“It’s like normal commander if you removed all of the problems with the format”
Art:Seal of the Guildpact
by Franz Vohwinkel
Table of Contents
Our Pauper EDH Story:
It all started in July of this year when I was scrolling through Reddit and got suggested the Pauper EDH subreddit. I took a look and read through the format rules and was pretty excited and hyped about it. I reached out to the TNT team and showed them to it, it was during that discussion we decided that Pauper EDH would go into the weekly article rotation. After building and testing two decks we decided as a group that our weekly playgroup meeting would feature at least half the games as Pauper EDH. From there it only got worse! Nearly every game became PDH, we have friends in our group in various financial situations so Pauper EDH allowed everyone to come together at the table and have fun with us. Needless to say, we were hooked and have been hooked. This format is so much fun to build and play and has been life-changing for both my love and perspective on playing magic.
What is Pauper EDH?
Pauper EDH is a 100-card format that only allows an uncommon in the command zone, and 99 commons make up the deck. The same rules of color identity apply as in traditional commander. There is a very limited ban list that you can find below!
Why Should I Play Pauper EDH?
Pauper EDH helps to address many problems that currently exist within EDH. Those main three, in my opinion, are accessibility, too many broken decks, and lack of variety in strategies. Because of the high power and optimization of a lot of EDH as well as general power-creep EDH has become a format that is tuned highly efficient and fast, while some players love this many feel pushed out by this so for me and many other that is where Pauper EDH comes in. Pauper EDH also has an extremely low cost of entry, with some decks costing only five dollars. A variety of strategies comes from so many different options for commanders; while the typical archetypes are still an option, there is a ton of room for interesting and new ideas focusing on deck styles and creature types.
Format Rules:
Pauper EDH can be played as a multiplayer game, typically designed for 3-4, and the rules are as follows:
30 Starting Life
16 Commander Damage
One Free Mulligan
The player going first does draw a card on their first turn.
There is a separate rule set for two-player Pauper EDH, and those rules are as follows:
25 Starting Life
21 Commander Damage
No Free Mulligan
The player going first does not draw a card on their first turn.
Banlist:
The banlist for multiplayer is short and sweet and only has:
All cards that Wizards has removed from constructed formats (full list here)
All cards with the Conspiracy card type (full list here)
There is also a banlist for two-player Pauper EDH, and only has:
All cards that Wizards has removed from constructed formats (full list here)
All cards with the Conspiracy card type (full list here)
Source for Banlist Information: (PDHhomebase.com)
How Do I Get Started?
It’s super easy to get started. Whether you search through some of your bulk cards and find a ton of uncommons / commons or watch content on Pauper EDH it’s very easy to get started. Just like commander, the main way to get started is to find a deck and a commander you would like to do. Many of the resources to find Pauper EDH decks are linked throughout this article. Finding a playgroup can be easy as well, whether playing over sites like Discord or any video-sharing platform or going to your local playgroup or LGS and suggesting people start playing, it has a very low cost to get going and is so much fun!
5 Non-Legendary Starter Decks For Pauper EDH:
One of my favorite parts of Pauper EDH is the freedom in deck-building, allowing you to use any uncommon creature as your commander. This freedom allows you to build so many cool decks! Ever seen an uncommon that had the abilities of a legendary? Now, you can have them at the helm of a deck. Below are five decks that all feature non-legendary commanders.
Deck #1: Sprite Dragon Spellslingers
Sprite Dragon is an awesome commander who loves it when spells are cast, and we love it too! This deck is a fun spell slinger-style deck whose main payoff lies in the command zone and knocking our opponents off one by one with commander damage. Since this deck is Izzet, there is a bunch of opportunity for unblockable commanders and controlling combat, especially those who can block. This deck is perfect for any player who loves to feel like a wizard, cast, and keep on casting!
Main Features of the Deck: Spellslinging, Card Draw, Stack Interaction, Attacking with your commander
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Sprite Dragon Spellslinging!
