Magic: the Gathering

Deck Guide

Pauper: Dimir Affinity - Deck Tech & Sideboard Guide

, 0Comment Regular Solid icon0Comment iconComment iconComment iconComment icon

Motivated by the release of Cryogen Relic, Dimir Affinity blends the archetype's already known core into this color combination with Pactdoll Terror and Etherium Spinner for more synergy and permanent power.

Writer image

تمت الترجمة بواسطة Romeu

Writer image

تمت مراجعته من قبل Tabata Marques

Edit Article

Cryogen Relic continues to motivate us to experiment with new strategies in Pauper, and in recent weeks, an Affinity variant in the Dimir Magic Symbol UMagic Symbol B combination has been gaining prominence in the format's Leagues.

This version takes the card advantage offered by the blue and black combination and combines it with a plan that combines the already well-known core of Refurbished Familiar and Myr Enforcer with the combination of Pactdoll Terror and Etherium Spinner for extra value at the board with our cards and applying pressure on our opponent's life total.

The Decklist

Loading icon

Giving up a color means losing flexibility, especially when red offers Galvanic Blast and Krark-Clan Shaman, but there is a gain in consistency and speed, in addition to being less vulnerable against Jund Wildfire.

Changes to the list can be made depending on the Metagame's needs. For example, we could reduce some copies of Fanatical Offering and/or Blood Fountain to add one or two Cast Down, or move a Nihil Spellbomb to the sideboard and include another more relevant card in the maindeck.

Similarly, if the Metagame becomes less interactive, we have the option of increasing the number of Metallic Rebuke or even considering the inclusion of Counterspell or Spell Pierce.

Maindeck

Loading icon

In a way, payoffs are the heart of this deck because they reward us for using creatures with Affinity.

Pactdoll Terror is already a familiar face in Pauper at this point. It has a decent combat body, and its trigger counts against any artifact, allowing us to drain two or more life from the opponent each turn or even enable some more explosive plays involving Blood Fountain, Fanatical Offering, and any Affinity cards we have or encounter in the process.

Etherium Spinner benefits exclusively from creatures with Affinity, placing a 1/1 Flying token alongside each of them. These tokens can serve as extra pressure against the opponent, or useful blockers against Faeries, or for extra Pactdoll Terror triggers.

Loading icon

Our "Affinity plan" follows the more aggressive beatdown approach in addition to synergy with the cards above.

Refurbished Familiar is still one of the best creatures in the format. It has an efficient, evasive body, a huge ETB, and is one of the main targets to return to the hand with Blood Fountain in longer games.

Frogmite offers a 2/2 for Magic Symbol 0 starting on turn two if we sequence the artifacts appropriately. Combined with Springleaf Drum, it becomes "extra mana" for another card this turn. Its body isn't impressive, but it helps glue all the pieces together to make the deck work.

Myr Enforcer is our main beater and a huge threat on the board as early as turn three, unless we have an unlikely combination of Blood Fountain and multiple copies of Frogmite. It ends up being the primary target for removal, but the triggers of the other creatures and its resilience against damage-based removal other than Galvanic Blast make it essential in the list.

Loading icon

Blood Fountain counts as two artifacts for one mana and significantly speeds up the casting of Refurbished Familiar or Frogmite on the second turn. Furthermore, it also counts as two triggers for Pactdoll Terror, and its recursion ability is essential late-game against Jund Wildfire, Affinity, or Golgari Gardens.

Cryogen Relic is the latest addition to the long list of powerful artifacts in Pauper. Here, we don't maximize it with bounce effects and treat it essentially as an Ichor Wellspring that can be sacrificed on its own to draw a card and interact with the board.

Springleaf Drum speeds up Pactdoll Terror from the third turn onward, preferably accompanied by another artifact. If we prefer to play more for attrition, we can swap it for some interaction.

Nihil Spellbomb is the mandatory graveyard hate to deal with Spy Combo, Tolarian Terror, and High Tide, but it also works in Midrange mirrors while never being a dead card in our hand.

Loading icon

Thoughtcast and Fanatical Offering provide the card advantage we need to keep our resources flowing throughout the match. Offering also interacts with Pactdoll Terror due to the token it puts into play as part of its effect.

Metallic Rebuke works as a Mana Leak of up to one mana if we tap artifacts to pay its cost, an easy task for this list. Stack interaction seems more relevant in the format today because of the recent rise of some combos, but it also allows for some tempo plays or spot-on answers against other troublesome cards.

Loading icon

Sixteen artifact lands complete our mana base, with one copy of each basic land needed to deal with Cleansing Wildfire.

Eighteen lands may seem low in a list with Pactdoll Terror, but it's ideal for a two-color Affinity list, not to mention that Springleaf Drum also serves as an extra mana source.

Sideboard

Loading icon

Cast Down is still one of, if not the, best spot removal in black in the format. Its main function in the sideboard involves games where we have troublesome creatures that we need to deal with, especially Writhing Chrysalis and Cryptic Serpent.

Arms of Hadar clears the opponent's board while maintaining our own. We chose it because cards like Drown in Sorrow interact poorly with our game plan, but we need an effective tool against Mono Red Rally, Elves, Bogles, and Faeries.

Loading icon

Hydroblast remains the standard answer against Red Aggro, whether in go-wide lists with Rally or in Madness Burn versions.

Annul addresses troublesome artifacts and Myr Enforcer, but its primary role is in the matchup against Bogles, where countering Ethereal Armor or Armadillo Cloak can be the difference between victory and defeat.

Duress is a comprehensive card that plays primarily in attrition games where we need to draw key cards and gain information and/or games where the opponent isn't very interactive.

Cardside (1 Nihil Spellbomb || 1 Campfire)

The extra copies of Nihil Spellbomb ensure an easier matchup against Mono Blue Terror while significantly slowing down Balustrade Spy's combo. Campfire offers significant life gain to slow down Red Aggro and acts as a source of protection against Stream of Thought in High Tide games.

Sideboard Guide

Mono Blue Terror

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

Madness Burn

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

Mono Red Rally

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

Spy Combo

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

Jund Wildfire

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

Elves

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

High Tide

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

Grixis Affinity

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

Faeries

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

Bogles

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

Golgari Gardens

IN

Loading icon

OUT

Loading icon

Wrapping Up

That's all for today!

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Thanks for reading!