"Pauper Kings: Mardu Horde Tokenator 2014"

"Pauper Kings: Mardu Horde Tokenator 2014"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.

I just love it when a new set rolls in and a new set of cards are just waiting to be pieced together into such wonderful decks. For today I would love to focus on the speediest of the clans of Tarkir , the Mardu Horde , now I was wondering if it was actually possible to have a deck that had the same ferocity as the Mardu in standard pauper. As it turns out there would be a lot of swarming going on from Goblin and Soldier tokens. Check out the deck list:

4 x Evolving Wilds

6 x Plains

6 x Swamps

6 x Mountains

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22 lands

4 x Lagonna-band trail blazer

4 x Disowned Ancestor

4 x Mardu Skull Hunter

4 x Mardu Horde Chief

4 x Mardu War Shrieker

3 x Ponyback Brigade

3 x Will-forged Golem

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24 creatures

4 x Mardu Banner

4 x Tormenting Voice

4 x Lightning Strike

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12 spells

I was happy that Evolving Wilds was reprinted in M15. A fetch land in the common slot! I wanted to put dual lands here but the filtering that Evolving wilds offer is much better than putting in a tap dual land. I mean if you were able to use the 4 copies of this common fetch land it meant that you have effectively eliminated 8 cards from your deck.Making your next draws much better.

Now on to the Clan Mechanic of Raid . It is no secret that in order to maximize the Mardu you need to be constantly attacking. Though I love it when creatures attack and damage I do hate it when my creatures get killed so I put in Lagonna-band trail blazer and Disowned Ancestor both creatures are tough a 0/4 one drops. They could be your early defense and when they do attack though they are blocked they are not killed that easily. The Raid mechanic criteria is still fulfilled and you keep your creatures.

Mardu Skull Hunter provides some disruption to your opponents hand. Mardu Horde Chief and Ponyback Brigade provide tokens while Mardu War Shrieker gives you extra mana to cast even more spells(like another Mardu Horde Chief or to morph a Ponyback Brigade). Creature advantage will be on your side as you see your creature count jack up with each creature you cast.  You could even convoke a Will-forged Golem with all the creatures that you have out.

Tormenting Voice and Mardu Banner is for card draw. The latter also accelerates your mana as well. Lightning Strike provides early spot removal or direct damage for later.

The game plan is to attack and create as mana tokens as possible. Overwhelming your opponent is inevitable when you already have board position.