Pioneer Set Review: Lost Caverns of Ixalan

With the end of the previews for Lost Caverns of Ixalan, we continue our reviews of the most important cards from the new Magic: The Gathering expansion for the main formats.

Today, I present my set review for Pioneer, highlighting the best cards of each color.

Get Lost is the best removal in the set for Pioneer, and fits in almost all places where Fateful Absence is played, or even in more proactive white decks that need cheap answers to enchantments.

But its usefulness comes at a price: Map tokens are a little more advantageous for aggressive archetypes than Clues, as they allow you to amplify your creatures' clock while filtering the top. Therefore, the exchange is not so obvious or apparent - if the Metagame is directed towards an environment where "go-wide" starts to show up more often, it is likely that a split between them will be necessary.

A white Unearth might find some use as a key piece recursion for some archetypes. The main deck that could run it are the Greasefang, Okiba Boss lists, but Can't Stay Away already does an excellent job of guaranteeing recursion and the possibility of performing the entire combo from the graveyard.

Honorable mention. Kutzil's Flanker isn't more effective than other cards in the modules it has, but its flexibility can guarantee it space somewhere. Additionally, its ability interacts in interesting ways with blink effects, such as Yorion, Sky Nomad.

Compared to Supreme Verdict, Sunfall and Farewell, Unstable Glyphbridge leaves a lot to be desired: five mana is a very high cost for a card that leaves some threat in play, being lethal if it is something that grows on the opponent's turn, such as Misery's Shadow and Monastery Swiftspear, or that guarantees means to recover, such as Recruitment Officer.

It has useful interactions in Up the Beanstalk and Yorion, Sky Nomad decks and works as a win condition on its own - if its controller has an artifact to craft with it. However, these qualities do not seem to overshadow the card's cost and restrictions.

Warden of the Inner Sky has good interaction with Humans such as Thalia's Lieutenant and Luminarch Aspirant, and also works in more proactive Aggro strategies that have some synergy with counters, like the Selesnya Company.

It doesn't seem like a must-play in any of them, but deserves an honorable mention.

Merfolks is one of the typal decks that hasn't gotten enough support yet to make an impact on Pioneer. Unfortunately, Lost Caverns of Ixalan doesn't help in this regard, even with Deeproot Pilgrimage being a step in the right direction of ensuring ways to amplify the board.

Additionally, the new enchantment also has an infinite combo with two copies of Kiora's Follower on the battlefield, where you can tap one of them to untap the other, and repeat the process to create infinite tokens.

As this combination is based on creatures and the need to untap with them, I don't see much competitive viability, unless it is inserted into a shell that already takes advantage of Deeproot Pilgrimage.

Honorable mention. As a 2/1 with Flash and Flying, Malcolm, Alluring Scoundrel is as easy as Faerie Mastermind to connect with the opponent, and its ability helps filter its controller's hand, as well as allowing very explosive plays once the pirate has three counters.

However, Malcolm requires a lot of setup before it works, and this greatly hinders its viability in Pioneer.

Ojer Pakpatiq, Deepest Epoch reminds me a lot of God-Eternal Kefnet, both in usefulness and recursion. While the previous god didn't find space in Pioneer, Ojer Pakpatiq seems a little more efficient for proactive strategies that use a considerable number of Instants, like the numerous Izzet variants.

Thraben Inspector and Voldaren Epicure had some relevant impact on Pioneer. Therefore, it is possible to assume that its blue variant, Spyglass Siren, will find a place in the format, despite this color not having the same interactions with tokens and/or not fitting into the Boros Convoke's strategy.

The color restriction prevents Subterranean Schooner's chances of becoming the new Smuggler's Copter in Pioneer, as current blue decks are little interested in playing an artifact that doesn't directly collaborate with their game plan.

Its inclusion opens up the potential for players to be interested in playing with value creatures instead of type-based synergies, like Spirits and, in these cases, it is possible that the new vehicle will find some space in Aggro/Tempo lists.

Tishana's Tidebinder is the best merfolk in the new set. In addition to having a decent body on a relevant creature type, it is an excellent method for responding to Planeswalkers and other pesky abilities, such as Mayhem Devil and Greasefang, Okiba Boss.

Honorable mention. I don't believe that Waste Not decks need and/or have room for Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal while Sheoldred, the Apocalypse exists in the format, but its interaction with the archetype's proposal is sufficiently relevant to get players to consider its usefulness.

Bitter Triumph, in addition to being one of the best removals against Planeswalkers that black has in Pioneer, also has some micro-interactions in already established archetypes, such as Rakdos Sacrifice and Greasefang lists.

Possible Sideboard staple, but I don't see much use for it on the maindeck.

Honorable mention. Deadly Dispute is a Rakdos Sacrifice staple due to its advantage in mana and interaction with the deck's triggers. The new Fanatical Offering doesn't offer the same value in mana, but it guarantees another piece to sacrifice that does so on its own while filtering the top.

Lost Caverns of Ixalan also doesn't bring high expectations for the return of Vampires as an archetype, but Preacher of the Schism offers enough value on two fronts to work well, while it can also gain space in Midrange lists if graveyard hate becomes less mandatory in the future.

