1st- Quinn McGarry
Age: 30
Occupation: Math Teacher
What deck did you play, and why did you choose it?
Boros Heroic. It has a fair matchup against most of the metagame. You just have to dodge the Rakdos matchup.
What was the best card in your deck, and why?
Illuminator Virtuoso. Attacking your opponent for 20+ damage with a single creature in one turn is so satisfying.
What was the best car out of your sideboard, and why?
Showdown of the Skalds. Drawing 4 cards helped me grind out my control opponents.
How do you feel about the state of the Pioneer metagame?
Ban Nykthos!!!
Any additional comments?
Shout out to Daniel Thrasher for the assist with some spare cards today.
Boros Prowess
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Favored Hoplite
4 Illuminator Virtuoso
4 Tenth District Legionnaire
2 Dreadhorde Arcanist
4 Reckless Rage
4 God’s Willing
4 Defiant Strike
4 Ancestral Anger
4 Homestead Courage
2 Invigorated Rampage
1 Escape Velocity
1 Sejiri Shelter
4 Inspiring Vantage
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Battlefield Forge
4 Needleverge Pathway
1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
Sideboard
4 Showdown of the Skalds
4 Portable Hole
2 Adanto Vanguard
2 Rending Volley
2 Unlicensed Hearse
1 Jegantha, the Wellspring
2nd– Gary Glaser
Age: 39
Occupation: Claims and Finance Specialist
What deck did you play, and why did you choose it?
Mono Black. I’ve had a very good win record with it for the past several months and it got even better with Dominaria United.
What was the best card in your deck, and why?
Liliana of the Veil. A powerful card against most other decks.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Fatal Push. It is normally a main deck card but my deck uses it out of the sideboard.
How do you feel about the state of the Pioneer metagame?
A lot of diversity. There are many decks under the radar like mine that can still compete with the meta.
Any additional comments?
I wish more people played this deck so I could get feedback and have a testing group plus more opinions on new cards and changes with the new set.
Mono Black Devotion
4 Evolved Sleeper
4 Gifted Aetherborn
3 Murderous Rider
1 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
4 Gray, Merchant of Asphodel
4 Thoughtseize
4 Warlock Class
2 Bloodchief’s Thirst
3 The Meathook Massacre
4 Liliana of the Veil
2 Sorin, the Mirthless
12 Swamp
4 Castle Locthwain
1 Hive of the Eye Tyrant
1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
2 Agadeem’s Awakening
Sideboard
4 Fatal Push
1 Cry of the Carnarium
3 Duress
2 Go Blank
3 Leyline of the Void
2 Necromentia
3rd- Kyle McCoy
Age: 33
Occupation: Wal-Mart Management
What deck did you play, and why did you choose it?
Ignus Combo, I love playing off meta decks to push formats.
What was the best card in your deck, and why?
Grinning Ignus, it does everything for a combo deck.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
March of Swirling Mist, it is a versatile piece for the deck, being reactive and proactive.
How do you feel about the state of the Pioneer metagame?
I feel like the state of the meta has been smooth with no deck really being too powerful.
Any additional comments?
Great store with a great turnout for the event! Worth the drive! 10.5/10
Cube
1 Aetherflux Reservoir
1 Banefire
2 Devilish Valet
2 Lotus Cobra
2 Prosperous Innkeeper
3 Elvish Mystic
3 Hazoret’s Monument
3 Llanowar Elves
4 Birgi, God of Storytelling
4 Collected Company
4 Grinning Ignus
4 Risen Reef
4 Runaway Steam-Kin
1 Boseiju, Who Endures
1 Breeding Pool
1 Forest
1 Mountain
1 Rootbound Crag
2 Botanical Sanctum
2 Mana Confluence
2 Spirebluff Canal
4 Cragcrown Pathway
4 Steam Vents
4 Stomping Ground
Sideboard
1 Jegantha, the Wellspring
1 Alpine Moon
1 Weathered Runestone
2 Fry
2 Klothys, God of Destiny
2 Tear Asunder
3 Make Disappear
3 March of Swirling Mist
4th- Enrique el Scotto del Horbergo delfuego III
Age: I was here when Magic was born
Occupation: Travel Agent
What deck did you play, and why did you choose it?
Teferi Control. Because it has islands in it.
What was the best card in your deck, and why?
The ones my opponent mulliganed.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
All of my games are 1 game long. No one sideboards in UW Control.
How do you feel about the state of the Pioneer metagames?
Can’t get worse!
Any additional comments?
Just come play! Magic is fun!
UW
2 Plains
2 Island
1 Otawara, Soaring City
1 Wall of Storm Giants
2 Field of Ruin
1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
1 Castle Vantress
4 Deserted Beach
4 Irrigated Farmland
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Castle Ardenvale
2 Glacial Fortress
2 March of the Otherworldly Light
4 Portable Hole
2 Dovin’s Veto
4 Censor
1 Fateful Absence
3 Detention Sphere
2 Absorb
3 The Wandering Emperor
4 Supreme Verdict
2 Memory Deluge
3 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
1 Sphinx’s Revelation
1 Farewell
3 Shark Typhoon
Sideboard
2 Aether Gust
2 Rest in Peace
1 Dovin’s Veto
2 Mystical Dispute
1 Detention Sphere
2 Narset, Parter of Veils
1 Lyra, Dawnbringer
2 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
1 Hullbreaker Horror
1 Sphinx’s Revelation
5th- John Dunbar
Age: 32
Occupation: Machine Operator
What deck did you play, and why did you choose it?
