Saturday, September 13, 2014

The decks of the Pauper Gauntlet

A lot of decks are ready to start running the Pauper Gauntlet (Season 2) today. Today we I the competitors and then I will tell you about a competition between the spectators (that is: YOU GUYS).

What is the Pauper Gauntlet?

The Pauper Gauntlet is a race between decks, trying to survive the longest against random opponents.

For full details read this: http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/08/the-pauper-gauntlet.html


How can you win a prize watching the Pauper Gauntlet?
Well, to make things interesting you all get to choose a deck to champion. That means that you are the person rooting for that deck. Only one person can be the champion of a deck and the first one to claim a deck gets it. You can only claim one deck per person (no multiple accounts please) and you claim the deck by writing something like this in the comments to this blog post: "I claim Pink Pants. My name is Sam and my MTGO username is VaultBoyHunter".

For you to become champion you have to state some sort of name, have a gmail account and give me your MTGO username so I am sure I give the prize to the right person.

What is the price? The price is an Elspeth, Sun's Champion Magic Online card and some special gifts from our sponsor Peyton (!)

Peyton adds the following to the prize (all to the champion of the winning deck, the brewers and I only get the glory): 1 Foil RTR Blood Crypt (NM), 1 Foil GTC Godless Shrine (NM), 1 Foil ALA Wild Nacatl (MP)  (these are all paper cards).

The decks of the Pauper Gauntlet


Full deck lists and information about the deck is available if you click the links. 


This season I did not limit entry strictly by color so certain color combinations are overrepresented. This is mainly due to the decks being innovative even though sharing colors with other decks. If you feel that this should be more stricly limited next season, please let me know in the comments below. We did enforce such a limit last season.

All deck names are decided by the brewers in almost all cases.

If you are scared by the sheer number of decks, remember two things; First, the Gauntlet will eliminate a lot of decks if they are bad at an early state (round 3-4 probably) and second, I can handle it. I am ready to play a giganormous amount of Pauper matches. If you feel you can't stand to watch the bulk of the matches, just tune in for round 5 and onwards.

Mono Black Decks

MBC: The boogie man of the format. Captained by Witchkingx5. http://magicgatheringstrat.com/2014/08/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-15-mono-black-control/

Deathtouch by Muratcan Simsek. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/assassins-apprentice/

Gray Mercenaries of Asphodel by Aught3. https://deckbox.org/sets/742302

Mono Black Land Destruction by Mario. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/01-09-14-mono-black-land-destruction/

Pox by Peyton. http://deckstats.net/decks/3099/126874-pauper-pox?saved=1&lng=en

Mono Blue Decks

Delver: As played by cweaver. http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/07/the-pauper-gauntlet-competitor-7-delver.html

Illusory Tricks: Bava's illusion deck got second place last year but he is intent on it winning this year. http://magicgatheringstrat.com/2014/06/illusory-tricks-better-than-second-place/

Mono Blue Artifactshttp://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/05-09-14-u-artifact/

MUC: Mono Blue Control as played by someoldguy. http://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/224376#online


Mono Green Decks
It is interesting to note the apparent variety of Mono Green Decks possible in Pauper. 
BeastDown: Beast tribal by jphsnakehttp://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/04-09-14-beastdown/

Dumb Green Tron by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/dumb-green-tron/

Elves by Aught3. https://deckbox.org/sets/726350

Green Griftershttp://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/green-grifters/

Green One: By Deluxeicoff. http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/07/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-5-green-one.html


Infect by Aught3. https://deckbox.org/sets/722967

Mono Green Devotion by jphsnake. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/04-09-14-wPB-mono-green-devotion/

Rot Wolf Control by Fanofhistory captained by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/rot-wolf-control/

Stompy: Little green men. http://magicgatheringstrat.com/2014/07/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-13-stompy/


Mono Red Decks

Burn: As played by hey_guess_what. http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2013/11/the-top-decks-of-pauper-burn.html

