The Pioneer metagame hasn't been figured out yet, but how can we? Every week cards can be banned in the format, but because of this the prices can go anywhere. The winners of this week are all because of Pioneer in some capacity.

Like every week, just in time for FNM, I'll now tell you about the cards that will be the talk of the town tonight!

 

#1 Izzet Charm $3.83 (+651%)

 

Our #1 winner may be a bit exaggerated, since we're looking at the Izzet Charm version, while this card can still be had for $1.67 from Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari. But even this cheapest version has shot up from less than $0.50 over the last few weeks. Charms are always very interesting. Because of their nature, that you're able to choose their effect, they're very versatile and can be used in lots of situations. When you look at the price trajectory of most charms from Return to Ravnica we see most of them going up.

However, Izzet Charm has found a home in a Pioneer deck: Izzet Phoenix, where at least 3 or 4 copies are played. This isn't really surprising when we look at the modes the charm has:

• Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays
• Izzet Charm deals 2 damage to target creature
• Draw two cards, then discard two cards.

It can counter a noncreature spell, usually early in the game, or can get rid of small creatures with the second mode. But it also supports the main plan of the deck: get Arclight Phoenix into the graveyard and make them come onto the battlefield by playing a bunch of spells.

Izzet Charm
Return to Ravnica	CardKingdom $1.99	TCGPlayer $2.00
Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari	CardKingdom $1.99	TCGPlayer $1.67
Modern Masters 2017	CardKingdom $1.99	TCGPlayer $3.83
Guilds of Ravnica: Guild Kits	CardKingdom $1.99	TCGPlayer $2.79

 

#2 Rekindling Phoenix $9.95 (+184%)

 

Rekindling Phoenix is a card that (relatively) recently rotated out of Standard, where it saw quite some play. It's a 4/3 flyer for , but most importantly it's a phoenix. And not only by creature type, but also the actual ability: it will rise again when killed! Rekindling Phoenix is a perfect card to keep blocking your opponent's fatties, as long as they don't have removal for the 0/1 elemental, and also is a perfect candidate to sacrifice to your own spells. All-in-all, a hard creature to get rid of and with 4 power and evasion, it can close out a game by itself.

$9.95 isn't even close to its all time high of $34, but still quite the increase from the $3.50 it has been sitting at. Just like our number 1 winner, it seems to have found a place in Pioneer. To be even more precise, the decks that play Rekindling Phoenix also play Izzet Charm. Along with its friend Flamewake Phoenix, they can form an army in the skies.

Flamewake Phoenix	CardKingdom $0.39	TCGPlayer $0.97
Izzet Charm	CardKingdom $1.99	TCGPlayer $3.83
Rekindling Phoenix	CardKingdom $3.99	TCGPlayer $9.95

 

#3 Mystical Dispute $2.70 (+173%)

 

Mystical Dispute has a beautiful price trajectory signalling organic demand. No random spikes or inexplainable fluctuations, and gradually increasing in price. This new counterspell from Throne of Eldraine sees a lot of play in Standard. With Simic decks being the #1 in the metagame, followed by Sultai and also a lot of Bant, we can see there's a lot of blue currently being flung around in Standard. Most of these decks try to pump out a turn 2 Oko, Thief of Crowns, but also love to tap out for a huge Hydroid Krasis.

With all these blue decks, you have to make sure you're prepared, and with a counterspell that hits so many cards in the current metagame it is an easy auto-include. But we also see the card appear in Modern and Pioneer sideboards.

 

Hydroid Krasis	CardKingdom $24.99	TCGPlayer $28.35
Oko, Thief of Crowns	CardKingdom $29.99	TCGPlayer $33.40
Mystical Dispute	CardKingdom $1.49	TCGPlayer $2.70

Cheap Pickups

Please note: for our 'record low' we consider the price of the card over the past 7 years. Many cards have been even cheaper (a) decade(s) ago. Also note: some cards are still going down, and might be even cheaper pickups next week.

 

Glimpse of Nature $14.02 - Record low and going down

Maybe not super cheap, but interesting to note that this card has reached its all time low

 

Yarok, the Desecrated $7.08 - Record low and going down

I always feel this card will become a casual player staple. It's now on its lowest point, but may go down more once it rotates. Still, I would like a playset of this at some point, because it will go up.

 

The First Sliver $6.71 - Record low and bottoming out

 

Glimpse of Nature	CardKingdom $17.99	TCGPlayer $14.02
The First Sliver	CardKingdom $6.99	TCGPlayer $6.71
Yarok, the Desecrated	CardKingdom $8.49	TCGPlayer $7.08