Welcome back Pauper fam! This week we're solidly into 2026 which means it's time to take stock of the Pauper format to see where we're starting things off this time around. Menaces of the last year remain at the very top of the metagame but there are lots of decks just getting started on their rise. We're looking forward to keeping up with the format churn right alongside you! Thank you as always for listening, fam!

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/kdvSavFkpz

Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CommonGroundMTG

Marzaboi's "Blink" Dredge decklist: https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/dredge-decklist-by-marzaboi-2753090

Upcoming Pauper Events:

The 3rd Common Ground Cup ($2k Pauper Tournament) - Saturday January 31st @ Game Knight, Columbia TN: https://topdeck.gg/event/the-3rd-common-ground-cup Featuring live-streamed coverage and commentary and a trophy for the winner!

1/9-1/11 - SCGCON Atlanta - Pauper $1ks on Friday @ 10am & Sunday @ 9am: https://scgcon.starcitygames.com/schedule/scg-con-atlanta-2026/

1/10 - Win-A-Box @ The Gamer's Wharf, Wyoming MI: https://www.thegamerswharf.com/calendar_of_events

North Carolina-Area Listeners: Check out the Piedmont Pauper League @ Dragon's Hoard, Greensboro NC! 6 monthly tournaments culminate in a grand prize: travel stipend and entry into CGCup4 this summer! January event registration is now open: https://www.spicerack.gg/events/2834147

Nashville-Area Thursday Pauper League @ Middle TN Gaming in Bellevue: https://www.facebook.com/p/Middle-Tennessee-Gaming-61567309793600/

Any questions or feedback for us? Email us at: commongroundmtgpod@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/CamPlaysMagic
https://twitter.com/Hippo_1124
Thomas' BlueSky: @thomasdoesalot.bsky.social
Hippo's BlueSky: @hippo2112.bsky.social

Welcome back Pauper fam! Happy New Year! To celebrate 2026 y'all showed up big time with plenty of questions for us to answer, so much so that we'll have to do another one in the near future! We hope your year is full of joy and we're incredibly grateful for your time and support as we enter our third year of Common Ground. Thank you as always for listening!

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/kdvSavFkpz

Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CommonGroundMTG

12/20 Upstate NY Pauper Charity Event Decklists: https://www.spicerack.gg/events/decklists?event_id=2710557

Check out Patrick Sullivan's show "The Resleevables": https://www.youtube.com/@TheResleevables

Upcoming Pauper Events:

1/9-1/11 - SCGCON Atlanta - Pauper $1ks on Friday @ 10am & Sunday @ 9am: https://scgcon.starcitygames.com/schedule/scg-con-atlanta-2026/

The 3rd Common Ground Cup ($2k Pauper Tournament) - Saturday January 31st @ Game Knight, Columbia TN: https://topdeck.gg/event/the-3rd-common-ground-cup

Nashville-Area Thursday Pauper League @ Middle TN Gaming in Bellevue: https://www.facebook.com/p/Middle-Tennessee-Gaming-61567309793600/

Any questions or feedback for us? Email us at: commongroundmtgpod@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/CamPlaysMagic
https://twitter.com/Hippo_1124
Thomas' BlueSky: @thomasdoesalot.bsky.social
Hippo's BlueSky: @hippo2112.bsky.social

Welcome back Pauper fam! This week we invite Jake AKA Kalikaiz AKA saidenraiken on MTGO to join us once again for an end of the year review of the Pauper format, detailing the cards that stood out from each set release and how the format shifted throughout the year. From Pactdoll Terror to Cryogen Relic, the end of Broodscale and Kuldotha's reigns, plus an unbanning and reban of High Tide, there was a lot to reflect on. We're looking forward to another great year of Pauper in 2026, thank you for being along for the journey!

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/kdvSavFkpz

Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CommonGroundMTG

Upcoming Pauper Events:

12/20 - Upstate NY Pauper - "Pauping Off For Charity" - Holiday Edition! @ Rochester NY: https://www.spicerack.gg/events/2710557

1/9-1/11 - SCGCON Atlanta - Pauper $1ks on Friday @ 10am & Sunday @ 9am: https://scgcon.starcitygames.com/schedule/scg-con-atlanta-2026/

The 3rd Common Ground Cup ($2k Pauper Tournament) - Saturday January 31st @ Game Knight, Columbia TN: https://topdeck.gg/event/the-3rd-common-ground-cup

Nashville-Area Thursday Pauper League @ Middle TN Gaming in Bellevue: https://www.facebook.com/p/Middle-Tennessee-Gaming-61567309793600/

Any questions or feedback for us? Email us at: commongroundmtgpod@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/CamPlaysMagic
https://twitter.com/Hippo_1124
Thomas' BlueSky: @thomasdoesalot.bsky.social
Hippo's BlueSky: @hippo2112.bsky.social

Welcome back Pauper fam! This week the boys answer an email prompt (thank you Skye!) and dive into the dynamics of mirror matches, both in terms of general heuristics and for a number of specific Pauper archetypes. We hope you enjoy this in-depth discussion and thank you as always for listening!

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/kdvSavFkpz

Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CommonGroundMTG

Upcoming Pauper Events:

12/13 - Win-A-Dual @ Through the Decades, Louisville KY: https://www.ttdcollectibles.com/louisville/magic

12/14 - Pauper Wonderland* @ Dice Dojo, Chicago IL: https://chicagolandgames.company.site/products/pauper-wonderland-event

*(Thomas misspoke, it's a 64 cap event!)

