There are interesting news this month for Meta Pauper Challenge October 2017!
- Affinity begins to disappear in the top32: it is a very strong deck, but also is it very fragile. Its fragility could be a motive.
- Boros Monarch is a top tier deck in the format. Kuldotha Rally hasn't reached a top32 in this month, instead Boros Monarch has accumulated 22 placements.
- Has UB Alchemy revived? It is one of the best Midrange with the colour blue and black, but it had never done these positive results before! It is a good news: it gives variety to the format.
- UR Delver is also less played but is not strange if you look at the results of Stompy and Monarch.
Now let's take a look in the top 8:
1. Boros Monarch is the most successful deck in October, and I do not consider the Mario Brecciaroli's results and the King of Magic. It has placed in top8 eight times with a total of 40 decks.
2. UB Alchemy has reached the top8 almost every time. I think is a fair eulogy for the deck's potential.
3. There is a good balance of results if we take a look at the archetypes'strategies (18 Midrange, 17 Aggro, 1 Control, 3 Combo, 1 Prison).
The lists of Pauper Challenge October 2017
Let's take a look at the lists and decks most distinctive and peculiar:
Sunday 1 October
Gond Rally by Mathonical, 5° posto Pauper Challenge 01 ottobre
| Creature (18) 4 Benevolent Bodyguard 4 Midnight Guard 4 Soul Warden 4 Soul's Attendant 2 Standard Bearer Sorcery (10) 4 Battle Screech 2 Cenn's Enlistment 4 Commune with the Gods Instant (5) 3 Prismatic Strands 2 Rally the Peasants Enchantment (4) 4 Presence of Gond Land (23) 3 Ash Barrens 3 Blossoming Sands 1 Boros Garrison 1 Evolving Wilds 1 Forest 3 Khalni Garden 1 Mountain 4 Plains 2 Selesnya Sanctuary 2 Survivors' Encampment 2 Wind-Scarred Crag | Sideboard (15) 2 Faerie Macabre 1 Hallow 3 Journey to Nowhere 3 Oblivion Ring 3 Pyroblast 3 Spidersilk Armor |
It is a Tokens deck with two finishers. It can win like an Aggro thanks to Rally the Peasants, and with the Combo between Midnight Guard e Presence of Gond.
This archetype has eight copies of Soul's Attendant / Soul Warden. They are an excellent lifegain' source against Aggro, and they are an auto-win against 99% of decks if there is the combo in the battlefield.
Simic Freed by Darkfyre7, 6° posto Pauper Challenge 01 ottobre
| Creature (5) 4 Drift of Phantasms 1 Valakut Invoker Sorcery (8) 4 Ponder 4 Preordain Instant (8) 4 Gigadrowse 4 Impulse Artifact (4) 4 Lifespark Spellbomb Enchantment (16) 4 Fertile Ground 4 Freed from the Real 4 Gift of Paradise 4 Wind Zendikon Land (19) 2 Forest 11 Island 2 Simic Guildgate 4 Thornwood Falls | Sideboard (15) 3 Dispel 2 Dizzy Spell 1 Fade Away 3 Nature's Claim 2 Relic of Progenitus 4 Spore Frog |
The deck produces infinite mana thanks to a land enchanted by Freed from the Real. The land should produce at least two mana and it should be animated by Lifespark Spellbomb or Wind Zendikon.
The finisher is Valakut Invoker because it can be tutored by Drift of Phantasms. The card can also tutor the enchantments and Freed from the Real.
Sunday 8 October
UB Alchemy by Mandark, 4* posto Pauper Challenge 08 ottobre
| Creature (10) 4 Augur of Bolas 4 Gurmag Angler 2 Mulldrifter Sorcery (7) 3 Chainer's Edict 4 Preordain Instant (21) 4 Accumulated Knowledge 4 Counterspell 3 Disfigure 2 Doom Blade 1 Echoing Decay 3 Forbidden Alchemy 1 Ghastly Demise 2 Prohibit 1 Tragic Slip Land (22) 1 Bojuka Bog 3 Dimir Aqueduct 4 Dismal Backwater 1 Evolving Wilds 8 Island 5 Swamp | Sideboard (15) 2 Diabolic Edict 2 Hydroblast 2 Negate 2 Nihil Spellbomb 2 Shrivel 2 Stormbound Geist 3 Vodalian Zombie |
Mulldrifter is a slow creature in a format full of Stompy and Affinity. It is not a good card in this meta.
