Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue

Royal Pain in the Scions

Throne of Eldraine, Episode 8: The Royal Scions
 
Kiora delivered us a fresh 5-0 last week, but we knew that would happen, as Kiora has always been great. The combination with Glorybringer is excellent in Modern and even stronger in Pioneer, although the mana requirements proved to be much trickier without the smooth shock-fetch manabase. Eldrazi add an interesting wrinkle to the Gruul ramp archetype, and Niv-Mizzet got in on the 5-0 action too.
 
This week, we're on to the next 3 CMC walker with absurdly high loyalty. Oko has already been widely accepted as planeswalker royalty, but what about Eldraine's actual royalty, the dashing Kenrith Kids? Two useful +1s and an achievable ultimate make The Royal Scions an attractive card to brew around, in both Modern and Pioneer. We've got more than a dozen new lists, so whether you like looting for value, unlocking graveyard synergies, or pumping creatures and turning them sideways, there's something for everyone this week!
 
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Roundup: Pioneer B&R Announcement
 
Pioneer B&R Announcement
 
Aaron Forsythe tweet
 
Kiora Green Devotion (Dan): 3-2 league
 
Flashback: Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
 
Modern
 
Classic Niv-Mizzet (Damon): 5-0 league
 
Once Upon KiorDrazi (Dan): 5-0 league, 3-3 Modern Challenge
 
Once Upon Kiora (Damon): 4-1 league
 
Pioneer
 
RG Dragons (David): 2-3 league, 4-1 league
 
RG Dragons (Damon): 0-4 league, 4-1 league
 
Jeskai Dragons (David): 4-1 league, 1-4 league
 
Jeskai God-Pharaoh's Gift (David): 2-3 league
 
Brew Session: The Royal Scions
 
Pioneer
 
Sketch 1: Grixis Royal Arcanist
 
Sketch 2: Izzet Royal Prowess
 
Sketch 3a: 4c Royal Vehicles v1
 
Sketch 3b: 4c Royal Vehicles v2
 
Sketch 4a: Grixis Flamewake v1
 
Sketch 4b: Grixis Flamewake v2
 
Sketch 5: Temur Deathtouch Company
 
Sketch 6: Temur Pummeler
 
Sketch 7: 4c Faeburrow Company
 
 
Modern
 
Sketch 1: Grixis Royal Arcanist
 
Sketch 2: Temur Royal Phoenix
 
Sketch 3: Wrenn and Scions Midrange
 
Sketch 4: Izzet Collected Ponza
 
Reference: Blue Moon (thepensword)
 
Reference: Temur Kiora (Dan, 5-0)
 
Reference: Faeburrow Niv (Damon, 5-0)
 
 
 

Bonecrushing and Glorybringing in Modern and Pioneer

Throne of Eldraine, Episode 7: Bonecrusher Giant
 
It's finally time to dive into Pioneer, so it's no surprise that the first card we want to brew around is... Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner? That's right, Kiora! An old favorite on Faithless Brewing, Kiora has always been secretly excellent in Modern, especially when paired with Glorybringer in a ramp shell. New additions from Eldraine have Dan interested in updating the Modern list, while David believes that the basic shell can be ported over to Pioneer as well. But that's not all that Kiora can do. Looking outside of green, David has some wilder ideas for unlocking Kiora's synergies in Esper, Grixis, and Izzet. Do any of them have what it takes to keep up in the wild west that is Pioneer?
 
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Also, Dan has a new article up at Arenadecklists.gg, covering the rules of engagement for building successful decks in Pioneer. Check it out!
https://arenadecklists.gg/pioneers-rules-of-engagement/
 
Roundup: SCG Atlanta + Week 1 of Pioneer
 
Simic Urza Oko Goose (by Zan Syed): 4th place, SCG Atlanta Modern Open
 
Boros Burn (by Lichking7): 7-1, Pioneer Challenge
 
Brew Session: Kiora in Modern and Pioneer
 
Modern lists
 
Bonecrusher Oko-Kiora (Dan): 5-0 league
For a writeup on the evolution of this deck, see this article.
 
Once Upon KiorDrazi (Dan): 5-0 league
 
Pioneer lists
Sketch #1: Gruul Ramp
Sketch #2: Esper Dragons
Sketch #3: Grixis Hollow One
Sketch #4: Izzet God-Pharaoh's Gift
 
 

Modern After Regionals

Throne of Eldraine, Episode 6: New Spice from SCG Regionals
 
In this second half of our double header episode, we are tackling all things Modern: spicy brews from SCG Regionals, testing results with The Great Henge, plus Damon's Top 8 finish in his Standard MCQ in Mox Boarding House, Seattle. Does the Czech testing house's Bant Ramp deck hold lessons for Modern as well?
 