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Deck #2: Silver-Fur Master Ninjitsu
Silver-Fur Master is a very cool commander who supports and buffs up two cool creature types in Rogues and Ninjas. Both are a ton of fun, especially when utilizing the ninjutsu abilities. This deck has a lot of control elements but is a combat deck that wants to attack as early and often as possible while gaining a ton of card advantage and controlling the board and stack through many of the Dimir offerings.
Main features of the deck: Combat tricks, chipping in with damage nearly every turn, a ton of counterspells, and removal
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Silver-Fur Master Ninjitsu!
Buy this deck using our TCGPlayer Affiliate Link: Silver-Fur Master Ninjitsu
Deck #3: Marchesa’s Smuggler Big Boy Stompy
Marchesa’s Smuggler is a very small and aggressive commander who has an absolutely insane ability. Making a creature hasty and unblockable for only three mana can get crazy, especially in the late game. While we are not playing green, we are still a stompy deck, so mana production is key for us, and we have a lot of spells, creature, and artifact-based ramps to help us cast our huge permanents early. Combine all that with a control shell that comes with being in Izzet, and you have a recipe for fun, at least for us.
Main features of the deck: Attacking with huge creatures, controlling the board the counterspells and some removal, unblockable guaranteed combat damage
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Marchesa's Smuggler Big Boy Stompy!
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Buy this deck using our TCGPlayer Affiliate Link: Marchesa’s Smuggler Big Boy Stompy
Deck #4: Skemfar Shadowsage Vampires
Skemfar Shadowmage is an awesome card that can be an absolute powerhouse if it comes down in the mid-late game. Skemfar also allows us to be positioned well against aggressive strategies since we can also gain a ton of life off of it. We are a vampire deck through and through, and there are a ton of strong vampires within mono-black; many of them are naturally evasive, which can help us chip in damage before going in for a big hit with Skemfar Shadowmage. This deck is cool, and I think will be loved by anyone who plays vampires in other formats or loves the playstyle and feelings of mono-black.
Main Features of the Deck: Ton of vampire synergies, Recursion, ton of removal for threats on the board
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Skemfar Shadowsage Vampires!
Buy this deck using our TCGPlayer Affiliate Link: Skemfar Shadowsage Vampires
Deck #5: Ramosian Captain Rebels
Rebels are one of magic’s oldest creature types, and my old playgroup used to joke that they had a deck in nearly every format, and I must say they were right! I like this deck a ton. Being able to grab specific rebels at whim can be very strong. In addition to that, we are a total white weenie-style strategy focusing on filling the board and putting as many buffs on them as we can. We have a mini-voltron package since some of the rebels thrive when equipped. I love this deck as it feels like classic mono-white and classic magic.
Main Features of the Deck: Ton of rebel Synergy, easy to pull specific creatures out of the deck, ton of big swing buffs for our creatures
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Ramosian Captain Rebels!
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Buy this deck using our TCGPlayer Affiliate Link: Ramosian Captain Rebels
5 Legendary Starter Decks For Pauper EDH:
Non-legendary commanders are awesome and one of my favorite parts of Pauper EDH, but let’s not forget there are a ton of awesome traditional legendary creatures at uncommon to lead your deck. Below are five decks that use legendary commanders.
Deck #1: Tatyova, Benthic Druid Landfall Ramp
This is one that is pretty similar to EDH where Tatyova is extremely strong and just an absolute bomb of a commander, this card is crazy strong and is a card advantage machine. While this version is certainly not as strong as the EDH version it is an absolute blast and great for any land lover that you know. This deck is full in on control and controlling the board.
Main features of the deck: Ton of ramp, cast big late game creatures early, control the board through counterspells
I have done a full article/primer and you can find that here: Tatyova, Benthic Druid Simic Landfall Ramp Pauper EDH
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Tatyova, Benthic Druid Landfall Ramp!
