I have given this some more thought and came up with a card that I'd want more than Go for the Throat. I really want to see Withered Wretch get a downgrade! It's a solid creature that fits into a popular tribe and it has great utility. Not to mention it is good for Devotion. It also doesn't seem too powerful to me since most decks have a maindeck answer to it, opposed to the artifact based graveyard hate that usually requires sideboard space to deal with. Adding another instant speed GY hate could even balance out some combo decks. Who knows, maybe bringing Withered Wretch into the meta could allow for Cloud of Faeries to be unbanned in time since it can reliably hurt TPPS decks.
I still don't think Flametongue Kavu is that bad. Sure it was considered one of the best creatures ever by then, but nowadays the power creep makes it seem subpar to other critters like Delver of Secrets, Monastery Swiftspear, Wild Nacatl, Young Pyromancer or Gurmag Angler. It's weak to counterspells if played on curve, and it's fragile enough that even if it 2-for-1's you, you can take it away with pretty much anything. Kavu is for Red what Mulldrifter and Gray Merchant of Asphodel are for Blue and Black respectively. I don't think it's stronger than any of them, and it's probably on par with Predatory Nightstalker (which isn't played because it's mana cost is unfortunately the same as Gary).
I have given this some more thought and came up with a card that I'd want more than Go for the Throat. I really want to see Withered Wretch get a downgrade! It's a solid creature that fits into a popular tribe and it has great utility. Not to mention it is good for Devotion. It also doesn't seem too powerful to me since most decks have a maindeck answer to it, opposed to the artifact based graveyard hate that usually requires sideboard space to deal with. Adding another instant speed GY hate could even balance out some combo decks. Who knows, maybe bringing Withered Wretch into the meta could allow for Cloud of Faeries to be unbanned in time since it can reliably hurt TPPS decks.
YAAAAS for Withered Wretch. That would be so good.
I'd also really like to see Vampire Hexmage but a 2/1 First Strike that also pumps Gary is probably way to strong for Pauper.
I still don't think Flametongue Kavu is that bad. Sure it was considered one of the best creatures ever by then, but nowadays the power creep makes it seem subpar to other critters like Delver of Secrets, Monastery Swiftspear, Wild Nacatl, Young Pyromancer or Gurmag Angler. It's weak to counterspells if played on curve, and it's fragile enough that even if it 2-for-1's you, you can take it away with pretty much anything. Kavu is for Red what Mulldrifter and Gray Merchant of Asphodel are for Blue and Black respectively. I don't think it's stronger than any of them, and it's probably on par with Predatory Nightstalker (which isn't played because it's mana cost is unfortunately the same as Gary).
I totally agree with this so hard. I think it would help to enable some new archetypes. I've been playing around with a Jund list and I think Kavu would be perfect. I've been using Cinder Hellion, and while its a great threat and gets value on ETB, being able to kill a creature is way more what I want out of that. Also, the 4cmc would be incredible for the curve.
I guess that's what I want more than anything, some cards that would help brewing and enabling archetypes we don't have currently. It seems like the format doesn't really have any good 4-drops. Everything is 2, 3, or 5. That creates some really awkward curves especially if you like to brew.
EDIT: I thought of another one I desperately want. Caustic Tar. Would be awesome to run in a B/W control list as a creatureless finisher that could be tutored with Heliod's Pilgrim. Seems so good. Maybe too good despite being 6cmc.
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Faerie Conclave and Treetop Village are way too powerful. The others suck though so they would probably be good enough.
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Already legal in the Pauper cardpool, but Werebear got reprinted in Modern frame and with a really cool art (I wasn't much of a fan of the old one). Sadly they changed the flavor text
EMA Limited is shaping up to be really cool, and with archetypes like UG Thresh or UB Reanimator we could get some more gems to bolster fringe archetypes.
I wasn't playing when this guy was good, but I was playing when he was remembered as good. No idea if he has any prospects for Pauper. White Weenie counter for red midrange decks?
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Lycanthropy Awareness Day.
Hoping for a cure, or at least an outbreak.
Emperor Crocodile was downgraded as well. I'll try it out in my Tortured Existence deck. I'm currently not running Gurmag Angler since TortEx is too dependent on the GY, but I would like some more big beaters. Especially since my Werebears are significantly weakened by graveyard hate.
Wildfire Emissary will likely see no play. The card needs to be really good to see play at four mana. I can't see a red deck wanting to pay 4 for a 2/4 with pro white and an over-costed fire-breathing effect.
