Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue
Faithless Brewing is a top-rated Magic: the Gathering podcast and here's why. Each week, we design spicy new decks around the coolest cards in Modern and Pioneer. We put our creations to the test in tournament play and share our findings on the air. Created by Dan Schriever (@CavedanMTG), David Robertson, and Damon Alexander. Whether you're a jank brewer, FNM hero, kitchen table end boss or Arena Mythic warrior, our goal is to inspire your next great Magic deck. Take the Oath of Brews and join our Discord community at patreon.com/faithlessbrewing, and visit our homepage FaithlessBrewing.com for all of our latest decklists.
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Episodes
Episodes
Friday May 26, 2023
Friday May 26, 2023
Season 18, Episode 14: Weekly Roundup
Magic Twitter is a place prone to meltdowns, that’s no surprise. But a meltdown over a Boros Convoke deck using Venerated Loxodon? That’s a bit of a stretch. Nevertheless, with the Regional Championships around the corner, a “Hogaak Summer” has been declared by many grinders trying to break through in Pioneer.
Prolific streamer and Faithless Brewer-at-large Zach “Manacymbal” Ryl returns to help us sort through the latest technology in Modern and Pioneer, from new flavors of Izzet Control with Chandra, Hope’s Beacon, to a unique Golgari Elves toolbox, and a surprisingly competitive build of Cragganwick Kitchen featuring Yargle and Multani. We also peer into the future of Standard with a major B&R coming that will set the tone for what 3-year Standard will look like.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Timestamps
[1:34] Catching up with Manacymbal
[5:27] Housekeeping
[8:15] The future of Standard
[18:35] The Aftermath of MOM:Aftermath
[20:20] Boros Hogaak (RW Convoke) by Sodek
[27:56] Cragganwick Kitchen by Alesha_
[36:12] Jund Yargle Traverse by nikkuniku
[38:13] Pia Nalaar Prowess by Dack_Fayden07
[42:15] Izzet Chandra Control by TSPJendrek
[53:25] Golgari Elves Toolbox by rage_hs
[57:21] Gruul Samut Aggro by DookieTrouserMD
Tuesday May 16, 2023
Tuesday May 16, 2023
Season 18, Episode 13: Mailbag
David and Cavedan open up the brewer’s mailbag to field listener questions about the state of brewing in Modern and Pioneer, the health of the metagame, the future of Magic crossovers, and more. They also look at an impressive new combo deck using the Pioneer Elementals package and the Vadrok + Double Major combo.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Friday May 12, 2023
Friday May 12, 2023
Season 18, Episode 12: Brew Session (Sarkhan, Soul Aflame, Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin, Narset, Enlightened Exile, Urborg Scavengers)
And just like that, March of the Machine: The Aftermath is here. Not sure where to get started? Never fear? David Robertson, our resident Pioneer brewmaster, has been cooking up a half dozen spicy decklists to get you ready for battle on Day 1. Here’s what’s on the menu:
Sarkhan, Soul Aflame allows explosive sequences with 5 mana dragons, building on Izzet ramp shells we’ve had good results with in the past. Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin can be a curve topper in value decks but also has a unique combo finish with All Will Be One. Narset, Enlightened Exile has drawn comparisons to Sheoldred: a seemingly clunky 4 drop that nevertheless runs away with the game if you untap. And Urborg Scavengers gives us a higher density of Soulflayers than ever before.
Can any of these decks crack the tier 1 Pioneer meta? Let’s find out!
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Timestamps
[4:46] Aftermath First Impressions
[14:34] Housekeeping
[16:08] Deck 1: Izzet Sarkhan Aflame
[27:11] Deck 2: Rakdos Backup
[36:36] Deck 3: Ob Will Be One
[46:43] Deck 4: Jeskai Narset Spells
[49:32] Deck 5: Boros Narset Tokens
[59:27] Deck 6: Sultai Urborg Scavengers
Monday May 08, 2023
Monday May 08, 2023
Season 18, Episode 11: Brewer’s Guide to March of the Machine: The Aftermath
Fifty more cards are being foisted onto all formats with March of the Machine: the Aftermath, a small supplemental set full of wordy text boxes and big dreams. Luckily, only a handful are poised to make an impact in non-rotating formats.
In today’s compressed Set Review, Cavedan and Morde sort the wheat from the chaff and identify the most important Aftermath cards for Modern and Pioneer. They also evaluate the newly revealed Ring Temptation mechanic, and the extended Standard rotation aimed at reviving tabletop play.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Timestamps
[3:49] Housekeeping
[4:34] New Standard rotation
[7:53] The Ring Tempts You: new LotR cards
[13:13] Frodo Baggins
[15:34] Call of the Ring
[17:10] Wizard’s Rockets
[18:27] Delighted Halfling
[22:37] March of the Machine: The Aftermath Set Review
[26:55] Sigarda, Font of Blessings
[28:30] Niv-Mizzet, Supreme
[31:24] Jirina, Dauntless General
[33:37] Urborg Scavengers
[37:12] Training Grounds
[39:39] Coppercoat Vanguard
[41:22] Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin
[44:57] Nissa, Resurgent Animist
[48:22] Honorable mentions
[56:29] Closing thoughts
Thursday May 04, 2023
Thursday May 04, 2023
Season 18, Episode 10: Weekly Roundup
Morde and Lawson talk new Modern brews with March of the Machine: Battle Zoo, Errant and Giada Flash, Mono Black Coffers, and more.
Friday Apr 28, 2023
Friday Apr 28, 2023
Season 18, Episode 9: Weekly Roundup
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Monday Apr 24, 2023
Monday Apr 24, 2023
Season 18, Episode 8: Brew Session (Rona, Herald of Invasion) + Flashback (Chrome Host Seedshark)
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Friday Apr 21, 2023
Friday Apr 21, 2023
Season 18, Episode 7: Brew Session (Yargle and Multani)
What if they printed a creature with LITERAL DEATHTOUCH FOR PLAYERS? No, I’m not talking about that pesky Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer. Not talking about Phage, the Untouchable either. No, I’m talking about everyone’s favorite Frog Spirit. Yargle and Multani is a foolish card. An insipid card. A team-up no one asked for that earned, at best, a mirthless chuckle during previews.
And yet… it has 18 power.
Is 18 power the same as literal deathtouch for players? Not quite, but it’s tantalizingly close.
Cavedan has Frog Stew on the brain, and the craving won’t go away until he does his darnedest to convert Yargle’s 18 power into damage applied directly to the face. He’s been rummaging around in the bulk bins pulling out every copy of Cragganwick Cremator, Morgue Burst, Voldaren Thrillseeker, and Manifold Key he can find, with a little help from Goryo’s Vengeance and Shadowspear. For a card with no text, Yargle and Multani allows a surprising number of Modern brews.
Meanwhile, Lawson Zandi has been on an insane quest of his own. Lawson is a full hundred matches deep with Windbrisk Heights brews in Modern, and while he has yet to post any 5-0s, he’s been winning at a steady 67% clip. Can he crack the code on Hideaway and finally snag that trophy? More importantly, can he save Cavedan from himself before all his tickets are incinerated on terrible Frog brews?
Like our content? Support us on Patreon and join our brewing community!
Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Timestamps
[3:05] Brewing with Windbrisk Heights
[21:06] Bad Ideas: Yargle and Multani Combos
[27:34] Rakdos Cragganwick Kitchen
[32:56] Gruul Yargle’s Kitchen
[37:50] Gruul Cragganwick Evolution
[44:57] Final thoughts
[47:27] Postscript: In the Heights
