Building a Pauper deck in Magic: The Gathering is one of the most accessible ways to enjoy competitive play without spending a fortune. Pauper is a format where only commons cards printed at common rarity are allowed, creating a unique challenge in deck construction. Despite the limitation on rarity, the format is surprisingly powerful and diverse, with archetypes ranging from fast aggro to resilient control. To succeed in Pauper, you must understand how to choose the right strategy, select efficient common cards, and build a consistent, budget-friendly deck that can hold its own in tournaments or casual playgroups.
Understanding the Pauper Format
What Makes a Card Legal?
In Pauper, a card is legal if it has been printed at least once as a common in any Magic: The Gathering set released either in paper or on Magic Online. That means some cards that were once printed as rares or uncommons might be legal if they had a common printing in a later digital set. Checking legality through official resources is a good step when finalizing your Pauper deck list.
Why Play Pauper?
There are several reasons players love Pauper:
- Affordability: Commons are generally cheap, making it possible to build full decks for a fraction of the cost of other formats.
- Skill Expression: The format rewards smart play and efficient deckbuilding due to the tight power level among cards.
- Balanced Meta: Many viable archetypes exist, allowing players to choose a playstyle that suits them without always chasing the top-tier deck.
Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Pauper Deck
Step 1: Choose Your Archetype
Before picking cards, decide what kind of strategy you want to play. In Pauper, there are several well-known archetypes that thrive:
- Aggro: Focuses on low-cost creatures and quick damage (e.g., Red Deck Wins, Stompy).
- Control: Uses counterspells, removal, and card draw to outlast opponents (e.g., Dimir Control).
- Combo: Relies on assembling specific cards to win the game in one turn or sequence (e.g., Tron decks, Inside Out combo).
- Midrange: A mix of early threats and late-game value (e.g., Golgari Aristocrats).
Once you’ve identified a strategy that appeals to you, the rest of the deck comes together more easily.
Step 2: Pick a Color or Color Combination
Pauper decks can be mono-colored for consistency or multi-colored for versatility. Some popular combinations include:
- Mono-Red: Speedy aggro with direct damage spells.
- Blue-Black: Control with bounce, counters, and card draw.
- Green-White: Value creatures and buffs for combat dominance.
- Red-Blue: Tempo decks with spells and evasive threats.
Consider your comfort level with mana bases and the synergy between cards when choosing colors.
Step 3: Select Your Core Cards
Every deck needs a solid core of creatures and spells that support its main strategy. Start by identifying cards that are staples in your chosen archetype. Some examples include:
- Lightning Bolt: A Pauper staple for damage and removal in red decks.
- Mulldrifter: A powerful draw engine for control decks.
- Savage Swipe: Excellent early removal for green creature decks.
- Counterspell: Reliable disruption in blue decks.
Use around 2028 creatures if you’re playing an aggro or midrange build, or 1216 creatures for control or combo decks, with the rest of the deck filled by instants, sorceries, and utility cards.
Step 4: Build a Reliable Mana Base
Mana consistency is key, even in a budget format. Depending on your deck’s color requirements, you might use:
- Basic Lands: Most reliable and budget-friendly option.
- Dual Lands: Cards like Evolving Wilds, Ash Barrens, or gain lands (e.g., Tranquil Cove) help fix your mana.
- Artifact Fixing: For some decks, mana rocks like Prophetic Prism or Chromatic Star provide color flexibility.
A typical Pauper deck runs 1722 lands, depending on how low your mana curve is and your reliance on land drops or ramp.
Key Concepts for Competitive Pauper Deckbuilding
Mana Curve Matters
A strong Pauper deck usually operates on a low mana curve. Try to keep most of your spells in the one- to three-mana range, ensuring that you can play multiple spells per turn or respond efficiently to threats. Aggro decks thrive on 1-drops, while control decks might prefer more 3-mana interaction.
Card Advantage and Efficiency
Since you’re limited to commons, every card must justify its slot. Look for cards that offer card advantage (e.g., draw two, destroy two, etc.) or serve multiple functions (removal + draw, threat + ramp). Cantrips, like Preordain or Ponder, are extremely valuable for filtering your deck efficiently.
Sideboard Construction
In competitive settings, building a sideboard of 15 cards gives you the ability to counter common threats. Useful sideboard cards include:
- Pyroblast / Hydroblast: For blue and red matchups.
- Relic of Progenitus: Graveyard hate.
- Circle of Protection: Against specific color-based decks.
- Electrickery: Efficient answer to token or swarm decks.
Tailor your sideboard to the local meta or expected matchups in online events.
Testing and Refining Your Deck
Playtest Extensively
Once your first version is built, test it in casual games or online matches. Take notes on what cards perform well and which ones consistently feel weak. Ask yourself questions such as:
- Am I drawing the right balance of lands and spells?
- Which cards are dead in hand during most matches?
- How well does my deck handle aggressive or control opponents?
Adjust Based on Performance
Use the results of your testing to refine your deck. Cut underperforming cards, try different ratios, or experiment with new tech. Over time, you’ll develop a more tuned and resilient build ready for competition.
Popular Pauper Deck Examples
Boros Synthesizer
A value-focused deck using red and white commons like Experimental Synthesizer and Glint Hawk to generate card advantage while applying pressure with efficient flyers.
Affinity
Despite bans, Affinity remains strong in Pauper using common artifact creatures and cards like Frogmite, Thoughtcast, and Atog for explosive plays.
Tron
Using common Urza lands and card draw to build a strong mana engine, this control-combo hybrid can out-resource many archetypes over time.
Building a Pauper deck is both an enjoyable and rewarding experience. The format’s restrictions encourage creativity and reward thoughtful deck construction. By choosing the right archetype, building a tight mana curve, including only the most efficient commons, and testing thoroughly, you can create a Pauper deck that is powerful, consistent, and competitive all without breaking the bank. Whether you’re preparing for a tournament or just looking for an affordable way to enjoy Magic, Pauper offers deep gameplay and exciting strategic possibilities.