Explorer Anthologies
Explorer Anthologies should mostly contain Pioneer playable cards. An inspirational list is attached:
-
Daleinad#74619
commented
been wasting money in decks in explorer, and these anthologies are huge dissapointment
-
Belle#46351
commented
Yeah just really upset by this, especially given that we've seen how many resources have been devoted to Alchemy, which appears to be a very unpopular format. It's just crazy to realize that Arena has been out for about 5 years and standard remains the only true-to-paper format. We've seen historic horizons 2 years ago add almost 400 unique cards to arena all at once, and I do not understand why it's taking so long to add the maybe 30 necessary cards to move explorer to pioneer. Even the important cards that were added like sylvan scrying and thespian stage don't actually impact the format at all without hidden strings, so the most impactful card added was what, voice of resurgence? Very disappointed, especially so given that I actually thought historic anthology 7 was done marvelously.
-
Zanzaben#15706
commented
It is very disheartening seeing something called "Explorer Anthologies" have so little to do with the pioneer format.
If one of the problems is the work involved adding one off mechanics like Cipher then you could at least make an alchemy version of Hidden Strings without cipher and add it to Explorer.
-
PatJamma#68775
commented
All I want from Arena is to play Pioneer.
-
gordy12791#44328
commented
Explorer will be my primary format once it resembles Pioneer. This anthology made zero progress on that goal, so I will not purchase it. Instead I will continue to shell out on MTGO card rental services. This cash could be spent on the (far superior) Arena client.
So stop messing around and take my money!
-
KTack#19857
commented
I’ve put a lot of time and money into MTG over the years. I love the game. I’ve been patiently waiting for Pioneer on Arena for years, and still supporting the game with my own money.
I don’t like to speak for others, but I think most people can agree that the pace and execution in which Pioneer cards are being added to Arena is abysmal. I would also say that it is downright disrespectful to the community who supports this game time and time again when unplayable cards that nobody wants are being added to Anthologies. I think we’ve accepted the fact that WoTC prioritizes non-paper cards on the client, which is frustrating. The amount of Alchemy cards programmed could have brought us extremely close to full Pioneer already, yet they refuse to do it.
WoTC, if you’re listening, we will consistently give you money to keep adding GOOD Pioneer cards to the client. It’s that simple. People want Pioneer on Arena. Trust us. It’s a win win for everyone. Please.
-
Grymmblade#17751
commented
This screams of being half-assed. There are hundreds if not THOUSANDS of sources where you can see what decks are being played in paper. You have the ability to create the Explorer format and yet you release craptastic anthologies. Why not release smaller groups that include the meta cards for the decks? It's like selling the Challenger decks.
Better yet....split Alchemy and Historic, add all the cards needed to create the current top 25 Pioneer decks, and start working on turning Historic into Modern.
-
Nysonin#45440
commented
I'm a huge fan of both Arena (as a client the economy is brutal though) and of the pioneer format. I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of my favorite deck on pioneer (Lotus Combo) and seeing the addition of Thespian Stage and Sylvan Scrying and not hidden strings makes me feel a range of feelings from disappointed to disrespected. I'm not sure if it's greed to sell more anthologies or what, but this does almost nothing to bring explorer closer to pioneer. This anthology has made me lose a lot of faith in WotC and MtgArena and I plan on stepping away from Arena until the lack of quality in this anthology is addressed. Most of my investments in Arena were made under the promise of pioneer coming to arena, and this has made me feel like my time and money on Arena have been wasted. I'll come back when wizards decides to actually progress the format, but until then I'm sticking to paper magic.
-
ILIJILILI#28871
commented
Very happy to see some crucial pieces of popular decks (e.g. the Creativity combo creatures), but agree with everyone here that many slots are being wasted on cards that don't see play competitively.
Yes, it's important that powerful cards from outside the top tier of decks make their way into the format *eventually* so people can brew with them, but there's no logic to adding these cards over those that are commonly played in Pioneer already. Please prioritize catching up with the current meta first.
-
robbierojek#26149
commented
I appreciate your effort but you can do better. We as devoted fans want to play pioneer in mtg arena not explorer anymore. Please try meet our expectations faster.
-
Antcrafter#57881
commented
Some decks are still unplayable... If you want to make more money release all these cards as a super expensive bundle/in a special "pioneer masters set", just get them on the client
-
Cygnus#57003
commented
Calling this a Anthology is disrespectful.
-
Pelucatos#03213
commented
Now we can all agree that you don't really want to bring Pioneer to MTGA.
-
SibaSt#36896
commented
Make up your mind WotC: either MTGA Explorer is supposed to converge towards Pioneer or it's not. Don't tell us it is, then act the other way...
-
probablyjulian#68261
commented
I know you're doing your best under financial constraints but it's hard to make sense of the cards being added to Arena in Anthologies when they feel so random and do not help Arena come closer to being like paper magic with formats like Pioneer.
-
Staroson#58054
commented
A moneygrab of trickling Pioneer staples out over countless anthologies only works if people are buying. I for one will be avoiding these anthologies (just like I have the last 2) like the plague they are. Please, if you're going to say you're working on getting toward playable Pioneer then give us playable staples and not this bulk that no one wants outside Historic Brawl. Or at least temper our expectations and roll back your original statement and say you're not actually working on Pioneer in the near future.
-
JackalMain#65119
commented
This for me, same as many other people, is making me lose interest in Arena. I want to play Pioneer on Arena, but when the company insists on adding nonsense cards nobody asked for and missing so many obvious inclusions, nobody is going to buy this.
Give your customers what they are asking for, and they will buy it. I don't know how this is a difficult concept to understand.
-
anakinsdad#01349
commented
I want to play Pioneer on Arena, so I can figure out what decks to build in paper, so I can give my LGS and WOTC more money. This anthology leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, and is actively disincentivizing me from playing Pioneer.
-
Josh_Dunville#04746
commented
Is the person who came up with this list of cards ignorant of the Pioneer meta? Whatever happened to "our priority on card implementation will be driven by what we see in the Pioneer Constructed meta"?
We got 10 cards that see little to no Pioneer play (Canopy Vista, Cinder Glade, Smoldering Marsh, Sunken Hollow, Orzhov, Charm, Accorder's Shield, Obzedat, Ghost Council and Omnath, Locus of Rage). These could have been left for later anthologies or remastered sets.
Thespian's Stage, Sylvan Scrying and Prairie Stream are the only worthwhile cards. Creativity has been off Xenagos Wurm for a while now. The other 10 are fringe cards that should have been replaced by cards that see a lot more play.
How did you not include Oath of Nissa, Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, Chained to the Rocks, Hidden Strings, Dreadbore, Reckless Bushwhacker, Bring to Light, Treasure Cruise, Dig Through Time, Dark Petition, Radiant Flames, The Chain Veil, Sylvan Caryatid, Kytheon, Hero of Akros, Voyaging Satyr, Dragonlord Dromoka, Tasigur, the Golden Fang, Stubborn Denial, Retraction Helix, and/or Silence? These are cards that are played more than all the cards in this Anthology besides Thespian's Stage, Sylvan Scrying and Prairie Stream.
Please fast track Explorer Anthology 4 with highly played Pioneer cards. Please stop trickling out a few staples with the majority of the cards in these Anthologies being unplayable garbage. Actually do what you intended. Talk is cheap and so is this Anthology
-
Negativeskew#81119
commented
Very misguided from what the community wants with supporting Pioneer. Maybe card inclusion for the next Anthology should be driven by community voting/request.