MTGO Pauper decks 2013

Pauper is a cheap and effective way to enter the constructed ques of magic online and if played correctly make some extra tickets to buy those standard staples or just draft different sets. Here is a list of the most competitive tier 1 decks that can get you there and their average price.


Pauper 8 post

Pauper 8 post is a combo deck that exploits spells that will untap your post and thus produce tons of mana you can exploit for a huge Kaervek's torch or a stormy temporal fissure. It is a fun deck to play but will take a lot of time and practice to master it.
Most expensive card: Cloud of fairies ( 7 tickets )

Estimated value: 60 tickets

Pauper Affinity

Affinity in pauper exploits casting a lot of free spells while trying to beat down your opponent or you can go off with a huge atog swing and fling. This deck is fast and will not let your opponents stabilise alas it can be easily hated after sideboard.

Most expensive card: Gorilla shaman (5-6 tickets) 

Estimated value: 30 tickets

Goblins 

Good old cheap and fast goblins!

Most expensive card: Raze (1-2 tickets) 

Estimated value: 8 tickets

Elves 

Swarm the battlefield with a dozen creatures and make your opponent concede to the superiority of your huge army. Thats what this deck does and it does it well.


Most expensive card: Quirion Ranger (1-2 tickets) 

Estimated value: 20 tickets

Monoblue Delver

If you love delver of secrets  and tempo swings this is just the deck for you. It is one of the strongest pauper strategies and will provide answers for most decks via countermagic . Though it is one of the most expensive choices for battle in pauper.

Most expensive card: Daze (10 tickets) 

Estimated value: 85 tickets


These are some of the most commonly used decks in pauper in the current field. I advise that you make your choice and do battle through such a huge variety of decks . It is a great format and it gives you a touch of the strength of the eternal formats. 

Ral Zarek value in the current standard.

So this is the planeswalker of the final part of Return to Ravnica. At first glance he looks spicy and those abilities are all we can wish from a planeswalker right? A +1 with some effect on the board, a -2 that can protect itself and an ultimate that will win you the game . Is this planeswalker good though?

My opinion is that this walker is average. And as far as the current standard is concerned ,he is mediocre. Lets look at his abilities and their use in a standard match.

+1 : This ability may look to come in handy and it will BUT in order for this ability to be relevant he have to be beating and not controlling the game. So unless there is a viable UR aggro strategy in standard all this ability will do is untap a land or a blocker that will offer nothing against incoming aristocrats or hellriders or pumped creatures via rampagers.

-2: A bolt ,thats all , and it costs four mana...

-7 : You win the game , probably , unless you are really bad at tossing coins but if you have managed to protect this walker till now you should be winning anyway...

Ral Zarek will have a high price range as all planeswalkers do at the launch of this set but after all is set he will plunge to a minimal value unless some strategy evolves that will make the most of this walker. Such a possibility seems distant and i dont expect Zarek to be seen in the top tables at least for the coming 3 months.

Preordering at the 30$ price range seems a bit bad expected value but if you cant wait to acquire a playset of the first UR walker that is outright worse than the older WR walker (ajani vengeant ) you can feel free to do so.After all take a glimpse of the only planeswalker that is similar to Zarek and make your own decisions.

All Zareks abilities seem just worse...

Dragon's Maze New Standard and Pauper Gems

Dragon's Maze has been spoiled and we are off to the prerelease weekend. Which of those new cards will have an impact on constructed play?
Let's have a look at some of the most promising cards Dragon's Maze will bring to us.

 Phytoburst 




Phytoburst offers 2 mana for five damage. In the current standard it might see some play but this card will be unique in pauper as it can aid Infect and monogreen aggro strategies.

Skylasher

Skylasher will be an optimal sideboard choice if delver and generally blue aggro strategies become a tier one option in standard.

Deputy of Acquittals

The Deputy will certainly be a card of choice for UW and Bant strategies as it is an effective combat trick that can save ur restoration angel , snapcaster mage or even a thragtusk from supreme verdict or removal and still provide a 2/2 body on the battlefield.


Legions Initiative

Legion's Initiative will be a chase mythic if a boros strategy becomes viable in the new standard. It is excellent with Boros Reckoner and it provides protection from any wrath effects. It is still an anthem for red creatures but will not work well with your lingering souls tokens.Preordering a playset of those would be a good idea if they can be acquired at around 35-40$ for a playset.


Spike Jester

3/1 haste for 2 cmc in rakdos? Count me in. This card is exceptional for all in aggro strategies.He will be around for the next year or so giving the beats in standard.

Unflinching Courage

And there will be a lot of bant auras for the months to come.... Enough said..It is just a better gift at a better colour combination.

Those are cards that are bound to see constructed play in the first weeks after the release of Dragon's Maze. Their power level is high and they have a lot to offer to the current metagame.