Tolarian Terror in Pauper: What is the Best Version?

What's up, guys, how are you? I'm Tiago Fuguete, and today we'll discuss the three options to play with Tolarian Terror: Mono Blue Terror, Dimir Terror and Izzet Terror. Let's analyze these excellent decks and discuss their differences, game styles and see what each of them do best.

The Dominaria United release brought a few cool cards for Pauper. Among them, we had a cycle of creature cards that somehow reduce their own cost according to their color theme. They are:

White - Argivian Phalanx, which reduces its cost by 1 for each creature you control.

Blue - Tolarian Terror, which reduces its cost by 1 for each instant spell and sorcery in your graveyard.

Black - Writhing Necromass, which reduces its cost by 1 for each creature in your graveyard.

Red - Molten Monstrosity, which reduces its cost by X, with X being the highest power among the creatures you control.

Green - Yavimaya Sojourner, which reduces its cost by 1 for each basic land you control.

Some of them were even tested in some lists, but none has become as strong as Tolarian Terror, the card that most matches the game style in its color, considering we know decks with Blue end up playing numerous spells and this will place the creature in play much faster.

Let's start by discussing Mono Blue Terror, which might be the easiest to play among them, and also the most Aggro option. With a simple strategy entirely centered around Tolarian Terror, this deck has spells that accelerate the graveyard significantly and play 2 or 3 creatures on board rapidly.

We need to go on a short tangent about some other cards that were downgraded and came to Pauper: Cryptic Serpent, Murmuring Mystic and Lórien Revealed, which are wonderful cards that fit well into these decks' strategy and style, making them even stronger.

As we can see in this list, we only use 15 lands, considering we use 4 Lórien Revealed, a sort of sorcery-shaped cycling land, just 13 creatures, among them Murmuring Mystic, which, by being on the board, can create many other tokens, and 32 spells to accelerate the "8" Terror.

Cards like Mental Note and Thought Scour dictate the game's rhythm, considering it is incredibly easy to use them on turn 1 and 2, so you can already have more than one Serpent in play on turn 3, and start putting pressure on your opponent.

Game Posture and Mulligan

With Mono Blue Terror, it is rare to Mulligan; the initial hand with 1 land is usually quite playable because we have many ways of finding the others, including Lórien Revealed, and with that already start placing spells and sorceries in the graveyard.

We use counters and Boomerang to protect us and return a problematic creature your opponent might have (or, in case it is useful, it will even return a land).

Weak spot: I believe the first weak spot in this deck is after game 1, considering all decks have some cards in their sideboard to clear the graveyard, be it Relic of Progenitus, Nihil Spellbomb or some other card. This can significantly impact our speed, but, if you know how to play around this, you'll still be able to play your Serpents fast on the board. You'll only struggle a bit more.

Another important factor is our removals, considering in Pauper there are countless quality removals, and among them some sources of sacrifice. Even if Tolarian Terror protects itself well, considering it has Ward 2, sacrifices can disrupt us significantly.

This version with Tolarian Terror is quite different from the Mono Blue version. Our game is calmer and slower, and we aren't rushing to play the Serpents, but rather play them when the game is already controlled.

One difference is that this deck isn't as dependent on Terrors to finish the game. Even though this deck has several spells, many times getting the Monarch with Thorn of the Black Rose can be more important for the game strategy than putting on pressure with the 5/5s.

Our list has numerous removals besides counters. This is the most significant difference compared to Mono Blue because it allows us to play slower, and try first solving the problems our opponent will present to us and only later show them a problem to solve.

Usually, when the Tolarian Terrors go into play, our opponent will have already lost too many resources and this will significantly disrupt their game plan.

Game Posture and Mulligan

Our approach is to play slower, use our resources correctly, and try to always be ahead. Spells like Augur of Bolas, Murmuring Mystic and Agony Warp are cards that, if resolved, will get us ahead in matches.

I'll get ahead of myself a bit and discuss one difference from the next deck, maybe the main difference: Unexpected Fangs has a crucial role in this deck, and being able to put on pressure and gain life is essential in today's meta.

Very similar to Dimir, the Izzet Terror version also leans towards control. Its game plan is slower and is in no rush to play the Terrors, like Mono Blue.

Still comparing it to the Dimir version, we can say that they're almost two sides of the same coin, swapping the black cards for red cards that are similar.

One critical consideration about the difference between Black and Red will be their sideboards. The fact Izzet can use Pyroblast and/or Red Elemental Blast can and will help us significantly when we face Blue decks.

Another important detail about using Red is that their removals can also be used to win the game. Lightning Bolt is that card that can target a player as well, so you can attack those last health points and finish the match.

I commented above about Dimir using Unexpected Fangs; our Izzet doesn't gain life - but with Red, it gets easier to deal with artifacts, something Black struggles with. Like so, each color's weak and strong suits are quite evident.

Game Posture and Mulligan

It is easy to say Izzet and Dimir will play very similarly: they'll play slower and try to control the game, with no rush to play the Terrors. It will also be entirely different from the Mono Blue version, which wants to put on pressure as fast as possible.

To sum up, if I had to decide which one of them is the best... I'd say I don't really get along with the Mono Blue version because I end up playing the wrong cards into the graveyard and can't execute what this deck most wants to do.

As for the Izzet version, I miss gaining life, even though I like dealing with artifacts - but, for me, the strongest version is Dimir. Being able to gain life in a meta in which Mono Red is the most played deck appears to be critical to me, not to mention we still have Snuff Out, which is a great free spell in this format.

I hope you play all these decks and test them yourself. They can all give you a title and be quite interesting!

I also believe they are all some of the best decks nowadays, and you won't regret playing with either of them.

But so, what is your opinion? Tell me in the comment section.

And, of course, if you have any questions or suggestions, just leave a message! I'll come back to talk it out!