Pauper: Spy Walls Combo - Deck Tech and Sideboard Guide

Walls is quite solid in Pauper. In fact, it is one of the most solid combos in the format after High Tide. As for Land Spy, it is a bit less popular but has found some space in the meta, albeit inch by inch. Spy Walls, then, is a combination of the two that takes advantage of the best each can offer.

This list uses Walls' mana dorks and its entire support package to find creatures and keep the strategy running, but it also uses the 5-Land Spy mana base with Land Grant. Because it has access to Walls' mana acceleration, it can play multiple spells per turn and get a lot of value from its creature tutors and threats, which you can then use as alternative win conditions.

The main combo works like this: first, you must draw all your lands, that is, make sure your deck has no lands at all. As you only play five of them, this won't be too hard, particularly with Elven Farsight, Sagu Wildling, and Generous Ent and Troll of Khazad-dûm, which sort of work like fetch cards.

Once your deck has zero lands, just cast Balustrade Spy, put the rest of it in your graveyard, and reanimate Lotleth Giant with Dread Return. Like so, you'll then deal damage to your opponent equal to the number of creatures in your graveyard.

Why Play Spy Walls Combo in Pauper

Traditional Spy Combo has a few weaknesses. After all, it relies on the mana its lands create to work and needs creatures on the board so it can sacrifice and then reanimate Lotleth. Spy Walls, on the other side, can create absurd amounts of mana and then use it however it wants, which means you'll have no trouble putting creatures on the board.

Another great thing about it is that it can use tutors like Lead the Stampede and Winding Way, which will keep it running and even let it set up multiple strategies on the same turn with the extra mana. Furthermore, Winding Way can get lands and put creatures in the graveyard whenever it's best.

This build has been performing rather well at the Pauper League and has already started showing up in Magic Online Challenges. It definitely has a lot of potential.

Mulligan

With Spy Walls, you need lands in your hand or at least one Land Grant and land tutors. Go for hands that let you develop your game plan: Winding Way and Lead, for instance, are critical, as are your mana dorks. The hand above is a great opener, considering it already has the final piece of the combo, the one that might just win the match for you.

This is another great opening hand. It has all the pieces you need to develop the main game plan and the final parts of the combo. It also has a tutor, so you won't run out of cards that easily with it.

This hand, however, is quite awful. You'll have to rely on drawing new cards to find your next land, which is just tough. It could end really badly.

Black is pretty important for this sideboard. As this list doesn't play as many manafixers as traditional Walls, you'll have to work with the color it is splashing really well.

Mesmeric Fiend is a good way to deal with control and even other combo lists, whereas Faerie Macabre is the perfect graveyard hate for this deck. Vitu-Ghazi Inspector is a great piece against Faeries and gives you life, which is quite useful against aggro lists.

Flaring Pain will deal with damage prevention, Mirrorshell Crab with certain problematic abilities or even with control decks, and Nylea's Disciple will mainly deal with Burn lists.

Vs. Madness Burn

This matchup is a bit difficult. The opponent is often quite aggressive and plays lots of burn that can deal with all your dorks. Post-side, they'll have graveyard hate and possibly more removals.

You'll need to use your resources well and take advantage of the windows they give you to stick a creature to the board and hopefully stabilize the game. Generous Ent is always a good call.

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Vs. Jund Wildfire

This deck plays one of the worst cards you might ever face, the powerful Krark-Clan Shaman, who can clear the board incredibly fast.

Use Masked Vandal to exile their indestructible lands and delay their game plan, and don't forget to bring your Mesmeric Fiends to deal with Krark and other removals.

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Vs. High Tide

This matchup is almost a mirror. You won't be able to interact with them all that well, and they won't be able to interact with you that well either. Yet, High Tide can set up a few interesting lines.

Try to play your combo as fast as possible to win at least game 1, and, on game 2, bring everything that could disrupt their combo.

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Vs. Mono-Blue Terror

This matchup is quite difficult if you don't play it properly. The opponent plays many counters, and if they manage to play their creatures fast, they can be quite destructive. Try to defend yourself with your bigger creatures, particularly Ent, which is your best creature against them.

Post-side, you can do really well with your Fiends, considering your opponent doesn't play real removals and could end up being forced to spend a Counterspell.

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Vs. White Aggro

This matchup is quite balanced. The opponent won't be able to be as aggressive as they want early on and only plays one card that can interact with your combo, so they'll heavily depend on it. With the right hand, you can win this matchup quite fast, but be careful with your life points!

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Spy Walls is very fun and shows how Pauper still has space for innovation. It is also going through some great days and has already proved to us it is a great option for the current meta.

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

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!