I’d be very interested to see a video about the motivations behind how the deck has changed over the last 6 months, looking at the current deck list now and seeing some key differences
Hey Lockfin! I can summarize it as such: - continually lowering the curve - continued focus on evasion - more top end card advantage - more interaction (2 counterspells, 14 removal, 3 sweepers) - down on mass edicts (they're aren't as generally efficacious as they used to be) - core concepts remain intact! One final change I'll elaborate on, is that there was a Ship of Theseus problem, wherein the deck has changed so much from its old big, slightly clunkier midrange form, and the mana rocks where a holdover from then, where Risla was really core to the strat. This isn't the case anymore, she's important, but it's not a rush to get her down. The rocks have all come out in exchange for Familiars, which have overperformed for me, because that one becomes a 6/1 regenerating monster in combat and the other well, flies. The problem came up when I realized that I was low on mana sources (35) so I've bumped that up to 37 with the new 1 mana cyclers to fix my mana, tutor for Cottage and just have a good refill spell + a good threat. List feels great right now 💖 Current list: www.moxfield.com/decks/2fErwWlBBES7OkVgfSWhIQ Catch you on the battlefield! Papa
Great video series! Pulled me into PDH from pauper. Would fall from favor (3 CMC blue pacifism that grants the monarch) be a fit in the deck? Removal that synergizes with the initiative/monarch theme
Hey Maarten! Fall From Favor is an option in the deck, however while we've returned to playing the Monarch thru creatures, we've shifted towards ensuring that we have a sufficient quantity of instant speed removal, which is mostly there for combo. Furthermore, because were a deck that attacks a lot, Fall from Favor may not reliably ensure that our opponents creature remains tapped, so it may not act as the kill spell we'd hoped for.
Curious, is there a reason you aren't playing mana rocks to speed up the ability to drop Rilsa? Lotus petal and dark ritual can get her down as fast as turn 2
Hey Scott! Great question! The quick and dirty is that mana rocks compete with our heavy creature curve, forcing us to choose between ramping and deploying our threats. If we ramp into Rilsa then we don't have a robust board with which to control the Initiative, which I've learned through experience is bad news - you want to have a robust board presence when you deploy the initiative. Over time this deck has evolved away from a Big Dimir Control deck into a proactive Midrange deck and with that went the rocks. Dark Ritual has a home in Passageway Seer because it enables T2 Iniative, which is SO early that doing so will likely mean hold it for the foreseeable future. T3 with Rilsa is not good enough and Lotus Petal + Dark Ritual is what is way too big a high roll for me - I want consistency.
@@CommonConnoisseurs Hi there - love the concept! I'm currently trying to build a commons-only Rilsa list for regular EDH tables and learning a lot from your content. I had the same thoughts as you regarding rocks and decided to play "creature ramp" to take advantage of the forge whilst still ramping. E.g., Leaden/ Silver Myr, Zhentarim Bandit, Hoard Robber etc. I've seen a lot of people running Sky Diamonds and stuff, which led me to thinking: if you're willing to play a tapped rock, surely a mana rock that's also a creature is even better in this context. Is this an avenue you've explored, and if so, what are your thoughts? I know you already run the familiars, but is there a case to be made for more? Thanks for the content - keep it up!
Hey there! I discovered that instead of running mana rocks, I preferred to just play more lands. I want to play a ton of creatures early whilst holding up interaction, and then when Rilsa arrives, I have a board to operate with. Early game, I don't want to have my curve disrupted by mana rocks, I want to run out creatures that can immediately begin attacking. Glad you're enjoying the content ☺️ great questions! Also make sure to follow the list, there's a few changes going down! Blood Seeker, Astrolabe, Gaze of Pain.... Spicy stuff and more to come with Thunder Junction! www.moxfield.com/decks/2fErwWlBBES7OkVgfSWhIQ Also... If I played Commander, I'd run every Venture and Initiative card I possibly could, cause that is super fun for me. Escape from the Catacombs?! Sign me UP! Cheers mate! 😉
Oh and one other thing: creatures that ramp interact poorly with our own sweepers, which are an important tool when maximizing the Initiative and Monarch. We don't want to put ourselves behind on mana if we need to blow the board up for 2 on Crypt Rats or Pestilence.
Awesome series. I’m kind of a loner in my area with pdh, so it’s hard to learn cards and strategies. Please keep it up!
Rubkula, you're a gem - thank you for your kind feedback, and keep spreading the good PDH word!
Papa
I’d be very interested to see a video about the motivations behind how the deck has changed over the last 6 months, looking at the current deck list now and seeing some key differences
Hey Lockfin!
