Guide to Part II: No Escape – Pauper

War of the Spark Chronicles continues this week with the new Pauper format.

Event Information

Duration: May 31 2019 to June 7 2019
Format: Pauper
Cost: Free
Rewards: Gold and Card Styles for cumulative wins (up to 15) throughout the event duration

Click here to go to our MTG Arena Event Calendar for more current and upcoming events!

What is Pauper?

Pauper is a format where you are allowed to build a deck with only cards that are available as Common rarity in any set. Like the previous Momir event, the format gets more interesting as more cards are released. War of the Spark have given us some decent cards to play around with, which will undoubtedly see play.

There are no other special variation to the rules we can expect in this event (that’s right – no Planeswalkers!). However, Persistent Petitioners has been banned and we will no longer see it wrecking havoc on the event.

Pauper Deck Lists

Before we delve in, rules of deck building is still the same – minimum of 60 cards, and maximum of 4 of one card. You can still build a deck with only Rat Colony, though – which your deck should absolutely be prepared against as some players will still opt to play them due to their ease of build and consistency.

Some decks build themselves because each color pairing has a clear theme, and mono colored decks are just as viable. Ravnica Allegiance and War of the Spark have definitely filled the gap on all the multicolored card color combinations. The key to building a good deck in this format is make use of the 1. Best cards available 2. Synergies. For example, Izzet (Blue/Red) can be built around burn spells and Wizards.

Here I brought back to life a whole bunch of Pauper decks saved from the last event that I grinded the promo cards with, spiced them up with new cards for you to try as soon as the event goes live. I will go through each color combinations. Let me know in the comments or our Discord how you fared, or if you made any improvements to them!

Mono White

There was not much I wanted to change with this deck since last time, except add Law-Rune Enforcer which will help you attack through your opponent’s creatures. The secondary theme of this deck is to attach to your flying creatures some enchantments that your opponent will have a hard time dealing with.

3 Hunted Witness (GRN) 15
4 Rustwing Falcon (M19) 36
4 Snubhorn Sentry (RIX) 23
2 Squire's Devotion (RIX) 25
20 Plains (GRN) 260
4 Healer's Hawk (GRN) 14
4 Silverbeak Griffin (M19) 285
3 Charge (DAR) 10
4 Knight's Pledge (M19) 19
2 Martyr of Dusk (RIX) 14
2 Pegasus Courser (M19) 32
2 Angel of the Dawn (M19) 7
4 Law-Rune Enforcer (WAR) 20
2 Civic Stalwart (RNA) 6

Mono Green

This deck is a brand new one and not rehashed. I wanted to make use of the Proliferate mechanic – what better way to do this than our little green merfolks? This deck is quick to set up but may be weaker against control decks. Give this deck a whirl if you’re bored (I’ve tested it!).

1 Band Together (WAR) 153
4 Stony Strength (RNA) 143
4 Pollenbright Druid (WAR) 173
3 Courage in Crisis (WAR) 158
2 Arbor Armament (DAR) 155
4 Bloom Hulk (WAR) 154
4 Jade Guardian (XLN) 194
4 Jade Bearer (RIX) 134
20 Forest (RIX) 196
1 Ironshell Beetle (GRN) 134
4 River Heralds' Boon (XLN) 204
2 Tishana's Wayfinder (XLN) 211
2 Jungleborn Pioneer (RIX) 137
4 Jungle Delver (XLN) 195
1 New Horizons (WAR) 168

Golgari: Black / Green

This deck has served me well in the past. The removal suite has improved in the form of Spark Harvest and Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty. The creature base has been changed slightly, to accommodate for cards like Lazotep Reaver and Herald of the Dreadhorde.

