I love me some Pauper Magic (ie commons only). It takes the excessive expensive out of the game, and provides a real mental challenge on how to break the format.

There's a few basic arch-types, generally around what works in the extended format; affinity, ninja-control, zoo, burn and UG fish. I'm trying a different approach, based on the success of the Martyr of Sands deck in extended I saw floating around.

Trying to recur Martyr of Sands in pauper is a lot tougher in extended, in which there are many and various ways to do it - especially when you're trying to remain mono white. Eventually this is the deck I settled on:

20 Plains
4 Secluded Steppe

4 Martyr of Sands
4 Leonin Squire
4 Auramancer
4 Sanctum Gargoyle

4 Oblivion Ring
4 Empyrial Armor
4 Angelic Renewal

4 Sunbeam Spellbomb

4 Unmake

The concept is pretty simple; draw off secluded steppe and sunbeam spellbomb / Leonin Squire, get to seven cards in hand and three mana, recur Martyr of Sands through Angelic Renewal / Auramancer, defend with recurable Sanctum Gargoyles, and eventually smash face with Empyrial Armor.

Most things work with the recursion engine, and the unmakes and o-rings provide a tonne of removal for most threats.

I've only just started testing it out. The trickiest part I've found is when exactly to start saccing the Martyr, especially against red burn. Timing, as usual, is everything.

Labels: magic, martyr of sands, mtgo, pauper