How? With Ponder, you get to shuffle, then draw. You lose that mode here anyway. Ponder always nets you a card, here you have a chance of whiffing. There are benefits to putting the cards on the bottom I guess, but I still wouldn't call this a Ponder on steroids under any circumstances.
I mentioned „in creature heavy decks“, there it almost never whiffs. In the early game it ensures your land drops and late game it helps finding threats. It allows me to pick the best card AND get rid of the two unwanted cards, this is the point where it is better than ponder. Is it better than Ponder in an average cube deck, no it is not, becuase you can‘t dig for removal/equipment/planeswalker.
I do think Unwind will make an impact. It's a great option for Ux control decks (especially those that run the Ravnica karoos) and Ux tron decks. Even at a relatively high cost, it might be playable.
I tend to disagree. Negate sees basically no play in pauper, whereas Remove Soul is at least in some decks. When I compare now Exclude with Unwind, things don‘t look too promising for Unwind. I may be wrong, but that‘s my prediction.
EDIT: Also Rewind doesn‘t see any play in pauper. The untap ability is not that impactful.
This card finally gives non-blue decks the ability for card selection. I think it is a fantastic addition to the pauper format. This card may have potential in tron, elves or other creature based green deck (not stompy). What do you all think?
I was expecting to see a GR-LD deck after the downshift of Pillage. Your list looks solid. I would suggest to test 1cc mana dorks over wall and treefolk. Turn 2 LD >>> Turn 3 LD. Good luck with the deck!
EDIT: For the long term health and viability of the format, I think it's mandatory that the paper Pauper follows the card pool/ban list from the MTGO version. The online version is the only sanctioned one by wizards where an appropriate ban list is run by them. Every shop/tournament organizer that deviates from this generates some kind of house rules (like saying "in our modern tournaments we play no-banned-list-modern") and weakens the format by working against its unification.
Izzet Delver (https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/pauper-izzet-delver-33326#paper) is an evolution of the MonoU Delver decks (https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/pauper-mono-blue-delver#paper). The core of the decks is the same, a blue creature based tempo-control strategy. Basically every creature the deck plays is a 2-for-1 and allows the deck to slowly grind out the opponent with incremental card advantage whilst building up an army of annoying, small flyers which threaten to kill by chip damage. This deck uses red to add removals to the main deck (Lightning Bolt, Skred). This is extremely helpful to slow down hyper agressive strategies and to clear the path for Ninja of the deep Hours to make sure to bury the opponent under card advantage. Additionally, red supplies the deck with some of the best side board cards Pauper has to offer (Pyroblast, Gorilla Shaman, Electrickery, Swirling Sandstorm and others). The price of playing two colors is a slower, slightly less consistent mana base. The main deck is basically set into stone +- 3 cards (add some Brainstorms or fancy 1-ofs like Dispel or Exclude and remove some removals or cantrips).
The side board has to be adjusted to your meta. These are the most played side board cards in Izzet Delver; mix and match according to your expected meta.
As a tempo-control deck it is important to know your opponents deck and which key cards you have to take care of. This is just a very short match-up and side board guide, and is open for discussion.
Match-up analysis and side board guide
Mirror: The mirror is usually a fight for card advantage. Kill their Ninja of the Deep Hours immediately, while protecting your own. Keep a Counterspell for their Gush.
Tron: Against Tron you need a clock ASAP. If the game goes long, your chances to win become smaller and smaller. Spellstutter Sprite misses a lot of spells against this deck.
Affinity: This is a tough match-up. Kill their fatties (Myr Enforcer, Carpace Forger), even 1-for-2. Try to get slowly ahead on cards and beat down in the air. Keep a Counterspells for Atog -> Fling
Dimir Control: Attack with fliers, disrupt with counters. If you get a clear path for Ninja of the Deep Hours you should be able to easily win. Our deck is faster AND has more card advantage.
MonoB Control: This plays out very much like Dimir Control. Attack with fliers, disrupt with counters. If you get a clear path for Ninja of the Deep Hours you should be able to easily win. Our deck is faster AND has more card advantage.
MonoW Heroic: If they get down a first turn Lagonna-Band Trailblazer things look bad for you. Otherwise kill/counter their few threads and you will be fine.
