ArtVenn and I were talking last night about Pauper Legacy, which eventually led him to want to player Pauper Multiplayer, saying that it would be a fun deck-building challenge. My reservations about the idea is that the common rarity lacks an even distribution of finishers among all colors (Green would get a lot), lacks the vast majority of good utility cards (most of which are uncommon) and lacks any kind of decent sweeper (the best are rare, the good conditional ones are either rare or uncommon). All the same, though, I concede that it's an interesting deck-building challenge, which brings me to my main point.
I propose the following to you, the community: build a Pauper Multiplayer deck. The rules for this contest are as follows:
1) There is no restricted list.
2) Except for cards that have not been printed at a common rarity, there is no banned list.
3) The deck will be judged on its ability to win a 3+ player game of free-for-all Magic.
4) The contest begins today (Wednesday, December 1st) and will run until Wednesday, December 8th (11:59 PM, Central Time).
5) When all of the submissions are in, everybody who would entered will rank the submissions, which will be awarded a point total equal to their inverted placement in the rank (in other words, if there are 10 submissions, ranking something one would result in it getting 10 points, ranking something two would result in 9 points, ranking something three would result in 8 points, etc...).
6) Although everybody can feel free to post any number of decks that they'd like, only one official submission will be accepted per person (you can change your mind on what you want to count as your submission, just be sure to announce the change).
I will update this thread with to include peoples' official submissions (for ease of viewing and comparing them).
Also, as just part of a general discussion, what does everybody else think of the concept of playing Pauper Multiplayer? Are you like ArtVenn, who views it as a fun challenge worth consideration, or are you like myself, who believes that it simply lacks the tools necessary for multiplayer games, or are you somewhere inbetween?
I'm both selfish and rational. I'm scheming, secretive and manipulative; I use knowledge as a tool for personal gain, and in turn obtaining more knowledge. At best, I am mysterious and stealthy; at worst, I am distrustful and opportunistic.
Before they banned the format out of existence, I was a proud supporter of Modern.
Also, as just part of a general discussion, what does everybody else think of the concept of playing Pauper Multiplayer? Are you like ArtVenn, who views it as a fun challenge worth consideration, or are you like myself, who believes that it simply lacks the tools necessary for multiplayer games, or are you somewhere inbetween?
Because sweepers are missing quite a bit at the common level, Sliver decks would do quite well. Muscle Sliver Sinew Sliver Gemhide Sliver and then add in the slivers of your choice...
I'm both selfish and rational. I'm scheming, secretive and manipulative; I use knowledge as a tool for personal gain, and in turn obtaining more knowledge. At best, I am mysterious and stealthy; at worst, I am distrustful and opportunistic.
Before they banned the format out of existence, I was a proud supporter of Modern.
Really? How'd that end up going? What decks, in general, ended up doing best?
I would say that my sample size it too small to draw any true conclusions. We only had 5 of our 8 or so regular players make any decks, and 2 of those players were noobs with small collections. I and another player made more than one deck, everyone else only had a single deck (if my memory serves me right). Me - Infinite mana combo , Beatdown , Control P1 - Black Control , some other deck I can't remember P2 - Nothing Memorable noob deck P3 - Illusions P4 - Slivers, but noob deck with small collection missing a lot of the important ones P5 - Goblins
If I remember correctly, I won many of the games the first time I played the decks. No one saw the Infinite combo deck until it was too late, but I am sure it would lose the second time I played it, as it didn't have adequate defenses. The black control deck was quite good, featuring Syphon Soul ,Syphon Mind ,Pestilence ,Crypt Rats ,Innocent Blood ,Consume Spirit ,,[c]Bubbling Muck and I think it took quite a few games as well. I think Illusions would have done better, but the decks owner had played it quite often before Pauper week so everyone knew the key cards of the deck (Krovikan Mist /Errant Ephemeron for finishers) and even they were missing some of the older illusions.
If I had to take an educated guess, I would conclude that combo has the greatest chance of winning (the first time it is played), but after the first game control decks should win. Control decks can deal the easiest with creature rushes (which is the easiest deck to build in Pauper MP). I would argue that mono black control has some of the best cards at common, and it therefore has the greatest chance of winning (although a single Artifact/Enchantment could kill it, so you might want to splash for or ).
It should also be noted that Maze of Ith is common.
The gatherer lists it as uncommon.
The Gatherer is the ultimate authority, so go by it. Although there is come confusion in my mind what cards rarities are that came out in that era (Legends, The Dark, Chronicles, Fallen Empires), since they used a different rarity system with U1, U2, U3 meaning that uncommon appeared once, twice, or three times per sheet (this rarity distribution may have only been in effect for Legends, so don't quote me on it. I have been know to be wrong often enough).
I was trying my best to list 3+ creatures for each color that had 4+ power (since 5+ is quite difficult) and some sort of evasion (or shroud, or regeneration since you want this finisher to be resilient). In all honestly, you really want 5+ power since there is a noticeable progression in number of attacks necessary to kill an opponent from 3 (7 hits), 4 (5 hits), 5 (4 hits), 6 (4 hits) ... I really don't think you need much more than 4-6 finishers in a deck anyway, and everyone has access to Ulamog's Crusher .
