Pioneer MTGO Metagame
| 16.7% | A | Aggro | 1.3 | 19.8 | 80 | +99% | |
| 13.0% | A | Midrange | 3 | 24.7 | 58 | +8% | |
| 9.0% | A | Midrange | 3.4 | 22.2 | 45 | +79% | |
| 8.3% | A | Aggro | 1.7 | 22.8 | 20 | −24% | |
| 6.8% | A | Tempo | 2.3 | 22.4 | 34 | +82% | |
| 5.3% | A | Control | 2.7 | 33.5 | 20 | −27% | |
| 4.4% | A | 2.5 | 21.7 | 11 | +67% | ||
| 4.3% | B | Combo | 2.3 | 22 | 22 | +248% | |
| 3.2% | B | Midrange | 2.7 | 23.8 | 3 | −55% | |
| 3.0% | B | Combo | 3.1 | 31.5 | 9 | −19% | |
| 2.9% | B | Tempo | 2.3 | 18.1 | 9 | −55% | |
| 2.8% | B | 1.9 | 34 | 12 | +34% | ||
| 2.8% | C | 2.5 | 24 | 11 | −56% | ||
| 1.9% | — | Other | 2.4 | 23.3 | 2 | −7% | |
| 1.5% | C | Midrange | 2.5 | 21.7 | 2 | −65% | |
| 1.2% | C | 1.9 | 21 | 1 | +107% | ||
| 1.2% | D | 2.5 | 25.6 | 1 | +439% | ||
| 1.0% | C | 2.8 | 25 | 3 | −38% | ||
| 0.9% | C | 1.6 | 19.2 | 2 | +58% | ||
| 0.9% | D | Aggro | 2.5 | 21.7 | 3 | +20% | |
| 0.9% | D | Midrange | 2.6 | 22 | 3 | −51% | |
| 0.9% | D | 2 | 23.1 | 1 | +20% | ||
| 0.8% | B | 2.8 | 17 | 4 | — | ||
| 0.8% | B | 1.8 | 21.8 | 2 | −31% | ||
| 0.7% | B | 3.1 | 19 | 3 | New | ||
| 0.6% | D | 2.6 | 22.9 | 3 | +182% | ||
| 0.6% | D | 2.1 | 22.7 | 1 | +28% | ||
| 0.6% | D | Midrange | 2.8 | 25 | 1 | −65% | |
| 0.5% | D | 5.8 | 27 | 1 | +44% | ||
| 0.5% | B | 2.7 | 23.3 | 1 | — | ||
| 0.4% | B | 1.4 | 20 | 2 | +28% | ||
| 0.3% | B | Combo | 3.7 | 22 | 2 | −84% | |
| 0.3% | — | Combo | 3.4 | 34.2 | 1 | −77% | |
| 0.3% | D | Tempo | 3.1 | 18 | 1 | New | |
| 0.2% | — | 1.8 | 19.3 | 0 | — | ||
| 0.2% | — | 2.3 | 24.7 | 0 | New | ||
| 0.2% | — | 1.7 | 22 | 1 | −52% | ||
| 0.1% | — | Control | 3.1 | 27 | 1 | −88% | |
| 0.1% | — | 1.9 | 22 | 0 | — |
Finishes by strategy, last 60 days
- 1. Izzet Prowess - 80 Top 8s, 8 League 5-0s
- 2. Golgari Midrange - 58 Top 8s, 17 League 5-0s
- 3. Abzan Greasefang - 45 Top 8s, 10 League 5-0s
- 4. Mono-Red Prowess - 20 Top 8s, 34 League 5-0s
- 5. Lessons - 34 Top 8s, 11 League 5-0s
- 6. UW Control - 20 Top 8s, 7 League 5-0s
- 7. Mono-Green Devotion - 11 Top 8s, 12 League 5-0s
- 8. Izzet Cauldron - 22 Top 8s, 3 League 5-0s
- 9. Orzhov Greasefang - 3 Top 8s, 37 League 5-0s
- 10. Scapeshift - 9 Top 8s, 9 League 5-0s
Top of the Meta movement
Now, vs 90 days ago
- #1 Izzet Prowess, 16.7%, was #6
- #2 Golgari Midrange, 13.0%, was #1
- #3 Abzan Greasefang, 9.0%, was #5
- #4 Mono-Red Prowess, 8.3%, was #2
- #5 Lessons, 6.8%, was #7
- #6 UW Control, 5.3%, was #4
- #7 Mono-Green Devotion, 4.4%, was #3
| # | Deck | Movement | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Izzet Prowess | was #6▲ 5 | #1 · now |
| 2 | Golgari Midrange | was #1▼ 1 | #1 · 3d ago |
| 3 | Abzan Greasefang | was #5▲ 2 | #2 · 14d ago |
| 4 | Mono-Red Prowess | was #2▼ 2 | #1 · 60d ago |
| 5 | Lessons | was #7▲ 2 | #3 · 7d ago |
| 6 | UW Control | was #4▼ 2 | #3 · 90d ago |
| 7 | Mono-Green Devotion | was #3▼ 4 | #3 · 90d ago |
Biggest movers
Challenge + League share, last 60 days vs prior 60
Popular vs. strong
Challenge meta share x win rate, 60 days · bubble = matches played · only outliers labeled
