In a format as diverse and aggressive as Pioneer, having versatile answers is key—and Aether Gust continues to shine as one of the smartest sideboard choices around. It’s not flashy, but it’s consistently effective against some of the most played decks in the format.

Aether Gust has become a Pioneer sideboard staple because of how cleanly it answers some of the format’s most dominant threats. With so many top-tier decks relying on red or green cards—think Mono-Green Devotion, Gruul Mouse, Rakdos Midrange, or even Izzet Phoenix—Gust gives blue decks a cheap and flexible way to disrupt their plans without committing hard removal.

Being able to target a spell on the stack or a permanent already in play gives it massive reach, and the fact that it tucks rather than kills means it sidesteps death triggers or recursion strategies, which is huge against cards like Old-Growth Troll or Uro, Titan of Nature’s Wrath.

What really sets Aether Gust apart, though, is its tempo swing. It only costs two mana but can completely wreck a turn—bouncing a key creature, countering a spell in mid-cast, or forcing an opponent into awkward decisions about putting it back on top or bottom.

In formats like Pioneer, wherein aggro decks are prevalent, that kind of time gain is priceless. It’s also great because it scales well—still useful early, but also relevant later when opponents try to stabilize or press for lethal. Even though it’s color-specific, the sheer number of meta-relevant targets makes it one of the most efficient and annoying sideboard cards in the format right now.

Thanks for reading, and until the next blog post.