My local shop has changed over to a radical new schedule, with Pauper format once a month in addition to Standard, Modern, and Legacy. This is apparently in response to this Wizards announcement.
So... your local store might start hosting Pauper too.
And while I'm here... Now that there's bound to be tons of interest in the format... duh, how do I Pauper? Is there a definitive site with a list of current popular Pauper format decks? MTGTop8 doesn't list it, and MetaMox doesn't have it. So basically the list you guys have in Paper Pauper/Peasant Primers is currently the Internet's only guide to Pauper decks?
Anyway, speaking as a stingy, broke, budget player, I'm definitely going to be interested.
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Well, that's some interesting news you bring! I'm happy there can be Pauper tournaments on Fridays now, I hope my LGS does that (I doubt they will).
There is tons of information on the subject. Just on MTGSalvation, there's this side of the forums that you've already discovered as well as the Magic Online forums that has its own Pauper section.
Aside from that, PDCmagic, Reddit and mtgostrat are still very active and easy to find decklists. Typing in MTGO Pauper into Youtube will also yield a world of interesting results. There are lots of other sites, like PaupertothePeople, which don't seem to have much activity anymore. You can look at popular articles like Dime a Dozen at MTGO Academy with Jason Moore. There's tons of stuff out there.
What's interesting about this forums right here is that it's devoted to paper Pauper, which means that we generally have access to printed rarities (for example, Hymn to Tourach). Some players don't even play with the online banlist. Others don't use online-only rarities (for example, Tangle was only ever printed as a common online, so it's considered uncommon irl). It's a question of what's acceptable at your store, and I think it's important that you inform yourself on the rules of deck-building before you get too far.
In the Paper Pauper forums, we accept people playing with any set of rules, whether it be without a banlist, or following Online Pauper rules to a tee. It's just important to let us know what your rules are when posting, so we don't give you false information.
Hope to see you around!
PS, if you haven't already read them, take a look at these links to the Paper Pauper forum rules and rarity guide. They're actually really helpful in understanding what I've mentioned a bit more in depth.
One more question: Just how "solved" is this format? Notwithstanding new cards entering the pool - I see Treasure Cruise making headway already - is there room for brewing something like Sligh aggro or BW tokens, or is it just "play the top 10 decks or lose"?
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Well, just like all eternal formats, Pauper has its top tier decks that you see frequently. The two most common decks you'll be facing are Mono-Black Control and especially Mono-Blue Delver. So much Delver.
That being said, I believe there's still room for brewing in the Format. If you take a look around back in the pages of this forum, you'll easily find over 20 decklists that are all very different. I've brewed a fairly successful B/R list that I'm having a blast with, and there are tons of original strategies to choose from, whether it be Familiars Combo, Wall Combo, Turbo Fog, Acid Trip, Reanimator, among many, many others. Some lists have more legs than others. the important thing to keep remember when wanting to build a successful brew is keeping the top-tier decks in mind. UR Control has been very good in the past against both Delver and MBC, for example.
If you are in it to win, play a top-tier deck, obviously. If you want to brew and still be competitive, you can! But don't expect a miracle. Pauper has been thoroughly explored, and you'll often see the same decks placing highly online. No deck is unbeatable (anymore), so you can go up against the best and still do decently well with your own creations.
Pauper can change drastically from one set to another. In the past years, the powerful commons seem to have benefited mostly the already top-tier decks (MBC got Gray Merchant of Asphodel last year and now Treasure Cruise has brought in a new wave of Blue decks). Wizards is not overly concerned with what Pauper players have access to, so we can get huge, game-changing bombs from time to time. In RTR, Nivix Cyclops revamped the Eye Candy deck and made it seriously competitive, for example.
I ran a Standard Pauper event at the LGS today. There's a good amount of interest in it locally so I'm hopeful with the new options for FNM we'll be able to have them more frequently.
Welcome PenguinPete! I've seen you around the forums and I'm glad to see you here!
Obermeir gave some great advice (as always!) but I have some extra thoughts to add in.
The format is very skill intensive compared to a lot of other formats. That being said you definitely need to work within your playstyle and experience from other formats. It's better to use a deck you are skilled with than to just build a top tier deck and run with it. Research the Primer section and find a deck that fits for you.
If you have a new brew or a variant on an archetype definitely post it for feedback!
