Pauper Cube – Top 10 Sorceries to First Pick

Here is my collection of the Top 10 Sorceries to take first in a Pauper Cube.  Again, these are in no particular order.

GITAXIAN PROBE

So you know why Delver plays this card right?  So they can sculpt a hand and dodge removal.  It also has the ability to replace itself while costing no mana.  It may not be a game winner on its own but its this kind of card that will give you perfect information to know exactly what lines of play to take and win.  Plus any deck can play it.

UNEARTH

Unearth gets fringe play in Legacy and for good reason.  It can get back a creature with a good come into play ability or allow you to dig farther into your deck if you need a different answer.  Its never a dead draw as either ability is always relevant.  Also it only cost 1 mana so splash away!

CULTIVATE

Who doesnt like playing 3, 4, or 5 color deck?  Super fun right?  Only if you have all of your mana available and this will help you get there.  Whether you are looking for the last piece to cast your game changer or to ramp up and play a Hexplate Golem, this is what you need.

FIREBOLT

Not as much raw power as Flame Slash but a burn/removal spell with flashback is overall just better.  Considering most creatures in the Pauper Cube are small on the back side, this should deal with anything on the first and second go around.  If you have something looming large, your opponent wont cast it until later anyway so you can cast this and flashback all in one turn if needed to kill the larger threat.

CHAIN LIGHTNING

So Lightning Bolt is insane and this his his little twin brother.  Deals with most creatures in one fell swoop or going to the dome to close out a game.  No one ever pays the double red copy effect so take with no worries.

REMEMBER THE FALLEN

This always gets both, remember that.  It pretty much reads: Return two creatures for 3 mana.  So your opponent killed your Heavy Ballista and your Bladed Sentinel?  No problem.  Get them back and get back into the game.  Splashing this with UR?  Go infinite with Izzet Chronarch.

TRAVEL PREPARATIONS

It makes almost your entire team bigger than your opponents.  With most games coming down to creature toughness in this style cube, this card helps put your army over the top or even out of a pinger range.  The actual and flashback cost is well worth it for the type of decks this goes into.  If only this was an instant for a complete blowout…

LAVA BURST/KAERVEK’S TORCH/ROLLING THUNDER

You should NEVER under any circumstance pass any of these three.  I had to group them all because they all pretty much do the same thing: win the game when you cast it.  Rolling Thunder is a little harder to cast but the damage can be divided, so sick!  I once had two of these in a draft deck…I didn’t lose a game.  These are seriously the absolute first pick of any pack you ever open in Pauper Cube.  May the torch be with you.

PREORDAIN

This is better than Ponder in this format as there are not many shuffle effects in Pauper Cube so when you put something on the bottom you don’t need, you don’t risk drawing them later (aka Extra Lands).  Plus this still lets you see 3 cards deep if you are trying to hit a land drop or digging for an answer.

BLIGHTNING

There is a reason Jund played 4 of these…it is insane.  Its a 3 for 1 and in a Black Red deck you will smash face with this.  Like any other good Instant/Sorcery, it is insane with Izzet.  Every time this is cast against me I feel like its the worst possible time.  I want to be on the other end for once so like myself, take a warning and take it high.  Worst case scenario its a Ghostfire, which isnt the worst.

Hopefully this give you some insight if you ever draft a Pauper/Common Cube.  This might also come in handy in a Peasant Cube even though the power level is obviously higher.  Let me know what else you want to see!