Pauper on MODO

I started playing this new format they have on MODO last night called Pauper. Deck construction rules are the same as for Classic except you can only use commons and Cranial Plating is banned. Didn't get to bed until 5 in the morning due to a mixture of Pauper and Zombie mode on Call of Duty: World at War (who doesn't love mowing down Nazi zombies?). Before I started I read two articles by Jake Van Lunen about the format over on mtg.com. Then I built one of the decks he suggested and it only cost ~12 tickets. He called it UW Artifacts but it is really a 5c Momentary Blink deck that has Trinket Mage, Leonin Squire and a crazy mana base. Here is what I played.


1 Ancient Den
3 Azorious Chancery
2 Dimir Aquaduct
1 Orzhov Basilica
4 Plains
1 Seat of the Synod
1 Vault of Whispers
1 Tree of Tales
4 Island
1 Mountain
1 Great Furnace
3 Aven Riftwatcher
3 Man-o`-War
4 Trinket Mage
4 Mulldrifter
4 Leonin Squire
4 Blind Hunter
4 Chromatic Star
4 Chromatic Sphere
1 Terrerion
2 Executioner's Capsule
2 Pyrite Spellbomb
1 Bonesplitter
4 Momentary Blink
SB:
4 Ancient Grudge
4 Echoing Truth
2 Rain of Embers
2 Steamcore Weird
1 Executioner's Capsule
1 Bonesplitter
1 Aven Riftwatcher

The deck ran really well and was really fun to pilot. I only played about 5 matches but I x-1'd my only loss being to a Grapeshot Storm deck. I played that guy twice, won the first round because he fizzled his combo in games 1 and 3. He finally got me the second time around. I beat an Affinity deck, a Mono Red Burn deck, a UR Control deck with suspend and storm synergies, and some 5c Green abortion.

I think next I'm going to try my own take on the Affinity deck. As soon as I get home from work I'm gunna hit up the bots and put this bad boy together.

4 Ornithopter
2 Shield Sphere
4 Disciple of the Vault
4 Krark-Clan Shaman
4 Frogmite
4 Somber Hovergaurd
4 Myr Enforcer
4 Lotus Petal
4 Springleaf Drum
4 Chromatic Star
2 Chromatis Sphere
4 Thoughtcast
2 Rush of Knowledge
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Great Furnace
4 Vault of Whispers
2 Tree of Tales
SB:
4 Ancient Grudge
4 Duress
4 Pyroblast (or which ever red blast is legal)
3 Executioner's Capsule

I've seen a few other Affinity builds when looking over some forums and the ones that I've seen with Disciple have either Thermal Navigator or Krark-Clan Grunt where I have the Shamans. I have the Shamans to give me a MD answer to the Goblin Storm decks (Empty the Warrens Combo) and Elf decks. Haven't played a game yet though so I have no idea.

From what I can tell there are plenty of vaible decks and lots of room for innovation since the format is relatively unexplored. I think the fun of playing the format is well worth the $10 so build a deck and I'll see you in the TP room!