Gurmag Angler is very strong in this deck, and thanks to Forbidden Alchemy it can be played in the fourth turn. It is a great creature against Stompy and Affinity, and it is the biggest creature after Gearseeker Serpent. I don't consider Ulamog's Crusher because it is not always played in the versions of Tron with Mystical Teachings, and the versions GR and Temur are played a few in this moment.
[UB Control]
It is another Midrange, and it is very good against Aggro: its walls can block Nettle Sentinels and Frogmite. Lorenzo Barbolini has reached the top in the national tournament of Bologna with a list inspired by this list.
Sunday 15 October
Esper Familiar by 420dragon, 5° posto Pauper Challenge 15 ottobre
| Creature (22) 1 Dinrova Horror 2 God-Pharaoh's Faithful 3 Mnemonic Wall 4 Mulldrifter 2 Nightscape Familiar 2 Prosperous Pirates 4 Sea Gate Oracle 4 Sunscape Familiar Sorcery (8) 4 Compulsive Research 4 Preordain Instant (9) 1 Brainstorm 3 Ghostly Flicker 1 Reaping the Graves 4 Snap Land (21) 4 Ash Barrens 3 Azorius Chancery 3 Dimir Aqueduct 3 Evolving Wilds 5 Island 1 Plains 1 Swamp 1 Tranquil Cove | Sideboard (15) 2 God-Pharaoh's Faithful 1 Nightscape Familiar 1 Dispel 2 Hoodwink 2 Hydroblast 3 Spellstutter Sprite 2 Stonehorn Dignitary 2 Turn Aside |
Familiar is a very bad deck: there are a lot of decks more competitive and in meta with the same strategy.
It has not a reasonable reason, but 420dragon can do results with this archetype!
However, we have already talked about it in this article.
Mono U Control by dd_fan, 10° posto Pauper Challenge 15 ottobre
| Creature (10) 4 Delver of Secrets 1 Fathom Seer 1 Sea Gate Oracle 4 Spire Golem Instant (28) 4 Counterspell 2 Deprive 2 Dispel 2 Exclude 4 Miscalculation 2 Oona's Grace 4 Piracy Charm 2 Prohibit 2 Repeal 4 Think Twice Land (22) 18 Island 4 Quicksand | Sideboard (15) 2 Dispel 3 Coast Watcher 3 Curse of the Bloody Tome 2 Frostburn Weird 2 Hydroblast 2 Relic of Progenitus 1 Steel Sabotage |
It is another very bad deck, but it is the best choice in a meta dominated by Control. It has a better mana base, it does an excellent CA, and it plays faster than the opponent.
In the other hand, it is a disaster against Aggro.
It is a difficult deck to play and it is hard to find the correct build.
Sunday 22 October
Murasa Tron by jsiri84, 1° classificato Pauper Challenge 22 ottobre
| Creature (8) 2 Mnemonic Wall 4 Mulldrifter 2 Sea Gate Oracle Sorcery (4) 3 Flame Slash 1 Rolling Thunder Instant (22) 1 Capsize 2 Condescend 1 Counterspell 2 Doom Blade 1 Electrickery 1 Ghostly Flicker 1 Hieroglyphic Illumination 3 Impulse 1 Lightning Axe 2 Lightning Bolt 2 Mystical Teachings 2 Prohibit 2 Pulse of Murasa 1 Remove Soul Artifact (3) 3 Prophetic Prism Land (23) 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Dismal Backwater 2 Izzet Guildgate 3 Shimmering Grotto 4 Swiftwater Cliffs 4 Urza's Mine 4 Urza's Power Plant 4 Urza's Tower | Sideboard (15) 1 Ancient Grudge 2 Circle of Protection: Green 1 Dispel 1 Evincar's Justice 2 Hydroblast 1 Magma Spray 1 Moment's Peace 1 Negate 4 Pyroblast 1 Ulamog's Crusher |
Murasa Tron and Dinrova Tron are less played in MTGO in this moment, due to two causes. The first cause is the difficult to play these decks, and the second cause is the quantity of concentration necessary.