Glass Cannon Red by David Shaffer, captained by VaultBoyHunter. The most aggressive deck in Pauper? http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/red-glass-cannon/

Goblins. As played by Jason Moore. http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/08/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-9-goblins.html

Mono Red Elemental Ping by Nate Spires. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/monored-elemental-ping/

Mono Red Heroic by jphsnake. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/05-09-14-mono-red-heroic/

Mono Red Kuldotha Tron by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/rebirth-tron/

Mono White Decks
Devil Children by jphsnake, captained by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/devils-children/

Metalcraft by Deluxeicoff. http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/09/pauper-gauntlet-deck-metalcraft.html

People of the Sun by JS Bangs. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/31-08-14-people-of-the-sun/

Rebel Grind by Aught3. https://deckbox.org/sets/751913

Rise of the Legionnaire by Donny Silva. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/rise-of-the-legionnaire/

Squawks to Plowshares by jphsnake. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/squawks-to-plowshares/

Azorius Decks
AzoriusKitty by ShaffaWaffa5: I could not decide which version to run so I am running both. http://magicgatheringstrat.com/2014/08/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-14-azoriuskitty-by-shaffawaffa5/

AzoriusKitty by Power_T: http://magicgatheringstrat.com/2014/08/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-15-azoriuskitty-by-power_t/


CawBlade by Dior F.  https://deckbox.org/sets/780936

Boros Decks
BorosKitty: The winner of the last Pauper Gauntlet. Revised and captained by VaultBoyHunter. http://magicgatheringstrat.com/2014/07/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-12-boros-kitty/

Dimir Decks

Dimir Cipher Tricks by Michael Gray. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/dimir-cipher-tricks/

Dimir Teachings by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/31-08-14-dimir-teachings/

Exhume Control: By David Shaffer. http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/07/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-3-exhume.html

UB Creatureless Control by Johnny Lai. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/07-09-14-black-blue-creatureless-control/

UB Trinket Control: Created by Power_T. http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2013/10/the-top-decks-of-pauper-ub-trinket.html

Golgari Decks
Golgari Undead Dredge by Michael Gray. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/golgari-undead-dredge/

Project X by Dom captained by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/04-09-14-project-x/

Thallid Bowl Control by Hunter Oka. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/thallid-bowl-control/

Tortured Toolbox by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/31-08-14-tortured-toolbox/

Gruul Decks
GruulKitty by Arcadiusz Lucia. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/gr-gruul-kitty/

RG Madness by Samuel. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/05-09-14-rg-madness/

Izzet Decks
DelverFiend: As played by Farfishere. This is the deck of many names, featuring blistering fast 20-damage blows. http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/07/the-pauper-gauntlet-competitor-6.html

Izzet Control: As played by Batutinha. http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/07/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-4-izzet.html


Izzet Splice and Burn by Michael Gray. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/izzet-splice-and-burn/ 

Shock the Kitty by somewhat dyslexic. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/shock-the-kitty/

Orzhov Decks
Pesky Clerics by Aught3. https://deckbox.org/sets/748315

Selesnya Decks
GW Beatdown by Matti. http://paupertothepeople.proboards.com/thread/1004/gw-beatdown-v2

Hexproof by Aught3. https://deckbox.org/sets/772939

Midnight Presence by Aught3. https://deckbox.org/sets/770737

Slivers by Brennon. http://mtgostrat.com/2013/10/slivers-primer/

Simic Decks
Love Train: The love got 3rd place in the first season and is ready to make a giant run again. 
http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/06/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-2-love-train.html

UG Madness by Aught3. https://deckbox.org/sets/740042

Abzan Decks
Allies: They are MARCHING OFF TO WAR! By Marvin. http://deckstats.net/deck-4820462-fa0f7baa91bc6e0607a21050f5a9cb86.html

Persistently Undying by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/persistently-undying/

Bant Decks
Bant Presence:  By Nic Wojak. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/bant-presence/

