Traditional Explorer Event Guide and Decklists

Table of Contents

Event Details
Event Rewards
Format Details
Traditional Explorer Event 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

Event Details

Bring your Explorer deck with a sideboard, play some best-of-three matches, and receive rewards based on how many games you win!

Duration: Evergreen
Format: Explorer
Entry Fee: 5,000 gold or 750 gems
Ends After: 5 matches
Match Structure: Best-of-three matches (BO3)

Event Rewards

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

Wins	Gems	Packs	Play-In Point
0 Wins	50 gems	1 pack
1 Win	100 gems	1 pack
2 Wins	150 gems	2 packs
3 Wins	600 gems	2 pack
4 Wins	800 gems	2 pack
5 Wins	1,000 gems	3 packs	4 Play-In Points

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:

Rules

One-on-one with a 60 card minimum for the main deck and up to 15 cards in their sideboard. Player can add and swap out cards from their sideboard after the first game.

These cards may also 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.

Traditional 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!