Pauper Top Decks: Blue and Red

Time for another Pauper Top Decks update! Results from the last two weeks show that White Aggro has lost its throne. What takes its place? None other than Delver Blue. If somehow it wasn't clear by now, understand this: Delver of Secrets is for real.

Here are current most common decks:

1) Delver Blue - 14.2% (103)
2) Goblins - 13.5% (98)
3) UR Post - 12.8% (93)
4) Infect - 8.7% (63)
5) White Aggro - 8.4% (61)
6) Affinity - 5.7% (41)
7) Familiar Storm - 4.4% (32)
8) MBC - 4.0% (29)
9) Storm - 2.6% (19)
10) Stompy - 2.2% (16)

First is blue, second is red, third is blue and red. Maybe White Aggro's demotion had something to do with the lack of pyro/hydro blasts? I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but it's interesting how the #1 and #2 decks have strong sideboard options against each other.

It's also interesting to see the return of MBC and even old school monogreen Stompy.

#1 Delver Blue	count: 103
-- main -- 17.0 Island 3.8 Cloud of Faeries 4.0 Delver of Secrets 3.9 Ninja of the Deep Hours 2.3 Phantasmal Bear 4.0 Spellstutter Sprite 3.3 Brainstorm 4.0 Counterspell 2.2 Daze 3.4 Gitaxian Probe 0.9 Gush 3.4 Snap 0.3 Quicksand 1.7 Force Spike 2.0 Preordain 0.7 Deprive 0.5 Think Twice 1.0 Spire Golem	-- sideboard -- 1.0 Dispel 3.3 Echoing Truth 2.9 Hydroblast 1.3 Piracy Charm 2.2 Weatherseed Faeries 1.3 Steel Sabotage 0.7 Sea Sprite 1.0 Serrated Arrows 0.9 Stitched Drake 0.6 Curfew

I'll start with the #1 deck, Delver Blue. The decklist has settled a bit since last month. I call it Delver Blue instead of Delver Control or Blue Control because it doesn't really seem all that much like a control deck. Yes, there are four Counterspells, but what else? Two Daze... maybe a single Deprive and Force Spike. That's not a whole lot of of countermagic. There is no removal to speak of, only a set of Snaps. What it does have is a lot of cheap and efficient creatures, and quality cantrips. In fact, it seems like it plays more like an aggro deck - it just has countermagic. Some people call this type of deck "Tempo" or "Aggro Control". Whatever you call it, it's good. You start dropping threats on turn one, and by turn two you're ready to disrupt you opponent. Gitaxian Probe gives you a major advantage as you maximize your counters whether it's the sneaky Spellstutter Sprite or the simple no-you-may-not Counterspell. Ninja of the Deep Hours combines with your cheap and evasive creatures to give you extra fuel to last into the later turns.

You can find the rest of the top decks at the end of the article, but first I want to show two rouge decks I thought were cool.

Black Aggro - dErPoKaL	count: 1
-- main -- 1.0 Bojuka Bog 17.0 Swamp 4.0 Carnophage 2.0 Dauthi Slayer 4.0 Fledgling Djinn 2.0 Guul Draz Vampire 2.0 Liliana's Specter 4.0 Ravenous Rats 4.0 Vampire Lacerator 4.0 Vault Skirge 4.0 Bonesplitter 4.0 Dark Ritual 4.0 Disfigure 2.0 Sign in Blood 2.0 Victim of Night	-- sideboard -- 3.0 Diabolic Edict 4.0 Duress 3.0 Echoing Decay 2.0 Mesmeric Fiend 3.0 Order of the Ebon Hand

This deck is fast.

WB Tortured Existence - E. Hustle/Matt192837	count: 2
-- main -- 3.0 Orzhov Basilica 6.0 Plains 11.0 Swamp 3.0 Terramorphic Expanse 3.0 Auramancer 4.0 Fume Spitter 2.0 Golgari Brownscale 2.0 Grave Scrabbler 4.0 Lone Missionary 2.0 Perilous Myr 4.0 Squadron Hawk 4.0 Stinkweed Imp 1.0 Undertaker 2.0 Vampire Hounds 4.0 Dead Weight 1.0 Journey to Nowhere 1.0 Last Rites 4.0 Tortured Existence 2.0 Unearth	-- sideboard -- 2.0 Augur of Skulls 4.0 Echoing Decay 1.0 Raven's Crime 2.0 Seal of Cleansing 1.0 Sicken 2.0 Snuff Out

And here's a build I've never seen before. White/Black Tortured Existence.