Mardu Greasefang, it’s my friend Bradley and my list and I have had a 66% win rate online with it.
What was the best card in your deck, and why?
Greasefang it’s the namesake.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Vanishing Verse. Wish I played more. I should have listened to Bradley.
How do you feel about the state of the Pioneer metagame?
It’s a lot better after DMU but I would like to see more diversity between combo and control based strategies.
Any additional comments?
This has been my 3rd top 8 this season. Hopefully I can take it down for my home store, The Game Portal (located in Mountain Home, AR.)
Greasefang
4 Stitcher’s Supplier
3 Voldaren Epicure
3 Fatal Push
2 Thoughtseize
3 Deadly Dispute
4 Bloodtithe Harvester
1 Kroxa, Titan of Death’s Hunger
1 Can’t Stay Away
4 Fable of the Mirror Breaker
3 Liliana of the Veil
4 Greasefang, Okiba Boss
4 Parhelion II
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
4 Concealed Courtyard
3 Godless Shrine
4 Blood Crypt
4 Blightstep Pathway
2 Brightclimb Pathway
2 Needleverge Pathway
2 Caves of Kolios
1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
1 Den of the Bugbear
Sideboard
2 Damping Sphere
3 Portable Hole
2 Temporary Lockdown
2 Thoughtseize
2 Soul Shatter
1 Go Blank
1 Silence
1 Fatal Push
1 Vanishing Verse
6th- Dylan Roper
Age: 20
Occupation: Pro Magic Player
What deck did you play, and why did you choose it?
Temur Creativity. My matchup against everything except red/black, blue/white, and mono green is solid game 1 and the others are shored up by the transformational sideboard.
What was the best card in your deck, and why?
Dig through Time. It’s banned everywhere else, I think that speaks for itself.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Xanagos, God of Revels and Worldspine Wurm; allowing me to play a combo or control deck based on the matchup.
How do you feel about the state of the Pioneer metagame?
Black/red and mono green could be nerfed.
5 Color Burn
1 Field of Ruin
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
1 Hall of Storm Giants
1 Otawara, Soaring City
1 Den of the Bug Bear
2 Spirebluff Canal
3 Mountain
4 Steam Vents
4 Stormcarved Coast
4 Riverglide Pathway
3 Prismari Command
4 Fable of the Mirror Breaker
3 Izzet Charm
1 Shark Typhoon
4 Torrential Gearhulk
2 Dig Through Time
4 Consider
4 Magma Opus
4 Fiery Impulse
4 Indomitable Creativity
4 Valakut Awakening
Sideboard
1 Xenagos, God of Revels
1 Worldspine Wurm
3 Spell Pierce
1 Sweltering Suns
2 Anger of the Gods
2 Abrade
1 Rending Volley
2 Fry
2 Hullbreaker Horror
7th- Homero Sanchez
Age: 31
Occupation: Senior Operator (Playpower)
What deck did you play, and why did you choose it?
Mono white aggro.
What was the best card in your deck, and why?
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Fiendslayer Paladin. Hero against mono red and Rakdos decks.
How do you feel about the state of the Pioneer metagame?
It’s healthy and fun.
Mono White
4 Brutal Cathar
4 Thalia’s Lieutenant
4 Dauntless Bodyguard
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Hopeful Initiate
4 Luminarch Aspirant
3 Sungold Sentinel
2 Extraction Specialist
2 Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
2 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 Brave the Elements
1 Wedding Announcement
13 Plains
4 Mutavault
2 Shefet Dunes
1 Cave of the Frost Dragon
2 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
Sideboard
2 Selfless Spirit
2 Rest in Peace
2 Declaration in Stone
2 Reidane, God of the Worthy
4 Portable Hole
3 Fiendslayer Paladin
8th- Sean Seavy
Age: 22
Occupation: Liberty Utilities Foundations Leadership Track Member
What deck did you play, and why did you choose it?
Mono Blue Spirit, because it is easy to play and doesn’t require much thinking…
What was the best card in your deck, and why?
Mausoleum Wanderer. It’s very versatile for one mana.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Mystical Dispute. Cheap counters are good.
How do you feel about the state of the Pioneer metagame?
It is good.
Mono Blue Spirits
4 Spectral Sailor
4 Faceless Haven
4 Curious Obsession
2 Brazen Borrower
2 Slip Out the Back
4 Geistlight Snare
4 Ascendent Spirit
2 Lofty Denial
4 Rattlechains
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Supreme Phantom
4 Shacklegiest
1 Otawara, Soaring City
17 Snow-covered Island
Sideboard
1 Brazen Borrower
1 Slip Out the Back
2 Mystical Disputes
2 Witness Protection
1 Disdainful Stroke
3 Aether Gust
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