MTG Salvation

I rather enjoy pauper and would like to see it succeed. So I'm going to try to create a bunch of the same "tools" threads that exist for standard EDH.

The Top 20 Pauper EDH Card List

So to start off with, I'm just picking from what I have had experience with, you can tell me i'm wrong and I will happily update it. The goal of the list is to make it easier for people to know what cards are 'auto includes' (or at least strong enough that they merit consideration) when they are trying to find the last several cards to fill out the decks. I found the top '50' list extremely helpful for doing this when I first started off playing EDH.

One thing that I always didn't like about the list was it's decision to separate out creatures / non-creatures. Green will have so many more good creatures than spells (and the vice-versa is true for Blue) that it just seems (to me) to make more sense to combine them into one larger list.

In no particular order.

Everything is based on color identity (this is EDH...)

White



Blue


Black


Red


Green


Multi-Colored


Colorless


Land

Reserved in case I need it

Recoil shouldn't be in the top 20 blue cards.

I have yet to actually play some pauper, but we are doing secret santa style decklists (once we draw names)- so I've been looking at uncommon creatures and commons a lot. Are things like travel prep/fires of undeath really that good? Cavern harpy is a common (I wish it was an uncommon, I'd love that general)- is that sort of effect not that good? Seems good. Flame slash being a sorcery makes me hesitant as well. What is the meta you've been playing in like (online or off?)? Just from looking at stuff online it seems like the games should be grindy and the board rather full. What makes things like tangle hulk and plated geopede so good? Is it really just a lack of commons? I'm not sure when I would ever include these.

I would personally replace guardians pledge with the one that does +2/+1 but isn't limited to white. Pair that with sprout swarm and it's a lot closer to overrun.

Thanks for posting, I'm always interested in seeing what is considered good. I have a lot of ideas in mind but I haven't decided what to make yet.

Quote from vampirelord1892

Recoil shouldn't be in the top 20 blue cards.

lol oops, sorry. I was making up the list late last night...

Quote from 1classydude

I have yet to actually play some pauper, but we are doing secret santa style decklists (once we draw names)- so I've been looking at uncommon creatures and commons a lot. Are things like travel prep/fires of undeath really that good? Cavern harpy is a common (I wish it was an uncommon, I'd love that general)- is that sort of effect not that good? Seems good. Flame slash being a sorcery makes me hesitant as well. What is the meta you've been playing in like (online or off?)? Just from looking at stuff online it seems like the games should be grindy and the board rather full. What makes things like tangle hulk and plated geopede so good? Is it really just a lack of commons? I'm not sure when I would ever include these.

I would personally replace guardians pledge with the one that does +2/+1 but isn't limited to white. Pair that with sprout swarm and it's a lot closer to overrun.

Thanks for posting, I'm always interested in seeing what is considered good. I have a lot of ideas in mind but I haven't decided what to make yet.

I don't think Travel prep diserves to be in there, I made the list late last night and didn't have the time to go through everything completely properly (I replaced Travel Prep with recoil just now though). Fires is GREAT, it's a 2 for 1 removal spell that gets most creatures (unlike normal EDH, most of the creatures aren't that big).

We've always played where the general can be common / uncommon. It seems like an arbitrary distinction to force it to be uncommon and only goes to restrict the design space (aka I think you should be just fine using a common).

Big creatures with regeneration are really hard to deal with in this format. There's not a lot of cards that destroy and don't let regeneration happen (we have only wither, incinerate, and a few -x/-x spells). There are actually a fair number of available wraths, though none of them actually say 'destroy all creatures', it's more like 'do 2-5 damage to all creatuers'. The control decks can do a fair job keeping the token decks in check.

A bunch of my friends play at our local card shop (one of them actually writes for TCGplayer and had a couple of pauper articles on the subject).


It would be most helpful for making (some of the VERY obviously needed) changes if you did:

Travel Preparations --> Recoil
Explanation: Recoil is just way better. Also, travel prep shouldn't really be in here...

Thanks for your input!

Dimir Houseguard and Shred Memory should be on black list as everyone runs them for tutoring. Less people run Hymn and Morbid Hunger.

Also archaeomancer should be in blue, but not have been around when list was posted.

Er. Your list has SOME of the top cards on there, but so many less than useful ones it's... kinda . Several of the cards are good in regular pauper, for sure - but frankly, it needs some serious work if it's gonna be saved.

The list, in my honest opinion, needs to be divided into two categories: One is the 'auto-include' that should be in a deck which includes that color regardless of what else is in there, and other cards that are only good if you don't have better options. For example, I've found Utopia Vow to be strong removal in mono-green, but I'd never run it in G/B or even G/U because there are better options available.