Turbo Fog by Aught3. https://deckbox.org/sets/748329

Esper Decks

Familiars: As played by sparow. http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/Digital/MagicOnlineTourn.aspx?x=mtg/digital/magiconline/tourn/6767329

Jeskai Decks
Cogs by Brennon. https://deckbox.org/sets/772157

Squawk Rites by jphsnake. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/squawk-rites/

Jund Decks
Croca Jund by Samuel Mensah-Romano. Crocanura is actually the Pauper Goyf. Didn't you know that? http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/croca-jund/

Thunder Trees by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/thunder-trees/

Sultai Decks
Bugs & Pigs. By Galactic President. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/bugs-pigs/

Crypt Songs by Samuel. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/crypt-songs-combo/

Temur Decks
RUG Tron: By Avignon. http://www.mtgoacademy.com/4-color-tron-in-pauper-constructed/

WatchRites by jphsnake. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/watchrites/

Four Color Decks

Affinity: Good old artifacts. This list is by Charnois. http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2013/11/the-top-decks-of-pauper-affinity.html

Hobo Omelette by jphsnake. An attempt at Pauper Eggs. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/hobo-omlette/

Winter Zoo by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/4-color-winter-zoo/

Five Color Decks

Who says Pauper does not have strong manabases?
Five Color Green.: Top 10 in the last Pauper Gauntlet. A very innovative control deck by Shyft4. http://mtgostrat.com/2013/04/1984/

Icy Hot Hottie: Elemental hotness that made top 10 in the first season of the Pauper Gauntlet. http://puremtgo.com/articles/rogue-side-episode-4-icy-hot-hottie-and-young-pyromancer


Mana Burn by jphsnake. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/07-09-14-mana-burn/

White Hot Hottie: The next generation of Hottie decks by jphsnake. http://magicgatheringstrat.com/2014/08/pauper-gauntlet-competitor-20-familiars/


Decks that defy color labels
1-land Spy: The comboest of combo decks in Pauper from the mind of David Shaffer, captained by Samuel Mensah-Romano. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/05-09-14-1-land-spy-combo/


If you find any deck missing, any link that does not work or any other problem, please let me know in the comments below. 

What happens now?

Pick your deck to champion and lean back and enjoy the ride here and on the MagicGatheringStrat and sngprop YouTube channels. This is going to take a while. First, two rounds of double elimination against easier opposition. This means that only decks that lose both the match in round 1 and round 2 are eliminated before round 3. The two rounds of double elimination will hopefully give me time to learn the more complicated decks I have not played before. 



106 comments:

  1. I would like to claim MBC. My name is David, Aught3 on MTGO.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have MBC, Aught3. And my thanks for all the nice brews for the Gauntlet.

      Delete
    2. Sweet, looking forward to the Pauper Gauntlet for this year. I din't have much to do with brewing most of the decks I submitted, they were just decks I wanted to see run through.

      The Turbo Fog mill deck should be under Bant not Selesnya

      Here is a write-up of Dior's CawBlade: https://deckbox.org/sets/780936

      Delete
    3. Fixed those. Thanks for pointing them out. You put in the work that nobody else did for those decks and I appreciate that

      Delete
  2. i think i have to go with cweaver delver. huge selection but i dont think i have a choice after all it is delver :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chazden Lee, you have Delver. Good choice. It is probably the #1 seed, just like last year :)

      Delete
    2. forgot to give my mtgo username chazden

      Delete
  3. I'm taking Boros Kitty. I love Boros Kitty.
    I am Sam aka Vaultboyhunter!
    Thanks Dan!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sam, you have the kitty purring in your corner

      Delete
  4. Sam you son of a...

    My name is Brennon, and I am claiming Delver Fiend, my online name is Cyrulean

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'd like to champion Winter Zoo, because Sam was faster than me and he picked boros kitty first! lol
    My name is Iván, and my Mtgo handle is Carnuz.
    Thanks for all the fun to come, Dan!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And you are welcome :) For anyone who loves a crazy person who can't speak English properly playing a ton of casual Pauper good times are ahead

      Delete
  6. Howdy Dan!

