Why is Thoughtseize Legal in Pioneer?

Pioneer* 8-Rack Control Mono-Black

CaptainGalvanic

Sorcery (16)

• 4x Despise
• 4x Divest
• 4x Thoughtseize
• 4x Vicious Rumors

Enchantment (8)

• 4x Shrieking Affliction
• 4x Torment of Scarabs

Creature (6)

• 2x Asylum Visitor
• 2x Fell Specter
• 2x Murderous Rider

Instant (6)

• 2x Bile Blight
• 4x Liliana's Triumph

Land (22)

• 2x Castle Locthwain
• 2x Ifnir Deadlands
• 18x Swamp

Planeswalker (2)

• 2x Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage

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Sideboard

Sorcery (11)

• 2x Collective Brutality
• 4x Duress
• 3x Languish
• 2x The Elderspell

Enchantment (4)

• 4x Leyline of the Void

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Maybeboard

Sorcery (17)

• 2x Bontu's Last Reckoning
• 2x Drill Bit
• 2x Drown in Sorrow
• 1x Harsh Scrutiny
• 1x Heartless Pillage
• 2x Lay Bare the Heart
• 1x Legion's End
• 2x Ruinous Path
• 2x Walk the Plank
• 2x Witch's Vengeance

Instant (17)

• 2x Cast Down
• 2x Fatal Push
• 2x Grasp of Darkness
• 4x Hero's Downfall
• 1x Ob Nixilis's Cruelty
• 2x Ulcerate
• 4x Ultimate Price

Land (1)

• 1x Detection Tower

Creature (4)

• 1x Drainpipe Vermin
• 1x Dreamstealer
• 1x Pack Rat
• 1x Pilfering Imp

Enchantment (4)

• 2x Virulent Plague
• 2x Waste Not

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With the announcement of Pioneer, a lot of poeple's first instinct for deck ideas were old competetive standard deck X with minor upgrades. My kneejerk instinct was a little different, and consisted mostly of "I can't believe Thoughtseize is legal in this environment". So instead of an annoying powered up Teferi deck, here is an annoying powered down 8-Rack deck.

I haven't seen many Pioneer deck listings on this site (yet), so feel free to use this as the build forum for this deck archetype in Pioneer. If you want to try tweeking the list a bit, I have some suggestions in the maybeboard section. Feedback is welcome and encouraged.

Disclaimer: TappedOut is still updating the legality of cards for this format, so some cards legal will be flagged as not legal. Please ignore that, and use other sources such as Scryfall if you are uncertain if a card is legal.

Date added	5 years
Last updated	5 years
Exclude colors	WURG
Legality	This deck is Pioneer legal.
Rarity (main - side)	4 - 0 Mythic Rares 4 - 11 Rares 26 - 0 Uncommons 8 - 4 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	1.89
Tokens	On an Adventure