Pioneer Set Review: Foundations

Magic's last set of the year, Foundations, arrives next Friday. The first core set in years brought a mix of exclusive cards and iconic reprints that marked the game's 31 years, ranging from Llanowar Elves to Krenko, Mob Boss.

In this article, we present our review for Pioneer, a format that benefited from the inclusion of some cards released shortly before Return to Ravnica, in addition to the inclusion of some key pieces that can establish new archetypes in the competitive Metagame!

Angelic Destiny was an average card in its Standard days. There might be something we can do with it in Pioneer, but four mana is a very high cost for decks like Auras, and I can't imagine an Enchantment list wanting to run it in the format.

Arahbo, the First Fang is a pretty decent lord for a cat typal. In addition to pumping all your creatures, it makes each cat you play come with a token that will be a 2/2 when it comes into play. It might be worth some testing, and it's worth noting that Enduring Curiosity falls into this type and could reward a go wide plan.

We'll be going back to Lorwyn in 2026 and then Ballyrush Banneret could make a difference. Right now, Soldier decks are already relatively low cost, so we wouldn't want to reduce them further without any additional effects.

Crystal Barricade is a useful sideboard piece against Burn and bypasses most of the archetype's damage spells, requiring a two-for-one to resolve, or a trade in combat. If Boltwave makes this strategy grow in the Metagame, it could be worth some sideboard slots.

Supreme Verdict will still be the ideal sweeper for Azorius Control, but if your deck doesn't have blue, Day of Judgment should replace most other sweepers not named Sunfall, Temporary Lockdown or Farewell.

Divine Resilience could be worth sideboard slots in Boros Heroic or Boros Prowess, as it offers protection and triggers for all of your creatures at once. It shouldn't see much play outside this archetype.

Four mana prevents Exemplar of Light from having a place in Selesnya Angels or any aggressive Lifegain-oriented strategy, which mostly require Collected Company and Kayla's Reconstruction to work.

Fleeting Flight is an interesting combat trick that can save creatures in Boros mirrors against other Prowess decks. It doesn't seem like the kind of card that deserves space, but it does have occasional use.

Hare Apparent is the kind of creature we want to mill with effects like Stitcher's Supplier to reanimate with Raise the Past or Rally the Ancestors to extract an absurd amount of value. Its deckbuilding concessions, however, should make it worse than the Aristocrat variants that are already not very successful in Pioneer.

Herald of Eternal Dawn is a Platinum Angel on steroids and a potential Sideboard target for Transmogrify and Indomitable Creativity decks for non-interactive and linear games. Currently, Pioneer doesn't have many decks that can't deal with this creature in Games 2 and 3, but it deserves some attention.

Along with Lunarch Veteran, Hinterland Sanctifier enables the famous Soul Sisters in Pioneer, and it is possible to explore this life gain theme more deeply and without relying so much on angels to work.

Raise the Past is intriguing. In the right build, it allows decks like Spirits, Humans, and Boros Convoke to come back from cheap sweepers that don't exile creatures like Supreme Verdict or Path of Peril, but it doesn't deal with Temporary Lockdown, the biggest enemy of Aggro in the current Metagame.

It also gives more consistency to Rally the Ancestors decks if they ever show up in the Metagame. I don't know if it will be as important in Pioneer as it will be in Standard, but it is a potential staple.

Skyknight Squire is comparable to Warden of the Inner Sky in Boros Convoke and interacts just as well with cards like Gleeful Demolition and Resolute Reinforcements. They're certainly worth some testing and could help revitalize this strategy in the current Metagame.

I don't know if Pioneer has a home for Sun-Blessed Healer today, but a creature with Lifelink that can potentially call on another small creature deserves an honorable mention.

Drake Hatcher competes with Young Pyromancer and Saheeli, Sublime Artificer in the Sideboard slots of decks like Izzet Phoenix. I can imagine situations where it creates plenty of tokens in the long run, since chaining three spells in these archetypes requires little effort, but would a 2/2 Flying per combat be more efficient than three 1/1 elementals every turn?