    I'd like to claim stompy, my name is Josh and I'm denofbears on MODO

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would like to champion GruulKitty.
    My name is Arkadiusz, and i don't have MODO acc, so i don't need Elspeth if i win :P
    (i don't suppose my deck will win, but i hope it will be in top 32, maybe top 16).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Arkadiusz, you have GruulKitty and my respect for choosing your own deck to champion!

      Delete
  8. I claim Familiars. My name is Samuel, sammy_deluxe on MTGO. Greetings!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I would like to claim Illusory Tricks. My name is Wes and my MTGO account is sewes.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello, I'd like to claim Affinity. I'm Dani (heh, almost), and DanieZiltoid on MTGO.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi, I'm Hunter, I would like to have Hexproof. I don't have an MTGO account.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sideboard looks wrong? Can we get that fixed, and then I would like to claim Dimir Teachings by VaultBoyHunter. http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/31-08-14-dimir-teachings/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NM, I see the Plains in there to enable those white cards. Still really weird. Still want to claim the deck. It was a tough call because, even though you love Trinket, I think of you as a beatdown player most of the time. :)

      Delete
    2. I do too, but people have claimed that I am a control player. I am not sure anymore. You have Dimir Teachings, Bava

      Delete
    3. Its an Obzen build. He 4-0ed a weekend daily thing with it. So I just rolled with it.

      Delete
  13. Everybody is taking the big ones. No love for rogues? :)

    I'd like to claim Pesky Clerics. My name is Roberto and my MTGO handle is rremedio1

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Roberto, you are a champion for the rogue brews and for Pesky Clerics!

      Delete
  14. My name is Marcelo Saad and I say:

    GO! GO! Five Color Green! I claim you to be the Pauper Gauntlet winner!

    Hopping to see it first place xD Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That was brave indeed! You have Five Color Green, Marcelo

      Delete
  15. I'd like to claim Love Train. I'm Steve and "choices" on mtgo. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If Love Train wins I predict a beautiful age of aquarius when the whole world will live in harmony and love for at least a couple of months :) You have Love Train, Steve

      Delete
  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  17. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  18. The first two decks that I thought weren't claimed, turned out to be claimed, so I'll take MUC if nobody has claimed it yet. I went through the list twice and didn't see it, so please forgive me if it's already taken. My name is JxC and my MTGO handle is JxC24

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Dan, I'd like to champion Izzet Control by Batutinha, although I really miss the one copy of Oona's Grace in the main ;) My name is Severin and I don't have an mtgo account, so the Elspeth is still available! :P

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With your permission, I will pass the Elspeth to the person who has the #2 deck if you win then. You have Izzet Control, Severin

      Delete
    2. I may or may not refer to you as Galactic President if I talk about the champion when I play the deck, as I like that name :)

      Delete
    3. I used to put "Emperor of the Galaxy" on my Business Cards :)

      Delete
  20. Hi Dan my name is Cliff, my MTGO is Manno, and I would like to champion Slivers.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi, my name's Chris. My MTGO name is Reversed. I'll claim the Power T version of AzoriusKitty. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reversed, you have Power_T's version of AzoriusKitty. I think that is a very good choice and it might be one of my secret favorites to win

      Delete
  22. MTGO user name: davethewave

    Please give me the ShaffaWaffa5's Azorius Kitty deck.

    ReplyDelete
  23. It appears that Power T's AzoriusKitty has already been claimed, so I'll go ahead and choose RUG Tron.

    MTGO Username: caustic81

    ReplyDelete
  24. Dumb Green Tron to win it all!

    MTGO Username: walloficecream

    ReplyDelete
  25. I want to champion UB Trinket Control. 700 matches must count for something. MTGO: Negator

    ReplyDelete
  26. I know it's a longshot, but I'll take Devil Children. User id=daleperchn, name = Jim

    ReplyDelete
  27. I normally would pick one of my own decks, but that's like trying to pick a favorite kid. So I will be relegated to picking another deck. The first MagicGatheringStrat (and first pauper) video I ever saw (I think) was you kicking butt with Burn. So on that history, I will champion the simple and elegant deck of the ages. BURN baby BURN!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I would like to champion UG Madness. May not be the best, but it was my first true competitive deck back in INV/ODY standard. CIRCULAR LOGIC!

