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I enjoy building decks more than I do playing them, and so that often leads me to the pauper format because of the challenges involved in building the decks I want to make from only a small selection of cards from a set. Of course, in the last few years, Wizards has been pretty good about making sure that block themes always show up at common, so trying to build pauper decks from Zendikar block was pretty much frustration free.

[deck=Pauper Kor]
4*Kitesail Apprentice
4*Lone Missionary
4*Kor Skyfisher
4*Kor Hookmaster
4*Kor Sanctifiers
4*Kor Cartographer

4*Explorer's Scope
4*Adventuring Gear
3*Narrow Escape
3*Journey to Nowhere

18*Plains
4*Sejiri Steppe
[/deck]
I tried to make this deck as flavorful as possible, while still synergistic. Nearly every creature has an "enters the battlefield" ability, which

New sets are something a Magic the Gathering player has to deal with. Unless you live next to a major gaming hub you do not get the option to play vintage tournaments thus you must comply to the ever changing, rotating, and circulating cards that swoop in knocking your prized deck aside. As a player since 2000 I have seen many changes through the standard type 2 format, and not all of it was to my liking. Over the years I have even quit the game vowing to never return.

I'm back in the saddle again. I started playing M:tG as Shards of Alara, Conflux, Alara Reborn, Magic 2010, Zendikar, and Worldwake were the sets in current type 2 play. I remember when Rise of the Eldrazi was released and was appalled at the ridiculous creatures that it brought with it. I didn't want to spend money into a

*I will probably cut the amount of nonbasic lands down after play-testing it some, if a lot are changed out then I will toss amulet of vigor for something else.

AXIS & ALLIES
_{Black & White Ally Deck}

Lands (24)

6 Swamp

8 Plains

2 Bojuka Bog*

1 Crypt of Agadeem*

2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin*

2 Kabira Crossroads*

2 Piranha Marsh*

1 Evolving Wilds*

Creatures (18)

4 Hada Freeblade

4 Kazandu Blademaster

2 Talus Paladin

3 Agadeem Occultist

3 Bala Ged Thief

2 Bojuka Brigand

Other Spells (17)

4 Join the Ranks

2 Rest for the Weary

2 Doom Blade

4 Hideous End

4 Disentomb

1 Rise from the Grave

Artifacts (1)

1 Amulet of Vigor*

Play

Of course the jist of the deck is the allies and building off of each other.  I wanted to throw in some creature control to keep the flying and tougher creatures at bay until

This is completely random, but I just bought the "Zendikar: In the Teeth of Akoum" novel, and I wanted to mention the physical book.

(NOTE:  If you're not fascinated by tiny book design details that may or may not affect sales, and have no interest in the marketing of books, you should probably stop reading this and go read something more interesting.)

Wizards used a different material for the cover that has a very interesting tactile feel too it - a little sturdier, somewhat grainy, nice on the hands.  It's similar to the cover material they used for Salvatore's Thousand Orcs trilogy and The Citadels series, but a little bit grittier.

I'm sure it probably cost a little more than your standard, smooth, paperback cover, but let me tell you - I don't even read Magic novels (I'm more of

I love tribal cards. It follows that I love Zendikar's Allies. Here's a few decks I've made with them, spaced more or less evenly among the colors. Note that I'm sticking as close to their flavor as possible, so these guys have base camp at the Refuges and go on Expeditions whenever possible.

[deck=Alies BR]
4*Akoum Battlesinger
4*Highland Berserker
4*Bojuka Brigand
4*Nimana Sell-Sword
4*Kazuul Warlord
2*Hagra Diabolist
1*Agadeem Occultist
1*Bala Ged Thief

3*Zektar Shrine Expedition
3*Soul Stair Expedition
4*Burst Lightning
4*Disfigure

4*Akoum Refuge
9*Mountain
9*Swamp
[/deck]
This deck's curve is almost all on the low end, with the higher-cost allies coming into play if the deck's initial assault fails to take down the opponent. If [c]Hagra Diabolist[/c] proves as effective as I hope it is at taking away

Lands (20)

8 Forest

8 Plains

4 Graypelt Refuge

Creatures (24)

4 Hada Freeblade

2 Turntimber Ranger

2 Talus Paladin

4 Ondu Cleric

4 Oran-Rief Survivalist

4 Kazandu Blademaster

2 Tajuru Archer

2 Graypelt Hunters

Other Spells (16)

4 Join the Ranks

4 Journey to Nowhere

4 Narrow Escape

4 Explore

Drafting With Yann - Zendikar #3

Level 6 pro player Yann Massicard takes us through a Zendikar 8-4 draft queue on Magic Online. He shares some comprehensive thoughts about both the picks and the games, and talks us through each step of the way! If you're looking to improve your Limited game, this is the article series for you!

www.blackborder.com/q/node/5395