Since the year before last, Dimir Bounce has proven itself as viable an archetype in Pioneer as its Esper counterpart from Standard at the time. The deck, currently well positioned, recalls the Kor Skyfisher and Glint Hawk decks in Pauper, using effects that return permanents to hand and reuse their ETB triggers to generate value.Unlike traditional Midrange variants, Dimir Bounce leans more toward the late game. It is slow enough to need caution against Aggro, yet too proactive to be classified as Control. In some matches, it is even possible to take a more proactive stance with Stormchaser's Talent and repeated bounces — a line that gained more consistency with Boomerang Basics, the archetype's most recent staple.The DecklistMaindeckThe core of our strategy involves reusing our cards' ETBs with Bounce effects. Fear of Isolation is the most straightforward, but the 2/3 Flying body provides a decent clock if we can control the board.This Town Ain't Big Enough offers both value and a Tempo play in a single card. For two mana, we can delay an opponent's turn while protecting a threat or bouncing a removal spell. For five, we can hold off the opponent's clock and even get a pseudo-Time Warp with the Bounce.Boomerang Basics mostly works as a cantrip and bounce in the same card, but a sorcery-speed Unsummon can have some utility in grindy matches.Stormchaser's Talent is our main win condition. With bounces, we can create an army of tokens that grow with each spell we play. In the late game, it guarantees inevitability with Level 2 loops alongside This Town Ain't Big Enough.Thundertrap Trainer replaces Narset, Parter of Veils in a more aggressive Metagame due to its cheap body. If you expect more Midrange and Control, Narset is still the better choice.The advantages of playing Thundertrap include having more targets for Kaito, Bane of Nightmares, who doubles as a win condition and a recurring card advantage source.Among the permanents for Bounce, we have Hopeless Nightmare as a mix of Shock and discard in the same card, allowing some aggressive Tempo lines if we sequence it with Stormchaser's Talent and This Town Ain't Big Enough.Momentum Breaker, Nowhere to Run, and Grim Bauble interact with the board and have important additional benefits. Cryogen Relic replaces itself, offers card advantage if bounced, and can stall attacks for a turn.Thoughtseize and Fatal Push are staples of any black deck. With so many ways to return cards to hand, enabling Revolt is considerably easier in this list.Mutavault complements the win condition and synergizes with Kaito, Bane of Nightmares to grow permanently. If the game goes long, it is natural for each of them to attack for four or more damage.Otawara, Soaring City and Takenuma, Abandoned Mire provide additional effects while occupying land slots with practically no cost or concession to run them. Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth ensures easy access to black mana even with colorless lands.SideboardYorion, Sky Nomad demands that we increase the number of cards in the deck, but we see no issue with that condition since it only means we can extract more value in the long run. Moreover, Yorion is a mass blink that dominates the match or turns it in your favor if it resolves with three or more permanents on board.Stack interaction. Change the Equation becomes more relevant as the Metagame splits between lower curves with decks like Prowess and Lessons, Mono Red as one of the main competitors on the ladder, and the constant rise of Badgermole Cub archetypes.Annul answers troublesome artifacts and enchantments on the stack. Necessary against Greasefang, Azorius Control, Izzet Cauldron, and others. The copy of Disdainful Stroke answers higher-cost threats like Professor Dellian Fel and Unholy Annex. It also makes the list due to the recent success of Nature's Rhythm for Craterhoof Behemoth.For board control, Grim Bauble handles smaller threats as early as turn one, while The Meathook Massacre is a reusable sweeper that also shuts down Cauldron Familiar loops.Duress complements Thoughtseize in Control and Lotus Combo matches. Soul-Guide Lantern comes in against Greasefang, Okiba Boss and Arclight Phoenix. Recently, the artifact has also gained space against Lessons and Izzet Cauldron.Sideboard GuideGolgari MidrangeINOUTIzzet ProwessINOUTMono Red AggroINOUTAbzan GreasefangINOUTOrzhov GreasefangINOUTDimir NinjasINOUTAzorius ControlINOUTIzzet LessonsINOUTSelesnya CountersINOUTWrapping UpThat's all for today!If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!Thanks for reading!
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