Tribe Combo: A rather easy match-up, if they don't have the nut draw (which VERY rarely happens). Damage based removal doesn't work well against Tireless Tribe, so keep ALWAYS a counter open and you should be fine. If one manages to sneak onto the table, keep ALL your counters for Inside Out.
I see this change only realy being annoying for cube. Eternal formats will only mildly be affected by it. Standart and (non-cube) limited profit from the change because the wording makes more sense on what the card does. This whole damage redirection when walkers were introduced felt realy patchy.
*****ty for Cube, but good for the formats that Wizards sell packs.
The text files of the cards were leaked. We still miss the rarities, but they should be known soon. EDIT: More and more information about the set is coming out. EDIT: ~60 cards left... EDIT: full spoiler is out
I mentioned „in creature heavy decks“, there it almost never whiffs. In the early game it ensures your land drops and late game it helps finding threats. It allows me to pick the best card AND get rid of the two unwanted cards, this is the point where it is better than ponder. Is it better than Ponder in an average cube deck, no it is not, becuase you can‘t dig for removal/equipment/planeswalker.
I tend to disagree. Negate sees basically no play in pauper, whereas Remove Soul is at least in some decks. When I compare now Exclude with Unwind, things don‘t look too promising for Unwind. I may be wrong, but that‘s my prediction.
EDIT: Also Rewind doesn‘t see any play in pauper. The untap ability is not that impactful.
This card finally gives non-blue decks the ability for card selection. I think it is a fantastic addition to the pauper format. This card may have potential in tron, elves or other creature based green deck (not stompy). What do you all think?
This card is a promising SB option for black against affinity. What do you all think?
EDIT: there are already two threads about that deck.
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/mtgo-pauper/developing/579650-gr-land-destruction
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/mtgo-pauper/developing/787523-gruul-ponza-help-with-mana
Good luck!
With enough ramp Earth Rift might be worth a try.
I was expecting to see a GR-LD deck after the downshift of Pillage. Your list looks solid. I would suggest to test 1cc mana dorks over wall and treefolk. Turn 2 LD >>> Turn 3 LD. Good luck with the deck!
Help keeping it alive. Post your latest deck creation
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/pauper-mono-white-heroic#paper
The heroic deck is so different from the classic weenie decks that it deserves its own thread. Anyone interested in doing one?
High Tide was never printed as a common online, so it's not legal to play in sanctioned Pauper events.
https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/formats/pauper
EDIT: For the long term health and viability of the format, I think it's mandatory that the paper Pauper follows the card pool/ban list from the MTGO version. The online version is the only sanctioned one by wizards where an appropriate ban list is run by them. Every shop/tournament organizer that deviates from this generates some kind of house rules (like saying "in our modern tournaments we play no-banned-list-modern") and weakens the format by working against its unification.
Here's a link explaining the differences between paper and online Pauper: https://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/paper-pauper-and-peasant/662888-differences-between-mtgo-and-paper As mentioned above, for the sake of a growing format, I suggest everyone to stick to the MTGO cards and rules.
Izzet Delver (https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/pauper-izzet-delver-33326#paper) is an evolution of the MonoU Delver decks (https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/pauper-mono-blue-delver#paper). The core of the decks is the same, a blue creature based tempo-control strategy. Basically every creature the deck plays is a 2-for-1 and allows the deck to slowly grind out the opponent with incremental card advantage whilst building up an army of annoying, small flyers which threaten to kill by chip damage. This deck uses red to add removals to the main deck (Lightning Bolt, Skred). This is extremely helpful to slow down hyper agressive strategies and to clear the path for Ninja of the deep Hours to make sure to bury the opponent under card advantage. Additionally, red supplies the deck with some of the best side board cards Pauper has to offer (Pyroblast, Gorilla Shaman, Electrickery, Swirling Sandstorm and others). The price of playing two colors is a slower, slightly less consistent mana base. The main deck is basically set into stone +- 3 cards (add some Brainstorms or fancy 1-ofs like Dispel or Exclude and remove some removals or cantrips).