And speaking of Vampires, Queen's Bay Paladin is a huge value engine in a more dedicated deck due to its recurring reanimation ability. In addition to the obvious absurd interactions with cards like Ghalta and Mavren, the new vampire will also cause headaches when reanimating less greedy pieces like Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet.

In a world without Fetch Lands, Stalactite Stalker doesn't seem as great, especially in Rogues, where we care more about putting cards into our opponent's graveyard than our own, and we have a high density of spells in the list.

If there is a home for the new black one-drop, it is probably found in the Goblin variants that emerged this year, and which are mostly based on Mono Red. If there is a shift from this archetype to Rakdos, Stalactite Stalker might find good synergy with Skirk Prospector.

Honorable mention. Tarrian's Journal looks like artifacts whose potential is unlocked as players test and play with it.

The possibility of casting creatures from the graveyard opens up new options for some strategies, and its ability to guarantee an extra draw in exchange for a creature or artifact makes it a decent value card.

Many players have compared the potential of Bonehoard Dracosaur to that of Sheoldred, the Apocalypse: a creature that doesn't make an immediate impact when it comes into play, but that functions as a threat on its own and provides advantages for each turn in which it remains on the battlefield.

There is logic in the comparison, but Sheoldred is so powerful in competitive formats because of the way she interacts with a fundamental part of the game - drawing cards, which allows a dozen options to take advantage of her ability, in addition to her potential to stabilize the game on her own.

Bonehoard Dracosaur offers a strong body, with plenty of potential to dominate the match, but it doesn't interact with game actions in the same way, plus five mana is a more punishing cost than four in a dozen lists.

I believe the new dragon will be present in competitive decks such as Gruul Vehicles and perhaps even in Rakdos Midrange and in Boros Pia's sideboard, as it generates a lot of card advantage and puts tons of pressure, but I don't believe it will have the same potential to take over formats that Sheoldred had.

Dreadmaw's Ire may deserve a slot in aggressive lists (Heroic, Boros Pia, Mono Red Aggro) as it offers evasion, an efficient combat trick and also works as artifact hate for just one mana.

There are concessions to be made for its efficient use, but there was a time when Light of Hope was on Sideboards for similar reasons.

The Bloodbraid Elf we have at home.

Geological Appraiser has a potentially lethal combo alongside Release to the Wind and Quintorius Kand, but outside of it, the card generates enough value to merit testing in red attrition decks like Gruul Vehicles.

Inti, Seneschal of the Sun seems like a wonderful two-drop for Boros Pia, given how actively it interacts with everything the archetype sets out to do: it guarantees more exiled cards to play, provides evasion for creatures with Prowess to get past chump blockers, and it has a decent cost and body on its own.

Scytheclaw Raptor seems too specific to work on Pioneer today, but if your Metagame is full of Rogues and Control, it's a viable Sideboard option.

Cenote Scout joins Kumena's Speaker as another decent one-drop for Merfolks and allows for a more aggressive stance for the archetype if paired with Vodalian Hexcatcher, Merfolk Mistbinder and Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca.

Jadelight Spelunker is another efficient merfolk entering the format. It provides excellent top filtering and/or a significant power boost as the match goes on, and given the mechanic's interactions with Nicanzil, Current Conductor, it deserves an honorable mention.

Poison Dart Frog is here just because we want you to take a look at this cute frog. Ixalan's fauna is wonderful. We can continue the review now.

Pugnacious Hammerskull combines with Fight Rigging to grant an immediate trigger of the enchantment's ability. In addition to increasing the number of targets for the "combo", the new dinosaur is less punishing and requires fewer concessions to work, in addition to being a green creature and opening up new possibilities for the archetype outside the combinations.

Spelunking doesn't have as much potential as Amulet of Vigor, but its category tends to create unexpected combos and/or absurd interactions when added to other cards that care about lands, such as Scapeshift.

Three mana seems like a high cost for a spirit that doesn't have an immediate impact, but in addition to protecting itself, Abuelo, Ancestral Echo allows you to protect the other creatures in your deck in the same way that some Modern lists did with Eldrazi Displacer.

Being in a type that matters in Pioneer, and allowing you to reuse certain ETB effects, it could be one of the most efficient cards in the set.

Amalia Benavides Aguirre enables a lethal combo with Wildgrowth Walker and the Explore mechanic. We evaluate the possibilities in depth in our card review.

The addition of quality permanents that create Map tokens and/or have the ability to Explore in the new set makes it a little more viable than we expected when it was revealed. Perhaps a Midrange proposal would be the most appropriate version for the combo.

As much as I want The Ancient One to work, Pioneer today is too focused on graveyard hate to guarantee the impact of an 8/8 on the second turn without any disruption. It has potential, but doesn't appear to have a viable home in the current Metagame.

Anim Pakal, Thousandth Moon is an improved version of Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin, as it doesn't require the creature itself to attack and is a more relevant type in Pioneer, as well as having useful interactions with Thalia's Lieutenant and Luminarch Aspirant.

If multicolored versions of Humans gain relevance with Cavern of Souls, Anim Pakal could become one of the archetype's most powerful attrition pieces.

