Pauper: Azorius Faeries - Deck Tech and Sideboard Guide

Mono Blue Faeries is back! It is once again one of the best options for this Glee Combo metagame, as it interacts really well with these types of lists, and can keep up with their speed.

However, Faeries struggles against a few decks, and blue doesn't have the efficient removals other colors have. So, I decided to build a different version of this deck around Kor Skyfisher: an Azorius Faeries, if you will.

Kor is a well-known creature in Pauper. Its effect, which bounces a permanent, has enabled incredibly fun combos in the past. Nowadays, it sees play in White-Weenie, where it interacts really well with other cards.

Why Azorius?

Kor's effect interacts incredibly well with all creatures in Faerie. For instance, it is great with Faerie Seer and its Scry, Spellstutter Sprite and its ability, which counters spells, and Faerie Miscreant's card draw. Yet, its best synergy is with Ninjas. You can use Ninjutsu on Kor and play it again returning the original Ninja to your hand. This way, you can reuse its Ninjutsu in the following turn, and, as long as you can attack, you'll have a perfect Ninjutsu/Card Draw engine.

And, considering this deck will use white, we can use a removal that is more efficient than Snap. Thraben Charm is the best white removal in Pauper - in this deck, it can deal with any threat, and it is a hate for graveyards and enchantments.

The sideboard for this deck can also use many useful white cards, and, with them, you'll be able to improve a few bad matchups.

This hand is exactly what you want. You have Seer to open, Spell Pierce to protect your Ninjas when you use Ninjutsu, and Stutter to stall the game even more. Landscape can get a Plains for you and is incredibly useful, as you can save it in case you need to use Stutter, and then only sacrifice it when your opponent passes or when it's safe.

This hand is also decent, but you'll have to rely on your top deck to find a Plains, and, depending on the matchup, you might need to play Kor before any Ninja.

You should mulligan this hand. Stay away from hands that need to draw cards to find lands and progress your game plan. Play it safe and try to start the game with hands that already set some part of your plan in motion. Don't pass your turn without any mana left, and always play around your opponent's actions.

As we explained above, white makes this sideboard more flexible, as you'll be able to use a few cards that will make certain matchups a lot better.

Dust to Dust is one of the best artifact hates in Pauper, particularly against Affinity.

Destroy Evil can deal with enchantments really well, and, it is particularly great against creatures like Writhing Chrysalis, Tolarian Terror, or even a large Basking Broodscale, buffed through its interaction with Sadistic Glee.

Dawnbringer Cleric is excellent with Skyfisher, and can be great in other situations too. The rest of the sideboard just includes some nice counters for multiple matchups.

Vs. Grixis Affinity

This will always be a bad matchup for Faeries, but it is also the one where white matters the most. Dust to Dust is exceptional against Affinity, and Kor Skyfisher is the perfect card for the aggro game plan, as you'll attack through the air.

Affinity is a bit slower at first, and Refurbished Familiar, though problematic, still can't deal with Kor directly. Thraben Charm is not that great as a removal, but, as a graveyard hate and answer to Makeshift Munitions, it performs really well.

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Vs. Mono-Red Kuldotha

Kor is excellent in this matchup because it can block practically everything Red uses and attracts all the Bolts to itself, which can open a few windows. However, this game will put Azorius' speed to the test. Stay away from hands that are too slow and try to make the most out of your life, because each point counts.

Charm isn't the best in this matchup, but, post-side, you'll have better cards. Use Hydroblast on their key pieces and save your Spellstutters, as they get better throughout the game and can counter practically anything they use.

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Vs. Mono Blue Faeries

The mirror is often quite fun. Your opponent will always be surprised to see Kor on your side, and Charm deals with creatures like Spire Golem really well. Snaremaster Sprite can be a bit annoying, but your 2/3s with your Ninjutsus and your Ninjas should overcome Mono-U's consistency. Charm is interesting in this matchup because it can deal not only with your opponent's Hacker but also with their Bind the Monster.

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Vs. Jund Glee

Against Jund Glee, either the more traditional version with Cleansing Wildfire or the one that splashes Writhing Chrysalis, just try to stop them from playing their combo at all costs. So, play it safe and wait for the perfect time to play a Ninja.

Save your Spellstutters and Counterspells and be careful with their board wipes. Charm can deal with many things Glee uses really well, so use it wisely.

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Vs. Dredge

Dredge is one of the most fun combos in the format, and has become more popular recently. In this matchup, you need to worry about two cards: Dread Return and Stinkweed Imp. The first one is their win condition, so save your Counterspells for it. The second disrupts your attacks and your creatures, so, at times, you'll need to deal with it in some way.

Thraben Charm is basically a win condition in this matchup, as

it can disable their combo completely by exiling their graveyard when you answer Dread Return with it.

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Thank you for reading, and see you next time!