Best Explorer Decks MTG Arena

Magic: The Gathering is a game defined by its formats: Different ways of playing that feature cards from different eras of game history to balance power levels and give players the best possible experience.

One of the newest formats for Magic, Explorer is described by Wizards of the Coast as a “paperlike, non-rotating format” within the digital adaptation MTG Arena that accompanies Pioneer, a similar format played on tabletops. Want to climb the Explorer format leaderboards? Here are the best decks to play with.

Explorers Meta is a little different from Alchemy or Standard in that the formats have access to different maps. According to MTGArenaZone, Explorer’s best decks for Bo1 (best-of-one) matches are:

This deck is a bit unusual in that it relies on cheap, aggressive creatures while also devoting a large portion of the deck to non-creature spells. The key premise stems from the “Heroic” mechanic, an ability given to creatures that provides additional buffs when attacked by friendly spells. Essentially, the deck stacks temporary buffs on creatures and quickly turns them into unstoppable threats. Important cards are Illuminator Virtuoso and Gods Will, the former of which becomes extremely powerful over time and the latter can protect her.

Angels are one of the most iconic creatures in Magic, and this deck is filled to the brim with them. This deck uses angels to great effect, filling the board with tough, flying creatures while increasing the player’s life total. Righteous Valkyrie and Giada, Font of Hope are two of the most dangerous cards in this deck, capable of boosting already powerful creatures and creating the opportunity for a single, fatal blow against a defenseless opponent.

Mono-Blue Spirits is a tempo deck, meaning it uses disruptive spells and abilities to slow opponents and prevent them from developing a board state capable of competing against its own. The deck is extremely aggressive, featuring cheap ghostly creatures like Mausoleum Wanderers and Rattlechains that not only synergize with each other but also bring pesky abilities of their own, as well as a variety of counterspells and ricochet spells to slow down opponents.

Here are some sample decks for these strategies, also provided by MTGArenaZone.

Now you have the best decks to choose from in a best-of-one explorer format. That’s not to say other decks can’t win games – all decks have strengths and weaknesses, and the ones listed above are easily the most consistent in terms of winrate and matchup data. A central part of MTG Arena gameplay is experimentation and creative deck building: shuffle and combine decks, customize them with your own card preferences, and practice with different strategies until you settle on one you like.