Flashfreeze joins Aether Gust and Change the Equation as answers to green and red decks in Pioneer, each with their own particularities that will make their use depend on the Metagame: Aether Gust still seems like the most solid choice in the format today, but Change the Equation works better in the maindeck and Flashfreeze deals better with bombs like Storm the Festival or Cavalier of Thorns while having slots against red threats.

Homunculus Horde can get out of hand easily in any archetype with cheap cantrips. It's a sideboard pick that can dominate games against lists full of spot removal because it always forces a favorable trade and always demands that the opponent respond to it twice. Untapping with it is just as good as untapping with Pack Rat or any other creature that multiplies itself.

I underestimated Kaito, Bane of Nightmares and I don't intend to make the same mistake with Kaito, Cunning Infiltrator: it has the potential to be another Pioneer staple with the rise of Dimir Ninjas and also works well in Spirits or any other Tempo deck with enough threats on the board.

Two creatures dealing damage per turn already make the Planeswalker demand answers and attacks directed at it. If they can't, his ult will punish all the opponent's subsequent plays, and he also protects himself well throughout the game. I could be wrong, but Kaito, Cunning Infiltrator seems like the kind of card that changes Metagames and sometimes makes the game revolve around it, similar to Teferi, Hero of Dominaria or, in the worst-case scenario, Oko, Thief of Crowns.

Abhorrent Oculus didn't make as much of an impact as expected in Pioneer, and Kiora, the Rising Tide has many similarities to it. I like the combination of looting and efficient threat under the right conditions, and she could find a home in some strategies, maybe even Izzet Phoenix.

By the way, blue has been getting plenty of cards that care about the number of cards in the graveyard and/or that feed off it. Is Wizards paving the way for a possible ban on Treasure Cruise and Dig Through Time in the future by providing tools that “compensate” for this loss for graveyard-based archetypes?

Mystical Teachings was a Pauper staple for a few years, had its place in Standard, and could enable some sort of “Draw-Go” toolbox in Pioneer. I think this category has become a bit dated since Planeswalkers are very relevant to Control decks and sources of card advantage like Memory Deluge and Dig Through Time already offer access to plenty of cards while generating two-for-ones, but it will be interesting to see what we can do with an efficient Instant-Speed ​​tutor in the format.

Sphinx of Forgotten Lore is a strange card to evaluate because it wants to promote a “Draw-Go” play style while being horrible with Counterspells. Its value seems very low for Pioneer standards, and I honestly think Snapcaster Mage is already at the power level of the format.

Blasphemous Edict is technically a sweeper that punishes excessive go-wide or overly complex boards in Midrange mirrors. It seems like the best option in its category for black control decks today, but it doesn't perform as well as Path of Peril against Aggro.

Bloodthirsty Conqueror has a two-card combo with Enduring Tenacity and effects similar to Exquisite Blood and Sanguine Bond: every time the opponent loses life, Bloodthirsty Conqueror will gain that amount of life, triggering Enduring Tenacity that will make the opponent lose life, starting the loop.

Normally, I would disregard this type of combo in Pioneer due to its mana costs, but not only were we surprised by the results of Unstoppable Slasher and Bloodletter of Aclazotz in Pioneer, but Doomsday Excruciator won a Pro Tour in Standard with Jace, the Perfected Mind - coupled with the decent body of Conqueror and the resilience of Enduring Tenacity, it might be worth building something around this combo.

Deathmark is a clean one-mana removal against green and white creatures. In the current format, Ray of Enfeeblement seems better placed in this category because it deals with Greasefang, Okiba Boss, but it is an important sideboard piece, and It can easily enter both Midrange and decks like Rakdos Prowess.

Tinybones, Bauble Burglar seems like a win more for Waste Not lists, and I don't see it entering Midrange mirrors as an attrition piece.

Zul Ashur, Lich Lord is an excellent source of recursion for Zombies if they receive more typal support in the next Magic expansions, which could happen by the end of 2025 if the third Universes Beyond set of the year is, as rumored, Game of Thrones.

