Pauper: The Best Cards from Aetherdrift

The Pauper metagame changed a lot after Modern Horizons 3. Some decks got stronger, others practically disappeared, and a new combo spread across the format in multiple variations: Glee Combo.

Kuldotha Red, Affinity, and Glee Combo currently battle for the title of best deck in the meta, though Glee is slightly ahead, considering its excellent performances week after week.

However, when the new set, Aetherdrift, comes along, we'll get new commons and a new mechanic called Max Speed! If you'd like to see more about this set and its mechanics, click here!

In this article, I'll show you the cards from this set that have a lot of potential for Pauper, their best interactions, and which decks can play them.

Chitin Gravestalker

Gurmag Angler is one of the most important creatures in the history of this format, and, to this day, still has space in some decks. Now, imagine a Gurmag Angler that costs less for each artifact and/or creature in your graveyard and that has Cycling, so you can even exchange it for a new card.

That's Chitin Gravestalker, an exceptional threat that can fit many strategies in Pauper really well thanks to its synergy with the graveyard!

Keep in mind, you can play the excellent LTR Cyclers cycle in this format, which works really well with this card, as well as the powerful interaction between Deadly Dispute and artifacts like Ichor Wellspring.

Gravestalker should also find space in decks like Dredge, which puts many creatures in the graveyard, or even in some Reanimator list with Exhume. I can even see this card in some Affinity list that doesn't care about blue, like a Rakdos version. Who knows, maybe this card can support a Midrange list that takes advantage of this artifact card draw engine and the sacrifice mechanic with Dispute.

Magmakin Artillerist

Magmakin Artillerist is another creature from DFT that has Cycling, but it has even more synergy with this mechanic because, if it is in play, you can deal damage to your opponent with any sort of Looting effect. When I saw this card for the first time, Drannith Stinger, Cycling Storm's main win condition, came to my mind straight away, as they do almost the same thing. However, Magmakin's Cycling is a bit more restrictive cost-wise, which can, in turn, force you to work on your mana base a bit more, as it is usually 90% swamps.

Nonetheless, we can still do a lot more with this card, like building something around its interaction Ophidian Eye and Snake Umbra. In this case, all you need is to put Magmakin in play and get to the end step with nine cards in hand. One of them also needs to be Ophidian Eye.

If you manage to cast Ophidian Eye before you move on to the cleanup step, then you'll be able to discard your cards until you fill your hand to the brim with more of them. Magmakin's ability will trigger, and, as you deal damage, you'll draw again, so you'll have to discard cards infinitely and, eventually, kill your opponent.

Another way to make this combo work is to put Ophidian Eye or Snake Umbra with Magmakin in play and use another discard outlet, like Putrid Imp or Tireless Tribe. That's one way to start this loop.

Another possible interaction with this card is with the Hangar Scrounger Seeker of Skybreak combo. In this case, Magmakin will be your win condition instead of Fists of Flame.

An interesting detail about this creature is that you can tutor it with Drift of Phantasms or bring it back from the graveyard with Unearth.

Voyager Quickwelder

Discounting costs and casting spells for much less or even for free is always interesting in Pauper. Voyager Quickwelder is an artifact creature that does the same as Foundry Inspector for the same amount of mana, but it is more resistant. It can even add a lot of value with the Inspector to Egg Tron or another Tron version that leans on these effects.

The only downside in this case is the white mana you'll need to cast Voyager, but you can play around this in many ways. All we need to see is if, in the end, it is efficient after all.

Pactdoll Terror

This creature is also interesting to decks like Altar Tron and Eggs Tron, and has a perfect synergy with cards that discount the cost of artifacts. Pactdoll Terror is an artifact creature that costs , which is usually a lot for Pauper, considering its effect.

However, if your deck lets you cast it for just or even less thanks to Urza's Trio, you can play it in Tron Combo as an alternative win condition with Myr Retriever. Its lifegain is quite interesting, and, as it is an artifact, you can get it back with Myr.

Grim Bauble

Now, let's discuss the common card that most stood out to me during spoiler season: the new Dead Weight for Pauper: Grim Bauble!

This artifact costs only and has the same effect as Dead Weight. The difference is that is also clearly interacts with cards like Kor Skyfisher and Glint Hawk, and activates Refurbished Familiar's Affinity. That's what makes this card so interesting and unusual.

The fact this format includes so many impactful creatures that won't struggle against this Bauble might be a downside, but still, this is an artifact that can remove a Goblin on a Fairy on turn 1. It is definitely worth a try, and I'm certain it will find its place.

Grim Bauble also has Surveil, which is also interesting because of its clear interaction with Deadly Dispute and other similar card draw.

What did you think of these cards? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!