Best-of-One Explorer Event Guide and Decklists

MTG Arena runs evergreen events for each available constructed format and for each game mode. These events provide a way for players to compete with each other for rewards in gems, packs, and Play-In Points. Read about the most recent change in structure to the events on April 28, 2022 here.

This guide will aim to provide complete details for each of the events, as well as decklists with proven results players can use. You can navigate every guide using the table below:

Format	Game Mode
Standard	Best-of-one
Traditional Standard	Best-of-three
Alchemy	Best-of-one
Traditional Alchemy	Best-of-three
Explorer	Best-of-one
Traditional Explorer	Best-of-three
Historic	Best-of-one
Traditional Historic	Best-of-three

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Event Details

Bring your Explorer deck, play some games, and receive rewards based on how many games you win!

• Duration: Evergreen
• Format: Explorer
• Entry Fee: 2,500 gold or 375 gems
• Ends After: 7 wins or 3 losses, whichever comes first
• Match Structure: Best-of-one matches (BO1)

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Event Rewards

For Explorer events, packs will be from sets rotated out from Standard.

Wins	Gems	Packs	Play-In Point
0 Wins	25 gems
1 Win	50 gems
2 Wins	75 gems	1 pack
3 Wins	200 gems	1 pack
4 Wins	300 gems	1 pack
5 Wins	400 gems	2 packs
6 Wins	450 gems	2 packs
7 Wins	500 gems	3 packs	1 Play-In Point

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Format Details

Explorer is a constructed non-rotating format for Magic: The Gathering Arena. It is a “true-to-tabletop” format using all the Pioneer-legal cards (only Standard sets from Return to Ravnica onwards, initially using the same banlist) available on MTG Arena.

It will act as MTG Arena’s bridging format to Pioneer, and eventually will be retired over the next few years when all cards are introduced to mirror the format.

Our full range of resources are available for Explorer in the below sections:

• Explorer Articles and Guides
• Explorer Decks
• Explorer Metagame
• BO1 Explorer Tier List and Rankings
• BO3 Explorer Tier List and Rankings

Rules

One-on-one with a 60 card minimum for the main deck and up to 7 cards in their sideboard. These cards may be accessed during the game through cards such as:

• Legion Angel
• Fae of Wishes
• Karn, the Great Creator
• Mastermind's Acquisition
• Cards with the Learn ability (e.g. Eyetwitch), to access Lesson cards (e.g. Mascot Exhibition)

Legal Sets

Please note, not all cards from before Ixalan are currently available on MTG Arena, as they have been introduced to the game via supplemental products such as Historic Anthology, Remastered sets, and Jumpstart. Standard sets are noted in bold.

• Streets of New Capenna
• Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
• Innistrad: Crimson Vow
• Innistrad: Midnight Hunt
• Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
• Strixhaven
• Kaldheim
• Zendikar Rising
• Core 2021
• Ikoria Lair of Behemoths
• Theros Beyond Death
• Throne of Eldraine
• Core Set 2020
• War of the Spark
• Ravnica Allegiance
• Guilds of Ravnica
• Core Set 2019
• Dominaria
• Rivals of Ixalan
• Ixalan
• Hour of Devastation
• Amonkhet
• Aether Revolt
• Kaladesh
• Eldritch Moon
• Shadows over Innistrad
• Oath of the Gatewatch
• Battle for Zendikar
• Magic Origins
• Dragons of Tarkir
• Fate Reforged
• Khans of Tarkir
• Magic 2015
• Journey into Nyx
• Born of the Gods
• Theros
• Magic 2014
• Dragon’s Maze
• Gatecrash
• Return to Ravnica

Banned Cards

Below is the list of cards that are currently banned in Explorer, initially same as the Pioneer banlist. It may diverge based on the metagame.

Cards will not be readjusted like in Alchemy or Historic, but banned like they would be in tabletop formats and players will be granted Wildcard compensations as per normal procedure.

• Field of the Dead
• Kethis, the Hidden Hand
• Leyline of Abundance
• Lurrus of the Dream-Den
• Nexus of Fate
• Oko, Thief of Crowns
• Once Upon a Time
• Teferi, Time Raveler
• Underworld Breach
• Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
• Veil of Summer
• Wilderness Reclamation

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Explorer Event Decklists

Below are some sample decklists that achieved the maximum wins required for the event. These can vary from fun brews to proven decks that are prevalent in the metagame.

You can submit your deck using our deck builder!