Right now, I don't think it does enough for the archetype to become relevant. A reprint of Gravecrawler and/or Geralf's Messenger would have been better.

I really want to say something nice about the Zendikar Vampires reprints, which reminds me of my first Standard deck. However, the design of these cards seems so 2011 that I can't imagine any of them having a significant impact at Pioneer's power level.

Ball Lightning has a “combo” with Thunderkin Awakener, but we need more cards with similar effects (Lightning Skelemental) to create a viable strategy with this theme.

Boltwave is the third variant of Lava Spike in Pioneer, and the first with an unconditional effect. Its presence could revitalize the Burn archetype in the format, but it will still have the challenge of being faster and more efficient than the current Prowess decks.

Burst Lightning should become one of the best one-mana interactions for red decks in Pioneer. It has downgrades compared to Play with Fire and I still prefer the Midnight Hunt spell in a Burn list, but if games go long, Burst Lightning's extra range makes a difference and I can see it competing with Strangle or Fiery Impulse in some archetypes.

Dropkick Bomber joins the list of lords for Goblins in Pioneer. It's interesting that they chose an exclusive lord for the expansion instead of a reprint of Goblin Chieftain, which would be very welcome. This type has occasional results in Leagues and should remain that way until the next support comes in future expansions.

Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer at home, or Kellan, Planar Trailblazer has a lot of potential for more aggressive decks that are interested in generating card advantage with their creatures and competes for space with Emberheart Challenger, the best in their most popular variant today.

His abilities and mana investment may also make him material for Rakdos Midrange or other strategies with more removal: Kellan has the potential to dominate games whenever he connects, and his low mana value is welcome. It seems like a staple for Standard, but I don't know if he will have what it takes for Pioneer.

And speaking of Goblins, Krenko, Mob Boss might be the reason we don't have Goblin Chieftain in the set, since the damage they cause together has been well known in Historic for a few years. It has the advantage of interacting with Goblin Warchief, but it doesn't play well with Collected Company, so it will be necessary to evaluate if it is worth the slots in the Gruul versions, but it should become a staple in the Rakdos or Mono Red variants.

Rite of the Dragoncaller seems like a win more in any deck that wants this card. It is too expensive for Izzet Phoenix, uninteresting for Ascendancy lists, and Izzet Control has better options to end the game. Either it will spawn a new archetype, or it will have no presence in the format at all.

Searslicer Goblin is another low-cost creature in the right type to play on Goblins and has interactions with Goblin Rabblemaster. It may also deserve slots in Atarka Red variants or other go-wide Aggro in Gruul colors, but might not find a home in Boros Convoke.

Slagstorm is a Brotherhood's End that trades the versatility of dealing with artifacts for damage to the opponent. It may deserve space in the Burn or Prowess sideboard against go-wide archetypes like Humans or Boros Convoke.

Stromkirk Noble was once my favorite one-drop. But like the other vampires, his design is too 2012 for Magic in 2024. The fact that Kellan, Planar Trailblazer is coming out in the same expansion is proof of the power creep that Magic has gone through in the last decade.

Elvish Archdruid and Genesis Wave grant the tools to try some sort of Elfball in Pioneer. I don't know if the archetype will be viable, but we have enough pieces to take advantage of Shaman of the Pack and cards like Lathril, Blade of the Elves to create combo-kills.

Loot, Exuberant Explorer doesn't have a home in Pioneer today. Decks that would like it probably do better with Dryad of the Ilysian Grove and its Summoning Trap ability is a bit slow if you don't have a ramp-heavy list.

It can be used as a backup for Smuggler's Surprise, but this card has never really caught on in Pioneer.

Spinner of Souls has a good body, reach, survives two-damage removal and Fatal Push, and its ability ensures that creature decks keep a stream of threats. It doesn't seem like a staple, but it could be worth testing in Selesnya Company and similar strategies.