    My name is Brennan, and I only play paper MTG ... for now...

    ReplyDelete
  29. I'll take Golgari Undead Dredge by Michael Gray. My username is RC1139.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I'd like to take Johnny Lai's brilliant UB Creatureless Control. I play paper pauper only right now, and I've been tinkering with it, and it is really powerful.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I'd like to claim Mono Red Kuldotha Tron. My name is Ged and my MTGO username is Zurgo.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hi Dan! My name is Tommy and I'd like to claim Izzet Splice and Burn if it hasn't been taken yet. I don't have an MTGO account so i won't be needing Elspeth.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I'd like to claim Deluxeicoff's Whtie Metalcraft. I'm Landon, MTGO username Landonpeanut.

    ReplyDelete
  34. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, my name is Jon and, if it's not already taken, I'd like to champion the TE deck. My MTGO handle is imvintage.

      Really wanted UB Creatureless Control or Dimir Teachings; guess I'll just have to be faster next time. : )

      Delete
    2. UB Creatureless Control and Dimir Teachings are indeed taken. By the TE deck, do you mean "Tortured Toolbox" ? You have Tortured Toolbox until you correct me

      Delete
    3. Yes, the BG Tortured Existence deck. Thanks!

      Delete
    4. It is yours. It played today!

      Delete
    5. I saw! Had me quite worried game one with than Kiln Fiend staying around so long. Phew! : )

      Delete
  35. i will take gw beatdown but i dont have a mtgo account! Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  36. I will take Exhume Control. I am TheOrangeMitten on MTGO

    ReplyDelete
  37. This is confusing, can you please clarify which decks have been claimed from the above list and which haven't? Also is the above list final or can more decks or versions of decks be added?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The decks can be modified due to the huge number of modifications due to Khans of Tarkir. The brewer need to email me AND change the web page for the deck. I don't have time to make a list of what decks that have been claimed, there is just zero time left over except for gameplay, doing the Standard Pauper Show and writing two articles a week for mtgolibrary. Sorry about that. If anyone else would like to compile such a list, feel free to do so

      Delete
  38. I would like to champion the 1 land spy deck. I hope I'm not too late.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Danny, you have 1-land spy. You are indeed a brave man!

      Delete
  39. I'd like to champion Watchrites. I'm the_piet on MTGO.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I would like to champion Croca Jund and I am bootythief on MTGO.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bootythief, you have Croca Jund. Excellent choice if it continues to run into DelverFiend. That was SOULCRUSHING!

      Delete
  41. My name is Christoph. I'd like to champion People of the Sun and I don't have an MTGO account.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I claim Green Grifters. My name is Francois and my MTGO username is Deadjack

    ReplyDelete
  43. Hi Dan, can I be the Elvish Champion? :) My name is Greg, and for some reason I picked the username _aa on MTGO.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hey Dan, is goblins still available? If so I'd like to claim it, the best way to get a hold of me is my YouTube account username: Archivold

    ReplyDelete
  45. Still unclaimed and still in after round 4 (but before the voteback). Gray Mercs and Rebel Grind, Get them while you can! Soon there will be only championed decks left

    ReplyDelete
  46. Remember to vote in the Voteback to get your deck back into action. Ends Nov 23. Here: http://mtgolibrary.blogspot.se/2014/11/the-pauper-gauntlet-voteback.html

    ReplyDelete
  47. Hi, my name is Diego and I would like to champion the Green One, not sure if it is still available but that deck looks pretty edgy and interesting. My MTGO account is L-I-Te.

    P.S. Not sure if this is a double post, I tried posting before but Im not sure if it got posted or not.

    ReplyDelete