Build some decks based on these! Learn the power of Aggro Control or the subtleties of Tortured Existence. Or maybe brew up something unique and I'll be talking about your custom creation next month.

---

#1 Delver Blue	count: 103
-- main -- 17.0 Island 3.8 Cloud of Faeries 4.0 Delver of Secrets 3.9 Ninja of the Deep Hours 2.3 Phantasmal Bear 4.0 Spellstutter Sprite 3.3 Brainstorm 4.0 Counterspell 2.2 Daze 3.4 Gitaxian Probe 0.9 Gush 3.4 Snap 0.3 Quicksand 1.7 Force Spike 2.0 Preordain 0.7 Deprive 0.5 Think Twice 1.0 Spire Golem	-- sideboard -- 1.0 Dispel 3.3 Echoing Truth 2.9 Hydroblast 1.3 Piracy Charm 2.2 Weatherseed Faeries 1.3 Steel Sabotage 0.7 Sea Sprite 1.0 Serrated Arrows 0.9 Stitched Drake 0.6 Curfew

#2 Goblins	count: 98
-- main -- 16.9 Mountain 1.2 Goblin Arsonist 4.0 Goblin Bushwhacker 4.0 Goblin Cohort 4.0 Goblin Sledder 3.9 Mogg Conscripts 2.3 Mogg Flunkies 3.9 Mogg Raider 4.0 Mogg War Marshal 3.1 Chain Lightning 2.5 Death Spark 0.6 Fireblast 4.0 Lightning Bolt 0.5 Jackal Familiar 0.5 Teetering Peaks 0.3 Bloodfire Dwarf 1.2 Goblin Matron	-- sideboard -- 1.4 Flaring Pain 3.2 Pyroblast 1.7 Smash to Smithereens 3.6 Sparksmith 1.8 Sylvok Lifestaff 1.7 Seismic Shudder 1.8 Gorilla Shaman 0.3 Flame Jab 1.3 Martyr of Ashes 0.3 Flame Slash

#3 UR Post

count: 93

-- main -- 4.0 Cloudpost 4.0 Glimmerpost 7.5 Island 5.5 Mountain 1.5 Terramorphic Expanse 3.4 Mulldrifter 1.3 Ulamog's Crusher 1.2 Capsize 2.6 Compulsive Research 0.6 Counterspell 0.8 Deep Analysis 0.4 Echoing Truth 0.8 Expedition Map 1.4 Firebolt 3.6 Flame Slash 1.1 Lightning Bolt 1.4 Mana Leak 3.3 Preordain 1.0 Prohibit 3.6 Prophetic Prism 1.1 Rolling Thunder 0.4 Izzet Boilerworks 0.4 Mnemonic Wall 2.1 Condescend 0.5 Evolving Wilds 0.4 Electrostatic Bolt 0.4 Mysteries of the Deep 1.1 Mystical Teachings 1.3 Serrated Arrows 0.4 Steamcore Weird 0.4 Staggershock 0.8 Sea Gate Oracle 0.4 Burst Lightning 0.4 Forbidden Alchemy

-- sideboard -- 1.1 Ancient Grudge 2.3 Hydroblast 3.3 Pyroblast 2.1 Stone Rain 0.6 Wall of Tanglecord 0.6 Negate 1.4 Seismic Shudder 0.3 Dispel 1.4 Earth Rift 0.5 Gorilla Shaman 0.5 Shattering Pulse