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Buy this deck using our TCGPlayer Affiliate Link: Tatyova, Benthic Druid Landfall Ramp
Deck #2: Jalira, Master Polymorphist Eldrazi Polymorphs
Our deck aims to get the smallest and most disposable creature out there early so when Jalira comes out. We can polymorph into a huge bomb. If you thought cards like Ulamog's Crusher
, imagine how good they are three to four turns early. Since we don’t have an early board presence, we have a ton of countermagic and a bunch of spot removal for creatures/commanders of our opponents.
Main features of the deck: Not a strong board presence early, attacking and ending games with often only one creature, tons of countermagic
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Jalira, Master Polymorphist Polymorphs!
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Deck #3: Cadira, Caller of the Small Tokens
Cadira is an awesome commander who focuses on dealing damage with her and making an army of rabbits to swing out against our opponents. We don’t have a strong creature presence in the early game but by the mid-game we are token’d up and ready to make more and prepare for the big swing. Selenya is a fun color combination, and I greatly enjoy this deck. You’ve never lived until you’ve attacked with 45 rabbits while staring at a friend in your playgroup!
Main features of the deck: Token production, huge board presence, not really caring what opponents are doing
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Cadira, Caller of the Small Tokens!
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Deck #4: Iraxxa, Empress of Mars Suspend
Iraxxa is a sweet alien who focuses on things like suspending and casting things from outside our hands, our reward for that is some more sweet aliens. While we have some strong attackers within the deck, the created aliens are great attackers and blockers for the deck and can easily overwhelm our opponents. This deck is fun and features a ton of the chaos you would expect from Mono-Red. Whether you are a doctor who fan or not this deck is a blast.
Main features of the deck: Ton of token production from our commander, decent amount of direct damage effects, draw a ton of cards and cast a ton of spells
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Iraxxa, Empress of Mars Suspend!
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Deck #5: Narfi, Betrayer King Zombies
Narfi is an awesome commander who cares about snow and zombies and buffs both of them, and good for us is that we have both of those! Narfi is just a powerhouse of a commander who makes our deck better, and with all of the support that zombies have, it’s just icing on the cake because zombies are quite strong. This deck is a lot of fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially enjoy the more control elements.
Main features of the deck: Tons of zombie synergy, tons of snow payoffs, decent amount of control/removal elements
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Narfi, Betrayer King Zombies!
5 Budget Starter Decks For Pauper EDH:
Pauper EDH is quite budget as it is so budget decks in PDH may look very similar but typically don’t include some of the more expensive commons that are older. Below are five decks ranging from 7 – 24 dollars
Deck #1: Destiny Spinner Auras
Mono-green naturally lends itself to being on the budget side; this deck is no exception. Destiny Spinner is a cheap and easy-to-cast commander who can give control and other counterspell-heavy strategies a tough time as we buff up our creatures and swing for the fences. This deck is as mono-green as they come and beautifully budget coming in at $15.43, according to Moxfield.com. This deck is a perfect intro to the format and won’t hurt your wallet to check it out!
Main Features of the Deck: Stompy creature-based deck, similar to Voltron strategies, we heavily buff one creature, removal that focuses on flyers
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Destiny Spinner Auras!
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Deck #2: Thrakkus the Butcher Dragons
Thrakkus is a commander who is perfect for dragons and can make even the smallest and weakest into formidable attackers. Dragons are one of magic and general fantasies’ oldest creature types, and man, and they are just a ton of fun! This deck focuses on ramping and playing out some of our early-game creatures to curve into Thrakkus as quickly as possible, and then from there, we are on the stompy game plan. This deck is perfect for a new player or even to get someone interested in Pauper EDH or magic at large. This deck also runs very cheaply at $14.30, according to Moxfield.com
Main features of the deck: Dragons, Stompy gameplay elements, a lot of establishing your own board and not caring what opponents are doing
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Thrakkus the Butcher Dragons!
Deck #3: Sardian Cliffstomper Voltron
Sardian Cliffstomper is a commander with a very cool ability that only has two other decks on Moxfield, which is quite surprising to me since Sardian Cliffstomper lends itself perfectly to the Voltron playstyle. This deck has the true feeling of a mono-red deck as it is pretty quick and aggressive and is perfect against a table of mid-range or late-game style decks since we can take an early advantage. This deck is a little high up on the budget chain, coming in at $22.91 according to Moxfield.com, which is a decent amount for Pauper EDH, which I think speaks to the accessibility and affordability of the format.
