Introduction
This deck is part of the Pauper Decks, which are made from only common cards. The great thing about Pauper is the majority of the cards are cheap to buy, and are still strong as there are quite a lot of good common cards over Magic's history.
Key Strategy
This Elves deck revolves around swarming the battlefield with cheap, synergistic creatures to overwhelm your opponent with both quantity and quality. The key is to generate massive amounts of mana with creatures like Priest of Titania and Birchlore Rangers, then either refuel your hand with draw spells or use pump effects to turn your small creatures into massive threats.
Core Synergies and Play Patterns:
Mana Generation:
The heart of the deck lies in its ability to produce an overwhelming amount of mana early on. Priest of Titania and Birchlore Rangers are central to this strategy. With Priest of Titania on the field, each Elf you play increases your mana pool exponentially, allowing you to cast multiple spells in a single turn. Quirion Ranger plays a crucial role in untapping Priest of Titania or another mana dork to squeeze out even more mana from your board.
Going Wide:
The deck excels at flooding the board with Elves, quickly creating an army that can overrun opponents. Cards like Lys Alana Huntmaster create additional Elf tokens whenever you cast an Elf spell, ensuring that your battlefield presence grows rapidly. Nettle Sentinel synergizes well with cards like Birchlore Rangers and Jaspera Sentinel, allowing you to untap it repeatedly for free mana or additional attacks.
Card Draw and Refueling:
To keep the pressure on, you’ll need to refuel your hand after deploying your early Elves. Distant Melody and Lead the Stampede are your primary tools for this. Distant Melody can potentially draw you a full hand of cards, especially when you have a large number of Elves in play. Lead the Stampede digs deep into your deck to find more Elves, ensuring you never run out of threats.
Buffing and Finishing:
The deck’s finishing power comes from Timberwatch Elf and Elvish Vanguard. Timberwatch Elf can pump one of your creatures to enormous sizes, allowing for a devastating swing. Elvish Vanguard grows with every Elf that enters the battlefield, becoming a massive threat that can single-handedly close out games.
Utility and Protection:
The deck includes several utility pieces to handle different scenarios. Masked Vandal provides an answer to troublesome artifacts or enchantments, while Vineshaper Prodigy offers additional value and potentially more card draw. Jaspera Sentinel and Birchlore Rangers can provide mana fixing, allowing you to cast off-color spells like Distant Melody.
Gameplay Strategy:
In the early game, focus on establishing a strong mana base with Priest of Titania, Birchlore Rangers, and other mana dorks. Use Quirion Ranger to maximize the mana you can generate, and quickly flood the board with Elves. As your board grows, play Lys Alana Huntmaster to ensure you are generating additional value with each Elf spell you cast.
Once you have a significant board presence, look to refill your hand with Distant Melody or Lead the Stampede to maintain momentum. Timberwatch Elf should be used to pump your creatures during combat, allowing you to deal massive damage in a single turn. Meanwhile, Elvish Vanguard will continue to grow and can become a major threat your opponent must deal with.
Be mindful of your mana and sequencing to ensure you are getting the most out of your synergies. Always keep an eye on when to go for the win; with a full board and a well-timed Timberwatch Elf activation, you can often end the game in a single explosive turn.
This deck thrives on synergy and the ability to adapt to different game states, making it a formidable choice for players who enjoy building overwhelming board states and outmaneuvering their opponents through sheer numbers and clever play.
Key Cards
Cards to look for in the opening hand