#4 Infect	count: 63
-- main -- 16.6 Forest 1.1 Tranquil Thicket 4.0 Blight Mamba 1.6 Cystbearer 4.0 Glistener Elf 4.0 Ichorclaw Myr 2.4 Apostle's Blessing 2.7 Gitaxian Probe 3.2 Groundswell 4.0 Invigorate 1.3 Lotus Petal 3.1 Mutagenic Growth 4.0 Rancor 3.9 Vines of Vastwood 0.7 Ranger's Guile 1.6 Rot Wolf 1.1 Seal of Strength 0.5 Llanowar Augur 0.3 Teetering Peaks 0.3 Land Grant	-- sideboard -- 1.1 Corpse Cur 1.4 Fog 2.9 Hornet Sting 2.8 Nature's Claim 2.3 Predator's Strike 0.5 Viridian Longbow 0.6 Shinen of Life's Roar 1.2 Sandstorm

#5 White Aggro	count: 61
-- main -- 20.7 Plains 3.0 Benevolent Bodyguard 2.8 Guardian of the Guildpact 3.8 Icatian Javelineers 2.4 Kor Sanctifiers 4.0 Kor Skyfisher 3.9 Razor Golem 4.0 Squadron Hawk 2.5 Standard Bearer 3.6 Suture Priest 3.8 Bonesplitter 2.7 Journey to Nowhere 2.2 Prismatic Strands 2.6 Unmake 0.7 Leonin Skyhunter 0.8 Lone Missionary 0.2 Aven Riftwatcher 0.4 Shade of Trokair	-- sideboard -- 1.2 Benevolent Unicorn 2.4 Crimson Acolyte 1.5 Dust to Dust 2.7 Holy Light 1.2 Obsidian Acolyte 0.2 Order of Leitbur

#6 Affinity

count: 47

-- main -- 1.4 Darksteel Citadel 4.0 Great Furnace 4.0 Seat of the Synod 4.0 Tree of Tales 3.3 Vault of Whispers 3.8 Atog 3.9 Carapace Forger 3.2 Disciple of the Vault 4.0 Frogmite 4.0 Myr Enforcer 1.1 Somber Hoverguard 4.0 Chromatic Star 1.2 Fling 4.0 Galvanic Blast 1.8 Prophetic Prism 0.5 Rush of Knowledge 3.6 Springleaf Drum 4.0 Thoughtcast 1.2 Chromatic Sphere 0.8 Scale of Chiss-Goria 0.2 Flight Spellbomb 0.3 Terrarion 1.1 Ancient Den 0.5 Auriok Sunchaser

-- sideboard -- 1.3 Duress 1.1 Gorilla Shaman 2.0 Hydroblast 3.2 Krark-Clan Shaman 0.8 Scar 0.8 Diabolic Edict 1.6 Pyroblast 1.3 Ancient Grudge 0.3 Perilous Myr 0.3 Circle of Protection: Red 0.7 Standard Bearer

#7 Familiar Storm

count: 32

-- main -- 2.9 Azorius Chancery 2.9 Dimir Aqueduct 1.9 Evolving Wilds 6.6 Island 2.0 Plains 1.9 Swamp 3.1 Terramorphic Expanse 4.0 Cloud of Faeries 1.0 Mnemonic Wall 3.2 Mulldrifter 4.0 Nightscape Familiar 2.6 Sea Gate Oracle 4.0 Sunscape Familiar 4.0 Compulsive Research 3.1 Deep Analysis 1.5 Foresee 0.5 Scarscale Ritual 4.0 Snap 2.8 Springleaf Drum 3.1 Temporal Fissure 0.2 Accumulated Knowledge 0.4 Preordain

-- sideboard -- 0.3 Benevolent Unicorn 2.8 Echoing Decay 1.2 Hydroblast 2.8 Lone Missionary 1.9 Prismatic Strands 2.8 Snuff Out 1.9 Duress 0.3 Aven Riftwatcher 0.2 Standard Bearer 0.2 Galina's Knight 0.2 Steel of the Godhead

