The Hobbit is coming. The first Middle-earth set to arrive in Pioneer does not bring the same power level as its Modern-exclusive predecessor — a good sign, given the format's current state — but it has enough to cause specific shifts in the Metagame or to establish new archetypes.Among the highlights, Kili the Resourceful makes a strong impression as a Puresteel Paladin, Elrond, Moon-Reader is a broken card waiting for a home, and Wizard's Staff, along with Gandalf, Goblins' Bane, offers reasons to revisit Wizard decks in the format with a less aggressive shell.Below, we present the main highlights for Pioneer and our first impressions for the competitive Metagame!WhiteYou only need two Witch's Oven and a Cauldron Familiar to turn Belladonna Took into a recurring draw source. That seems like a lot of work to add a non-traditional third color for a fragile body against removal, but it deserves an honorable mention.Bilbo's Gambit is the closest we have ever had to Reprieve, and it could be important for holding off key opponent turns or even protecting a combo like Greasefang, Okiba Boss. Unlike in higher-power formats, I do not believe the pseudo-Time Walk it offers makes as much of a difference in Pioneer.Bouncing your Badgermole Cub and other creatures back to hand, creating an army of 4/4s with Flying on the opponent's turn to win the game "for free," and still having all your resources back and protected is quite a lot from a single card.Another entry in Wizards of the Coast's long list of attempts to make Hammer Time a relevant archetype in Pioneer. This time, with a conditional but easy-to-enable Puresteel Paladin using Mox Amber, Cloud, Midgar Mercenary, and Colossus Hammer itself. Potential staple that allows the deck to move further away from red and explore other combinations.Almost every Pioneer deck runs noncreature spells, so enabling The Queen of Dale to filter your hand and increase board power is easy in the format. Mono White Legends and Esper are likely the best homes for her, but the Metagame is a bit more susceptible to generating a lot of value with her compared to formats like Legacy.BlueA Dreadhorde Arcanist that is also a Rogue with a useful body and cost for the archetype. On attack, you can cast Fatal Push or any other removal to clear the board before blocks or cast Thoughtseize after combat.It seems like the kind of threat that cannot stay on board. Potential Pioneer staple, but perhaps not for a Metagame where graveyard hate is so common.Elrond, Moon-Reader is broken. Its trigger does not specify the type of activated ability, so even tapping mana with a Llanowar Elves turns into a draw, guaranteeing two additional resources each turn cycle. It does not have a home today, but it is the kind of card that creates a home on its own.I am always torn about cards that depend on board power to work. They can finish the game suddenly — and The Lord of the Eagles does so more easily since it has Flash — but in other cases they are either unnecessary or the worst possible topdeck.Spirits could test this card, and Azorius Tempo is an archetype accustomed to running small flying creatures. Even returning two Arclight Phoenix from the graveyard already turns it into an 8/8 for , so there is potential here. The question is whether it is necessary or adds anything to any of those archetypes.Milling four cards, finding a Treasure Cruise, and having a 1/1 or 2/2 for with Flying are decent stats on their own, putting Most Decrepit Old Bird in competition with Picklock Prankster. The two-drop offers a more resilient body, while the new card offers more aggression, but it will be a 1/1 with Flying in most matches.On first impression and considering the importance of Aggro decks in the format today, both seem to address needs that differ between being on the play or on the draw.Think Twice on steroids deserves an honorable mention as a potential addition for Control decks.Izzet Wizards existed in Pioneer during the period when Jegantha, the Wellspring was legal and put up some decent results. Since then, the archetype has gained staples like Vivi Ornitier and the new Gandalf, Goblins' Bane, which lets it move toward higher costs. In this case, Wizard's Staff could become a staple by doubling any trigger from your creatures — from Prowess to +1/+1 counters.It is a great time to revisit this strategy, but I believe we need something like Flame of Anor to justify an archetype built around this creature type rather than a standard Izzet Prowess list.BlackAlong the Crooked Way offers additional support for lists with Insidious Roots or Cauldron Familiar loops. It seems more like a win more card than a necessity, but it deserves an honorable mention.We have seen Goblins decks moving toward Sacrifice-Aggro lines rather than the traditional go-wide plan. Azog, Moria's Ruin replaces the body on board and the card in hand while triggering all the top-exile or damage-to-opponent abilities from other cards, although its high cost for the archetype may prevent its inclusion.Gollum, Riddle Master could be a huge headache depending on the opponent's mana curve. In the best case, it also guarantees two draws and maybe other effects each turn cycle or prevents the opponent from interacting with certain cards on your turn. In the worst case, it replaces itself when hit by a Fatal Push. It has potential but lacks a home.Honorable mention. Head of the Hunt is a powerful Sideboard piece against Sacrifice archetypes or decks with creatures that return from the graveyard. It does not deserve slots today and is far from surpassing Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, but it broadens the range of answers and complements Graveyard Trespasser.In a Midrange mirror, Inside Information can practically win the game if it exiles the right cards. It could become a regular one-of in Sideboards.The Sackville-Bagginses also interact with Cat-Oven, but like other options, they seem a bit too win more to be worth the slots and add nothing to Ygra, Eater of All lists.RedDragon decks have never had much room in Pioneer, and perhaps the support currently available is still not enough. Desolation of Smaug is a step in the right direction.It is easy to mistake Gandalf, Goblins' Bane for the Vivi Ornitier we have at home. Its ability and cost are similar enough to invite comparisons, but its real advantage lies in providing a "draw 2" on top of its body, which also triggers both Vivi and Gandalf himself.I do not know if it has enough to become a competitive card, but it is one of the potential highlights for establishing a new Izzet Wizards version in Pioneer.Speaking of Smaug, the more efficient version of The Hobbit's legendary dragon looks like an excellent payoff for traditional Midrange decks, given its interaction with Fable of the Mirror-Breaker and, if we want to go further, Goldspan Dragon. Rakdos has been struggling and is likely not the ideal home for it, but Gruul or yet another Izzet variant are possibilities.GreenDancing from Dark to Dawn could be a Sideboard piece for grindy games in decks like Nykthos Ramp or Mono Green Cub. Both run enough creatures to benefit from the cast triggers while taking advantage of an inevitability tool with the tokens created by Landfall.As many players may never have used Wood Elves before, it is worth remembering that this creature can fetch Triomes, Shock Lands, and Surveil Lands. Today, it is likely irrelevant, but I can imagine some Goodstuff pile taking advantage of this possibility.MulticoloredProbably the best card for Goblins in the set. The Great Goblin interacts with Agatha's Soul Cauldron and Draconautics Engineer in Mono Red builds and with sacrifice effects in Rakdos builds.ArtifactsHaving a draw effect combined with equipment that protects your creature from traditional removal deserves an honorable mention, but no established Pioneer deck today truly benefits from My Precious.LandsWe are getting closer and closer to a Prismatic Vista in Standard and Pioneer. I wonder if it would be too risky for the format. Elven Passage could deserve slots in decks with Llanowar Elves and Elvish Mystic, but it is definitely below other dual land options, including the Pathways.The Lonely Mountain provides additional bodies for Hammer Time at a relatively low cost as a flex slot, although it does not add white and could disrupt the early turns of Sigarda's Aid into Cloud, Midgar Mercenary.Wrapping UpThat's all for today!If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!Thanks for reading!
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