If Alesha, Who Laughs at Fate survives a turn, a Rakdos Midrange player can start extracting value from her by sacrificing a Bloodtithe Harvester to destroy a blocker and attacking with her to return it to the battlefield. From there, Alesha only grows, and her recursive ability starts to go to Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, Graveyard Trespasser, among other threats.

She has a lot of potential for attrition decks and even Five-Color Humans variants or other aggressive strategies, but the fact that she doesn't provide value when she comes into play and doesn't do anything on her own, in addition to competing with Fable of the Mirror-Breaker and Bonecrusher Giant in the three-drop slots, makes her transition to Midrange a challenge.

Protection from Instants means that Elenda, Saint of Dusk survives a lot of removal and disrupts the clock of any archetype without many creatures in play. Her lifegain-themed abilities seem irrelevant if your deck isn't entirely dedicated to it, and even harder to do in a Pioneer where Rakdos Prowess is still one of the best archetypes.

Lathril, Blade of the Elves is another motivator to try an Elfball in Pioneer. With Shaman of the Pack, ten elves and Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler, we have 20 damage in a single turn coming from a Genesis Wave. It seems insane, but it can work and there is no shortage of efficient cards to create synergies that make it an Aggro-Combo with a good clock.

Maelstrom Pulse is a good removal for Midrange decks and for Niv-to-Light in games where we need to deal with multiple permanents. It should become part of the toolbox of the multicolored archetype, but the Pioneer Metagame today doesn't favor this type of removal for three mana at Sorcery-Speed.

Progenitus isn't better than Atraxa, Grand Unifier, but it can be a sideboard target for Transmogrify or Indomitable Creativity decks for games where a two-turn clock makes a difference, or games with plenty of spot removals.

Between Wilt-Leaf Liege, Loxodon Smiter, Voice of Resurgence, and Knight of Autumn, you can now make a list that is the nightmare of any Waste Not player in Pioneer today. An excellent addition to the format, fun to build around, and with a restrictive cost that doesn't make it an automatic inclusion with Collected Company.

Zimone, Paradox Sculptor seems slow for Hardened Scales decks, but her ability interacts with the enchantment. Outside of it, she is a recurring pump every turn that only grows the longer she stays in play. Four mana is a high cost and, perhaps, Zimone only has space in Standard, but there is a lot of potential in untapping with her on the board in a value-oriented Midrange.

Sire of Seven Deaths is Soulflayer's new best friend. Outside of it, maybe Green Devotion wants a hard-to-kill 7-drop with a keyword soup, or maybe it is the dream of Smuggler's Surprise players, or the missing piece that was needed to turn Sanctum of Ugin and the Eldrazi into a competitor in Pioneer!

I mentioned in another article that Wurmcoil Engine would be a good reprint for Foundations, and Wizards gave us Wurmcoil on steroids. Potentially one of the most powerful cards in a vacuum in the set, but it needs to find a home beyond Tier 3.

Basilisk Collar is one of those cards that changes the entire combat equation of a match. Giving Lifelink and Deathtouch to any creature and at a low cost to play and equip means there's always a way to hold off your opponent's biggest threat or make them waste removal or burn before combat.

Potential Sideboard staple for Aggro mirrors or Midranges that have trouble dealing with the current clock of the format.

Expedition Map is a staple in Tron and there are expectations that it will have the same function in Lotus Combo. However, it costs more than Sylvan Scrying to find Lotus Field or Thespian’s Stage and wastes the land drop of the turn, while Archdruid’s Charm allows putting the land directly into play. I wouldn’t have high expectations for it in a format where we’re not yet trying to go for 1+1+1=7.

After Leyline of Resonance, I learned not to underestimate the potential of cards that come into play on turn 0 even when they are conditional. Leyline Axe is one of those cases: it's an Embercleave that starts on the battlefield, but has a high equip cost.

I don't know what deck would like this card today, since not even Ensoul Artifact lists have slots for it, but if there are lists focused on equipment in the future, or if we have ways to consistently bypass its equip cost, it could become a staple alongside Colossus Hammer.

That's all for today!

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Thanks for reading!