A few years ago, a strategy was gradually phased out and restructured in Magic's design: mana disruption. LD was slowly villainized in terms of gameplay and seen as an "unfun" part of the game to the point of being almost nonexistent in more recent competitive formats like Standard and Pioneer.
That doesn't mean players don't try: in February, a Boros Ponza list stood out in Pioneer, using cheap LD effects that replace themselves with basic lands to punish the format's greedy mana bases!
The Decklist
This is a Yorion, Sky Nomad list, but far from a Bounce/Blink strategy, even though the Companion's ability synergizes with our creatures. The reason for opting for the 80-card list is to increase disruption diversity: we have more LD effects among lands with full playsets of Demolition Field and Field of Ruin.
Our strategy is quite clear: board disruption early on with LD and removal, followed by a powerful four-drop to stabilize or secure advantage with more mana disruption. From that point on, we need to keep the opponent destabilized until we close out the game in four or five turns.
Maindeck
Our early turns involve proactive disruption of the opponent's lands. Cleansing Wildfire and Price of Freedom are the best options, as they replace themselves in hand. Field of Ruin and Demolition Field complement this plan, but at the cost of your "land drop." They're best used alongside Sunken Citadel.
Mana disruption continues in later turns: Magmatic Hellkite and Krenko's Buzzcrusher are, in essence, creatures with a Field of Ruin ability on ETB, while also being able to close out games in a few turns with evasive bodies.
We can't expect the opponent to do nothing, especially in a Metagame as aggressive as the current one. Beza, the Bounding Spring lets us gain life, resources, and hold the game for a few turns when needed, while also being a decent threat against Midrange decks.
Fable of the Mirror-Breaker remains one of the best red cards in Pioneer. It filters your hand, ramps mana, and can "lock" opponents in the late game by copying Magmatic Hellkite every turn.
Serra Paragon reuses Field of Ruin and Demolition Field over a turn cycle and also recurs Fable of the Mirror-Breaker.
Cori-Steel Cutter is still a troublesome card, although it's currently being overshadowed by the rise of Greasefang, Okiba Boss decks. Additionally, Red Aggro and more proactive strategies with cheap threats are almost immune to our early game plan, so we need another angle to hold the game against them: clear the board as many times as necessary.
A full playset of Temporary Lockdown and Pinnacle Starcage solves this issue.
For the early turns, and in matchups against Midrange or decks where our sweepers aren't effective, we have a full playset of flexible spot removal. Abrade has the advantage of dealing with Cori-Steel Cutter, and Get Lost handles Planeswalkers and enchantments like Unholy Annex. Both also deal with Greasefang, Okiba Boss at instant speed.
Elegant Parlor filters the top card on ETB—a more than necessary ability in a deck with no extra draw effects outside of Cori Mountain Monastery, which acts as a red Castle Locthwain in this list.
Sunken Citadel serves as mana fixing, but its main role is to generate extra mana when we need to activate Field of Ruin and Demolition Field. We round out the duals with Sundown Pass, Sacred Foundry, and Inspiring Vantage for consistency.
Sideboard
Kutzil's Flanker deals with graveyards at instant speed in the same slot where we can gain a little life to hold off Aggro decks, while Rest in Peace permanently shuts down Abzan Greasefang's game plan or part of Izzet Phoenix's strategy until opponents can deal with the enchantment.
Surge of Salvation can save creatures from damage-based spells, stop a Thoughtseize from taking a key card, or even prevent lethal damage from more explosive turns with Monstrous Rage—all for just one mana.
Clarion Conqueror can lock down Crew abilities for Parhelion II, mana bursts from Badgermole Cub with dorks, and also Planeswalkers in control games.
Yorion, Sky Nomad is a benefit of running 80 cards in the list. The Blink ability can turn games in your favor alongside our creatures' ETBs, and a flying late-game threat can win games.
Aurelia, the Warleader complements the threats in games where some of our cards lose usefulness and we don't have many sideboard options, or in non-interactive matchups where casting her alongside our other threats can win the game on the spot.
Sideboard Guide
Izzet Prowess
IN
OUT
Mono Red Aggro
IN
OUT
Abzan Greasefang
IN
OUT
Orzhov Greasefang
IN
OUT
Golgari Midrange
IN
OUT
Selesnya Company
IN
OUT
Azorius Control
IN
OUT
Wrapping Up
That's all for today!
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!
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