Two other important announcements this week:
 
First: We are extremely excited to announce the launch of our Faithless Brewing PATREON (https://www.patreon.com/faithlessbrewing)! Many of you have been asking us about this over these past five months, and lo, it has at last come to pass. Patreon is where you can support the show directly, and receive a variety of cool benefits as thanks, including bonus content, swag, and access to our Faithless Brewing Discord channel. We are very excited to build a community of brewers in the Faithless Family, which we hope can be a place to interact not just with us but with the many talented and creative brewers that make up our listener base. So if you like what we produce, find value in it, and want to help us make it even better, be sure to check it out!
 
Second, I mentioned that this Episode is part of a double header. The other half, which is posted as separately (as Episode 27), is already available on our channel and offers a guide to the Pioneer format from the perspective of a Modern player. We unpack the manabases, removal options, disruption tools, the most powerful cards and strategies, and how to combat them. If you are Modern player wondering how to get started brewing in Pioneer, you won't want to miss this!  
 
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Timestamps:
 
Weekend Roundup
 
 
5:21  Bant Ramp (Damon, via Czech testing house): Top 8, Standard MCQ at Mox Boarding House, Seattle
 
 
13:57  Urza Oko (by Zan Syed): 1st place, SCG Regionals Raleigh-Durham
 
 
18:23  Simic Eldrazi (by aspiringspike): 7-2 regionals, several 5-0s, also top 8 in MTGO PTQ (by C_E.L)
 
 
23:14  Foodie Niv-Mizzet (by Cameron Martinez): 1st place, SCG Regionals Knoxville
 
 
25:01  Faeburrow BTL Saheeli (David): 4-1 league
 
 
33:33  BTL Kiki Copycat (by forenmagra): four 5-0s in his last six leagues
 
 
 
Flashback: The Great Henge
 
 
35:58 Sultai Hengevine: 4-1 league
 
 
39:57 Golgari Undying: 4-1 league
 
 
45:29  Bant Monkeyhenge: 2-3 league
 
 
46:57  Mono Green Stompy: 2-3 league
 
 
54:22  Hengehammer Gruul: 4-1 league
 
 

How to Brew Successfully in a New Format

Throne of Eldraine, Episode 5: A Brewer's Guide to Pioneer
 
Well that was unexpected.  The birth of a new format is a strange and wonderful thing. “Brewer’s paradise” is a phrase that gets thrown around often, and if that doesn’t apply to times like these, when does it ever apply? For a brewing podcast like ours, a completely unexplored format must be a dream come true.
 
The truth is that successful brewing is actually quite difficult when a metagame is completely undefined. We cannot attack a meta from unexpected angles if we ourselves have no idea what to expect.
 
So what should we expect from Pioneer? How do we build decks in this exciting new format? Fear not, you Faithless Brewers, we have you covered!
 
In this special bonus episode, we take a deep dive into the Pioneer card pool. We unpack the mana bases, removal options, the most powerful cards and strategies, and the decks you will need to be prepared for on Day 1 -- everything you need to get brewing and start battling in the queues!
 
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Timestamps
 
2:38 What is Pioneer?
 
5:18 Initial reactions + unpacking the B&R philosophy
 
11:15 Getting to know the card pool: Pioneer and Modern, compared
 
17:00 Understanding Pioneer mana bases: lands and ramp options
 
32:11 Cards that used to be banned in Standard and Modern
 
45:42 Understanding interactive tools in Pioneer: removal, sweepers, counterspells, and hand disruption
 
1:02:16 Understanding the Day 1 metagame: the most powerful strategies in the format
 
1:22 Summary: The Rules of Engagement for Day 1 of Pioneer
 
 

The Great Henge and Beyond

Throne of Eldraine, Episode 4: The Great Henge
 
Some weeks, when we pick a card to feature, we know it will be a hit. Charming Prince is a versatile role player. Emry is insanely efficient. Oko is simply Broko, and might prove too strong even for eternal formats. Brewing around these cards is a great way to get acquainted with future format staples, and maybe rack up some trophies in the process.
 
Other times, however, it is helpful to brew from the other end of the spectrum: pick a card that might prove totally unplayable, explore it to its fullest, and see where that leads. The Great Henge is one such card. Like the rest of Eldraine's mythic artifact cycle, The Great Henge demands an impossible mana investment, but offers a quest that might let you summon it on the cheap. Meeting this condition is already a giant puzzle, to say nothing of crafting a game plan that can exploit the Henge's abilities while also keeping pace with the brutal Modern format.
 