Bartolomé Del Presídio is an excellent enabler and sacrifice resource for the format, and one that cares about artifacts as well. As Raniere mentioned in his card review, the new vampire allows for some useful interactions with mass reanimation effects, such as Rally the Ancestors and Return to the Ranks.

Being a human and a decent two-drop, Kellan, Daring Traveler seems like a viable option for Humans and other white Aggro in Pioneer, as he guarantees top filtering and recurring card advantage every time he attacks.

Grand Abolisher isn't Pioneer-legal, and Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar is a great replacement for a low cost, as only Dragonlord Dromoka has a similar ability in the format today.

As a three-mana 3/3 that interacts with counters and anthem effects, Kutzil could also become the centerpiece of some new proposition alongside Hardened Scales and Sovereign Okinec Ahau.

As I mention in my review, Molten Collapse is not just as easy to extract value in Pioneer as it is in other eternal formats. However, being an improved version of Dreadbore that hits Chained to the Rocks and Witch's Oven, it will certainly become a staple in decks.

Honorable mention. The Mycotyrant can get out of control quickly in a dedicated strategy, with Stitcher's Supplier, Satyr Wayfinder and other permanents on a self-mill core.

If there's a reason to build around Descend, it's this mythic-rare.

With Pioneer's merfolk heavily geared towards Explore since Jadelight Ranger and Merfolk Branchwalker, Nicanzil, Current Conductor have the potential to grow quickly, and its ramp ability can allow for more explosive turns.

Quintorius Kand seems closer to a card for Standard than Pioneer. Here, it competes with Showdown of the Skalds as a value engine for Boros decks and with more versatile Planeswalkers in Goodstuff lists. Outside his combo potential, he doesn't seem to have a home in the current Metagame.

Vito, Fanatic of Aclazotz has useful interactions for strategies that care about sacrificing things. For four mana, I don't think it has room to enable a new Mardu Sacrifice, but Doom Foretold and Beseech the Mirror can take advantage of it with ease.

A Recoil for two mana and combined with card selection is strong, but each individual mode of Wail of the Forgotten is average to bad, and there are more efficient ways to use mana to take away resources in Dimir decks without opening up so many concessions.

Honorable mention. Zoyowa Lava-Tongue is in the right colors to interact with Rakdos Sacrifice, but its effect seems redundant and too dependent to warrant its space.

Goblins, on the other hand, also have sacrificial interactions and can take better advantage of this creature.

Chimil, the Inner Sun is a strange artifact to evaluate because it guarantees a free spell every turn, but if we get straight to the point, it is worse than God-Pharaoh's Statue in terms of blocking interactive decks, while Mono Green Devotion has numerous pieces where the Discovery ability is just redundant.

Players will test it in the Karn, the Great Creator toolbox, but this slot seems best used with less specific pieces.

Honorable mention. Players have found ways to loop to win games with Aetherflux Reservoir, so it won't be a surprise if they find ways to activate The Millennium Calendar multiple times in a turn to reach a thousand counters.

For years, Cavern of Souls has been one of the most important staples in Modern. The years passed, power creep happened, and the strategies who cared about it disappeared from the Metagame - today, Amulet Titan runs it to protect Primeval Titan from counterspells.

In Pioneer, Spirits, Humans and Vampires are three of the strategies that benefit from the new card, and it will be present in some quantity in these lists. However, it doesn't seem to impact the Metagame as much as some speculate because counterspells are already bad cards against Aggro. In other words, while the Cavern improves Game 1, it doesn't solve other more relevant problems in this matchup.

The highlight of Cavern of Souls, therefore, is manafixing, and we immediately remember the high number of Humans available in the format and the fact that, now, multicolored variants of this archetype have sixteen lands that generate any color of mana and come into play untapped (Unclaimed Territory, Secluded Courtyard, Cavern of Souls, Mana Confluence, 20 if we count Plaza of Heroes), which facilitate the use of more impactful or aggressive cards with greedy color costs, like Mantis Rider.

Honorable mention. Between Spelunking, Scapeshift and Lotus Field, there may be some useful interaction with Echoing Deeps in Pioneer.

Volatile Fault is a variant that merges the qualities of Ghost Quarter with the mana parity of Field of Ruin with a temporary feature that interacts with sacrifice triggers and artifacts.

It is the most efficient land disruption we have for more proactive archetypes today, and can improve some lists' game plan against Lotus Combo (dealing with Thespian's Stage before it copies Lotus Field) and Manlands.

The first cycle of Pioneer's allied lands has the arduous challenge of sharing space with the Adventures in the Forgotten Realms' cycle, and ends up suffering a significant loss in efficiency when compared to them.

Some, like Restless Anchorage and Restless Ridgeline, seem to have a little more potential to appear on certain lists, as I explain in my full analysis of the cycle for Standard and Pioneer.

That's all for today.

The year's last set seems to have the ideal power level to impact Pioneer without breaking the Metagame in half. Some additions are notable, while others seem like unknowns, as they have potential, but depend on how their surroundings develop in the coming weeks.

Thanks for reading!