For example, iconic commons like [card]Lightning Bolt[/card] and [card]Counterspell[/card] are staples of the format. However, Pauper does have a ban list to maintain balance. Cards such as [card]Gush[/card] and [card]Cloudpost[/card] are banned due to their overwhelming power level in the format.

What is Pauper Format?

This list seems pretty strong, as Infestation creates creatures for Dread Return to flashback off of, and continuing to get back multiple Lotleth Giant seems quite good. Dread Return also being an Exhume is interesting, and utilizing Dark Ritual to power it out seems pretty good. Combine this with cards like Oliphaunt and Troll of Khazad-dum being able to pitch to the graveyard for one mana, this seems like a really strong place to try this card. As a result of the Format Panel's efforts, a few cards including mtg card Atog were banned to reduce the explosive power of the Affinity deck.

Guide to Building Competitive & Budget Decks

It's also really sick to see cards like Seal of Doom in the sideboard. I love the Seal cycle in general, so it's always fun for me to see them pop up. There's a lot more Sacrifice support in the format here with cards like Blood Aspirant, but we're also seeing cards like Nadier's Nightblade coming in and also Mirkwood Bats from the Lord of the Rings set.

MTG Pauper Tier List

We even looked at some example decks and talked about some of the challenges you might face. Do you want to be aggressive and swarm the board with creatures? Or maybe you prefer to control the game and win with a big, splashy spell? The key is to anticipate what you'll face in the meta and include cards that can help you overcome those challenges. Maybe I should clarify, the sideboard is not just for reacting to what you face, but also for proactively shaping the game in your favor.

The release of Commander Legends and Modern Horizons sets significantly impacted Pauper. Commander Legends introduced creatures with the monarch ability and reprinted older monarch cards, reducing their prices on MTGO. Additionally, Annoyed Altisaur and Boarding Party synergized well together, quickly becoming a powerful strategy in the format.

Sure they may not care that you do so in the process but it's not the common motivation. Linear Aggro is an archetype that wants synergy over individual card quality. There are several lords at uncommon but that alone will not be sufficient to make a good deck. Of all the tribes elves stand out with the most payoff cards at common. The other linear aggro decks we have follow the same principle of synergy above individual quality but go about it in different ways. Robots is one such example where the synergy comes from controlling artifacts and equipment specifically to reap the bonuses keywords like metalcraft or affinity offer.

Being creature removal, enchantment removal, and graveyard removal all in one card is a really absurd combination of effects at common that it provides this deck a very neat tool to combat various strategies. Eagles of the North is both a land and a creature, but it also represents a bit of a spell by getting to go fetch Idyllic Grange. Raffine's Informant is a cheap threat that not only grows biggers if it connives a nonland, but also is able to draw cards, an effect that's often difficult for Mono White. Your sideboard is your toolkit for adapting to different matchups.

We've covered a lot of ground today, from the top Pauper decks for beginners to budget deckbuilding tips to the Pauper community. But before we go, let me leave you with some final thoughts. Another way to upgrade your deck is to optimize your mana base.

If you like grindy matches and outvaluing your opponents with cards like Thoughtcast and Deadly Dispute, this deck packs all the tools needed to beat other midrange and control decks. It also has access to a wide range of sideboard cards that the Grixis combination provides. To build a budget Pauper deck, pick a strategy, choose your colors, find the core of your deck, build your mana base, and refine your deck through playtesting. If they were at some point printed at a common rarity, then they can be played in pauper. Mythic, Rares, and Uncommon cards that have never been printed at a common rarity can’t be used in the format.

Building a budget Pauper deck can be a fun and rewarding challenge. By understanding the format, setting a budget, and making careful card choices, you can build a deck that's both competitive and affordable. This should give you enough wiggle room to build a solid deck without breaking the bank. Remember, the goal is to have fun and learn, not to win a Grand Prix (though if you do, kudos!). Pauper is an eternal format, meaning it includes cards from nearly all of Magic's history. Any card printed at least once as a common in a physical or digital Magic set is legal.

In a short time, this combo has become one of the most popular decks in the format and one of the most fun to build and play. The trick is to pair the enchantment with the lizard to start generating infinite mana whenever you sacrifice a creature. It’s worth noting that combo decks in Pauper are very different from each other, and Goblins have a very particular way to win games in the format. The core of it is the artifact lands that enable casting some powerful creatures that have the affinity ability like Myr Enforcer and Frogmite. We've talked about what Pauper is, why it's great for beginners, and how to build a budget Pauper deck.

Are you an aggressive player who likes to swarm the board with creatures? Or do you prefer a more controlled approach, countering spells, and removing threats? Maybe you're into combos and want to pull off a fancy win condition. As you might've guessed, Pauper Commander is a multiplayer format where any card printed at common rarity is fair game. While it adheres to the standard Commander rules, the key distinction apart from the rarity-based card legality is that your commander can be any creature printed at uncommon rarity, whether it's legendary or not. The glue to the deck is all the artifact lands that Pauper has access to, the indestructible lands being the most annoying.

Let’s delve into Pauper, the budget-friendly and competitive format that has gained popularity among players like Andrea Mengucci, a former World Magic Cup winner. All of these decks are cheap, fun to play, and reasonably competitive. The cost of a Pauper deck can vary, but it's generally much cheaper than other formats.