4 Fungal Infection (DAR) 94
10 Swamp (RIX) 194
4 Lazotep Reaver (WAR) 96
3 Ob Nixilis's Cruelty (WAR) 101
4 Saproling Migration (DAR) 178
8 Forest (RIX) 196
2 Spark Harvest (WAR) 105
4 Deathbloom Thallid (DAR) 84
2 Severed Strands (GRN) 85
2 Herald of the Dreadhorde (WAR) 93
4 Llanowar Elves (DAR) 168
4 Yavimaya Sapherd (DAR) 189
2 Siege Wurm (GRN) 144
4 Golgari Guildgate (GRN) 248
2 Thallid Omnivore (DAR) 106
1 Undercity Scavenger (RNA) 88

Selesnya: White / Green

This is an extension of the Mono White deck, but the theme is to go wide and swarm your enemy. This deck had the best win rate out of all Pauper decks I’ve tried.

4 Rosemane Centaur (GRN) 197
8 Plains (RIX) 192
10 Forest (RIX) 196
4 Llanowar Elves (DAR) 168
4 Sworn Companions (GRN) 27
4 Gallant Cavalry (M19) 12
2 Angel of the Dawn (M19) 7
4 Saproling Migration (DAR) 178
4 Yavimaya Sapherd (DAR) 189
4 Inspired Charge (M19) 15
4 Selesnya Guildgate (GRN) 256
4 Law-Rune Enforcer (WAR) 20
2 Jungleborn Pioneer (RIX) 137
2 Civic Stalwart (RNA) 6

Izzet: Blue / Red

This was a fun deck to play, and now that red has even more quality cards like Skewer the Critics, it makes the deck more powerful.

4 Ghitu Lavarunner (DAR) 127
3 Goblin Electromancer (GRN) 174
4 Viashino Pyromancer (M19) 166
4 Aven Wind Mage (M19) 45
3 Ghitu Journeymage (DAR) 126
2 Watertrap Weaver (XLN) 87
2 Academy Journeymage (DAR) 41
2 Erratic Visionary (WAR) 48
4 Shock (M19) 156
4 Jaya's Greeting (WAR) 136
4 Skewer the Critics (RNA) 115
2 Cosmotronic Wave (GRN) 95
4 Highland Lake (M19) 252
6 Island (RIX) 193
4 Izzet Guildgate (GRN) 251
8 Mountain (RIX) 195

Boros: White / Red

Another white-based deck, but this time combing the red burn cards and make use of the Mentor mechanic.

12 Plains (RIX) 192
4 Jaya's Greeting (WAR) 136
1 Luminous Bonds (GRN) 21
2 Fresh-Faced Recruit (GRN) 216
4 Skyknight Legionnaire (GRN) 198
11 Mountain (RIX) 195
4 Shock (M19) 156
4 Viashino Pyromancer (M19) 166
4 Wojek Bodyguard (GRN) 120
4 Skewer the Critics (RNA) 115
4 Law-Rune Enforcer (WAR) 20
2 Angel of the Dawn (M19) 7
4 Rustwing Falcon (M19) 36

Dimir: Blue / Black

If a control deck is your preference, then you may be happy to hear that Blue and Black would be one of the most powerful combinations in Arena Pauper. There are many synergies you can try, building around the Surveil mechanic or the new Amass mechanic. The list I have below is a generic build that has some card draw, removal, and Ill-Gotten Inheritance as the main win condition.

2 Omenspeaker (M19) 64
4 Spellkeeper Weird (WAR) 69
2 Cold-Water Snapper (DAR) 48
2 Fungal Infection (DAR) 94
3 Opt (XLN) 65
1 Essence Scatter (M19) 54
2 Moment of Craving (RIX) 79
2 Grotesque Demise (RNA) 75
4 Ob Nixilis's Cruelty (WAR) 101
1 Undercity's Embrace (RNA) 89
3 Devious Cover-Up (GRN) 35
2 Mephitic Vapors (GRN) 76
2 Notion Rain (GRN) 193
2 Tamiyo's Epiphany (WAR) 71
4 Ill-Gotten Inheritance (RNA) 77
10 Island (RIX) 193
4 Submerged Boneyard (M19) 257
10 Swamp (RIX) 194

Final Note

Pauper and Singleton is one of my favorite formats in Arena (there’s only so much Standard you can play), so I am really looking forward to what kind of spicy brews people might come up with. I will update deck lists as the event progresses and add new ones on our deck list page as people find success with various builds. Also check out the PauperArena subreddit for more deck lists and discussion. Enjoy!