Also, we can probably do a list in each color for top twenty creatures, top twenty non-creatures, and top twenty 'situational' cards. Maybe just top 15 to avoid getting into too much jank.

Or probably have a section just for non-green mana fixing of cards that aren't green but let you fix mana, like Pilgrim's Eye and Fiery Fall.

I mean... your heart's in the right place, and I can see some potential, but I'm SOOO tempted to channel Zoidberg here it's not funny. You don't even have Bojuka Bog in your lands list, and that's an auto-include in any black deck.

If only I had time to do it myself...

Totem-Guide Hartebeest. Kor Cartographer. Urborg Uprising. Archaeomancer. The totem armors. Just... so much you're missing.

I'm not trying to be a negative Nancy here. But man. If I didn't have thirty-odd minis to prep and paint, as well as a Shadowrun game to plan for tomorrow...

Quote from MiffedMoogle

Dimir Houseguard and Shred Memory should be on black list as everyone runs them for tutoring. Less people run Hymn and Morbid Hunger.

Also archaeomancer should be in blue, but not have been around when list was posted.

Tutoring seems good, as does archaeomancer. Anything you thing should get dropped for archaeomancer?
+ Dimir Houseguard
+ Shred Memory
- Morbid Hunger
- rend flesh

Quote from maelarael

Is morbid hunger 'really good' ? I'm not saying it's bad, i just want some people to tell me how good/bad this card was for them ._.

Morbid hunger kills most creatures in the format, twice. And also gives you some life to help with tokens and aggro. It's not as good as some other cards though (and getting replaced).

Quote from iamfanboy

Er. Your list has SOME of the top cards on there, but so many less than useful ones it's... kinda . Several of the cards are good in regular pauper, for sure - but frankly, it needs some serious work if it's gonna be saved.

The list, in my honest opinion, needs to be divided into two categories: One is the 'auto-include' that should be in a deck which includes that color regardless of what else is in there, and other cards that are only good if you don't have better options. For example, I've found Utopia Vow to be strong removal in mono-green, but I'd never run it in G/B or even G/U because there are better options available.

Also, we can probably do a list in each color for top twenty creatures, top twenty non-creatures, and top twenty 'situational' cards. Maybe just top 15 to avoid getting into too much jank.

Or probably have a section just for non-green mana fixing of cards that aren't green but let you fix mana, like Pilgrim's Eye and Fiery Fall.

I mean... your heart's in the right place, and I can see some potential, but I'm SOOO tempted to channel Zoidberg here it's not funny. You don't even have Bojuka Bog in your lands list, and that's an auto-include in any black deck.

If only I had time to do it myself...

Totem-Guide Hartebeest. Kor Cartographer. Urborg Uprising. Archaeomancer. The totem armors. Just... so much you're missing.

I'm not trying to be a negative Nancy here. But man. If I didn't have thirty-odd minis to prep and paint, as well as a Shadowrun game to plan for tomorrow...

meh, it's just meant to be a jumping off point so people new to the format have an idea of where to go. I'd rather not make an "auto-include" section just because I'd like it to mirror the main EDH page as much as possible (to make it as easy for people to switch as possible). Bujoka Bog is one of the "Worldwake Spell Lands" so it's in there.

+ Totem-Guide Hartebeast
+ Kor Cartographer
- Guarian's pledge
- benevolent unicorn

If there are a couple of changes you think should be made, just suggest them!

Keep Watch seems the worst of spells that you have left, although Rush of Knowledge is just as conditional. So one of those for Archaeomancer.

Quote from ehrmantraut

Tithe Drinker
Zhur-Taa Druid

I think these 2 new players need to be considered for multicolored top 20.

I think it's a bit soon, both are good, but by no means auto-includes, the Tithe Drinker is the better of the two, so I would favour that on the list first.

You would think Rush of Knowledge would be just meh, but every time I have drawn it, I was very happy to see it, and it played awesomesauce!

...

Quote from trancer99

You would think Rush of Knowledge would be just meh, but every time I have drawn it, I was very happy to see it, and it played awesomesauce!

...

If your deck is supported by strong creatures of another colour or Eldrazi it could be good, but a lot of common draws are conditional, this one on resolution state of your field.

It usually gets cast when I have 4 drop mana rocks out, so I usually get 4-5 cards. It does not need creatures, it works just as fine with any permanent type.

.+

Quote from Zombie Shakespeare

Rush of Knowledge has always been a strong card mid and late game for me. Even if you only get three cards out of it it's still cheaper than Train of Thought.

Foresee also deserves a spot as well. Probably over Amass the Components.

Revoke Existence is sooo much better than Disenchant in most situations.

Is Gush really worthwhile? Seems kinda lackluster for Pauper.

I agree about Forsee, it's amazing compared to Amass.

