Top 10 Cards That We Want to See in MTG Arena Explorer's First Drop

Yesterday’s announcement of MTG Arena’s newest “true to tabletop” format Explorer was a very exciting one. It promises to bring the widely asked for Pioneer format to Arena over time. We know that the Pioneer legal card pool isn’t in the game yet but Wizards of the Coast are going to be releasing “Pioneer relevant” cards to the game in batches through Historic Anthologies.

Wizards has stated that they have a list of around 250ish cards that are format relevant that they will be working through. This ranges from cards that are format staples to one off cards in sideboards, to fan favorite fun archetypes. We don’t know the exact number of cards being released in Historic Anthology 6, but we’ll hit our top 10 wish list today. I believe the success of this format is in it’s initial reception, and kicking off the format with the right slate of cards can set the format off on the right foot.

Honorable Mention

Our honorable mention goes out to the Return to Ravnica charm cycle. Many of these cards have seen play over the years, and while Boros Charm Boros Charm Choose one —
• Boros Charm deals 4 damage to target player or planeswalker.
• Permanents you control gain indestructible until end of turn.
• Target creature gains double strike until end of turn. is the only one of them that really sees any consistent play in Pioneer, the scaled down card pool of Explorer may allow for some of these cards to see some play and offer diversity to the format.

10. Elvish Mystic

Kicking off the top 10 is Elvish Mystic Elvish Mystic {T}: Add {G}. . It’s seen in many decks from Winota to Mono Green Storm. While we have Llanowar Elves Llanowar Elves {T}: Add {G}. in the format, this include is to help the density of 1 drop mana dorks for those decks.

9. Spell Queller

Next up we have Spell Queller Spell Queller Flash
Flying
When this creature enters, exile target spell with mana value 4 or less.
When this creature leaves the battlefield, the exiled card's owner may cast that card without paying its mana cost. . It’s one of the strongest tempo Spirit creatures ever printed, and has become a staple in the Spirits deck. While we have a lot of the strong spirits already in Arena, so adding this to game would be a nice bolster to that deck.

8. Chained to the Rocks

Number 8 is Chained to the Rocks Chained to the Rocks Enchant Mountain you control
When this Aura enters, exile target creature an opponent controls until this Aura leaves the battlefield. (That creature returns under its owner's control.) . We have seen quite a few different “exile target creature” enchantments come out recently, but they all cost 2 or 3 mana. Chained to the Rocks gives you a 1 mana way to deal with any creature, but you need to have a Mountain in play which is frankly a small price to pay.

7. Mantis Rider

Mantis Rider Mantis Rider Flying, vigilance, haste is number 7 on our list. The Humans decks in Arena have been pretty focused on White and Green, and one of the better creatures in the Pioneer version is Mantis Rider. It’s a very aggressive and evasive threat and when combined with cards like Thalia’s Lieutenant Thalia’s Lieutenant When this creature enters, put a +1/+1 counter on each other Human you control.
Whenever another Human you control enters, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. it can get out of hand quickly.

6. Sylvan Caryatid

Number 6 is Sylvan Caryatid Sylvan Caryatid Defender, hexproof
{T}: Add one mana of any color. . It’s one of the best mana creatures ever printed, as it’s a great blocker against aggro decks and is incredibly flexible for many decks. It would be a welcomed addition to the format and many decks.

5. Thing in the Ice / Awoken Horror

Coming in at number 5 is Thing in the Ice Thing in the Ice Defender
This creature enters with four ice counters on it.
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, remove an ice counter from this creature. Then if it has no ice counters on it, transform it. / Awoken Horror Awoken Horror Defender
This creature enters with four ice counters on it.
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, remove an ice counter from this creature. Then if it has no ice counters on it, transform it. . This is a staple card edition to the Izzet Phoenix decks. While the deck has a lot of legs in Historic, it’s built a little bit differently than we see in Pioneer. Pioneer’s version takes advantage of more spells to really lean into this and Arclight Phoenix Arclight Phoenix Flying, haste
At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you've cast three or more instant and sorcery spells this turn, return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield. as it’s finishers.

4. Supreme Verdict

Number 4 is Supreme Verdict Supreme Verdict This spell can't be countered.
Destroy all creatures. . It’s one of the strongest sweepers in the game, being that it’s 4 mana and cannot be countered. Truthfully, this card and it’s place in control holds decks like Mono Blue tempo / spirits in check.

3. Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet

Starting off the top 3, we have Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet Lifelink
If a nontoken creature an opponent controls would die, instead exile that card and create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token.
{2}{B}, Sacrifice another Vampire or Zombie: Put two +1/+1 counters on Kalitas. . Kalitas is utilized in sideboards in many decks as a great source of graveyard creature hate, namely for Izzet Phoenix. It is also great for breaking the parity of combat, as it turns your opponent’s creatures into zombies for you.

2. Bring to Light

bfz-209-bring-to-light — *Wizards of the Coast*

Number 2 is going to be Bring to Light Bring to Light Converge — Search your library for a creature, instant, or sorcery card with mana value less than or equal to the number of colors of mana spent to cast this spell, exile that card, then shuffle. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost. . This card is a key piece in the “Niv to Light” decks, taking advantage of Niv-Mizzet Reborn Niv-Mizzet Reborn Flying
When Niv-Mizzet enters, reveal the top ten cards of your library. For each color pair, choose a card that's exactly those colors from among them. Put the chosen cards into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. and a host of multicolored colored spells. While we do have a 5 Color Niv Mizzet deck existing in the format, this card really brings the deck up into competitive viability.

1. Monastery Swiftspear

Our number 1 pick is going to be Monestary Swiftspear. It was a toss up between this and Eidolon of the Great Revel Eidolon of the Great Revel Whenever a player casts a spell with mana value 3 or less, this creature deals 2 damage to that player. , but Swiftspear edges out ever so slightly. We definitely can’t have both come in right away, as it’d make Mono Red a bit too complete. Truthfully, Swiftspear is exactly what the game is looking for. Another very powerful 1 drop red creature that can help the straight forward aggro strategies find a home in the format once more.