Main features of the deck: Glass-Cannon, Aggressive in the early game, quick one-shot kills often
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Sardian Cliffstomper Voltron!
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Deck #4: Kwende, Pride of Femeref First Strike
Kwende is an awesome card that allows us to turn our strong in-combat first-strike creatures into potent attackers and blockers! This deck, of course, comes with the same strengths and weaknesses that come with being in Mono-White, but it is still a ton of fun and great for a player who enjoys the mechanics and playstyle of white. This deck is the cheapest we have done here so far, with a price tag of only $7.80, according to Moxfield.com, and for that 7.80, you get a very powerful and fun deck to pilot.
Main features of the deck: Combat Shenanigans, easy to deal huge damage to opponents, tons of removal protection
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Kwende, Pride of Femeref First Strike!
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Deck #5: Murmuring Mystic Spellslinger Control
Murmuring Mystic is a classic mono-blue control deck that uses its commander as the main form of creature production. We control the board with all our spells and swing out with an army of birds! This deck is a little bit higher on the budget scale, coming in at $23.67, according to Moxfield. I have loved this deck for a long time and have had a ton of fun with it in my playgroup.
Main Features of the Deck: Control the board and stack, long grindy games, very little creature presence beyond our bird tokens
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Murmuring Mystic Spellslingers!
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Format Resources:
Official Site for Pauper EDH rules and format information: PDHhomebase.com
PDHREC awesome aggregate data resource for the format: PDHREC
Sites that support Pauper EDH deckbuilding: Moxfield, Archidekt, and Tapped Out
Official Format Social Media:
Quotes About Pauper EDH From Its Players:
Big shoutout to Paul from the Pauper EDH RC for sharing these quotes with me
These quotes are great showcases of the format and something I think is important to share:
“Among people learning about PDH, a common realization goes something like, “PDH does the ‘Spirit of Commander’ better than the vanilla format.” Similarly, many people say it reminds them of very old-school EDH for similar reasons. Because PDH lacks fast mana rocks, mass land destruction, stax locks, and board wipes that hit multiple permanent types, it creates a more inclusive environment where everyone is much more likely to be able to participate in the game and “do the thing”.“
“I’m an engineer, so I am looking for tools that solve problems that real people encounter. PDH is unique in the realm of new Magic formats because it directly addresses problems players constantly struggle with, such as deck variety, power level mismatches, and frustration with the Commander arms race mentality (which boils down to budget and accessibility).“
“Like many players, I had Commander as the only format that I played at one point, and I wanted contradictory things from it because of that. Once I was satisfying my desires for budget brewing and more-balanced play through Pauper Commander, I was able to better enjoy high-power Commander games more, reveling in their inherent brokenness.“
Pauper EDH Content Creators To Check Out:
I consume a ton of Pauper EDH content, whether building myself or just relaxing. The space has so many awesome content creators that I want to highlight and shout out! Whether you know every name on this list or are just getting into PDH, these are great places to start:
Note for content creators: If you are a Pauper EDH creator and I have forgotten to add you, please let me know, and I will update this list!
Conclusion:
Pauper EDH is an awesome format that has helped reinvigorate my love for the commander format. Change can be good, and while I still play EDH regularly, Pauper EDH has taken over my playgroup as a fairer, balanced, and overall fun experience. I love that decks can be strong without completely dominating the table, but my favorite part of PDH is cost. The worst feeling as a commander player is not being able to buy or get a hold of the higher-value cards that strengthen decks. With PDH, the barrier to entry is low, and anyone can easily access the format. This level of accessibility is awesome and a highlight point of the format for me. Pauper EDH has been life-changing for me, whether it’s the community I’ve met, the games I’ve shared with friends, and the content I make. Pauper EDH has been very influential in my life, and I’ve loved every minute of it. Thank you for reading to the end.