (and lands) to play with. I will try to not cast Gaze until I have an open window where I know what I’m doing will resolve and be meaningful. You’ll see that we’re cutting 2 post board against most blue decks. We don’t cut more because they’re still important to feed the delve creatures of course.
Sideboard and Matchup Guide
It’s the sideboard guide as well as matchup notes we used for the weekend. Keep in mind that the event was open decklist, therefore we always adjust depending on their exact list of course.
Rakdos Midrange
Play:
+1 Atraxa, Grand Unifier +1 Abrupt Decay/Pithing Needle
-1 Dragonlord Atarka -1 Fading Hope
Draw:
+1 Atraxa, Grand Unifier +1 Duress +1 Pithing Needle +1 Abrupt Decay
-1 Dragonlord Atarka -2 Consider -1 Fading Hope
Notes:
- Pithing Needle is for Liliana of the Veil and Bloodtithe Harvester (assembling 2 Bloodtithe/Fable can kill Atraxa).
- Ship hands that are only interactive and have painful manabases.
Rakdos Sacrifice
Same as Rakdos Midrange.
Mono Green Devotion
+2 Pithing Needle +1 Hullbreaker Horror +1 Aether Gust
-1 Dragonlord Atarka -2 Consider -1 Strategic Planning
Azorius Spirits
+1 Abrupt Decay +3 Ray of Enfeeblement +2 Mystical Dispute
-3 Stubborn Denial -2 Otherworldly Gaze -1 Hooting Mandrills
Notes:
- If they have Rest in Peace, bring Golgari Charm
Humans
+1 Hornet Queen +3 Ray of Enfeeblement +1 Golgari Charm +1 Abrupt Decay
-1 Dragonlord Atarka -2 Consider -3 Stubborn Denial
Notes:
- On the play, just Neoform ASAP, don't interact. If they remove your threat, you're usually not too far behind, so you can either do it again or kill the Brutal Cathar/Ossification.
Creativity
+1 Atraxa, Grand Unifier +1 Duress +2 Mystical Dispute
-1 Dragonlord Atarka -3 Fatal Push
Notes:
- Depends on version obviously, this is mainly for Gearhulk.
Abzan Greasefang
+1 Atraxa, Grand Unifier +3 Ray of Enfeeblement +1 Abrupt Decay
-1 Dragonlord Atarka -3 Fatal Push -1 Consider
Notes:
- If they have a bunch of Liliana of the Veil and few Witherbloom Commands, bring in 1-2 Pithing Needle.
Azorius Control
+1 Atraxa, Grand Unifier +1 Golgari Charm +1 Duress +2 Mystical Dispute +1 Abrupt Decay +2 Pithing Needle
-1 Dragonlord Atarka -3 Fatal Push -2 OtherworldlyGaze -1 Hooting Mandrills -1 Neoform
Azorius Lotus
Haven't played this matchup enough to know exactly, but don't approach it like regular Azorius Control. Don't try to play the tempo, beatdown with delve guys approach like we usually do, because if they have Lotus Field online you will fall behind too quickly.
Hullbreaker Horror is theoretically great post board.
Going forward
Rob Anderson winning the Regional Championship with Izzet Phoenix, and the deck picking up popularity might result in more Leyline of the Void and Rest in Peace. In that case you may want to bring back Glissa Sunslayer in the board, or more Tear Asunder.
Also, let’s be honest, our Rakdos matchups being that good is mainly based on the fact that none of their lists is adapted to Neoform. The correct removal spells, better graveyard hate than Unlicensed Hearse and overall better understanding of the matchup on their side will definitely swing the win rate down.
I’m sorry if you came here for the perfect solution to Pioneer, I build decks to beat specific events, not to break formats 😛