This week, our goal is to stretch our deckbuilding muscles. This means brewing in Hard Mode. Forget about 5-0s, or tuning a sideboard for the meta; these decks might not even survive the goldfishing stage. But the farther there is to climb, the more we stand to learn from the attempt. Join us as we venture to the Great Henge and beyond!
 
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Roundup: Latest Developments in Modern
 
Utopia Niv-Mizzet (Dan): Top 4, SCG IQ Danbury, Sprawls are quite good at landing a planeswalker on turn 2, which may prove more important going forward
 
Sultai Into the Story (Raphael Mark): Top 2, SCG IQ Danbury, a strong take on the Mystic Sultai hard control archetype
 
Flashback: Charming Prince
 
Naya Dubious Defector: 13-7 leagues, hilarious and powerful, struggles to play defense
 
GW Charming Challenge: 2-3 league, Iona is stronger than Woodfall Primus/Worldspine Wurm, but requires giving up Through the Breach
 
Boros Blink: 2-3 league, grinds well, but struggles to disrupt unfair decks
 
Charming Taxes: 2-3 league, relies heavily on Aether Vial and Stoneforge Mystic to present anything powerful
 
UW Charming Soulherder: 3-2 league, very strong but requires a lot of clicks and triggers to win
 
Brew Session: The Great Henge
 
Sketch #1: Golgari Hengevine
 
Sketch #2: Yolo Yorvo Combo Henge
 
Sketch #3: Basic Henge Stompy
 
Sketch #4: Arcanist Hengehammer Beats
 
Elfball Combo Henge (Meryn MTG): 5-2 in 1v1 queues
 
 

Searching for Prince Charming

Throne of Eldraine, Episode 3: Charming Prince
 
Oko, Thief of Crowns crushed it last week. We tested five homes the new Simic walker, and the trophies just started stacking up. Sultai Faeries, Bant Okoblade, Bonecrusher Kiora, even Faeburrow Niv-Mizzet got in on the 5-0 action. 38-7 is not a normal record for our testing sessions. Was it just good luck, good decklists, or is Oko simply brok-o? What is clear at least is that the card has many hidden modes, functioning more like a six- or seven- ability walker. "Five-Oh-ko" (too much?) looks to be a multi-format staple going forward, so pick up your copies now.
 
Four trophies will be a tough act to follow, so this week the crew takes a crack at a more humble offering from Eldraine: the Charming Prince! Like Oko, Prince Charming offers three modes, but contextually they can feel like four or five. Versatility like that on a 2 drop is great, but the blink mode in particular has Dave's gears turning as potentially enabling broken plays. Can the young prince rescue our permanents from the enemy’s clutches, and stake his claim as a future Modern staple?
 
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Timestamps and Decklists
 
Flashback: Oko, Thief of Crowns
 
03:45 Bant StoneBlade: 5-0 league
12:29 Shape Anew: 2-3 league
21:14 Sultai Faeries: 9-1 leagues
30:04 Bonecrusher Kiora: 17-3 leagues
39:10 Faeburrow Niv: 5-0 league
 
Roundup: Eldraine Week Two
 
 
51:03 SCG Team Open results
52:48 Once Upon a Time, Castle Garenbrig
54:06 Emry, Lurker of the Loch
54:56 Witching Well
55:34 Mystic Sanctuary
58:35 Gingerbrute, All that Glitters
59:24 Merchant of the Vale
59:43 Fires of Invention + Fae of Wishes
1:01:15 Fires of Invention + Savor the Moment + Mystic Sanctuary
1:04:55 Glass Casket
1:05:16 The Royal Scions
1:06:18 Drown in the Loch
 
Brew Session: Charming Prince
 
 
1:09:24 Charming Prince Overview
1:11:53 Sketch 1: Wr Humble Blink
1:26:37 Sketch 2: Naya Challenge
 
Reference lists:
 
Mono-W Taxes (kaosofmind): 5-0
Mono-W Emeria (Fincown): 5-0
GW Dubious Prince (k_f_chicken): 5-0
 
 

Mr. Steal Your Crown: Six New Brews with Oko

Throne of Eldraine, Episode 2: Oko, Thief of Crowns
 
Oko, Thief of Crowns, is a mischievous trickster. He’s so devious that he tricked Wizards into printing him with three powerful abilities and a giant pile of loyalty, all for the low, low price of three mana. Already poised to dominate Standard, the crew thinks Oko will be flaunting his skills in Modern in the very near future, and Dave has six new decklists to prove it.
 
Also, Dan has a new article up on Arenadecklists.gg: a comprehensive Brewer’s Guide to Throne of Eldraine! Expanding on our discussions in the podcast and analyzing 65 cards across four different Top 10 lists (math checks out, right?) this article has everything you need to start brewing with one of the most exciting new releases that Modern has ever seen. You won’t want to miss it!
 