Gush is still free cards and card draw is very important in pauper, it should stay until a better card draw spell exists at pauper level.

White is missing two other good cards Alabaster Potion and Empyrial Armor. I use them in many decks and they surpass Cenn's Enlistment and Disenchant in my mind.

I wouldn't agree about Alabaster Potion over Cenn's Enlistment; Cenn's Enlistment is a repeatable effect that gets rid of excess land cards while still netting you CA and more beaters Alabaster Potion is a one-use card that's impossible to recur in white, and really I'd imagine it only being useful to defend against a general for one turn.

Disenchant, though... that one's no good. Better to have it on a creature (Kor Sanctifiers) or even on an enchantment (Seal of Purity). Instant speed isn't usually necessary in PDH.

Quote from iamfanboy

I wouldn't agree about Alabaster Potion over Cenn's Enlistment; Cenn's Enlistment is a repeatable effect that gets rid of excess land cards while still netting you CA and more beaters Alabaster Potion is a one-use card that's impossible to recur in white, and really I'd imagine it only being useful to defend against a general for one turn.

Disenchant, though... that one's no good. Better to have it on a creature (Kor Sanctifiers) or even on an enchantment (Seal of Purity). Instant speed isn't usually necessary in PDH.

Alabaster Potion is lifegain (and not just prevention like you might be thinking), it can put you very far ahead and out of danger, 2 1/1s is pitiful and overcosted. Most pauper deck run less lands than the average EDH deck, as they should due to on average lower curve. Many games end up with one player dying by a massive blast from a red or black burn spell, Alabaster Potion counteracts that. You meant Seal of Cleansing, not Seal of Purity.

Quote from Zombie Shakespeare

Alabaster Potion is not the best option for life gain in white. Small incremental but repeatable life gain from cards like Soul Warden, Soul's Attendant, Suture Priest, creatures with lifelink, creatures with extort, Sun's Bounty, and Sylvok Lifestaff are all easier to cast and play better into most strategies white decks tend to use.

Additionally spells like Hallow, Divine Offering, Renewed Faith, and Congregate are all really strong one-shot effects that gain life.

If you're worried about lethal damage from black or red there are also several of white fog effects that would be cheaper. Dawn Charm, Safe Passage, Riot Control to name a few.


//EDIT: Sea Gate Oracle and Soul Manipulation should probably make the lists as well.

I respectfully disagree that Sylvok Lifestaff is better in most white strategies outside agro. In pauper white removal tends to favour exiling and not attacking or block. If playing the control route you won't see creatures die very often by your hand and you may not be playing too many yourself outside quality creatures resistant to removal or your general. It fit some decks, but unconditional lifegain has a role. Sun's Bounty is also potentially questionable based on your creature basis and theirs, in many situations you will be hoping they are aggressive to get greater use of it.

Extort is certainly strong, but incremental life gain in Soul Warden style only works in some decks and many situations can be wiped out effortlessly nullifying the gain.

Congregate is a bit optimistic in my experience, there are still ample and often more board wipes, so even at instant speed, it's better to gain life on your terms when you want it, not when a player is at their mist dangerous and pray someone deals with it.

Hallow is too conditional to me, Divine Offeringcould replace existing artifact removal, but is no replacement for lifegain. Renewed Faith is alright, but still lacks the capacity to swing game or protect you as much as Alabaster, even if versatile.

Radiant's Judgment i find is a crucial white card. Can kill huge threats or cycle when you don't need it. It is still a 1 for 1 card which I dislike but you take what you can get in pauper.

Congregate is and always will be the premier life gain card in all multiplayer games. Pauper does NOT have enough wipes that re readily available to take out every possible threat in the same way a wrath, or damnation would. If you believe otherwise, it is being a bit optimistic. Congregate is instant speed, so you can easily get the reward before you lose out. You can also use it to save another player who you might need to keep alive or use it to negate an alpha strike against you.

TOP X card threads are always usually subjective because they didn't really take into account the player base. Redo this with an open voting poll for 3-4 weeks for each one, and compile the data.

I've also never even before it was released, heard Yavimaya Elder referred to as Santa Claus. Ever, like never.

Why isn't Gaea's Touch in the Green list? I think having Exploration for mono-green is really really good

A few small things here:

• Read the Bones is better than Sign in Blood except possibly in mono-black with a sensitive curve. Scrying before you draw is great and being easier to cast in multi-color decks makes up for the increased cmc.
• The KTK refuge lands (e.g. Jungle Hollow) should replace or at least join the Guildgates on this list.
• Cranial Plating is listed as colorless, but its color identity is black.

Exploration isn't common, is it?

I was referring to the fact that for mono-Green Gaea's Touch is basically Exploration.