Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue

A Magic: the Gathering podcast for the spike rogue. Each week, we brew new decks in Modern and Pioneer. We put our creations to the test and share our findings on the air: what worked, what didn’t, and what can be improved for next time. Are you sick of going 0-5? We can help you go 3-2, in style! Created by Dan Schriever (@CavedanMTG), David Robertson (resident brew master), and Damon Alexander (brewer emeritus), and featuring Zach Ryl (@Manacymbal) & Emi Sagasti (@MordeToLight). Whether you’re a jank brewer, Day 2 warrior, FNM hero, or kitchen table end boss, our goal is to inspire your next great Magic deck. Take the Oath of Brewers and join our Discord community at patreon.com/faithlessbrewing, and visit our homepage FaithlessBrewing.com for all of our latest decklists.
Episodes
Episodes


Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
The New Modern Staples of New Phyrexia: Lessons from Week 1
Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
Tuesday Feb 14, 2023
Season 17, Episode 6: Weekly Roundup (Modern + Pioneer)
A full week of online tournaments with Phyrexia: All Will Be One are now in the books, and new format staples are emerging in both Modern and Pioneer.
It starts with The Mycosynth Gardens, a card that Amulet Titan players have given rave reviews. The only question seems to be: where does Valakut+Dryad fit into the newly colorless manabase?
Meanwhile, Dimir Mill players have been feasting upon the Amulet Hopeful sporting playsets of a new toy of their own: Jace, the Perfected Mind. An on-plan threat that plays to the board and has huge upside and versatility seems to be exactly what Dr. Mill ordered.
Finally, Atraxa, Grand Unifier is a card in the midst of a meteoric rise. In just days the card has quadrupled in value following tournament wins in every format. The card is loaded with potential in both Modern and Pioneer, and is a worthy target for our next brewing adventure.
Like our content? Support us on Patreon and join our brewing community!
Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Timestamps
[5:05] Housekeeping
[8:28] Amulet Titan ft. The Mycosynth Gardens
[13:50] Dimir Mill ft. Jace, the Perfected Mind
[20:35] Grinding Breach ft. Skrelv, Defector Mite
[21:41] 5c Creativity ft. Atraxa, Grand Unifier
[25:43] Hammer ft. Kemba, Kha Enduring
[26:24] Rakdos Scam ft. Sheoldred’s Edict
[29:38] Mardu ReScaminator ft. Nahiri, the Unyielding
[35:03] Izzet Murktide ft. Minor Misstep
[37:01] Boros Stoneblade ft. Skrelv, Defector Mite + Malcator, Purity Overseer
[42:13] Mono White Devotion ft. Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines, Ossification & The Eternal Wanderer
[43:26] GW Yorion Blink ft. Elesh Norn
[49:26] Rakdos Sac ft. Annihilating Glare
[51:45] Venerated Rotpriest brews
[54:03] Rakdos Sac ft. Gleeful Demolition + Vraan, Executioner Thane
[58:17] Hammer Cats ft. Kemba
[1:00:02] Moritte of the Frost Combo
[1:07:34] Boros Hammer ft. Kemba & Cacophony Scamp & Skrelv


Saturday Feb 11, 2023
All Will Be Brews: Impossible Deck Ideas for Pioneer
Saturday Feb 11, 2023
Saturday Feb 11, 2023
Season 17, Episode 5: Brew Session (Elesh Norn, Mindsplice Apparatus, Filigree Sylex, Unctus, Grand Metatect)
No nonsense, no bluster, no chit-chat. All Will Be Brews. There’s so much to explore now that Phyrexia: ONE is available, so let’s dive right into the decklists!
David shares five of his favorite brew-around cards for Pioneer, with a fresh decklist for each one. All Will Be One offers a red interpretation of Doubling Season. The Filigree Sylex is a 1-shot kill when paired with Solphim, Mayhem Dominus. Mindsplice Apparatus is a mana engine unlike anything we have ever seen. And big momma herself, Elesh Norn, may be the cure for the Pioneer meta.
You can read David’s full article with even more deck ideas at FaithlessBrewing.com:
The Faithless 15: First Draft Pioneer Brews for Phyrexia All Will Be One " Faithless Brewing MTG
Like our content? Support us on Patreon and join our brewing community!
Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Timestamps
[5:05] Housekeeping
[5:34] Deck 1: Izzet All Will Be One
[15:36] Deck 2: Gruul Filigree Sylex
[27:27] Deck 3: Temur Mindsplice Apparatus
[38:56] Deck 4: GW Elesh Norn Kiora
[46:38] Deck 5: Emry Unctus Combo


Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
TYVAR’S JUBILEE BRAWL: Modern Mayhem! Turn 3 Kills! Pioneer Pandemonium!
Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
Season 17, Episode 4: Brew Session (Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler)
Attention faithless brewers, tawdry tappers, and spike rogues! Tyvar Kell invites you to the JUBILEE BRAWL, starting today at the New Phyrexia Fairgrounds. There will be creature combos! Graveyard shenanigans! Turn 3 kills! Join us for a week of Modern Mayhem, Pioneer Pandemonium, and Phyrexian Physticuffs!
Featuring the following creatures:
Devoted Druid, for infinite mana three different ways, or a mini-ritual with Tyvar’s -2.
Prime Speaker Vannifar, now with a turn 3 Tap to Win!
Goblins galore with Conspicuous Snoopy!
Build-a-sword workshops with Stoneforge Mystic
Overgrown Battlement and the Wombo Combo Walls
Jewel hunting with Diamond Lion & Echo of Eons
Mana dorks, elves, and so much more!
There’s decks for everyone at the JUBILEE BRAWL, with combo kills and value plays in any format you please. Bring the whole family and happy brewing!
Like our content? Support us on Patreon and join our brewing community!
Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Timestamps
[2:38] Predictions
[5:46] Housekeeping
[6:37] Brew Session: Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler
[9:21] Rules notes
[13:38] Combo kills with Tyvar
[38:36] Synergy creatures with Tyvar
[51:33] Sketch 1: Sultai Sidisi
[58:40] Sketch 2: Abzan Priest of Forgotten Gods
[1:05:19] Sketch 3: Prime Speaker Vannifar Combo
[1:13:57] Sketch 4: Dimir Soul Diviner


Saturday Feb 04, 2023
Top 5 Most Exciting Cards to Brew: Phyrexia Edition (Modern)
Saturday Feb 04, 2023
Saturday Feb 04, 2023
Season 17, Episode 3: Weekly Roundup
With previews finished and our Set Review episodes in the books, Cavedan and Morde sit down to rank their top cards from Phyrexia: All Will Be One. This time around, they broadly agree on the cards that excite them most in Modern. Build-around planeswalkers and unique creatures top the list, but there’s still room for a little gleeful destruction of artifacts for fun and profit.
In the Picks of the Week, Morde shares the secrets to his recent success with Goblins, which has netted him three 5-0 trophies in his last four tries. This leaner build emphasizes cost reduction from Frogtosser Banneret and Goblin Warchief to set up spectacular turns with Rundvelt Hordemaster and Skirk Prospector. Is this the future of the Goblins archetype?
Dan’s pick is a truly astonishing Combo Walls deck that racked up multiple 5-0 finishes in the last week. If you have copies of Walking Bulwark in your draft chaff, fish them out now! He also shares his travails with Rivaz of the Claw, our current Monthly Project. With 1-4 and 2-3 results pouring in (and the occasional painful 0-4), can we finally assemble a Rivaz build that gets into the winning column?
Looking for more brewing inspiration? Check out this new article from David & Dan, outlining 15 new Phyrexia brews for Pioneer. Free to read at FaithlessBrewing.com!
The Faithless 15: First Draft Pioneer Brews for Phyrexia All Will Be One " Faithless Brewing MTG
Like our content? Support us on Patreon and join our brewing community!
Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Timestamps
[3:19] Housekeeping
Weekly roundup
[4:19] RCQ changes
[7:56] An FNM ethics question
Phyrexia Top 5 Most Exciting to Brew
[19:41] Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler
[22:04] Venerated Rotpriest
[24:40] Capricious Hellraiser
[27:59] Atraxa, Grand Unifier
[30:41] Nahiri, the Unforgiving
[31:48] Gleeful Demolition
Picks of the Week
[35:13] Morde’s pick: Frogtosser Goblins
[46:51] Dan’s pick: Bant Walls Combo
Monthly Project Update
[54:02] Zach’s Dragon Ramp
[57:22] Dan’s Jund Kiora Dragons