Budget EDH:EDH on $20 a Deck. Join the Group Link has been defeated(X times) by Eyegorc in Dungeons 2(2x), 3(3x), and 6(3x).
-4 Vines of Vastwood -1 Ancestral Mask +4 Snake Umbra I wasn't following my own rules of using 24 land, and found out through gold fishing the deck I was mana screwed too often. Reworked some changes, Silhana Ledgewalker's super shroud seems better than Naya Hushblade only getting shroud once I cast an dual colored enchantment on it (since I want to enchant it). The ledgewalkers evasion is also nice for getting free cards from Snake Umbra. Found out the the Exalted trigger of Qasali Pridemage is amazing for the deck since it makes the Aura Gnarlids even tougher to block. Figured I didn't need Blastoderm since I already have enough lifegain for the deck anyway, and Blastoderm can't be enchanted so it doesn't work well with the rest of the deck.
Since Pauper MP is bound to have quite a bit more targeted removal than sweepers, it is important that your creatures have shroud. This deck attempts to create a beefy Aura enchanted creature and protect it from destruction. Rancor /Armadillo Cloak are arguably the best creature enchantments ever printed. Ancestral Mask gets to count all enchantments on the battlefield, and can quickly pump your beater to such a size that it will only take a few hits to kill an opponent. Everything is green, so Rofello's Gift should be able to return 2-4 enchantments from your graveyard (especially considering Rancor comes back to your hand baring being countered upon resolution or exiled in response to the return from graveyard trigger). Shield of the Oversoul turns 10 of your creatures into flying indestructible beatsticks (Steward of Valeron being the best target), and Vines of Vastwood is there to hopefully make sure your enchantments stick. Blastoderm is one of the best MP creatures, either giving you 15 points of damage, or a 4 turn protection from attacks by your opponents.
Of the cards that didn't make the cut, several were very close. Snake Umbra would have been included for the card advantage if I was playing with more evasion (Silhana Ledgewalker ). Shielding Plax replaces itself, and if it sticks allows you to enchant that creature with more important Auras without being molested by your opponents. Armor of Thorns /Predatory Hunger can make quick work of your opponents, and Seton's Desire can be used as creature removal.
Budget EDH:EDH on $20 a Deck. Join the Group Link has been defeated(X times) by Eyegorc in Dungeons 2(2x), 3(3x), and 6(3x).
This decks plan is simple. Control the board early game with untargeted creature sacrifice, and Crypt Rats/Pestilence. Keep your life total high with Blood Tithe. Win the game with beatdown with Twisted Abomination, or killing everyone with Crypt Rats/Pestilence damage.
Budget EDH:EDH on $20 a Deck. Join the Group Link has been defeated(X times) by Eyegorc in Dungeons 2(2x), 3(3x), and 6(3x).
Pauper MonoBlackControl (MBC) ... This decks plan is simple. Control the board early game with untargeted creature sacrifice, and Crypt Rats/Pestilence.
Dammit, Capitan. How do you Sarnath an entire deck? Amusing that we were in ten minutes of each other posting similar decks!
Pauper MonoBlackControl (MBC) ... This decks plan is simple. Control the board early game with untargeted creature sacrifice, and Crypt Rats/Pestilence.
Dammit, Capitan. How do you Sarnath an entire deck? Amusing that we were in ten minutes of each other posting similar decks!
I wouldn't say they are that similar. Your deck is looking for its combo, where my deck is just straight up control (with some speed thrown in). If you wouldn't mind some deck suggestions... 4xTerramorphic Expanse - You don't need so many plains. Replace them with cycling lands (work well with the Ravnica bouncelands) since you don't have any alot of card draw, or improve your draw with Evolving Wilds /TE. 4xShred Memory - Tutors are powerful. You can run fewer circles of protection this way. Also finds your necessary Obsidian Acolyte, (singleton Crimson Acolyte too perhaps? -2 CoP Black 12 creatures seems kind of thin. You might want to consider Dimir House Guard to find Pestilence, Infectious Horror , (well, maybe not. I can't think of anything else great to find). Guardian of the Guildpact - seems superior to Cemetery Gate. with so few creatures, you might want to consider some creature recursion (actually, Shade's Form is kind of nice because you can use it on someone else creature. Clone ain't bad in MP).
Also, if no one has any idea where to start, Alongi has an outdated article with some of the early best commons.
Budget EDH:EDH on $20 a Deck. Join the Group Link has been defeated(X times) by Eyegorc in Dungeons 2(2x), 3(3x), and 6(3x).
Always. I threw that together with about twenty minutes' thought. So it's bound to be imperfect. @Cathaldus: Are we allowed to edit the post with the submitted deck, right up until closing time? Capitan has given me too many good suggestions (to his own detriment, when it comes to winning contests)!
and 
have the easiest time with that, with a couple of exceptions...
, Beatdown 
).
