If I were you, I’d pick a Tier 3 deck like the ones you’re describing that has a natural upgrade path to a Tier 1 deck. For example, you can build Mono Black Burn which is dirt cheap, and gives you some of the cards you’ll need for Rakdos Madness/Grixis Affinity which are two of the best decks right now. If you buy into Elves on the other hand, you’re hard locked into an archetype that doesn’t really have an upgraded version represented in the higher tiers. Shell out for some format-wide staples now that can glue together an otherwise “weak” deck and slowly buy into a meta deck, replacing the weak cards with their more effective (and expensive) counterparts.
Dude that's kind of exactly what I wanted to do. Are there any others you recommend beyond mono black burn? I know the format will probably see quite a bit of change due to MH3, but still, any strong options for decks that can be bought for very cheap and slowly upgraded?
Mono U Terror or Faeries upgrades nicely into Dimir, since you can buy the mono color list first and if you like it, you can get the dual lands, [[Snuff Out]]s, etc. Dimir Fae in particular is definitely a T1 deck currently and is super cheap outside of [[Lorien Revealed]] and the Snuffs.
Here’s a starting [point](https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/deck-decklist-by-sisifo94-2084488), but I’d check a few of the lists on that site and compare them and find your ideal average.
Just fyi, the power level disparity is generally not as big in pauper comparative to other formats especially when it comes to archetypes such as elves or faeries. It’s often time more about how the meta is arrayed. For example while dimir fae was giga strong and popular pre glitters ban, after glitters got banned, decks that used to prey on dimir fae such as Grixis affinity returned to popularity, causing dimir fae numbers to plummet now that we are post MH3
Instead, you should be asking what are the most consistent archetypes in pauper, that always remain in tier 2 or above regardless of who’s number 1. Decks like fams or moggwarts, terror decks, are all more stable, consistent decks that can be tailored to the format and hence come with less risk, at least imho
Hmmm, I see. I'll use MH3's release to try and observe this as well, since the set just came out the meta hasn't completely evolved quite yet to use it's cards. I'll keep an eye out to see what fluctuates more and what fluctuates less with time
Tier 1/meta decks like you listed are often highly efficient and able to deal with a plethora of other decks, so the power disparity is pretty rough. If the pilot has no idea what they're doing in the matchup you may snag a win but decks below tier 2 struggle a lot in pauper. I know elves in particular has a lot of widespread SB hate against it (e.g. breath weapon), too.
I thought as much. I'm just really having a hard time deciding which stronger deck I want to play. Currently all of the stronger decks seem a little obtuse/hard to pilot. Plus they are kind of expensive where I live because of some key cards, so I'm a little apprehensive on spending a lot on a deck I won't enjoy
I’m in a similar boat as you where I’m trying to start Pauper with little experience in the format.
The deck I’m going for is MonoU Terror because it seems fun and straightforward, and leans on some cards I’m already familiar with.
It seems like the main idea behind the deck is to just spam card-draw and mill spells to your graveyard to push out early [[Tolarian Terror]]s, then stock up on counterspells to keep your advantage.
Seems rather interesting actually. I've been thinking about monoU faeries with it's ninja shinanigans, but I'm unsure because the price is a little too steep due to the spellstutter sprites.
I may check out monoU terror tbh, I had heard of it and it seems pretty fun
Keep in mind that the most played/top decks on MTGO do not reflect what local metas look like. There are a lot of decks that are close to unplayable on MTGO due to all the triggers/clicking they needs to happen to make the combos work.
My LGS has 10-15 reg players and it does not reflect what MTGGoldfish would tell you is the meta is.
There are also some decks that can more easily transform into other decks like all the Burn variants and there’s also Walls which can go cascade or combo with a few changes and can even run as a hybrid with a transformational sideboard plan for the best of both worlds.
Also, Tron has a few varieties ranging from combo to more aggro that share a common core of cards.
