In 2024/2025, Esper Bounce emerged as one of Standard's most resilient Midrange strategies, built on the Pauper premise of using cheap permanents that return others to hand to reuse ETB effects.
Now, the cycle comes full circle with a new Bounce version in the same color combination appearing in the commons format, leveraging Fanatical Offering alongside classic bounce effects like Glint Hawk and Kor Skyfisher to generate card advantage.
The Decklist
This list operates on the same classic foundation as the old Boros Synthesizer decks and, more recently, Jeskai Affinity or Esper Affinity variants that mix Glint Hawk with Cryogen Relic for card advantage. Add Hopeless Nightmare and Refurbished Familiar to the mix, and you have an engine that buries opponents in value while maintaining consistent pressure through evasive creatures.
Playing this deck well requires recognizing when to play for Tempo and when to shift to the value game, since our bounce creatures can work as either aggressive threats or enablers for our engine, depending on what the matchup demands.
Generally, if our opponent's game plan generates more long-term value or is less interactive but isn't Aggro, we should play for Tempo. On the other hand, if their clock might be faster than ours due to individual threat size, board presence, or burn in hand, we need to play for value.
Maindeck
The bounce package.
Glint Hawk and Kor Skyfisher have been pillars of this strategy for over a decade, and for good reason. Efficient flying bodies that return a permanent when they enter give us repeated value with Cryogen Relic, Hopeless Nightmare, and all the other artifacts or enchantments in the deck.
Dream Stalker rounds out the package by providing another bounce source. It also serves as a reasonable blocker that can stop even a Myr Enforcer.
Refurbished Familiar is Pauper's best creature. For as little as one mana, we get a 2/1 with Flying that removes a card from the opponent's hand or draws a card—bounce it with Kor Skyfisher or Glint Hawk and watch these triggers stack up quickly, deciding the game's outcome.
Kenku Artificer turns any artifact into a permanent 3/3 flyer, which includes the Bridges, creating a 3/3 with Indestructible. It lets you put a troublesome threat on board when you need to close games faster or multiple threats when you use your Bounce effects.
Fanatical Offering remains the best two-mana card advantage engine in the format. If we sacrifice Cryogen Relic, we get three draws for two mana and can amplify this effect by including cards like Ichor Wellspring.
Cryogen Relic works as a blue Experimental Synthesizer, guaranteeing extra draws whenever it enters or leaves play. Alongside Bounce effects, it becomes one of our best card advantage sources.
Though not an artifact, Hopeless Nightmare interacts with Bounce effects to amplify the clock—our creatures don't close games that fast—while complementing Refurbished Familiar in denying resources to the opponent.
Grim Bauble is a permanent Dead Weight that can be bounced and reused against multiple small creatures. In the worst case, sacrifice it to Fanatical Offering or filter it with its own ability.
Tithing Blade deals with larger threats and those with built-in protection like Tolarian Terror and hexproof creatures. It can also be reused with Bounce and, in longer games, turns into a slow clock.
Navigator's Compass fixes mana while providing life gain against Mono Red and Burn. Another common Bounce target to slow the clock and gain "extra turns" in those matchups.
Omen of the Dead has synergy with Kor Skyfisher and Dream Stalker: return one of them from the graveyard, bounce Omen with the trigger, and repeat until we have multiple copies or have established inevitability.
Cast Down remains the best two-mana removal in the format and answers practically any threat.
The mana base uses Bridges to ensure access to all three colors while also serving as targets for Kenku Artificer. Additionally, the original artifact lands guarantee land drops with Glint Hawk while fueling Refurbished Familiar's Affinity.
Bojuka Bog provides graveyard hate on a land we can reuse with Bounce. Essential against Tolarian Terror and Spy Combo.
Sideboard
Standard Bearer prevents decks like Bogles and Heroic from dominating the match easily, while also redirecting Burn spells against it.
Hydroblast answers most red spells and deals with problems that have resolved on board, like Guttersnipe or Kessig Flamebreather, before they accumulate too much damage.
Arms of Hadar is one of the best available sweepers in Pauper. We have no trouble extending the game until we reach four mana, where decks like Elves and Mono Red Rally will need to play around an effect capable of invalidating all their board progress.
Campfire provides recurring life gain against Burn and Mono Red but also works in longer games against Midrange, where returning our graveyard to the library can secure more resources and attrition.
Relic of Progenitus and Thraben Charm form our graveyard hate package, but Charm proves far more flexible and can come in as supplementary removal and enchantment hate in various matchups.
Sideboard Guide
Mono Red Rally
IN
OUT
Mono Blue Terror
IN
OUT
Grixis Affinity
IN
OUT
Elves
IN
OUT
Faeries
IN
OUT
Spy Combo
IN
OUT
Madness Burn
IN
OUT
Caw-Gates
IN
OUT
Dimir Terror
IN
OUT
Wrapping Up
That's all for today!
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!
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