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Faerie Miscreant
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Augur of Bolas
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
0 Brainstorm
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Skred
4 Preordain
4 Ponder
4 Counterspell
2 Gush
4 Ash Barrens
2 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Snow-Covered Mountain
10 Snow-Covered Island
4 Pyroblast
3 Hydroblast
0 Dispel
0 Exclude
0 Prohibit
0 Negate
0 Spell Pierce
0 Envelop
0 Annul
Removals
2 Electrickery
2 Swirling Sandstorm
0 Echoing Truths
0 Blazing Volley
0 Flame Slash
0 Gut Shot
0 Curse of Chains
0 Narcolepsy
0 Vapour Snag
0 Curfew
0 Smash to Smithereens
0 Shattering Pulse
0 Molten Rain
0 Earth Rift
0 Raze
2 Stormbound Geist
2 Gorilla Shaman
0 Stitched Drake
0 Coast Watcher
0 Weatherseed Faeries
Enchantments
0 Aura Flux
Artifacts
0 Relic of Progenitus
0 Serrated Arrows
Mirror: The mirror is usually a fight for card advantage. Kill their Ninja of the Deep Hours immediately, while protecting your own. Keep a Counterspell for their Gush.
Tron: Against Tron you need a clock ASAP. If the game goes long, your chances to win become smaller and smaller. Spellstutter Sprite misses a lot of spells against this deck.
Elves: Kill/counter their payoff spells (Timberwatch Elf, Wellwisher, Lys Alana Huntmaster) and you should be able to come out ahead. Keep a Counterspell for Lead the Stampede.
Stompy: Counter their pump effects or kill the creature in response to the pump. A pumped Silhana Ledgewalker is the worst that can happen.
Affinity: This is a tough match-up. Kill their fatties (Myr Enforcer, Carpace Forger), even 1-for-2. Try to get slowly ahead on cards and beat down in the air. Keep a Counterspells for Atog -> Fling
Burn: Against this deck you need a fast clock or a lot of Counterspell/Spellstutter Sprite.
Boros Monarch: Another tough match-up. Glint-Hawk and Kor Skyfisher are fantastic blockers against our faeries, so we need a lot of removal.
Dimir Control: Attack with fliers, disrupt with counters. If you get a clear path for Ninja of the Deep Hours you should be able to easily win. Our deck is faster AND has more card advantage.
MonoB Control: This plays out very much like Dimir Control. Attack with fliers, disrupt with counters. If you get a clear path for Ninja of the Deep Hours you should be able to easily win. Our deck is faster AND has more card advantage.
Bogles: Counter their toughness boosting auras to be able to trade creatures in combat.
Izzet Blitz: They have only few threats. Kill them and you will win.
MonoW Heroic: If they get down a first turn Lagonna-Band Trailblazer things look bad for you. Otherwise kill/counter their few threads and you will be fine.
Tribe Combo: A rather easy match-up, if they don't have the nut draw (which VERY rarely happens). Damage based removal doesn't work well against Tireless Tribe, so keep ALWAYS a counter open and you should be fine. If one manages to sneak onto the table, keep ALL your counters for Inside Out.
Here is an article on the deck:
https://www.channelfireball.com/articles/deck-of-the-day-ur-skred-pauper/
And another one:
https://www.channelfireball.com/articles/is-u-r-delver-the-best-deck-in-pauper/
This is an article on how to play AGAINST this deck. This is useful to know what the opponent will bring specifically against this deck, so you are prepared for the "hate":
https://www.channelfireball.com/articles/know-your-enemy-delver-decks/
30s deck tech from TCGplayer:
https://youtu.be/2lFD3CFKCHU
Here some more deck techs with matches:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba6vZzZkbAo&list=PLnDVhI5h6G60zTWl3BU-pT2mnZjsEHuT3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI7h0rfy-3M&list=PLaUFF5spB9YEXG5KLk7QsiIUtjMuYkiJJ
Here are some vids from pro players playing the deck:
https://youtu.be/mIX66PdzsEs
https://youtu.be/DEv7WtA-HTs
*****ty for Cube, but good for the formats that Wizards sell packs.
What cards can have an impact on Pauper? Discuss!
Unwind
Rat Colony
Dark Bargain
Broken Bond