Pauper: Upgrading Mono-Blue Faeries (+ Sideboard Guide!)

Faeries has bad days and good days in Pauper, but it never really goes out of style. Currently, the entire format is a bit more aggressive, and the midrange decks seeing play are basically all the same - they center around what we call Affinity today.

Mono Blue Faeries is almost a Rogue option, as it doesn't play red or uses the same game style as the best decks in the format. However, it is a real competitor in the meta, and a solid option in the format.

This version is quite similar to the one currently seeing play in Pauper League, but I decided to add a few techs I have been using IRL. In fact, I won a regional tournament with it, the First Step of the Roraima Pauper League.

I've spent days testing and developing my own list. After playing many matches in the Pauper League, I reached this version with two additions that I find very interesting for this archetype: Shrieking Drake and Aqueous Form. Currently, Mono-U Faeries sometimes struggles to stick a Ninja easily to the board, and, even then, there are many creatures in Pauper that can disable your Ninja even after they enter play. Drake and Aqueous are ways to play around this.

Drake lets you Ninjutsu an infinite number of times, as its ability lets you bounce a creature. You can play it on the board after using Ninjutsu, return the Ninja in question to your hand, and then use Ninjutsu on the Drake on the following turn. You can also repeat this process as many times as possible.

Aqueous Form is similar, and yet different as well. Ideally, you should use it on a Ninja of the Deep-Hours, but you can use it on Moon-Circuit Hacker, which will be less efficient. This card lets you attack with your Ninja freely (as in, your opponent won't be able to block), and draw a card with Scry 1, which is what makes this entire interaction extremely powerful. If your Ninja can keep attacking while you protect it from removals, then the game is practically won, considering the value you'll create.

As the entire deck is centered around Ninjutsu and how it interacts with Faeries, I believe I developed a very efficient list that can deal with the many annoying situations you'll find in this format really well.

Shrieking Drake, in particular, is incredible in this list because it interacts really well with the other cards. It can do a lot with Harrier Strix's effect or Faerie Seer's Scry. It can even act as a pseudo-copy of Faerie Miscreant.

Why Play Mono-Blue Faeries?

This deck is well-positioned in the meta and quite simple to learn. It also plays really well and can beat many meta decks, particularly the scary High Tide Combo. In fact, one of the reasons why Tide hasn't become a real threat in the meta is probably because Faeries is so strong.

Mulligan

Faeries leans very heavily on the mulligan, and in some situations you'll definitely need it.

This hand is quite specific. As it doesn't have Ninjas, you can only keep it against High Tide and other similar decks.

This hand is excellent. With it, you can play a Ninja on turn 2 with backup and develop your game plan a bit more. Spellstutter will also be able to deal with a wide array of spells, so it's quite valuable.

This is another great opening hand, though you'll have to be a bit more careful with it. Against slower decks, or decks that don't play many removals, you can play the Ninja on turn 2. Against dangerous decks, you can play more passively, more responsively instead of proactively.

This sideboard is designed to deal with all the possible situations, considering not only the top-tier decks in the format, but also some decks that could be an issue without the right sideboard.

Obviously, it'll still struggle against a few decks, like Elves, which can completely dominate you if you don't use a proper sideboard. However, I still believe this is the right sideboard for Mono Blue right now.

Vs. Rakdos Madness

The most dangerous thing in this matchup are flying creatures and the incredible recursion Rakdos Madness has with Sneaky Snacker. Preventing your opponent from drawing cards at the right time is critical, as is forcing them to play aggressively. That's the only way you'll get the windows you need to turn the game back around with Mono-U.

One of the best things about Mono-U is how it can go from aggro to control depending on the situation. Tread lightly on the thin line between them, and all will go well.

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Vs. Golgari Gardens

Gardens is back, and now they use Pactdoll Terror and Black Mage's Rod, so it's quite close to an Affinity list. Refurbished Familiar can be annoying, and Crypt Rats is incredible against Faeries, as it can clear the board very easily. However, Faeries has a certain advantage over them because of Counterspell.

You must play around their removals, so don't worry about their creatures as much. Post-side, you will have many useful tools, so stay calm, wise, and try to punish your opponent. They often eat more than they can chew to create value, so take advantage of that.

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Vs. Mono-White Aggro

Any deck with Kor Skyfisher should be an issue for Faeries, right? Not always. This matchup is defined by who draws better and who is more assertive. White needs to grow their numbers and deal with Faeries' Ninjas. Mutagenic Growth and Brinebarrow Intruder are amazing tools in this matchup, particularly because you can use Shrieking Drake in game 1 to bounce an extra card. This, in turn, means you can reuse Intruder.

Post-side, you'll have two critical cards: Relic of Progenitus, which will deal with their Prismatic Strands and Battle Screechs, and Unable to Scream, which deals with their Skyfishers.

Be careful with Summon: Choco/Mog, as it can end the game very quickly if the board is full.

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If your opponent is playing the Chocobo version, add 4 Annul.

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If you add the Annul, remove 2 Harrier Strix, 1 Ninja of the Deep-Hours, and 1 Of One Mind.

Vs. High Tide

This matchup is practically a guaranteed win. By far, it is the easiest matchup for Faeries nowadays. All you need to do is prevent your opponent from using High Tide, but, more importantly, prevent them from tapping your lands with Gigadrowse so you can play your combo freely.

Snap is a good way to deal with Gigadrowse, as you can use it to protect the two mana they target and float them instead. You can also wait for Gigadrowse to resolve to untap your lands and save some mana to play a counter. Don't forget you need to have a creature in play to do this, and that their High Tides benefit you as well.

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Vs. Bogles

This is a classic matchup. Bogles only needs to get their pieces as fast as possible, and there's nothing Faeries can really do. However, if you deal with their main strategies and create value from your opponent, then the game is yours.

Ethereal Armor and Armadillo Cloak are the auras you want to counter, besides their creatures, but only if this will benefit you. Use your combat tricks well, and play your counters at the right time to control your opponent.

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This version has been making me quite proud. It has performed well both in Magic Online and on tabletop, and I believe the new additions make it quite versatile, as well as surprising.

What do you think of it? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!