Pioneer's best cheap MTG deck just got even better (2023)

Thalia, Thraben Guardian is a card that has stood the test of time. Its simple yet elegant design turned out to be everything an aggressive white deck requires, from low fees to annoying moving tax and other things that most players would find "fun". A year ago,I present to you my first hit on the Pioneer platformIntroducing this beautiful card to all his friends, the Pure White Human deck definitely went viral ever since. A lot has changed since last year, and this prototype is no exception, becoming one of the thinnest boards in the format while still retaining the modularity that appealed to me. Withas a resultAfter dropping another new card into my lap, I thought it was time to upgrade our old friend Vanguard's best cheap competitive deck, Pure White Humans.

Darren Magnotti Pioneer of the human budget

Deck 4 Armored Bodyguard 4 Recruiter 4 Pantheon Trooper 4 Thalia's Lieutenant 4 Thraben Guardian Thalia 3 Adeline, Khatri the Magnificent 4 Copper Vanguard 4 Luminary Aspirant 4 Ossification 2 Brave Elemental 1 Extraction Specialist 3 Mutavault 3 Shefet Dune 16 Sideboard of the Plains 3 Cruel Cathars 1 Anointed Peacemaker 2 Retainer Priest 2 Invasion of the Gobakans 2 Reidane, God of the Worthy 3 Portable Hole 2 Soulless Prisoner

Since we already covered this deck in a previous article (you just re-read this one, right?), I won't get lost in the weeds on how it works. The reason is that it's a simplistic creature-killing strategy that focuses on filling the board with cheap and efficient humans, injecting them with +1/+1 counters or overlord effects, disrupting the opponent's game plan right to the right. He can sneak and smash. opponents in the face.

newcomer

The reason we're here today is because of a new card called Coppercloak Vanguard, an addition to the People deck that everyone has seen and desperately needed this deck. Pioneer is currently a bit plagued by what some call the Rakdos Menace. The most effective threat and removal of many formats,Rakdos gamma mediaBeing the number one dog to beat right now is sure to be everyone's interest. Humans and all aggressive strategies in general tend to struggle with the Rakdos game plan because playing creature decks can be difficult when your opponent is focused on taking out all of your creatures. This is where Vanguard comes in handy. Having a Guardian of Creatures 1 second acts as a second Thalia, slowing down your opponent's efforts to thwart your own game plan before a crucial turn occurs. Even if the Vanguard becomes sponge-like and needs to be removed, it can be the difference between an actual threat sticking to a joint and being killed on the spot. This effectively makes the Vanguard the biggest threat across all board states, no matter what else you have on the field.

Over the past six months, many human cards have been put to the test in mono-white decks, but very few have managed to win. Coppercoat Vanguard is an amazing piece of technology that answers a lot of the questions people are asking about their pilots while also providing easy access for those of us who are more careful about our wallets. Considering how many reprints the deck has had, and the fact that half of the rare LGS boxes can be reasonably folded, Humanity is a legitimate contender for the format's best budget deck. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before using it, so let's take a look at why I believe this particular version is ready to use right now.

important duel

This iteration of humanity is even more inclined to fight Rakdos, which includes Pantheon soldiers and extraction specialists. These, coupled with the Copper Cloak Vanguard, bring a lot of hard decisions for black and red decks that they usually don't have to think about. The Soldier's prismatic protection prevents it from being removed (especially Dread Drill and Blood Tithereaper), while the Specialist is at least two for one in any case. These elements work in conjunction with the rest of the core deck strategy to help overwhelm decks with the highest removal rate in the format and leave enough power in play to outperform powerful deck finishers.

However, Rakdos is not the only threat to worry about becausereligiousIt also picked up a bit with the addition of Polukranos Reborn. Devotion has been a good matchup for humans in the past, but as it started to wane early in the Pro Tour, players began to rely more and more on Ossify instead of their spells other than the minions in Courage. Courage is also the main reason why people can beat Consecration decks, so going back to the roots of the deck is a must in this regard as well.

The main reason people are gearing up for action right now is thatPhoenix, its other old rival, is relatively absent from the format. With this secondary threat to a less common deck, Terran was able to rely on his bad base combo to protect his base more effectively. In a more limited meta game, it's much easier to prepare when you can pinpoint exactly what threats you need to deal with. So in addition to having to prepare for Rakdos, there is no need to prepare for Phoenix, which means that these effective aggressive strategies can really focus on what is important in a crucial matchup, rather than distracting your reactions and diluting them in your own game . . plan, as in last year's article.

“Honestly, this deck is more like a pile of death and taxes than a normal rhythm deck, which is a great place for White Weenie. I think this deck has a lot of potential in future formats, and if enough attention is given to strategy, an optimized roster will definitely come over time.”

In two sentences we can see if I am right about the archetypes. A light deck definitely increases your survivability, and trying to emulate the Death and Tax style without cards that reinforce strategy is not the right approach. Originally, Humanity was a value-oriented tax stack rather than the dilapidated deck we know, and I think it evolved better when competition was taken into account.

improvement

HermonHero people trailer

Deck 4 Alien Crypt 3 Dare to Challenge 1 Kytheon, Hero of Akros 4 Lieutenant of Talia 2 Shephet Dunes 4 Fearless Bodyguard 4 Aspirant Luminarch 4 Adeline, Genius Cultist 4 Hopeful Protestant 2 Seat of Empires Eiganjo 12 Plains 4 Recruiting Officer 4 Ossification 4 Shrouded Herald of Bronze 4 Thalia, Thraben's Cupboard 3 Rest In Peace 1 The Portable Hall 4 Brutal Cathars 4 Marriage Announcement 3 Goba Khan's Invasion

Upgrading your waistline is as easy as lifting it up. Some key factors to consider are land; while Mutavault keeps prices relatively low with commander deck prints, Eiganjo remains a staple. Hopeful Novice is a very powerful card that works well in the mid-game due to her ability to collect a surprising number of cards like Sky Sovereign, Consul's Flagship, Bank Slayer Reckoning, or Leyline Binding. It's omitted here simply because there are so many alternative one-time rates to show you, but honestly it's the best. Otherwise, the cupboard is the only other place that needs work. The Marriage Announcement will help decks survive when those midrange dressers come into your control room, and Rest at Rest will stop decks like Greasefang better than Soulless Prisoner.

That's it. This is my first attempt at a deck update, and I feel this new version will better do what it's supposed to do: provide a competitive entry point into the format. I'm not trying to complain about my previous work, but sometimes as the format evolves and grows, decklists can get left behind. Hopefully as players we can emulate that and keep up with whatever comes our way at the table and in real life. Until next time, stay safe, play smart and thanks for reading.