Golgari are very strong colours in normal Commander, but in pauper their power level is lower due to the absence of many helpful triggers. To make a powerful and resilient deck without cards such as Pernicious Deed or common Grave Pact synergies, we need to make our own combinations with less powerful cards and generate card or board advantage. To achieve this I've chosen a route that supports the Commander, Golgari Guildmage. Creatures were chosen that could die more than once, generate an effect on death or die for an affect. This means that creatures with Persist can be supported in several ways and become legitimate beaters, as well as suriving Pestilence or being able to knock it out of one creature is keeping it alive and something like Undead Executioner dies. The deck utilises Pestilence too, as well as the typical finisher Ulamog's Crusher, while Stream of Life allows one to play longer while aggressively using the board clear strategy. Since we're not playing blue, we instead have many removal spells to assist us.
The overarching synergy of the deck should lead you to victory and I hope you have fun playing it.
What is Pauper Commander?
1. Same rules as Commander.
2. Commander is an uncommon. It can be any uncommon, not just a legend.
3. Rest of deck must be common in a non-Magic Online(Masters Editions come to mind) printing!
To be strong a Pauper Commander deck must use or have an answer to the 'Four Pillars':
1. Fireball and variants - Red and black have them, be able to survive it.
2. Capsize - Banned in some places, you need to be able to disrupt the buyback.
3. Pestilence and its variants - board sweepers, be ready.
4. Alabaster Potion and variants - Lifegain, the opposite of Fireball.
New Inclusions Magic 2013 Murder - Similar cost as Rend Flesh, but with fewer downsides. Ranger's Path - The newest version of Skyshroud's Claim. I like redundancy in Commander and this really helps ramp up and extract lands from deck to improve draws.
Modern Masters Moldervine Cloak - Milling myself for dredge isn't terrible with this deck and more strong resuable auras helps.
Theros Commune with the Gods - In line with common Pestilence strategy and strong auras, this will always get something useful. Read the Bones - A very well costed and fair draw spell. Scry is really just a bonus.
I also play Weiss Schwarz, Chaos, Vanguard and Wixoss.
Weiss Schwarz Sets
Accel World, Angel Beats, Familiar of Zero, Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, Guilty Crown, Kill La Kill, Robotics;Notes, Sword Art Online.
Chaos Partners
Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Iona, Kirishima, Kongou.
Dangan Ronpa: Asahina, Togami.
Freezing: Vibration: Chiffon, Satelizer.
Vanguard Clans Favoured
Angel Feather, Dark Irregulars, Genesis, Neonecter, Pale Moon, Shadow Paladins, Tachikaze.
I've made a few updates to this too, I seemingly have almost no Murders, so I will be getting two more cards for this and it is up to date. I will consider scavenge in future, but current goal of deck is not based on it.
I also play Weiss Schwarz, Chaos, Vanguard and Wixoss.
Weiss Schwarz Sets
Accel World, Angel Beats, Familiar of Zero, Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, Guilty Crown, Kill La Kill, Robotics;Notes, Sword Art Online.
Chaos Partners
Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Iona, Kirishima, Kongou.
Dangan Ronpa: Asahina, Togami.
Freezing: Vibration: Chiffon, Satelizer.
Vanguard Clans Favoured
Angel Feather, Dark Irregulars, Genesis, Neonecter, Pale Moon, Shadow Paladins, Tachikaze.
I also play Weiss Schwarz, Chaos, Vanguard and Wixoss.
Weiss Schwarz Sets
Accel World, Angel Beats, Familiar of Zero, Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, Guilty Crown, Kill La Kill, Robotics;Notes, Sword Art Online.
Chaos Partners
Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Iona, Kirishima, Kongou.
Dangan Ronpa: Asahina, Togami.
Freezing: Vibration: Chiffon, Satelizer.
Vanguard Clans Favoured
Angel Feather, Dark Irregulars, Genesis, Neonecter, Pale Moon, Shadow Paladins, Tachikaze.
Wixoss - Just trial decks for now!