- 1. Izzet Prowess 18.4% Challenge meta, 58.0% MWR, 1767 matches
- 2. Golgari Midrange 13.8% Challenge meta, 59.4% MWR, 1322 matches
- 3. Abzan Greasefang 9.6% Challenge meta, 59.7% MWR, 929 matches
- 4. Mono-Red Prowess 7.3% Challenge meta, 55.5% MWR, 676 matches
- 5. Lessons 7.1% Challenge meta, 60.4% MWR, 702 matches
- 6. UW Control 5.6% Challenge meta, 58.9% MWR, 531 matches
- 7. Izzet Cauldron 4.7% Challenge meta, 62.0% MWR, 469 matches
- 8. Mono-Green Devotion 4.3% Challenge meta, 61.4% MWR, 409 matches
- 9. Dimir Midrange 3.2% Challenge meta, 56.9% MWR, 304 matches
- 10. Izzet Phoenix 3.1% Challenge meta, 56.4% MWR, 282 matches
No deck clears all S gates in this window.
Meta share is each archetype's share of all Challenge and League appearances in the selected window (1,755 total). Tier bands score Challenge match results, League trophies, and Challenge meta share separately. Thin Tier List ranks also pull from the last 90 days when the selected window is short on sample.
Pioneer metagame FAQ
What is the current MTG Pioneer metagame?
The Pioneer metagame is led by Izzet Prowess at 16.7% of recent Challenge and League appearances (18.4% in Challenges alone), ahead of Golgari Midrange at 13.0%. The best-performing deck in the current meta is Izzet Cauldron at a 62.0% match win rate across 469 matches.
What deck should I play in Pioneer?
If you want the most-played deck, Izzet Prowess is 16.7% of the field. If you want the best win rate with a real sample, Izzet Cauldron is at 62.0% across 469 matches. For a lower-variance midrange option, Golgari Midrange sits at 13.0% with 58 Top 8s.
What is the best deck in Pioneer right now?
By meta share, Izzet Prowess is the most played Pioneer deck right now. By win rate, Izzet Cauldron is overperforming at 62.0%. See both rankings in the tier list above.
What are the most played cards in Pioneer?
The most-played cards across recent Pioneer decklists are Thoughtseize (35.2% of decks), Fatal Push (31.1%), and Redcap Melee (28.7%). See the full Pioneer staples list for maindeck and sideboard play rates.
How diverse is the Pioneer metagame?
Decklist Data tracks 38 Pioneer archetypes over the last 60 days. The most-played deck holds 16.7% of the field, and the top five account for 53.8% - no single deck dominates.
How is the Pioneer metagame ranked?
The Pioneer metagame ranks archetypes by Challenge and League appearance share over the last 60 days. The S through D tier list scores Challenge match win rate, League 5-0 trophies, and Challenge meta share separately.
What decks are rising in the Pioneer meta?
Izzet Cauldron is the fastest riser in the Pioneer metagame, up 248% over the prior 60 days (1.2% → 4.3%). Izzet Prowess (+99%) and Lessons (+82%) are also gaining share.
What is Pioneer in MTG?
Pioneer is a non-rotating competitive Magic: The Gathering format using cards from Return to Ravnica onward (2012–present), bridging the gap between Modern and Standard. It's played in weekly MTGO Challenges and Leagues, which is where this metagame data comes from.