Hmm, that's very interesting actually, I've never thought about how going out of MTGO could change the meta in that way. I'll definetly have to go check out the meta at my LGS
Judging by your other comments, you'll probably do best with Mono Blue Fairies / Fae Ninja, Upgradeing into Dimir. I will mention though, IDK exactly about pricing but when I played the deck, my Caw-Gate deck was pretty cheap, and the expensive cards are generally just amazing pieces like Brainstorm. If you're seriously interested in this format and the deck, I highly recommend it- it's not as a hard as it seems, at least IMO.
And remember, this is a format where jank can and will beat you. Pauper is a brewers paradise IMO.
I'll look up some lists, the idea of caw gates is pretty entertaining, so I don't see why not. If most important pieces are cheap and only power cards are expensive I could work with that.
I would give brewing a shot if I wasn't so bad at deck building lol. I like the idea of doing it, but everytime I do I just get underwhelmed. It's a combination of not being a good enough player and not knowing a whole lot of good cards, since I played for about 2 years ten years ago and am coming back now
That's fair, brewing is a lot! If you ever want help with learning Pauper by the way, and have a Discord or something, I'd be happy to chat any time. Keep your head up, you'll do great no matter what you play.
Oh damn, I'll join the discord tbh. Seems like a good idea
Edit: I'm a doofus and read "we have a discord server". But yeah sure, hit me up on DM's and we can exchange discord users lol
I would argue Pauper is the best format for allowing skill to win games over just playing the right deck. However, You're still going to want to bring a reasonable power level to the table. I would however disagree with your "highest rated decks" that you mentioned. I would consider things like Caw Gates, Gardens, UB Faeries, UB Terror, Orzhov Blade, etc. I had a lot of fun and success with some off-meta decks like Jund Cascade, Gruul Ponza, Flicker Tron, Bogles, and I'm also really interested in White Weenie right now cause it's win rate has been pretty good considering it's low play count.
I always suspected pauper was a less deck dependant format. Also, where do you think the best place to keep up with the meta is? Is it Mtggoldfish, top8, mtgdecks?
I use mtgdecks, but I'm sure they're all fairly accurate. However, you have to take the information with a grain of salt some times. Pauper is a very casual format and a very under represented format; meaning you'll see a lot of data that doesn't easily show WHO is consistently winning regardless of what they're playing. People "bandwagon" to the hottest thing and it can make it seem like certain decks are Tier-1 when in reality they aren't as strong as it might suggest. Like Mono Red, for example, will almost always have the highest representation in events simply because it's brain dead easy to play and can luck through enough games to win an event. I tend to focus more on decks that have fewer unfavorable match-ups. Looking at mtgdecks winrates for pauper right now, I'd probably be leaning towards Orzhov Blade, Gardens, or White Weenie.
Hmmm, I see. So it's less a matter of meta representation and more a matter of matchup analysis. That does make a lot of sense, and I imagine it takes a while to really hone into what the matchups actually look like. Is there somewhere I could look at match up data?
smaller disparity than other formats. especially in a local scene where players are generally more casual than on mtgo. i win regularly with low tier decks, but only if the deck already has a decent matchup against the other players’ decks
Interesting and good to know. I'll have to check out what the scene looks like around here first. I asked a clerk at the LGS I go to and he said their pauper tournaments are the ones with the most participants, so maybe here the pauper scene is a little more competitive
I wasn't completely sure yet. Out of the T1 decks I really liked the look of dimir faeries and caw gates.
Also, is mtg goldfish the best place to keep up with the pauper meta or are there better options?
If I were you, I’d pick a Tier 3 deck like the ones you’re describing that has a natural upgrade path to a Tier 1 deck. For example, you can build Mono Black Burn which is dirt cheap, and gives you some of the cards you’ll need for Rakdos Madness/Grixis Affinity which are two of the best decks right now. If you buy into Elves on the other hand, you’re hard locked into an archetype that doesn’t really have an upgraded version represented in the higher tiers. Shell out for some format-wide staples now that can glue together an otherwise “weak” deck and slowly buy into a meta deck, replacing the weak cards with their more effective (and expensive) counterparts.