Friday Jan 27, 2023
Pioneer Set Review: A Brewer’s Guide to Phyrexia All Will Be One, Part 2
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Season 17, Episode 2: Brewer’s Guide to Phyrexia, Part 2 (Pioneer)
The Great Work continues. With Phyrexia: All Will Be One fully previewed, we turned loose our resident brew master to analyze the best new offerings for Pioneer. (This time around, we are diving our set review by format — if you’d like to hear our analysis of the Modern cards, check out the previous episode of Faithless Brewing).
In the brewer’s paradise that is Pioneer, the powerful new offerings from Phyrexia are glistening with oil-slick possibilities. More than 60 cards made the cut in this massive episode, which still only scratches the surface of what All Will Be One has to offer. There’s something for everyone in this set, and we can’t wait to grease the wheels of the brewing machine and get to work.
Happy brewing,
— cavedan
Like our content? Support us on Patreon and join our brewing community!
Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Timestamps
[1:56] Housekeeping
[3:19] Allied Fastlands
[7:47] The Seedcore
[10:50] Mirrex
[13:11] The Mycosynth Gardens
[14:58] Vindictive Flamestoker
[17:45] Venerated Rotpriest
[21:13] Skrelv, Defector Mite
[24:51] Black Sun’s Twilight
[27:35] Tyvar’s Stand
[30:27] Evolving Adaptive
[32:12] Green Sun’s Twilight
[35:17] Rebel Salvo
[37:59] Gleeful Demolition
[39:48] Cacophony Scamp
[43:04] Annihilating Glare
[44:07] Vat of Rebirth
[45:38] Crawling Chorus
[46:38] Swooping Lookout
[49:23] Experimental Augury
[51:42] Voidwing Hybrid
[52:35] Venser, Corpse Puppet
[55:20] Hexgold Halberd
[57:37] Cankerbloom
[58:54] Soulless Jailer
[1:00:36] Skrelv’s Hive
[1:02:35] Melira, the Living Cure
[1:05:08] The Filigree Sylex
[1:07:23] Armored Scrapgorger
[1:09:42] Kemba, Kha Enduring
[1:12:54] Ossification
[1:15:16] Sheoldred’s Edict
[1:17:01] Anoint with Affliction
[1:19:20] Tablet of Compleation
[1:22:11] Vraan, Execution Thane
[1:24:13] Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler
[1:26:34] Tamiyo’s Logbook
[1:27:37] Bloated Contaminator
[1:31:29] Blade of Shared Souls
[1:33:09] Glissa Sunslayer
[1:36:04] Urabrask’s Forge
[1:38:01] Mirran Safehouse
[1:39:50] Malcator, Purity Overseer
[1:42:23] Sword of Forge and Frontier
[1:45:10] Migloz, Maze-crusher
[1:46:36] Unctus, Grand Metatect
[1:48:19] Lukka, Bound to Ruin
[1:53:18] Solphim, Mayhem Dominus
[1:54:34] Mondrak, Glory Dominus
[1:55:35] Evolved Spinoderm
[1:57:09] Archfiend of the Dross
[1:59:07] Mindsplice Apparatus
[2:02:25] Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines
[2:04:44] Argentum Masticore
[2:06:48] Thrun, Breaker of Silence
[2:08:40] The Eterrnal Wanderer
[2:10:21] Capricious Hellraiser
[2:14:31] Nissa, Ascended Animist
[2:16:39] Atraxa, Grand Unifier
[2:19:51] Kaya, Intanigible Slayer
[2:21:44] Tyrannax Rex
[2:24:24] Concluding thoughts