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Golgari Guildmage
Introduction
Golgari are very strong colours in normal Commander, but in pauper their power level is lower due to the absence of many helpful triggers. To make a powerful and resilient deck without cards such as Pernicious Deed or common Grave Pact synergies, we need to make our own combinations with less powerful cards and generate card or board advantage. To achieve this I've chosen a route that supports the Commander, Golgari Guildmage. Creatures were chosen that could die more than once, generate an effect on death or die for an affect. This means that creatures with Persist can be supported in several ways and become legitimate beaters, as well as suriving Pestilence or being able to knock it out of one creature is keeping it alive and something like Undead Executioner dies. The deck utilises Pestilence too, as well as the typical finisher Ulamog's Crusher, while Stream of Life allows one to play longer while aggressively using the board clear strategy. Since we're not playing blue, we instead have many removal spells to assist us.
The overarching synergy of the deck should lead you to victory and I hope you have fun playing it.
What is Pauper Commander?
1. Same rules as Commander.
2. Commander is an uncommon. It can be any uncommon, not just a legend.
3. Rest of deck must be common in a non-Magic Online (Masters Editions come to mind) printing!
To be strong a Pauper Commander deck must use or have an answer to the 'Four Pillars':
1. Fireball and variants - Red and black have them, be able to survive it.
2. Capsize - Banned in some places, you need to be able to disrupt the buyback.
3. Pestilence and its variants - board sweepers, be ready.
4. Alabaster Potion and variants - Lifegain, the opposite of Fireball.
This deck runs the third and fourth pillars, Pestilence, Crypt Rats and Stream of Life.
1 Golgari Guildmage
Aura Buffs (2)
1 Moldervine Cloak
1 Rancor
Card Draw (9)
1 Altar's Reap (*)
1 Commune with the Gods
1 Elvish Visionary
1 Moriok Replica
1 Phyrexian Rager
1 Read the Bones
1 Sign in Blood
1 Skulltap (*)
1 Syphon Mind
In Death We Serve (4)
1 Abyssal Gatekeeper
1 Disease Carriers
1 Hornet Harasser
1 Undead Executioner
You Can't Keep us Down (5)
1 Aerial Ouphes
1 Penumbra Bobcat
1 Penumbra Spider
1 Shambling Shell
1 Sightless Ghoul
Life Gaining (1)
1 Stream of Life
Mana Ramp (10)
1 Cultivate
1 Growth Spasm (*)
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Krosan Tusker
1 Ranger's Path
1 Sakura Tribe Elder
1 Skyshroud Claim
1 Twisted Abomination
1 Viridian Emissary
1 Wood Elves
1 Cadaver Imp
1 Dead Reckoning (*)
1 Disturbed Burial
1 Driver of the Dead
1 Gravedigger
1 Grave Exchange (*)
1 Grim Harvest
1 Undying Evil
1 Unearth
Removal (15)
1 Ashes to Ashes
1 Bone Splinters (*)
1 Chill to the Bone
1 Consume Strength
1 Dark Banishing
1 Dead Reckoning (*)
1 Doom Blade
1 Grave Exchange (*)
1 Innocent Blood
1 Launch Party
1 Murder
1 Rend Flesh
1 Seal of Doom
1 Smokespew Invoker
1 Tragic Slip
Enchantment Removal (2)
1 Gleeful Sabotage
1 Sylvok Replica
Sacrifice Enablers
1 Altar's Reap (*)
1 Bone Splinters (*)
1 Skulltap (*)
1 Dread Drone
1 Growth Spasm (*)
1 Kozilek's Predator
1 Presence of Gond
Tutors (2)
1 Dimir House Guard
1 Shred Memory
Win Conditions (4)
1 Chilling Shade
1 Crypt Rats
1 Pestilence
1 Ulamog's Crusher
Lands (36)
1 Barren Moor
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Command Tower
1 Desert
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Haunted Fengraf
1 Jund Panorama
1 Khalni Garden
1 Golgari Guildgate
1 Golgari Rot Farm
1 Quicksand
1 Rupture Spire
9 Snow-Covered Forest
12 Snow-Covered Swamp
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Tranquil Thicket
1 Transguild Promenade
(*) Represents a card being shown in multiple categories.
Change Log
09/09/2012
Beast Hunt -> Ranger's Path - Consistent mana ramp is a priority over card draw that may not occur every time.
22/11/2012
Phyrexian Debaser -> Launch Party - While Debaser is very good in pauper, a secondary Bone Splinters, but at instant speed is very desirable.
Snow-Covered Plains -> Golgari Guildgate - More mana fixing in a deck that really needs it. I don't need the snow synergy that much.
Snow-Covered Forest -> Transguild Promenade - Rupture Spire number two, an easy change.