12/20 - Upstate NY Pauper - Pauping Off For Charity - Holiday Edition! @ Rochester NY: https://www.spicerack.gg/events/2710557

1/9-1/11 - SCGCON Atlanta - Pauper $1ks on Friday @ 10am & Sunday @ 9am: https://scgcon.starcitygames.com/schedule/scg-con-atlanta-2026/

The 3rd Common Ground Cup ($2k Pauper Tournament) - Saturday January 31st @ Game Knight, Columbia TN: https://topdeck.gg/event/the-3rd-common-ground-cup

Nashville-Area Thursday Pauper League @ Middle TN Gaming in Bellevue: https://www.facebook.com/p/Middle-Tennessee-Gaming-61567309793600/

Any questions or feedback for us? Email us at: commongroundmtgpod@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/CamPlaysMagic
https://twitter.com/Hippo_1124
Thomas' BlueSky: @thomasdoesalot.bsky.social
Hippo's BlueSky: @hippo2112.bsky.social

Welcome back Pauper fam! This week Cameron and Hippo dissect the results from last weekend's Paupergeddon at the European Eternal Weekend. It was a diverse metagame with some splashy results and overall we think a good place for the meta to be sitting post-Tide ban. Links to decklists and the tournament coverage VODs are below, thank you as always for listening!

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/kdvSavFkpz

Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CommonGroundMTG

Paupergeddon Decklists: https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/paupergeddon-lucca-eternal-edition-2025-tournament-224633

Paupergeddon VODs: https://www.twitch.tv/legapauperitalia/videos

The 3rd Common Ground Cup ($2k Pauper Tournament) - Saturday January 31st @ Game Knight, Columbia TN: https://topdeck.gg/event/the-3rd-common-ground-cup

Nashville-Area Thursday Pauper League @ Middle TN Gaming in Bellevue: https://www.facebook.com/p/Middle-Tennessee-Gaming-61567309793600/

Any questions or feedback for us? Email us at: commongroundmtgpod@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/CamPlaysMagic
https://twitter.com/Hippo_1124
Thomas' BlueSky: @thomasdoesalot.bsky.social
Hippo's BlueSky: @hippo2112.bsky.social

Welcome back Pauper fam! This week Cameron and Thomas sat down with returning guest (and Common Ground Cup 2 Champion) Zach Geraets to discuss how Hasbro and WotC's relationship with Magic and design has changed over the last few years and what that means for Pauper and the Magic community at large. It's a wide-ranging conversation that we hope you'll find insightful. We're thankful for our amazing community of listeners and the Pauper community at-large so thank you as always for listening!

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/kdvSavFkpz

Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CommonGroundMTG

Videos Referenced in the Episode:

-Bans Don't Matter (Blood Artist): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxolLDBupp0

-Why Magic is How it Is in 2025 and Why Everything Changed (MTGGoldfish): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNNqz6qNwOo

The 3rd Common Ground Cup ($2k Pauper Tournament) - Saturday January 31st @ Game Knight, Columbia TN: https://topdeck.gg/event/the-3rd-common-ground-cup

Nashville-Area Thursday Pauper League @ Middle TN Gaming in Bellevue: https://www.facebook.com/p/Middle-Tennessee-Gaming-61567309793600/

Any questions or feedback for us? Email us at: commongroundmtgpod@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/CamPlaysMagic
https://twitter.com/Hippo_1124
Thomas' BlueSky: @thomasdoesalot.bsky.social
Hippo's BlueSky: @hippo2112.bsky.social

Welcome back Pauper fam! This week we sit down with our good friend and local Legacy advocate Carson Bispels to chat about the age-old Pauper label of "Legacy Light". It's a great conversation about card and gameplay comparisons, plus insight on the community-centered nature of both formats. We also chat about some recent MTGO developments! Big thanks to Carson for joining us and thank you as always for listening!

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/kdvSavFkpz

Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CommonGroundMTG

MTGO Special Challenge Decklists: https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/mtgo-pauper-championship-week-finals-12824377-tournament-222652

Wolf777's W Heroic Decklist: https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/white-weenie-decklist-by-wolf777-2700446

Carson's Socials:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/carson_bis

Twitter: https://x.com/carchump

Nashville-Area Thursday Pauper League @ Middle TN Gaming in Bellevue: https://www.facebook.com/p/Middle-Tennessee-Gaming-61567309793600/

The 3rd Common Ground Cup will be Saturday January 31st at Game Knight in Columbia TN! More details TBA!

Any questions or feedback for us? Email us at: commongroundmtgpod@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/CamPlaysMagic
https://twitter.com/Hippo_1124
Thomas' BlueSky: @thomasdoesalot.bsky.social
Hippo's BlueSky: @hippo2112.bsky.social

Welcome back Pauper fam! Well, the dust has settled and the PFP has decided that High Tide should return to the banlist. We spend the first half of this week's show discussing this decision and the reasoning explained in Gavin's article. The rest of our time this week is dedicated to the new Avatar cards that will be available shortly! Will any of these new UB cards break through? We'll have to wait and see. Thank you as always for listening!

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/kdvSavFkpz

Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CommonGroundMTG

PFP Explanations:
Gavin's Article: https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/explanation-of-the-pauper-high-tide-ban-for-november-10-2025
Gavin's Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onk5zYBJGjk

Nashville-Area Thursday Pauper League @ Middle TN Gaming in Bellevue: https://www.facebook.com/p/Middle-Tennessee-Gaming-61567309793600/

The 3rd Common Ground Cup will be Saturday January 31st at Game Knight in Columbia TN! More details TBA!

Any questions or feedback for us? Email us at: commongroundmtgpod@gmail.com

https://twitter.com/CamPlaysMagic
https://twitter.com/Hippo_1124
Thomas' BlueSky: @thomasdoesalot.bsky.social
Hippo's BlueSky: @hippo2112.bsky.social