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Dan’s Article: A Brewer's Guide to Throne of Eldraine
https://arenadecklists.gg/2019/10/02/a-brewers-guide-to-mtgeld-in-modern/
 
Damon’s Tournament Results
 
Rainbow Niv-Mizzet (Damon): 6-2 Modern challenge, 5-0 league
Brazen Cutthroat Kiki (Damon, based on kahluah777’s 5-0 list): 5-0 league
 
Roundup: Throne of Eldraine Week 1
 
Paradoxical Emry (Kevslinger): 7-1 Modern Challenge
Emry Ascendancy (Rav104): 5-0 League
Wishclaw EmrySword (haubidtran): 5-0 league
Grixis Into the Story (aspiringspike): 5-0 league
Charming Emeria (Fincown): 5-0 league
 
Dubious Prince (k_f_chicken): 5-0 league
 
Gilded Skies (internetsurfer09): 5-0 league
Questing Stompy (fluffywolf2): 5-0 league
Once Upon a Bogle (__matsugan): 5-0 league
Glitterbrute Affinity (sandahl123): 5-0 league
SnowKo Niv-Mizzet (rodebo): 5-0 league, 4-1 league
 
Brew Session: Oko, Thief of Crowns
 
Sketch #1: Sultai Faeries
Sketch #2: Oko Shape Anew
Sketch #3: 4c Saheeli
Sketch #4: Bant OkoBlade
Sketch #5: Arcades Herder
Sketch #6: Faeburrow Niv-Mizzet (update: Damon notched a 5-0 with this updated list!)
 
Reference lists:
 
Bant OkoBlade (UBERMIKEYB): 3rd place, Modern Challenge
4c SnowKo Saheeli (Gab Nassif): 6-2, Modern Challenge
 

Eldraine Top Ten + Five Ways to Break Emry

Throne of Eldraine, Episode 1: Emry, Lurker of the Loch
 
Eldraine is upon us, and Emry, Lurker of the Loch is the talk of Modern Town. In fact, we wrote an entire strategy guide for the card the very day it was spoiled. Our analysis contained one error, though: "Stoneforge Fishstick" is not the most appropriate nickname for the Lady in the Lake. Her power level warrants a more distinguished pedigree: nothing less than "Deathrite Salmon." This week, the crew unpacks five different ways to break Modern wide open with the new legendary merfolk. There's more than one way to fry a fish!
 
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Timestamps
 
03:02  Niv-Mizzet Reborn (Damon): 5-2 Modern Challenge. Graveyard decks and Urza combo are currently ascendant in the metagame; plan accordingly.
 
Flashback: Green Week
 
08:57 GW Leyline Elves: 3-2 league, needs more speed and redundancy in the combo to compensate for lower overall power
 
14:08 Genesis Devotion (by u/Cube_): 8-7 leagues, capable of truly astonishing combo turns, but struggles to interact with other linear/degenerate decks
 
25:17 Unbound Devotion: 5-5 leagues, Llanowar Tribe is solid and Hydroid Krasis is capable of carrying the deck. Still struggles with the same spread of matchups as the other green devotion lists
 
36:17 Unbound Revelation (by u/DiogenesCane): uses Heartbeat of Spring and Finale of Revelation for a Time Spiral-like effect, as described here
 
41:49 "Hogaak-less Hogaak" (sketch): an attempt to graft the Saffi+Rallier combo into a Vengevine aggro shell
 
44:41 Rallier Combo (by Aaron Westbrook): a variant using Kaya's Ghostform for redundancy in combo pieces
 
 
Roundup: Eldraine Top Ten
 
 
51:10 (HM) Grumgully, the Generous
 
53:01 (HM) Witching Well
 
54:50 (#10) Brazen Borrower
 
58:57 (#9) Glass Casket
 
1:01:10 (#8) Wishclaw Talisman
 
1:05:33 (#7) Castle Garenbrig
 
1:10:07 (#6) The Royal Scions
 
1:14:50 (#5) Oko, Thief of Crowns
 
1:16:33 (#4) Drown in the Loch
 
1:18:51 (#3) Mystic Sanctuary
 
1:22:32 (#2) Emry, Lurker of the Loch
 
1:24:17 (#1) Once Upon a Time
 
 
Brew Session: Emry, Lurker of the Loch
 
 
1:29:25 The Core Emry Package
 
1:33:17 UrzaSword
 
1:33:50 Jeskai Ascendancy
 
1:39:12 Paradox Engine
 
1:41:54 Paradoxical Outcome
 
1:46:51 Kethis, the Hidden Hand
 
1:55:11 Fair Decks with Emry