Pauper Staples - Blue
- Finn M
- May 15, 2017
- 5 min read
Blue is best associated with card draw and card selection along with evasive creatures. Blue answers threats by using counter spells to stop them preemptively or bouncing them with a view to counter them later or just keep them tapped down.
Creatures
This iconic card is at the forefront of many blue decks in pauper and something that must be considered when choosing removal while brewing. Coupled with the extensive card selection available, this is more often than not a 3/2 flyer for U.
This is a frequently seen counterspell often favoured due to it also being able to attack. Decks with this are also frequently running Faerie Miscreant to be able to counter higher converted mana cost cards.
This is a very powerful creature as it is a good blocker, provides card selection and replaces itself. The 3 toughness is crucial to this card's success as so many of the cheap creatures in the format have 1 or 2 power.
This is the draw spell of choice in pauper. It is a 3 mana draw 2 when needed, and also a creature with evasion when needed later in the game.
A recently rarity downshift in modern masters 3. This performs a similar role to Sea Gate Oracle only it digs deeper but its hits are narrower.
This is a purely value orientated card. It tends to be run in tandem with cards that can blink it to generate more value.
Card Selection
With so many to choose from, how do you work out which is best for your deck?
Brainstorm is better if you have ways to shuffle your library or want to set up a miracle card on top of your library. If you can't shuffle it can leave you Brainstorm locked where you don't want to draw the next two cards but you have no way to stop yourself from doing so.
Ponder is good to find the card you're looking for and also set up Delver of Secrets to flip.
Preordain is best suited when you want to improve card quality and improve draws overall. It is best suited when you don't have many shuffle effects. This is generally the most commonly run of the cantrips as it offers optimal card selection and control over consecutive draws by being able to scry to the bottom when desired.
This is occasionally run as a 1-2 of and most frequently in combo decks. The benefit of Sleight of Hand is that it doesn't shuffle cards already scried to the bottom back into your deck.
Yes, Pauper is one of the few formats where this card is legal. Gitaxian Probe is best suited to gain information without spending a card, or to trigger prowess without going down a card to do so.
These are best suited for decks which intend on delving or want to hit delirium or threshold. These are often paired with Brainstorm to mill unwanted cards from your hand.
Occasionally run as a 1-2 of, this is another card frequently found in combo decks that are digging for a specific card. It is generally less favoured due to the 2 mana cost.
Card draw
As mentioned before this is a powerful card that does double duty.
These are often at the core of control decks. The recently printed Take Inventory may seem similar but, at sorcery speed, it finds itself in a rather awkward place. The benefit to these is that you can cast them at the end of your opponent's turn if you haven't needed to counter anything.
Often found as a 1-2 of in decks. This is a powerful draw spell that sometimes appears to give a deck more long term card advantage.
The card draw that is banned in legacy and restricted in vintage is legal in pauper! Returning islands is a huge cost to a control deck but not an issue for an aggro deck that operates on few lands as it is. This sees play primarily in aggressive U decks or combo decks.
These draw spells are creature centric and the type of deck will tend to dictate which is most appropriate.
This fairly recently printed card is extremely powerful in the right shell. It functions optimally in graveyard matters decks and is starting to see a bit more play in decks such as reanimator.
This recent addition to pauper is starting to make an appearance. The versatility of cycling or instant speed draw is very powerful and worth considering if you are looking for card draw with versatility.
Counterspells
The original counterspell. Yes it is legal and yes it is the most efficient at what it does in the format.
Often run as a 1-2 of as a strictly worse Counterspell.
A cheap counterspell that is very conditional but frequently run. It aids in tempo by countering a crucial spell or, if your opponent plays around it, it can keep your opponent slowed down by a turn. As to which is better, that comes down to player preference.
These are all solid and efficient counters and each is as optimal as they come at what they counter. Given they are rather specific, they are also frequently found in sideboards.
This powerful counterspell, while limited in what it can counter, is frequently a 1- 2 of in many control decks.
Bounce Spells and other value centric cards
These are the most common creature bounce spells and each has its own pros and cons. Often a combination of Snap and Vapor Snag are run side by side given each has its own benefits.
This is a general catch all and often makes an appearance in combo decks.
This is a frequently used card to generate value on enter the battlefield effects and/or save a permanent from removal. It is frequently combined with Archaeomancer to recur it as often as one has mana to do so. It is most frequently found in UB decks given the synergy with Chittering Rats.
Sideboard Cards
More specific countermagic is frequently run to combat countermagic and draw spells from the opponent. Dispel is the most efficient at this.
A counterspell which covers a somewhat broader array of spells but loses value later on in the game. It is often used to have versatility to additionally counter enchantments.
Sometimes dedicated artifact and enchantment countermagic is needed. Annul is the card for this role.
This is often used as a dedicated Bogles sideboard card. While narrow, it is extremely effective at what it does.
Sometimes countering all threats can be impossible. For those cases, Narcolepsy can help disable an otherwise threatening creature.
As much as red hates blue, blue hates red. This is the equivalent for blue to combat any red permanent or spell that gets in your way.
Many blue decks are rather short on creatures. This makes sacrifice based removal extremely powerful. To combat this, these cards often find homes in blue sideboards.
Anyway, that's all for this time. Keep watching this space for future articles!
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