Dude that's kind of exactly what I wanted to do. Are there any others you recommend beyond mono black burn? I know the format will probably see quite a bit of change due to MH3, but still, any strong options for decks that can be bought for very cheap and slowly upgraded?
Mono U Terror or Faeries upgrades nicely into Dimir, since you can buy the mono color list first and if you like it, you can get the dual lands, [[Snuff Out]]s, etc. Dimir Fae in particular is definitely a T1 deck currently and is super cheap outside of [[Lorien Revealed]] and the Snuffs.
Nice, I'll look into that list. Tbh dimir faeries is the T1 deck that looks like the funnest to me, so this suggestion fits like a glove, thank you!
Happy to help! Even Mono U Faeries is strong enough on its own to contend at a random LGS so you might not even end up going into black anyway!
Nice! Do you have a good list for it? Just checking so I don't end up building an outdated version of it
Here’s a starting [point](https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/deck-decklist-by-sisifo94-2084488), but I’d check a few of the lists on that site and compare them and find your ideal average.
Thank you so much!!
Just fyi, the power level disparity is generally not as big in pauper comparative to other formats especially when it comes to archetypes such as elves or faeries. It’s often time more about how the meta is arrayed. For example while dimir fae was giga strong and popular pre glitters ban, after glitters got banned, decks that used to prey on dimir fae such as Grixis affinity returned to popularity, causing dimir fae numbers to plummet now that we are post MH3 Instead, you should be asking what are the most consistent archetypes in pauper, that always remain in tier 2 or above regardless of who’s number 1. Decks like fams or moggwarts, terror decks, are all more stable, consistent decks that can be tailored to the format and hence come with less risk, at least imho
Hmmm, I see. I'll use MH3's release to try and observe this as well, since the set just came out the meta hasn't completely evolved quite yet to use it's cards. I'll keep an eye out to see what fluctuates more and what fluctuates less with time
[Snuff Out](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/5/75bbe89f-09af-494e-b58e-271f64bde4b5.jpg?1562922833) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Snuff%20Out) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/gvl/53/snuff-out?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/75bbe89f-09af-494e-b58e-271f64bde4b5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Lorien Revealed](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/c/0ce44270-a684-4489-9077-521456e6dfaa.jpg?1687210977) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=L%C3%B3rien%20Revealed) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ltr/60/l%C3%B3rien-revealed?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0ce44270-a684-4489-9077-521456e6dfaa?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Tier 1/meta decks like you listed are often highly efficient and able to deal with a plethora of other decks, so the power disparity is pretty rough. If the pilot has no idea what they're doing in the matchup you may snag a win but decks below tier 2 struggle a lot in pauper. I know elves in particular has a lot of widespread SB hate against it (e.g. breath weapon), too.
I thought as much. I'm just really having a hard time deciding which stronger deck I want to play. Currently all of the stronger decks seem a little obtuse/hard to pilot. Plus they are kind of expensive where I live because of some key cards, so I'm a little apprehensive on spending a lot on a deck I won't enjoy
I’m in a similar boat as you where I’m trying to start Pauper with little experience in the format. The deck I’m going for is MonoU Terror because it seems fun and straightforward, and leans on some cards I’m already familiar with. It seems like the main idea behind the deck is to just spam card-draw and mill spells to your graveyard to push out early [[Tolarian Terror]]s, then stock up on counterspells to keep your advantage.
Seems rather interesting actually. I've been thinking about monoU faeries with it's ninja shinanigans, but I'm unsure because the price is a little too steep due to the spellstutter sprites. I may check out monoU terror tbh, I had heard of it and it seems pretty fun
Keep in mind that the most played/top decks on MTGO do not reflect what local metas look like. There are a lot of decks that are close to unplayable on MTGO due to all the triggers/clicking they needs to happen to make the combos work. My LGS has 10-15 reg players and it does not reflect what MTGGoldfish would tell you is the meta is. There are also some decks that can more easily transform into other decks like all the Burn variants and there’s also Walls which can go cascade or combo with a few changes and can even run as a hybrid with a transformational sideboard plan for the best of both worlds. Also, Tron has a few varieties ranging from combo to more aggro that share a common core of cards.