Pauper also has a lot of sideboard options so once you get a feel for your meta you can definitely build a strong SB for whatever deck you use.
The paper meta is also very different from the online meta. It's good to see what's going on in MTGO from time to time, but be aware that there are differences.
Pauper is robust and full of ideas. I still play quite often and even your rag tag land destruction deck can give my White Weenie a run from time to time.
So... your local store might start hosting Pauper too.
And while I'm here... Now that there's bound to be tons of interest in the format... duh, how do I Pauper? Is there a definitive site with a list of current popular Pauper format decks? MTGTop8 doesn't list it, and MetaMox doesn't have it. So basically the list you guys have in Paper Pauper/Peasant Primers is currently the Internet's only guide to Pauper decks?
Anyway, speaking as a stingy, broke, budget player, I'm definitely going to be interested.
Well, that's some interesting news you bring! I'm happy there can be Pauper tournaments on Fridays now, I hope my LGS does that (I doubt they will).
There is tons of information on the subject. Just on MTGSalvation, there's this side of the forums that you've already discovered as well as the Magic Online forums that has its own Pauper section.
Aside from that, PDCmagic, Reddit and mtgostrat are still very active and easy to find decklists. Typing in MTGO Pauper into Youtube will also yield a world of interesting results. There are lots of other sites, like PaupertothePeople, which don't seem to have much activity anymore. You can look at popular articles like Dime a Dozen at MTGO Academy with Jason Moore. There's tons of stuff out there.
What's interesting about this forums right here is that it's devoted to paper Pauper, which means that we generally have access to printed rarities (for example, Hymn to Tourach). Some players don't even play with the online banlist. Others don't use online-only rarities (for example, Tangle was only ever printed as a common online, so it's considered uncommon irl). It's a question of what's acceptable at your store, and I think it's important that you inform yourself on the rules of deck-building before you get too far.
In the Paper Pauper forums, we accept people playing with any set of rules, whether it be without a banlist, or following Online Pauper rules to a tee. It's just important to let us know what your rules are when posting, so we don't give you false information.
Hope to see you around!
PS, if you haven't already read them, take a look at these links to the Paper Pauper forum rules and rarity guide. They're actually really helpful in understanding what I've mentioned a bit more in depth.
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
One more question: Just how "solved" is this format? Notwithstanding new cards entering the pool - I see Treasure Cruise making headway already - is there room for brewing something like Sligh aggro or BW tokens, or is it just "play the top 10 decks or lose"?
That being said, I believe there's still room for brewing in the Format. If you take a look around back in the pages of this forum, you'll easily find over 20 decklists that are all very different. I've brewed a fairly successful B/R list that I'm having a blast with, and there are tons of original strategies to choose from, whether it be Familiars Combo, Wall Combo, Turbo Fog, Acid Trip, Reanimator, among many, many others. Some lists have more legs than others. the important thing to keep remember when wanting to build a successful brew is keeping the top-tier decks in mind. UR Control has been very good in the past against both Delver and MBC, for example.
If you are in it to win, play a top-tier deck, obviously. If you want to brew and still be competitive, you can! But don't expect a miracle. Pauper has been thoroughly explored, and you'll often see the same decks placing highly online. No deck is unbeatable (anymore), so you can go up against the best and still do decently well with your own creations.
Pauper can change drastically from one set to another. In the past years, the powerful commons seem to have benefited mostly the already top-tier decks (MBC got Gray Merchant of Asphodel last year and now Treasure Cruise has brought in a new wave of Blue decks). Wizards is not overly concerned with what Pauper players have access to, so we can get huge, game-changing bombs from time to time. In RTR, Nivix Cyclops revamped the Eye Candy deck and made it seriously competitive, for example.
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
Obermeir gave some great advice (as always!) but I have some extra thoughts to add in.
The format is very skill intensive compared to a lot of other formats. That being said you definitely need to work within your playstyle and experience from other formats. It's better to use a deck you are skilled with than to just build a top tier deck and run with it. Research the Primer section and find a deck that fits for you.
If you have a new brew or a variant on an archetype definitely post it for feedback!
Pauper also has a lot of sideboard options so once you get a feel for your meta you can definitely build a strong SB for whatever deck you use.
The paper meta is also very different from the online meta. It's good to see what's going on in MTGO from time to time, but be aware that there are differences.
W White Weenie