Forbidden Teachings

I’ve been tinkering around with a pauper deck the past week based around two of the strongest cards in pauper, Forbidden Alchemy and Mystical Teachings. The two compliment each other nicely; both instant, both blue with black flashback, and both very powerful. In a sense, Alchemy is just an undercosted, underpowered Teachings. Getting the Alchemy/Teachings ratio right has been a chore, and I’ve settled on 3/2 at the moment.

In this deck Alchemy actually does more work than Teachings. It allows you to dump cards in the graveyard while abusing Unearth to get creatures back into play with control back-up, either in the form of Capsize, Counterspell or Doom Blade. The deck also has a nasty recursion engine for the singleton Ulamog’s Crusher through Cadaver Imp / Capsize abuse.

The Delver of Secrets are an odd bunch, but perfectly servicable either as a fast-start tempo win, or a long-game finisher. Even as a 1-mana ‘fog’ effect in the early game, they do a lot of work. However, if you have to sideboard, they’re often one of the first to go. Not that I have a sideboard yet. The removal suite could also be diversified, to take advantage of the Mystical Teachings tutor effects. You can also mise a few games with Alchemy into Exhume, having dumped Crusher.

The deck is interesting, but could do with some serious playtesting and tuning. Here’s the list as it stands.

Forbidden Teachings
A Pauper Deck by Neale Talbot

4 Delver of Secrets
1 Sea Gate Oracle
2 Mulldrifter
1 Phyrexian Rager
1 Stinkweed Imp
1 Man-o’-War
1 Liliana’s Specter
1 Cadaver Imp
1 Pestermite
1 Ulamog’s Crusher

1 Brainstorm
3 Forbidden Alchemy
4 Doom Blade
3 Counterspell
1 Capsize
2 Mystical Teachings
1 Gush

3 Preordain
4 Unearth
1 Exhume

4 Dimir Aqueduct
1 Terramorphic Expanse
10 Island
8 Swamp