Magic The Gathering 2019 Challenger Decks

Arcane Tempo — Magic: The Gathering Challenger Deck 2019

Back in 2019, Izzet was doing what Izzet does best: slinging spells, drawing cards, and making opponents deeply regret every life point they ever had. The Arcane Tempo Challenger Deck was one of four ready-to-play 75-card decks released that year, and it put one of Standard's most explosive archetypes right in your hands out of the box. This is a spell-slinger's dream — cheap cantrips and disruption to keep the gas flowing, backed by some genuinely terrifying threats that reward you for doing exactly what you wanted to do anyway. Cast spells. Draw cards. Win.

What's in the Box

Arcane Tempo is a complete, battle-ready Izzet (blue-red) spells deck built around cheap instants and sorceries that generate card advantage while disrupting your opponent. The deck's engine runs through Goblin Electromancer reducing your spell costs and Crackling Drake growing into a massive threat as your graveyard fills up. Then there's Arclight Phoenix — a card that was genuinely defining the format at the time — recurring itself from the graveyard whenever you cast three spells in a turn. Close it out with Niv-Mizzet, Parun and watch your opponent's board disappear in real time. The 15-card sideboard gives you tools for multiple matchups including Negate, Fiery Cannonade, and Entrancing Melody. Everything you need is here: 60-card deck, 15-card sideboard, deck box, and a spindown life counter.

Who's This For

Challenger Decks were designed for players who wanted a competitive-leaning experience without having to build from scratch — and Arcane Tempo delivered exactly that. If you're a newer player looking to learn what a synergy-driven spell deck actually feels like to play, this is a hands-on education. If you're a collector or a fan of Izzet specifically, the inclusion of Arclight Phoenix and two copies of Niv-Mizzet, Parun makes this a historically interesting piece of 2019 Standard. Note that this is a 2019 release and these cards are no longer Standard-legal, but the deck plays great in casual and kitchen table formats — and individual cards remain relevant across Pioneer and other non-rotating formats.

Deck Specifications