Wizards of the Coast revealed a total of four preconstructed Magic: The Gathering Pioneer Challenger decks during the Magic Showcase event, and they are scheduled to release in October.
The four Pioneer Challenger decks—Lotus Field Combo (BGU), Mono-Red Burn, Orzhov Angels (WB), and Azorius Spirits (WU)—are dropping in local game stores on Oct. 15. Each preconstructed deck will contain a total of 75 cards, 60 in the main deck, and 15 via a sideboard.
Decks are available in English, French, German, and Japanese. Each are also playable right out of the box. Preconstructed decks made by WotC tend to cater toward newer players, providing concrete themes and strategies within each build. They can also easily be upgraded with more expensive cards should players choose to build upon the foundation created.
Legal to play in the MTG Pioneer format, here are the four 2021 preconstructed Pioneer Challenge decks:
Azorius Spirits
Showcasing creatures with Flash and Flying, the Azorius Spirits Pioneer Challenger deck contains the Magic colors of White and Blue. According to the math wizards over at MTGGoldfish, the UW deck is valued at $91, with Brazen Borrower topping the list at around $21.50.
Creature (31)
- 1 Brazen Borrower
- 2 Mausoleum Wanderer
- 2 Remorseful Cleric
- 1 Selfless Spirit
- 4 Rattlechains
- 3 Shacklegeist
- 4 Supreme Phantom
- 2 Spell Queller
- 4 Spectral Sailor
- 4 Watcher of the Spheres
- 4 Empyrean Eagle
Instants (six)
- 4 Lofty Denial
- 2 Spell Pierce
Land (23)
- 2 Glacial Fortress
- 4 Temple of Enlightenment
- 7 Plains
- 10 Island
Sideboard
- 2 Spell Pierce
- 3 Aether Gust
- 1 Devout Decree
- 2 Light of Hope
- 3 Isolate
- 2 Seal Away
- 2 Silkwrap
Mono-Red Burn
Aggro decks typically function best within the Magic color of Red, especially when incorporating “burn” that hits a player’s life total directly. The Mono-Red Burn Pioneer Challenger deck is valued at around $82, according to MTGGoldfish.
Creature (24)
- 4 Bomat Courier
- 4 Soul-Scar Mage
- 4 Bonecrusher Giant
- 4 Ghitu Lavarunner
- 4 Monastery Swiftspear
- 4 Viashino Pyromancer
Instants (12)
- 4 Wild Slash
- 4 Lightning Strike
- 4 Wizard’s Lightning
Sorcery (4)
- 4 Light up the Stage
Land (20)
- 4 Ramunap Ruins
- 16 Mountain
Sideboard (15)
- 1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
- 3 Goblin Chainwhirler
- 3 Magma Spray
- 4 Rolling Vortex
- 4 Searing Blood
Lotus Field Combo
The Lotus Field Combo Pioneer Challenger decks showcase a three-color build in the Magic colors White, Green, and Blue. Packed with spells and around a dozen creatures, the Lotus Field Combo deck is likely the most complex preconstructed deck getting released on Oct. 15. The overall deck’s value at the time of its reveal is around $92, according to MTGGoldfish.
Creature (11)
- 3 Fae of Wishes
- 4 Arboreal Grazer
- 4 Vizier of Tunbling Sands
Instants (6)
- 2 Dig Through Time
- 4 Opt
Sorcery (19)
- 1 Mastermind’s Acquisition
- 2 Peer into the Abyss
- 4 Hidden Strings
- 4 Sylvan Scrying
- 4 Strategic Planning
- 4 Pore Over the Pages
Land (24)
- 4 Lotus Field
- 4 Thespian’s Stage
- 4 Yavimaya Coast
- 2 Temple of Mystery
- 6 Forest
- 4 Island
Sideboard (15)
- 1 Peer into the Abyss
- 1 Approach of the Second Sun
- 2 Shifting Ceratops
- 1 Void Snare
- 1 Tormod’s Crypt
- 2 Wilt
- 1 Omniscience
- 1 Sweltering Suns
- 3 Thought Distortion
- 1 Blink of an Eye
- 1 Negate
Orzhov Auras
Showcasing the Magic colors White and Black, Orzhov Auras contains a total of 20 Enchantment spells. Equally packed with 18 creatures, the 2021 Challenger deck highlights what a WB Enchantment-themed build looks like in the Pioneer format. According to MTGGoldfish, the Orzhov Auras deck will have a value of around $89.
Creature (18)
- 2 Stonecoil Serpent
- 4 Sram, Senior Edificer
- 4 Alseid of Life’s Bounty
- 4 Hateful Eidolon
- 4 Selfless Savior
Enchantment (20)
- 4 Cartouche of Solidarity
- 4 Ethereal Armor
- 4 Gryff’s Boon
- 4 Sentinel’s Eyes
- 4 All that Glitters
Instants (3)
- 3 Karametra’s Blessing
Land (19)
- 4 Caves of Koilos
- 4 Concealed Courtyard
- 7 Plains
- 4 Swamp
Sideboard (15)
- 1 Lurrus of the Dream-Den
- 3 Hushbringer
- 3 Dead Weight
- 1 Thoughtseize
- 4 Apostle of Purifying Light
- 3 Duress
The four 2021 MTG Pioneer Challenger preconstructed decks are scheduled to release for tabletop gameplay on Oct. 15.
