Episodes
Tuesday Nov 26, 2019
Frontier Archive Project Ep. 69 - The M20 Set review
Tuesday Nov 26, 2019
Tuesday Nov 26, 2019
And just like that the Final Frontier podcast ends. In episode 69 we talk about how Historic was finally announced officially by Wizards of the Coast and then talk about what excited us the most from the M20 Core set. We discussed how the cards fit into Frontier since we were hoping that the new format would go back further than Ixalan, so luckily the episode does a good job of showcasing how M20 fits into the scheme of things in Pioneer. I'd like to thank you for taking the time to listen to our old shows. If you'd like to follow us in our journey through the new Pioneer format you can pick up where we left here in our new podcast, The First Pioneers. Thanks for listening!
Friday Nov 22, 2019
Frontier Archive Ep. 68 - Starting Right
Friday Nov 22, 2019
Friday Nov 22, 2019
Before Pioneer was announced, all we knew was that Wizards was working on a new format for the Arena platform. That format eventually morphed into what we now know as Historic, but we were hoping that the format would also translate into some kind of paper format as well. In our second to last Frontier episode we talked about everything we learned from the Frontier format after 2 years plus of playing and made suggestions for Wizards of the Coast to follow so they didn't run into the same problems that the format had from start to finish. Did they listen? Did our wishes come true with the Pioneer format? You'll have to listen to find out!
Thursday Nov 21, 2019
Frontier Archive Project Ep. 67 - Mind over Meta
Thursday Nov 21, 2019
Thursday Nov 21, 2019
As Ryan gears up for the 13th God of Frontier tournament in Tokyo at Hareruya, He and Kevin talk about how the War of the Spark Frontier metagame has been evolving both online and in paper. They cover how each archetype has changed and what cards to look out for going into a big tournament. This is one of the last metagame episodes we did prior to Pioneer, so you can get a good look at how the decks in the format were updated with almost the same pool we currently have.
Wednesday Nov 20, 2019
Frontier Archive Project Ep. 66 - Story Time: The Best Plays in Frontier
Wednesday Nov 20, 2019
Wednesday Nov 20, 2019
Every format has their own plays that make players feel good when they play them. Emptying your hand turn one with a Modern Affinity deck, flashing back a Lightning Bolt with Snapcaster Mage for the kill, or even winning a counterspell battle in Legacy with Force of Will. Frontier is no different, and with the added pool of cards for Pioneer, some 'god' hands are just going to get crazier. In episode 66 we talk about what some of the best plays you can pull of in Frontier are. If you're looking to break the format in Pioneer, this is a great starting point. Whether you're a Timmy, Spike, or Johnny player you're bound to find something in this episode that will put a smile on your face.
Sunday Nov 17, 2019
Frontier Archive Project Ep. 65 - Frontier Brawl
Sunday Nov 17, 2019
Sunday Nov 17, 2019
We're down to our last 5 Frontier podcasts! Today's topic was more of a fun one based around Brawl. The format never really took off in standard due to poor promotion of the game and a limited pool, but some Frontier players had been having fun building Frontier Brawl decks so we thought we'd cover what a Frontier Brawl format would look like. What were the best legendary creatures and planeswalkers to use as Generals? What were the best spells? We explored what this possible format would look like and came up with some good results. If you're still not sure about jumping into competitive Pioneer, maybe you'll enjoy building Pioneer Brawl decks instead. Use this episode as a primer to get started!
Friday Nov 15, 2019
Frontier Archive Project Ep. 64 - Bridging the Gap From Standard
Friday Nov 15, 2019
Friday Nov 15, 2019
Before the most recent rotation last summer, people were actually enjoying standard. Nowadays, not so much. No matter the season, standard usually has the most active players of any format. The power level of standard has been creeping up lately, and we thought that many of the decks might just have what it takes to be playable in Frontier. This can also be true of Pioneer. In all likeliness, you can take a standard deck and make a few changes and have a deck that is ready to go in Pioneer. One of the great things about having a format between standard and modern is that it's much easier to adapt standard to it. If you've played standard over the last few seasons and are thinking of making a Pioneer deck, listen to our suggestions on how to update it so you can play the new format right away!
Thursday Nov 14, 2019
Frontier Archive Project Ep. 63.3 - War of the Spark Set Review (Part 2)
Thursday Nov 14, 2019
Thursday Nov 14, 2019
The multicolor cards of War of the Spark and our top 5 most impactful cards from the set in Frontier wraps up our 3 part series on one of the most powerful sets to ever enter the format. Did your top 5 WAR cards for Pioneer match ours? Listen to what we thought were the Frontier playables and possibles from War of the Spark.
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Frontier Archive Project Ep. 63.2 - War of the Spark Set Review (Part 1)
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
In our 2nd to last set review for Frontier, we talked about the main colors of War of the Spark and also discussed how the new and returning mechanics in the set would affect the format. It's a given that many of the planeswalkers will find their way into Pioneer, but where do the rest fit in? We explore the possibilities for the set and give you suggestions on what kind of deck to use the cards in. If you've already heard it the first time, it's worth a revisit to see how the playables would match up with the Theros and Return to Ravnica blocks that were added in the Pioneer format.
Tuesday Nov 12, 2019
Code of the Cardboard Samurai 12: Pioneer Delight
Tuesday Nov 12, 2019
Tuesday Nov 12, 2019
Pioneer started off with a bang here in Japan and it's been the talk of the entire Magic the Gathering Community for the past few weeks. It was only natural that we'd do a podcast about it. In this episode Ben and I talk with our good friend Bobby Birmingham about what it's been like to play the new format in Japan since the initial announcement. We talk about the initial reception of Pioneer from players, how the stores in the Tokyo/Yokohama area are changing their tournament schedules, as well as how the new format has affected the prices of cards. We also get a little personal and discuss what we are most excited to play in this new format and what we are brewing. To those of you that stick around until the 30 minute mark, we have a special treat for you.
We hope you enjoy today's show and if you have any suggestions or comments feel free to leave them down below!
(special thanks to Lain Kaplan for use of the beginning and end themes)
Monday Nov 11, 2019
Frontier Archive Project Ep. 62/63.1 - War of the Spark Planeswalker Review
Monday Nov 11, 2019
Monday Nov 11, 2019
War of the Spark made a huge impact on standard, and some of the cards even made their way into modern, legacy, and vintage. But did any make it into Frontier? In this episode we cover each of the planeswalkers spoiled in the set and talk about where it might fit into the format. While cards like Teferi, Time Reveler and Ashiok, Dream Render have found there way into control decks and sideboards in Pioneer already, where would the other cards fit in? If you're looking for some ideas on where to play the WAR walkers, give this episode a listen.