Pauper: Dimir Faeries - Deck Tech and Sideboard Guide

Dimir Faeries was once one of the best decks in Pauper - for a long time, it competed for the title of "King of Pauper" alongside Fog Tron and other powerful decks of the past. During the reign of the now extinct Relay Storm, Faeries were one of the main contenders, and stood amidst Storm and Affinity in the war created by the MH2 era.

Since then, Dimir Faeries was forgotten and, recently, returned to the meta with a version adapted to deal with the greatest threats in this format. It performed really well and got excellent results in the hands of great Pauper players, like Beicodegeia.

Nowadays, this list has prevailed in a much more aggressive metagame than in the past, and it has been cornered by archetypes like Boros Synthesizer and Mono-Red Kuldotha. I consider these two matches to be quite tough, but Dimir Faeries surprisingly still manages to do well, even in these conditions, and a lot of this is because of how current Dimir Faeries lists are built.

The heart of this list is the same as always. Play defensively and use the best counters and removals this format has available while you follow a game plan that focuses on value with Ninja of the Deep Hours and Thorn of the Black Rose's Monarch. And always have a plan B.

Faeries still have a crucial role to play in this strategy.

Faerie Seer is practically a Preordain with legs, and Spellstutter Sprite is one of the best creatures in this list - it works splendidly with the ninjas.

Augur of Bolas isn't a Faerie, but, besides the fact it blocks really well, it also gets you resources from the top of your deck. Nowadays, it works much better thanks to Lórien Revealed.

Murmuring Mystic is another recent addition that significantly elevated this list. It can easily control the game, as may help you deal with your opponent's attacks or fit in that Ninjutsu, and also works great with your removals, counters, and cantrips.

This deck also has a good package of spells that will support your game plan and deal with the threats in this format.

Dimir Faeries can recover really well from mulligans, thanks to your cantrips and Faerie Seer. You'll prefer hands that can interact with your opponent early on, and make sure you can develop your game plan.

Never play a Ninja without a plan to protect it, always play around your opponent's actions, and take advantage of their mistakes and openings. Dimir Faeries builds up its victory bit by bit, similarly to a control deck, but you can change your approach quickly while playing it if you need to.

This sideboard will only complement what the deck already does. The main highlights are returning cards like Stormbound Geist, which can deal with the mirror well, and Okiba-Gang Shinobi, which is excellent against control decks.

Vs. Boros Synthesizer

The most popular deck in Pauper nowadays is one of the worst matchups for Faeries. They have many Flying creatures that can easily block your Faeries, lots of Burn, and All That Glitters, which, if you don't answer it, will become a real problem. You'll need to play around Glitters and be careful with their fliers, in particular Kor Skyfisher, which is the most problematic one.

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Vs. Mono-Red Kuldotha

I consider this match to be 50/50. Mono-Red may, potentially, end the game too quickly for Faeries to be able to react, and Snuff Out is a terrible card. However, Faeries may, potentially, control the game quite masterfully, and post-side this will be even easier for you.

Hydroblast, Blue Elemental Blast, and Unexpected Fangs are a must in this matchup.

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Vs. Dimir Terror

This matchup is a bit more favorable. Faeries can deal with their early game well, and can interact with their threats quite effectively. Monarch is the safest game plan against this archetype.

Post-side, we have a few other cards that will heavily disrupt our opponent. Murmuring Mystic is another outstanding card against Terror decks.

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Vs. Azorius Familiars

Familiars plays for late game and doesn't have many definitive removals, so you can be more aggressive. Just be careful with Mulldrifter or The Modern Age. Depending on the version your opponent plays, they may either use the Blue saga or the build with Meeting of Minds and Murmuring Mystic.

Sticking your Ninjas to the board is crucial early on, as well as using the Monarch on turn four if possible. Another important decision is to know when you should target the familiars.

Sunscape Familiar is one of this deck's key creatures, but if you worry too much about it and forget about Archaeomancer or Mulldrifter, you may be in trouble later. Archaeomancer is the main creature in Familiars: kill it or counter it at all costs, and always have a plan B in mind.

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Vs. Caw-Gates

Caw-Gates has an approach similar to Faeries, but it is way slower and takes a long time to really start playing, which may be an advantage to you.

Prismatic Strands may be a nuisance, but the biggest problem, by far, is Sacred Cat. This cat can gain a lot of life and make the game go for way longer than it should, which could be terrible. The Modern Age is another problematic card that might get in the way of your game plan.

Be careful: don't let a Guardian of the Guildpact stay on the board unanswered. It will almost certainly be the end of the game if you do.

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Dimir Faeries, undoubtedly, is a very elegant and satisfying deck to play. Even though it isn't as great as it once was, it still demands respect and can certainly perform really well in the right hands.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback, please tell us in our comment section below.

See you next time!