Emperor Crocodile reminds me of Imperiosaur for some reason, so this downgrade makes a lot of sense. It's hard to believe it was a rare to begin with. I think this card would have been a lot better if it had been a beast and not a crocodile in order to pump up the Wirewood Savage deck that could bust him out on turn 2.
Any 5/5 in Pauper is worth a closer look, but I don't see this going very far competitively.
- Night's Whisper: More splashable Sign in Blood (let's face it, except corner cases no one targets the opponent anyways).
- Avarax: Red hasty Squadron Hawk that can get pumped seems right up UR Control / Jund's alley, albeit it costs one too much for my tastes. I'll keep my eyes on him though, one of the most interesting downgrades.
- Elvish Vanguard: An insane downgrade and downright stupid in Elves. I would be surprised if this doesn't shake the meta even a little bit.
Kird Ape gets its first online common printing so get ready for the 'fur'y of this one in pauper.
Yavimaya Enchantress is kinda like Aura Gnarlid but it's looking for any enchantment, not just auras. I could see it being tried in bogles or even those 5 color aggro decks, but I'm not sure if it'll catch on.
Desperate Ravings is interesting to see. Maybe slots into UR decks? I'd try it.
Wakedancer has made its way to common online! Aristocrats will love this one!
Night's Whisper Easier to cast Sign in Blood without the "target player" clause. I could see this in B/x decks or even some mono black decks running a few more colorless utility lands
Elite Vanguard Hard to believe this hasn't been common yet but now pauper has a 2 power 1 drop without any drawback or conditions at all. (I could be mistaken of course about this being the first)
Cephalid Sage In case you didn't think Threshold would have help, here's some help! 4 mana to get 3 power on the board and draw three cards! This could see play in....well...anything not running Delve cards.
Elvish Vanguard Another rare moved down to common and one that's great too! I think elves would run this no problem. If it goes unanswered it just wrecks face.
Prowling Pangolin A nice one, but I'm not sure what deck would run it.
Orcish Oriflamme This time they didn't get the casting cost wrong, but it's hard to tell what deck wants it. 4 mana is a lot of any aggro deck that would want this effect.
Avarax Another card that searches for more copies is cool. 3/3 is kinda bland but haste and firebreathing for 1R makes up for it. A GR ramp deck would be cool to see this in.
So that's, like, every interesting downgrade to common! Well...interesting to me, anyway. But yeah! Things are gonna get interesting for pauper! Between price drops and new cards things will be really interesting!
Edit: Whops! Zephyr beat me to the punch but I had to let my excitement be shared!
Notes:
I'm ignoring online only printings (Kird Ape, Wakedancer etc [apearently these are it?])
Welcome back familiar combo.
Elves just got good.
I know you guys just posted most of them but I figured it's nice to have them in one easy to read post.
Emperor Crocodile was downgraded as well. I'll try it out in my Tortured Existence deck. I'm currently not running Gurmag Angler since TortEx is too dependent on the GY, but I would like some more big beaters. Especially since my Werebears are significantly weakened by graveyard hate.
Wow, are we looking at a return of Familiar Combo? Should be an interesting transition.
I agree with Zephyr's top five.
I think Night's Whisper is definitely going to see a lot of play. The splashibility is going to open up a lot of black decks to a good draw spell. I'm looking forward to play with and against this card.
Warden of Evos Isle is such a powerful downgrade, but it still will probably see no play.
The elves card is really strong. I wonder what will happen to elves from here!
Desperate Ravings might see some play. It's too bad it had to be random though...
What I'm unhappy about is that they didn't reprint Beetleback Chief as a common! What's up with that?!
Nice, isn't it? I'm personally just calling it familiar because the basic gameplan is the same and people will instantly know what I mean. I'd call it something else, but something else doesn't have a name yet.
For paper players, this is a huge boost to High Tide as well. Deck was already silly being the thing which Familiars was trying to emulate. Really speaks volumes about how powerful Academy was being the deck that High Tide was trying to emulate.
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Lycanthropy Awareness Day.
Hoping for a cure, or at least an outbreak.
Hard to believe it's the same guys who ban cloud of Faeries in Pauper and edited Peregrin as a common.
How stupid they are ! Another proof than WotC really don't care about Pauper.
Huh?! Fairie costs 2 and cycles while Drake costs 5. What I see here is a move to imply they might actually care about Pauper - take a combo deck that was a little too good and too hard to interact with and make it possibly playable but at a much larger/slower cost. If you think that they functionally unbanned Cloud then you need some serious assessment skills. This makes Familiars a ~possibly~ playable deck but when your key piece can't come down until at least 2 turns later and doesn't cycle it is the difference between winning sometimes and losing all the time.