Despite it, the power level of Murasa Tron has remained unchanged, and it can be win matches and tournaments.
Mono Black Control by tarkanmag, 22° posto Pauper Challenge 22 ottobre
| Creature (18) 4 Chittering Rats 2 Crypt Rats 3 Cuombajj Witches 4 Gray Merchant of Asphodel 1 Gurmag Angler 4 Phyrexian Rager Sorcery (6) 3 Chainer's Edict 2 Duress 1 Unearth Instant (5) 1 Corpse Churn 1 Diabolic Edict 1 Tendrils of Corruption 2 Victim of Night Enchantment (8) 2 Cartouche of Ambition 3 Dead Weight 2 Oubliette 1 Pestilence Land (23) 4 Barren Moor 1 Bojuka Bog 18 Swamp | Sideboard (15) 2 Duress 4 Choking Sands 2 Nausea 2 Relic of Progenitus 2 Thorn of the Black Rose 2 Trespasser's Curse 1 Unmake |
It is not dead: it is returned, or maybe it never left us!
Mono Black Control (or MBC if you want) coming back maybe thank the aggressive strategy of decks like Stompy. No surprise if there are cards like Pestilence or Cartouche of Ambition!
Sunday 29 October
Orzhov Pestilence by Mathonical, 3° posto Pauper Challenge 29 ottobre
| Creature (21) 3 Aven Riftwatcher 1 Crypt Rats 3 Guardian of the Guildpact 4 Kor Skyfisher 3 Lone Missionary 2 Palace Sentinels 4 Thraben Inspector 1 Wall of Hope Sorcery (5) 3 Chainer's Edict 2 Night's Whisper Instant (5) 2 Disfigure 2 Doom Blade 3 Prismatic Strands Enchantment (5) 1 Gift of Orzhova 4 Pestilence Land (22) 3 Ash Barrens 2 Bojuka Bog 1 Evolving Wilds 1 Kabira Crossroads 4 Orzhov Basilica 2 Plains 4 Scoured Barrens 1 Secluded Steppe 4 Swamp | Sideboard (15) 1 Palace Sentinels 2 Doom Blade 3 Choking Sands 2 Coalition Honor Guard 4 Duress 1 Raven's Crime 2 Relic of Progenitus |
Mathonical is famous for can do results with tier2 decks.
We are happy if he he plays interesting decks like Gond Rally o Pestilence. These decks require a very specific meta, and it is very difficult to understand their logic. They are hard to play, and Mathonical also plays an excessive amount of tapped land.
I have a different opinion about BW Pestilence.
UW Caw Blade by reqsamurai, 25° posto Pauper Challenge 29 ottobre
| Creature (24) 4 Delver of Secrets 4 Faerie Miscreant 4 Ninja of the Deep Hours 3 Pestermite 4 Spellstutter Sprite 4 Squadron Hawk 1 Trinket Mage Sorcery (4) 4 Sunlance Instant (8) 4 Brainstorm 4 Daze Artifact (2) 1 Ancient Den 1 Bonesplitter Enchantment (3) 3 Journey to Nowhere Land (19) 2 Evolving Wilds 6 Island 3 Plains 4 Terramorphic Expanse 4 Tranquil Cove | Sideboard (15) 1 Journey to Nowhere 2 Dispel 4 Hydroblast 4 Lone Missionary 2 Negate 2 Remove Soul |
Caw Blade was an old deck (it appeared in 2014-2015) and it was not so remarkable. The UW combination has a lot of lacks, it misses a lot of spots and it suffers against Aggro and Control strategies.
It is a paradox, but UW Control is not viable in Pauper (but it would have been great!)
We did an article about UW Caw Blade if you are interested.
Conclusion
This is the calm before the storm: the meta will be twisted by Iconic Masters and the downgrade of cards like Lead the Stampede or Seeker of the Way. These cards may influence the format and change it.
The prevision of changes is speculation for now, and we talked about it, in articles written by me and others.
See you in the analysis of meta Online of Pauper league!
Translation by Fulvio “Magnamon88” Nicolamaria
Magnamon88