Sunday Jan 22, 2023
Modern Set Review: The Compleat Brewer’s Guide to Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Sunday Jan 22, 2023
Sunday Jan 22, 2023
Season 17, Episode 1: Brewer’s Guide to Phyrexia, Part 1 (Modern)
Behold blessed perfection! With Phyrexia: All Will Be One finally revealed in all of its machine glory, we are ready to dive into the glorious work of brewing. Today on Faithless Brewing we present our Modern set review. (This time around Pioneer will be treated separately, so check out our next episode if you are interested in that format).
Two cards stand out immediately for their high potential in Modern. The first is Venerated Rotpriest, a 1 drop that could bolster traditional Infect strategies. More importantly, Rotpriest may be powerful enough to spawn a new Storm archetype. Thanks to Summoner’s Pact, Ground Rift, and free spells, it’s possible to assemble a lethal combination consistently by turn 3. Spellskite not only runs interference but doubles as additional copies of the Priest for purposes of accumulating triggers.
The Mycosynth Gardens is enticing in Amulet Titan as a way to set up double Amulet kills. While the Titan experts run their experiments, we can also contemplate other cheap artifacts that might benefit from low-cost doubling. Rarely do lands offer so much brewing potential at such an efficient rate.
Beyond those two blue chips, several other cards cards could upgrade existing strategies. Gleeful Demolition gives critical momentum to “whack” strategies alongside Kuldotha Rebirth, Jace, the Perfected Mind is a new toy for Mill with lots of optionality Soulless Jailer improves upon Drannith Magistrate, and the black Skullbomb is a clean 2 for 1 for Urza’s Saga.
Beyond the known strategies, Phyrexia: ONE also offers enticing brewing targets for the adventurous. Atraxa, Grand Unifier may be the new premier threat to cheat into play. Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler and Nahiri, the Unforgiving open up new brewing space on three mana planeswalkers, while Capricious Hellraiser can fit into fair and unfair strategies alike. And don’t rule out the Mother of Machines herself: while Commander players wring their hands over Elesh Norn, her impressive powers may well extend into 1v1 formats.
For a standard set release there is a lot going on beneath the surface, and plenty to keep our attentions occupied in the eternal formats. What cards do you have your eye on? Are there any Modern contenders we are still sleeping on?
Happy brewing,
— cavedan
Like our content? Support us on Patreon and join our brewing community!
Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
Timestamps
[3:12] The mechanics of Phyrexia: All Will Be One
[6:04] The Mycosynth Gardens
[9:25] Venerated Rotpriest
[15:49] The Skullbomb cycle
[17:48] Gleeful Demolition
[20:15] Minor Misstep
[22:23] Experimental Augury
[24:05] Cankerbloom
[24:58] Soulless Jailer
[26:38] Mercurial Spelldancer
[29:28] Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler
[35:48] Jace, the Perfected Mind
[40:30] Nahiri, the Unforgiving
[47:06] Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines
[50:14] Capricious Hellraiser
[54:18] Atraxa, Grand Unifier
[59:37] Final thoughts


Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Year in Review: The Best and Worst of 2022
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Tuesday Jan 17, 2023
Season 16, Episode 19: 2022 Year in Review


Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Morde vs. The Modern Meta: 7 Decklists for Jan 2023
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Season 16, Episode 18: Morde Brews Modern (Jan 2023)