Brainspoil. You use Brainspoil to get Mnemonic Wall, which recurs Brainspoil, which then gets Peregrin Drake. Add a nice 5 CMC toolbox and you're all set. Takes little space and fits as a win con in pretty much any UB control shell.
Peregrin Drake is also a fairly good threat in MUC, as you don't have to tap out for it.
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UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
YAAAAS for Withered Wretch. That would be so good.
I'd also really like to see Vampire Hexmage but a 2/1 First Strike that also pumps Gary is probably way to strong for Pauper.
I totally agree with this so hard. I think it would help to enable some new archetypes. I've been playing around with a Jund list and I think Kavu would be perfect. I've been using Cinder Hellion, and while its a great threat and gets value on ETB, being able to kill a creature is way more what I want out of that. Also, the 4cmc would be incredible for the curve.
I guess that's what I want more than anything, some cards that would help brewing and enabling archetypes we don't have currently. It seems like the format doesn't really have any good 4-drops. Everything is 2, 3, or 5. That creates some really awkward curves especially if you like to brew.
EDIT: I thought of another one I desperately want. Caustic Tar. Would be awesome to run in a B/W control list as a creatureless finisher that could be tutored with Heliod's Pilgrim. Seems so good. Maybe too good despite being 6cmc.
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Faerie Conclave and Treetop Village are way too powerful. The others suck though so they would probably be good enough.
https://pucatrade.com/invite/gift/86097
I legit shat my pants. Not even in my wildest Madness dreams could I conceive this.
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
Not to mention the rest of the spoiled cards are awesome, too!
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
UB Wight Phantasm
RB Burn
UR Faerie Rites of Initiation
Legacy:
R Burn
CG-Post
EMA Limited is shaping up to be really cool, and with archetypes like UG Thresh or UB Reanimator we could get some more gems to bolster fringe archetypes.
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
- Nimble Mongoose
- FNM art Squadron Hawk
- Counterspell
- Hydroblast
- Oona's Grace
- Pyroblast
- Daze if it's foil pricing drops
- Chain Lightning
- Wee Dragonauts
- Hymn to Tourach if your group allows for it
- Probably Deep Analysis and Firebolt
- Oubliette, Mulldrifter, Chainer's Edict and Brainstorm if they're in
Seems like I and other fellow foil collectors will be spending a good amount of money on singles
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
Wildfire Emissary just graduated from uncommon to common!
I wasn't playing when this guy was good, but I was playing when he was remembered as good. No idea if he has any prospects for Pauper. White Weenie counter for red midrange decks?
Hoping for a cure, or at least an outbreak.
Level 1 Judge (yay)
Emperor Crocodile reminds me of Imperiosaur for some reason, so this downgrade makes a lot of sense. It's hard to believe it was a rare to begin with. I think this card would have been a lot better if it had been a beast and not a crocodile in order to pump up the Wirewood Savage deck that could bust him out on turn 2.
Any 5/5 in Pauper is worth a closer look, but I don't see this going very far competitively.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
Anyway, besides from Drake and Mongoose here are the most interesting downgrades:
- Elite Vanguard: The mighty Savannah Lion has fallen out of grace.
- Rally the Peasants: Between this, vanguard and Veteran Armorsmith / Veteran Armorer, Soldiers is looking scary.
- Cephalid Sage: Interesting to say the least.
- Warden of Evos Isle: Wind Drake that gives discount to your other flying dudes.
- Night's Whisper: More splashable Sign in Blood (let's face it, except corner cases no one targets the opponent anyways).
- Avarax: Red hasty Squadron Hawk that can get pumped seems right up UR Control / Jund's alley, albeit it costs one too much for my tastes. I'll keep my eyes on him though, one of the most interesting downgrades.
- Elvish Vanguard: An insane downgrade and downright stupid in Elves. I would be surprised if this doesn't shake the meta even a little bit.
Other not so interesting downgrades: Sylvan Might, Yavimaya Enchantress, Undying Rage, Orcish Oriflamme, Desperate Ravings, Dragon Egg, Prowling Pangolin, Tidal Wave, Stupefying Touch, Phantom Monster, Glacial Wall, Mistral Charger, Humble.
Overall the clear winners ranking for me is
1 Peregrine Drake
2 Nimble Mongoose
3 Elvish Vanguard
4 Elite Vanguard
5 Night's Whisper
Honorary mention goes to Avarax as an interesting build around card.
