James did this to me
A few weeks ago James posted this question “If you had to list 5 cards that are most likely to be reprinted in a standard legal set for the purpose of getting more copies into the market for Pioneer, what would they be?” Another name for this article could be if I could go back in time and buy a 100+ copies I would be a rich man.
The more and more I think about this question the harder it is. That means the card has to have 2 things.
1. Not be too powerful for Standard.
2. A card people want for Pioneer.

I think Urborg would be a perfect card to be reprinted. It’s a card that will always be good in Pioneer. Granted most decks only play 1 to 2 copies of this card but it can be a little hard to find in most local places. Being reprinted in Ultimate Masters last year helped but this card is still $20. Back in M15 when the card was printed in standard it was played but only because mono black devotion was a dominating deck. This is a card that will never be banned unless they printed something that worked with it in a broken way. Out of my list I think this is the least exciting one but hey I would like to own more copies. Being the only land that does something like this is a unique ability that I don’t think other colors need.
1. Green – In Pioneer cards like Steal Leaf Champion and other cards that are aggro cards are kept at bay because of their casting cost. Granted they do play some utility that can produce a Green. All I’m saying is Green don’t need no Mutavault! (Yes I know double negative….. don’t care). Now would it be too powerful? Yeah it could be. Green having powerful 1-4 drop Green creatures could be a problem.
2. Red – Chainwhirler = Pain
3. Blue – Being the color I think most likely wouldn’t utilize having a blue Urborg. Most of their utility lands tap for a Blue and don’t need an island. They don’t need the early making everything an island like the other colors could use.
4. White – Same with the others having access to a White Urborg plus Mutavault would be great especially in a good aggro deck. Maybe Mutavault is just too good with those type of lands.

Heroic Intervention is the one card in Green that has this type of effect. In Green having a way to safe your dudes from Supreme Verdict and other removal spells is huge ( I know it’s all things not just dudes but in Green that’s what you’ll mostly being saving is the dudes). This card wasn’t played much in standard but for Pioneer even Modern this card is needed in Green decks. If this card doesn’t get a reprint in the next couple years it will be a highly sought-after card that could pull a good price tag. Dis card is good people.

Another card that saw no play in their standard so reprinting it back in shouldn’t be much of a problem. This card is up around $30, decks that have 3+ colors more than likely need this card. Your Kethis combo and Jeskai ascendancy need this land to support the combo. I think even Soulflayer decks play this card. The longer this card is printed the more $$$ it will go up. The reason being is there will always be some 4+ color plus combo deck that needs their mana on time and doesn’t care to pay the life. There isn’t much more to say about this card other then I think this card could be reprinted in a commander product or back into standard.

I don’t want to talk about this card. The reason is the price is up for non-Pioneer reasons (EDH and filthy casuals). For the future of the game I think this is how the game will continue is because of these formats but I think people aren’t experimenting with this card because of the price tag. I’m sure this can fit right into a W/G or Naya based token deck. This into any token makers is back breaking. I think there could even be like a big token deck with Advent of the Wurm and then some red card that makes dragons (there is also a dumb card that makes dragon tokens).
Well there you go James, eat your heart out. With Pioneer being that new hotness I want to warn you on maybe somethings you shouldn’t buy right now. This is more of a warning less of a “Hey you idiot don’t buy that!” If already have these cards then this doesn’t concern you.
With Wizards coming out and saying there will be aggressive bannings, some people are scared to try out this great format and I don’t blame them (well I do blame them if it’s a safe card that won’t get banned ever). Weekly bannings are a good and a bad thing. Good because they can police things faster than usually and keep making the format healthy. Bad because people don’t want to pick up cards because they don’t want to lose money if they banned. With Pioneer there are some broken cards that I don’t care to pick up because they are good in other formats. Some are on this list.

This card being banned its Standard has had eyes on it since the format has been announced. Fitting right into an assortment of decks can be a problem…….and I think it is starting to become a problem. Mono Black has taken the world by storm. If you get rid of the little dudes then Bloodsoaked champion can come back from the grave and kick you in the no no square even worse once its back it can hop in the copter and fly in for the win. I think they play Scrapheap Scrounger which will also come back. SOOOOO that’s a problem. Creatures that after a removal spell of a board wipe and can just come right back and their summon sickness not having to matter because they can just crew is the problem. Copter is ok in those Ensoul decks and other various copter decks. But I think by next Monday (or sometime in the future the scoot will get the boot).

Field of the Dead. We love to hate you. You know why we hate you? (I love you but the others hate you) It’s because you are land. You are a land that makes zombies. Lands are hard to remove if you aren’t ready for them. People able to play Field into things like Hour of Promise and other land matters stuff hurts. Being banned in the current standard is the same reason I think it will be banned sometime soon or Monday.
I was going to try to grasp and come up with more but for right now I think this is it. I think these cards aren’t long for this world. Right now I just want to try to have fun and play some weirdness. The format is a blast. I hope to play more of it in the future. Alright lets wrap this ADHD ridden article up. You can find me on the Twitter @lanethemain and on Twitch at twitch.tv/lanethemain where my child and I play magic. LANE5 for a discount at checkout.
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