17/11/2013
Casting of Bones -> Read the Bones - Both card draw, one is conditional, the other isn't
Snow-Covered Swamp -> Bojuka Bog - Even in pauper you need to deal with graveyard use. An oversight originally.
Undying Evil -> Moldervine Cloak - UE doesn't do enough and making my relatively weak individually creatures stronger is needed.
Victim of Night -> Murder - Strictly better removal spell.
Young Wolf -> Commune with Nature - More tutoring/draw helps consistency.
New Inclusions
Magic 2013
Murder - Similar cost as Rend Flesh, but with fewer downsides.
Ranger's Path - The newest version of Skyshroud's Claim. I like redundancy in Commander and this really helps ramp up and extract lands from deck to improve draws.
Return to Ravnica
Golgari Guildgate - More mana fixing in a deck that really needs it.
Launch Party - A secondary Bone Splinters, but at instant speed.
Transguild Promenade - Rupture Spire number two.
Modern Masters
Moldervine Cloak - Milling myself for dredge isn't terrible with this deck and more strong resuable auras helps.
Theros
Commune with the Gods - In line with common Pestilence strategy and strong auras, this will always get something useful.
Read the Bones - A very well costed and fair draw spell. Scry is really just a bonus.
Cards I need or am on fence about:
Could maybe use
1. Grasp of Darkness
2. Unnerve
3. Butcher Ghoul
4. Nightshade Peddler
5. Evincar's Justice
6. Grisly Salvage
This deck is constructed, but hasn't seen play yet as I have many pauper decks. What do you think regardless?
Main Decks
Diaochan, Iroas, God of Victory, Kaalia, Marton, Ulasht, Volrath,
Kaervek, Prossh, Titania
Amusing or Themed
Progenitus
Pauper Guildmages
Azorius Boros Dimir Golgari Gruul Izzet Korozda
Orzhov Rakdos Rix Maadi Selesyna Simic Skarrg Zameck
I also play Weiss Schwarz, Chaos, Vanguard and Wixoss.
Accel World, Angel Beats, Familiar of Zero, Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, Guilty Crown, Kill La Kill, Robotics;Notes, Sword Art Online.
Chaos Partners
Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Iona, Kirishima, Kongou.
Dangan Ronpa: Asahina, Togami.
Freezing: Vibration: Chiffon, Satelizer.
Vanguard Clans Favoured
Angel Feather, Dark Irregulars, Genesis, Neonecter, Pale Moon, Shadow Paladins, Tachikaze.
Wixoss - Just trial decks for now!
Main Decks
Diaochan, Iroas, God of Victory, Kaalia, Marton, Ulasht, Volrath,
Kaervek, Prossh, Titania
Amusing or Themed
Progenitus
Pauper Guildmages
Azorius Boros Dimir Golgari Gruul Izzet Korozda
Orzhov Rakdos Rix Maadi Selesyna Simic Skarrg Zameck
I also play Weiss Schwarz, Chaos, Vanguard and Wixoss.
Accel World, Angel Beats, Familiar of Zero, Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, Guilty Crown, Kill La Kill, Robotics;Notes, Sword Art Online.
Chaos Partners
Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Iona, Kirishima, Kongou.
Dangan Ronpa: Asahina, Togami.
Freezing: Vibration: Chiffon, Satelizer.
Vanguard Clans Favoured
Angel Feather, Dark Irregulars, Genesis, Neonecter, Pale Moon, Shadow Paladins, Tachikaze.
Wixoss - Just trial decks for now!
Main Decks
Diaochan, Iroas, God of Victory, Kaalia, Marton, Ulasht, Volrath,
Kaervek, Prossh, Titania
Amusing or Themed
Progenitus
Pauper Guildmages
Azorius Boros Dimir Golgari Gruul Izzet Korozda
Orzhov Rakdos Rix Maadi Selesyna Simic Skarrg Zameck
I also play Weiss Schwarz, Chaos, Vanguard and Wixoss.
Accel World, Angel Beats, Familiar of Zero, Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, Guilty Crown, Kill La Kill, Robotics;Notes, Sword Art Online.
Chaos Partners
Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Iona, Kirishima, Kongou.
Dangan Ronpa: Asahina, Togami.
Freezing: Vibration: Chiffon, Satelizer.
Vanguard Clans Favoured
Angel Feather, Dark Irregulars, Genesis, Neonecter, Pale Moon, Shadow Paladins, Tachikaze.
Wixoss - Just trial decks for now!