#8 MBC	count: 29
-- main -- 2.7 Barren Moor 18.9 Swamp 1.0 Augur of Skulls 3.9 Chittering Rats 1.3 Okiba-Gang Shinobi 4.0 Phyrexian Rager 4.0 Ravenous Rats 2.6 Corrupt 1.1 Dead Weight 3.7 Geth's Verdict 4.0 Sign in Blood 2.7 Tendrils of Corruption 2.0 Unearth 1.1 Victim of Night 0.9 Polluted Mire 0.9 Funeral Charm 1.4 Grasp of Darkness 0.6 Spinning Darkness 1.5 Crypt Rats 1.2 Liliana's Specter 0.3 Fume Spitter	-- sideboard -- 1.7 Choking Sands 3.7 Duress 2.4 Echoing Decay 0.9 Rancid Earth 1.3 Serrated Arrows 0.4 Shrivel 0.5 Diabolic Edict 1.4 Wrench Mind 0.2 Dross Golem 0.3 Icequake 0.4 Relic of Progenitus 0.7 Disfigure 0.2 Snuff Out 0.3 Vendetta 0.2 Grim Harvest

#9 Storm	count: 19
-- main -- 2.7 Ancient Spring 3.2 Geothermal Crevice 2.3 Irrigation Ditch 4.0 Sulfur Vent 2.1 Goblin Bushwhacker 3.2 Cabal Ritual 2.6 Chromatic Sphere 2.5 Chromatic Star 1.0 Compulsive Research 4.0 Dark Ritual 3.1 Duress 3.9 Empty the Warrens 3.1 Gitaxian Probe 4.0 Grapeshot 3.2 Ideas Unbound 4.0 Lotus Petal 4.0 Manamorphose 3.2 Ponder 4.0 Rite of Flame 2.4 Sign in Blood 0.3 Seething Song	-- sideboard -- 2.1 Deep Analysis 2.2 Echoing Truth 2.5 Flaring Pain 1.5 Izzet Boilerworks 1.9 Pyroblast 0.9 Spark Spray 0.4 Echoing Decay 0.3 Shred Memory 0.3 Preordain

#10 Stompy	count: 16
-- main -- 17.0 Forest 3.9 Basking Rootwalla 4.0 Nettle Sentinel 3.9 Quirion Ranger 3.0 Shinen of Life's Roar 4.0 Silhana Ledgewalker 4.0 Skarrgan Pit-Skulk 2.9 Wild Mongrel 2.0 Bonesplitter 4.0 Gather Courage 4.0 Groundswell 4.0 Rancor 3.7 Vines of Vastwood 0.4 Rogue Elephant	-- sideboard -- 1.9 Hidden Spider 3.6 Hornet Sting 0.4 Matsu-Tribe Sniper 0.6 Naturalize 2.2 Fog 0.4 Relic of Progenitus 2.4 Sandstorm 1.5 Shield of the Oversoul 0.9 Thermokarst 0.2 Spore Frog

---

Most used cards overall (excludes basic land):
1) Hydroblast (914)
2) Pyroblast (882)
3) Preordain (785)
4) Gitaxian Probe (712)
5) Counterspell (702)
6) Mulldrifter (689)
7) Glimmerpost (632)
8) Cloudpost (632)
9) Prophetic Prism (584)
10) Lightning Bolt (542)
11) Echoing Truth (540)
12) Goblin Bushwhacker (534)
13) Cloud of Faeries (528)
14) Delver of Secrets (486)
15) Snap (475)
16) Serrated Arrows (467)
17) Flame Slash (455)
18) Compulsive Research (435)
19) Ninja of the Deep Hours (421)
20) Spellstutter Sprite (420)
21) Duress (412)
22) Mogg Raider (411)
23) Brainstorm (408)
24) Goblin Sledder (398)
25) Goblin Cohort (392)
26) Mogg War Marshal (391)
27) Mogg Conscripts (386)
28) Dispel (353)
29) Sparksmith (349)
30) Terramorphic Expanse (348)
31) Seismic Shudder (336)
32) Rancor (333)
33) Condescend (332)
34) Chain Lightning (326)
35) Vines of Vastwood (323)
36) Deep Analysis (323)
37) Gorilla Shaman (318)
38) Chromatic Star (307)
39) Sea Gate Oracle (304)
40) Groundswell (284)
41) Bonesplitter (283)
42) Lotus Petal (283)
43) Springleaf Drum (280)
44) Echoing Decay (271)
45) Glistener Elf (264)
46) Invigorate (264)
47) Ichorclaw Myr (260)
48) Blight Mamba (260)
49) Weatherseed Faeries (257)
50) Squadron Hawk (252)