On a minor note, seems like I've won the box, so I'll be snagging some of the reprinted staples I was missing, and probably get some foil goodies too
Thanks to DNC from Heroes of the Plane Studios for the sig
Check my Pauper Cube!
Peregrine Drake Hi again, familiars! Not as busted as Cloud of Faeries but it does what you want it to for the combo!
Warden of Evos Isle Wow! Will UW flyers be seen now?
Kird Ape gets its first online common printing so get ready for the 'fur'y of this one in pauper.
Yavimaya Enchantress is kinda like Aura Gnarlid but it's looking for any enchantment, not just auras. I could see it being tried in bogles or even those 5 color aggro decks, but I'm not sure if it'll catch on.
Desperate Ravings is interesting to see. Maybe slots into UR decks? I'd try it.
Rally the Peasants Oh boy! Boros tokens now has their Guardians' Pledge
Wakedancer has made its way to common online! Aristocrats will love this one!
Night's Whisper Easier to cast Sign in Blood without the "target player" clause. I could see this in B/x decks or even some mono black decks running a few more colorless utility lands
Elite Vanguard Hard to believe this hasn't been common yet but now pauper has a 2 power 1 drop without any drawback or conditions at all. (I could be mistaken of course about this being the first)
Cephalid Sage In case you didn't think Threshold would have help, here's some help! 4 mana to get 3 power on the board and draw three cards! This could see play in....well...anything not running Delve cards.
Elvish Vanguard Another rare moved down to common and one that's great too! I think elves would run this no problem. If it goes unanswered it just wrecks face.
Prowling Pangolin A nice one, but I'm not sure what deck would run it.
Orcish Oriflamme This time they didn't get the casting cost wrong, but it's hard to tell what deck wants it. 4 mana is a lot of any aggro deck that would want this effect.
Avarax Another card that searches for more copies is cool. 3/3 is kinda bland but haste and firebreathing for 1R makes up for it. A GR ramp deck would be cool to see this in.
So that's, like, every interesting downgrade to common! Well...interesting to me, anyway. But yeah! Things are gonna get interesting for pauper! Between price drops and new cards things will be really interesting!
Edit: Whops! Zephyr beat me to the punch but I had to let my excitement be shared!
Here's the list I made of paper downshifts.
Nimble Mongoose
Wildfire Emissary
Emperor Crocodile
Cephalid Sage
Glacial Wall
Elite Vanguard
Humble
Peregrine Drake
Mistral Charger
Phantom Monster
Monk Idealist
Rally the Peasants
Stupefying Touch
Tidal Wave
Warden of Evos Isle
Night's Whisper
Avarax
Elephant Guide
Prowling Pangolin
Elvish Vanguard
Carbonize
Desperate Ravings
Roots
Dragon Egg
Sylvan Might
Yavimaya Enchantress
Orcish Oriflamme
Undying Rage
Notes:
I'm ignoring online only printings (Kird Ape, Wakedancer etc [apearently these are it?])
Welcome back familiar combo.
Elves just got good.
I know you guys just posted most of them but I figured it's nice to have them in one easy to read post.
If raw stats are what you require, check out Undergrowth Scavenger
Hoping for a cure, or at least an outbreak.
Level 1 Judge (yay)
I agree with Zephyr's top five.
I think Night's Whisper is definitely going to see a lot of play. The splashibility is going to open up a lot of black decks to a good draw spell. I'm looking forward to play with and against this card.
Warden of Evos Isle is such a powerful downgrade, but it still will probably see no play.
The elves card is really strong. I wonder what will happen to elves from here!
Desperate Ravings might see some play. It's too bad it had to be random though...
What I'm unhappy about is that they didn't reprint Beetleback Chief as a common! What's up with that?!
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
Nice, isn't it? I'm personally just calling it familiar because the basic gameplan is the same and people will instantly know what I mean. I'd call it something else, but something else doesn't have a name yet.
For paper players, this is a huge boost to High Tide as well. Deck was already silly being the thing which Familiars was trying to emulate. Really speaks volumes about how powerful Academy was being the deck that High Tide was trying to emulate.
Hoping for a cure, or at least an outbreak.
Level 1 Judge (yay)
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
WUBRGPauper Battle BoxWUBRG ... and why I am not a fan of Wayne Reynolds' Illustrations.
Peregrin Drake is also a fairly good threat in MUC, as you don't have to tap out for it.
A series of seven articles using Magic to explore the very stuff of the Universe!
"At least for those who can play cards, their present incarnation is not quite wasted."
[Click here for the articles!]