I can summarize it as such:
- continually lowering the curve
- continued focus on evasion
- more top end card advantage
- more interaction (2 counterspells, 14 removal, 3 sweepers)
- down on mass edicts (they're aren't as generally efficacious as they used to be)
- core concepts remain intact!
One final change I'll elaborate on, is that there was a Ship of Theseus problem, wherein the deck has changed so much from its old big, slightly clunkier midrange form, and the mana rocks where a holdover from then, where Risla was really core to the strat. This isn't the case anymore, she's important, but it's not a rush to get her down. The rocks have all come out in exchange for Familiars, which have overperformed for me, because that one becomes a 6/1 regenerating monster in combat and the other well, flies.
The problem came up when I realized that I was low on mana sources (35) so I've bumped that up to 37 with the new 1 mana cyclers to fix my mana, tutor for Cottage and just have a good refill spell + a good threat.
List feels great right now 💖
Current list:
www.moxfield.com/decks/2fErwWlBBES7OkVgfSWhIQ
Catch you on the battlefield!
Papa
Very tempting
DO IT!
Great video series! Pulled me into PDH from pauper. Would fall from favor (3 CMC blue pacifism that grants the monarch) be a fit in the deck? Removal that synergizes with the initiative/monarch theme
Hey Maarten! Fall From Favor is an option in the deck, however while we've returned to playing the Monarch thru creatures, we've shifted towards ensuring that we have a sufficient quantity of instant speed removal, which is mostly there for combo. Furthermore, because were a deck that attacks a lot, Fall from Favor may not reliably ensure that our opponents creature remains tapped, so it may not act as the kill spell we'd hoped for.
We're glad you're enjoying the content ☺️ thank you 🙏
I noticed you have a sideboard; is that cards you are considering for the deck or does Pauper Commander actually have a sideboard?
Curious, is there a reason you aren't playing mana rocks to speed up the ability to drop Rilsa? Lotus petal and dark ritual can get her down as fast as turn 2
Hey Scott! Great question!
The quick and dirty is that mana rocks compete with our heavy creature curve, forcing us to choose between ramping and deploying our threats. If we ramp into Rilsa then we don't have a robust board with which to control the Initiative, which I've learned through experience is bad news - you want to have a robust board presence when you deploy the initiative.
Over time this deck has evolved away from a Big Dimir Control deck into a proactive Midrange deck and with that went the rocks.
Dark Ritual has a home in Passageway Seer because it enables T2 Iniative, which is SO early that doing so will likely mean hold it for the foreseeable future. T3 with Rilsa is not good enough and Lotus Petal + Dark Ritual is what is way too big a high roll for me - I want consistency.
@@CommonConnoisseurs Hi there - love the concept! I'm currently trying to build a commons-only Rilsa list for regular EDH tables and learning a lot from your content. I had the same thoughts as you regarding rocks and decided to play "creature ramp" to take advantage of the forge whilst still ramping. E.g., Leaden/ Silver Myr, Zhentarim Bandit, Hoard Robber etc. I've seen a lot of people running Sky Diamonds and stuff, which led me to thinking: if you're willing to play a tapped rock, surely a mana rock that's also a creature is even better in this context. Is this an avenue you've explored, and if so, what are your thoughts? I know you already run the familiars, but is there a case to be made for more? Thanks for the content - keep it up!
Hey there!
I discovered that instead of running mana rocks, I preferred to just play more lands. I want to play a ton of creatures early whilst holding up interaction, and then when Rilsa arrives, I have a board to operate with. Early game, I don't want to have my curve disrupted by mana rocks, I want to run out creatures that can immediately begin attacking.
Glad you're enjoying the content ☺️ great questions! Also make sure to follow the list, there's a few changes going down! Blood Seeker, Astrolabe, Gaze of Pain.... Spicy stuff and more to come with Thunder Junction!
www.moxfield.com/decks/2fErwWlBBES7OkVgfSWhIQ
Also... If I played Commander, I'd run every Venture and Initiative card I possibly could, cause that is super fun for me. Escape from the Catacombs?! Sign me UP!
Cheers mate! 😉
Oh and one other thing: creatures that ramp interact poorly with our own sweepers, which are an important tool when maximizing the Initiative and Monarch. We don't want to put ourselves behind on mana if we need to blow the board up for 2 on Crypt Rats or Pestilence.
@@CommonConnoisseurs Thanks for the reply! Very useful advice. Those are some neat changes. I'll be sure to follow your list as it develops.