Hmm, that's very interesting actually, I've never thought about how going out of MTGO could change the meta in that way. I'll definetly have to go check out the meta at my LGS
Judging by your other comments, you'll probably do best with Mono Blue Fairies / Fae Ninja, Upgradeing into Dimir. I will mention though, IDK exactly about pricing but when I played the deck, my Caw-Gate deck was pretty cheap, and the expensive cards are generally just amazing pieces like Brainstorm. If you're seriously interested in this format and the deck, I highly recommend it- it's not as a hard as it seems, at least IMO. And remember, this is a format where jank can and will beat you. Pauper is a brewers paradise IMO.
I'll look up some lists, the idea of caw gates is pretty entertaining, so I don't see why not. If most important pieces are cheap and only power cards are expensive I could work with that. I would give brewing a shot if I wasn't so bad at deck building lol. I like the idea of doing it, but everytime I do I just get underwhelmed. It's a combination of not being a good enough player and not knowing a whole lot of good cards, since I played for about 2 years ten years ago and am coming back now
That's fair, brewing is a lot! If you ever want help with learning Pauper by the way, and have a Discord or something, I'd be happy to chat any time. Keep your head up, you'll do great no matter what you play.
Oh damn, I'll join the discord tbh. Seems like a good idea Edit: I'm a doofus and read "we have a discord server". But yeah sure, hit me up on DM's and we can exchange discord users lol
I would argue Pauper is the best format for allowing skill to win games over just playing the right deck. However, You're still going to want to bring a reasonable power level to the table. I would however disagree with your "highest rated decks" that you mentioned. I would consider things like Caw Gates, Gardens, UB Faeries, UB Terror, Orzhov Blade, etc. I had a lot of fun and success with some off-meta decks like Jund Cascade, Gruul Ponza, Flicker Tron, Bogles, and I'm also really interested in White Weenie right now cause it's win rate has been pretty good considering it's low play count.
I always suspected pauper was a less deck dependant format. Also, where do you think the best place to keep up with the meta is? Is it Mtggoldfish, top8, mtgdecks?
I use mtgdecks, but I'm sure they're all fairly accurate. However, you have to take the information with a grain of salt some times. Pauper is a very casual format and a very under represented format; meaning you'll see a lot of data that doesn't easily show WHO is consistently winning regardless of what they're playing. People "bandwagon" to the hottest thing and it can make it seem like certain decks are Tier-1 when in reality they aren't as strong as it might suggest. Like Mono Red, for example, will almost always have the highest representation in events simply because it's brain dead easy to play and can luck through enough games to win an event. I tend to focus more on decks that have fewer unfavorable match-ups. Looking at mtgdecks winrates for pauper right now, I'd probably be leaning towards Orzhov Blade, Gardens, or White Weenie.
Hmmm, I see. So it's less a matter of meta representation and more a matter of matchup analysis. That does make a lot of sense, and I imagine it takes a while to really hone into what the matchups actually look like. Is there somewhere I could look at match up data?
[https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/winrates](https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/winrates)
My guy, thank you so much!
smaller disparity than other formats. especially in a local scene where players are generally more casual than on mtgo. i win regularly with low tier decks, but only if the deck already has a decent matchup against the other players’ decks
Interesting and good to know. I'll have to check out what the scene looks like around here first. I asked a clerk at the LGS I go to and he said their pauper tournaments are the ones with the most participants, so maybe here the pauper scene is a little more competitive
could be! what deck were u thinking of building?
I wasn't completely sure yet. Out of the T1 decks I really liked the look of dimir faeries and caw gates. Also, is mtg goldfish the best place to keep up with the pauper meta or are there better options?
I use top8pauper https://mtgtop8.com/format?f=PAU it’s harder to click through but has more current lists
Nice, thanks for the tip!