<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erinis, Gloom Stalker" href="#" target="_blank">Erinis, Gloom Stalker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://ioannisfiore.artstation.com/">Ioannis Flore</a></h6>
<h2>Background Check</h2>
<p>Every once in a while I check out the top commanders of Pauper on PDHREC, and pretty often, something catches me unaware. This time, it was the realization that the second most-played commander and Background is the pairing of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erinis, Gloom Stalker" href="#" target="_blank">Erinis, Gloom Stalker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Street Urchin" href="#" target="_blank">Street Urchin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Huh? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Street Urchin" href="#" target="_blank">Street Urchin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wants you to sacrifice artifacts or creatures, and Erinis resurrects lands. What is this deck supposed to do? Sacrifice exclusively artifact lands? I mean, I've heard of worse strategies, but surely that's not strong enough to justify the high ranking.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Erinis, Gloom Stalker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Street Urchin"></div></div>
<p>It wasn't until I read that Erinis has deathtouch that I realized what was going on. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Street Urchin" href="#" target="_blank">Street Urchin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> specifies that it's your commander who has the ability to deal direct damage, meaning that Erinis is able to one-shot any creature for just a single mana and a sacrifice. Ohhhh. Yeah, that's pretty strong, and I now I really want to build this deck!</p>
<p>But while the strongest part of the deck is the ridiculous removal ability, its main appeal to me is the wide variety of things we can do.</p>
<p>We want to be sacrificing lands, creatures, and artifacts, so we're leaning into some graveyard themes, but we also want to use Erinis to recur lands, so we have a bit of a ramp going as well. And of course, for Erinis to trigger, we've got to attack with him, so we'll have to commit a bit to a combat theme.</p>
<p>And yeah, this sounds like a lot to cram into one deck, but because these are all fairly popular themes, there's a significant amount of overlap between them all.</p>
<p>For instance, take <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldvein Pick" href="#" target="_blank">Goldvein Pick</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's perfect here, because we're going to ensure that Erinis is always gonna have a means of attacking and dealing damage, which will trigger the Pick and fuel <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Street Urchin" href="#" target="_blank">Street Urchin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Or, there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Springbloom Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Springbloom Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will ramp us, feed the graveyard for Erinis, and later be something to sacrifice. Most of our goals are actually pretty easy to accomplish, and that's going to make this a powerful deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goldvein Pick"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Springbloom Druid"></div></div>
<h2>Good Eye, Sniper</h2>
<p>Let's start with the main theme, using deathtouch and Street Urchin to mow down the board. I mean, all we really need here is a bunch of creatures and artifacts to sacrifice. Treasures, Food, 1/1 tokens, anything will do here.</p>
<p>Stuff like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Writhing Chrysalis" href="#" target="_blank">Writhing Chrysalis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul&#039;s Hatcher" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul&#039;s Hatcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great, of course, making an absolute load of tokens, but to really find the best cards to use, we have to think about other aspects of this deck.</p>
<p>Take <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rapacious One" href="#" target="_blank">Rapacious One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It has the potential to make a ton of tokens, but it rarely gets through to deal combat damage because it's so obviously a threat.</p>
<p>But if we consider the fact that we're gonna be running a ton of evasion for Erinis anyways, we can make the assumption that we'll have a bit spare for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rapacious One" href="#" target="_blank">Rapacious One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it becomes an incredible card in this deck.</p>
<p>It's the same for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sporemound" href="#" target="_blank">Sporemound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elfsworn Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Elfsworn Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who'll be churning out a ton of tokens because of Erinis recurring lands. Also, there are all the artifact lands, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tree of Tales" href="#" target="_blank">Tree of Tales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Great Furnace" href="#" target="_blank">Great Furnace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slagwoods Bridge" href="#" target="_blank">Slagwoods Bridge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that we can theoretically sacrifice over and over again.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Writhing Chrysalis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rapacious One"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sporemound"></div></div>
<p>Of course, most of our sacrifice fodder is going to be pretty typical, just cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Patron of the Arts" href="#" target="_blank">Patron of the Arts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that'll make a few tokens on its own. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mogg War Marshal" href="#" target="_blank">Mogg War Marshal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impulsive Pilferer" href="#" target="_blank">Impulsive Pilferer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Big Score" href="#" target="_blank">Big Score</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it's all the usual suspects.</p>
<p>Between those cards and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beamtown Beatstick" href="#" target="_blank">Beamtown Beatstick</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldvein Pick" href="#" target="_blank">Goldvein Pick</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prying Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Prying Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will all make a Treasure upon contact, we should be able to trigger Street Urchin plenty.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Patron of the Arts"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Impulsive Pilferer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Beamtown Beatstick"></div></div>
<h2>Turning the Earth</h2>
<p>Then we have to worry about having lands in the graveyard for Erinis to bring back. For this bit, I decided to just accomplish the task with card advantage pieces. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demand Answers" href="#" target="_blank">Demand Answers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is perfect, letting us discard a land or sacrifice an artifact we might have laying around.</p>
<p>And the payoff is drawing two cards! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Big Score" href="#" target="_blank">Big Score</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unexpected Windfall" href="#" target="_blank">Unexpected Windfall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seize the Spoils" href="#" target="_blank">Seize the Spoils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all lie in the same vein, filling out our card advantage section very nicely.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Demand Answers"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unexpected Windfall"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seize the Spoils"></div></div>
<p>But there's still more! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grapple with the Past" href="#" target="_blank">Grapple with the Past</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cache Grab" href="#" target="_blank">Cache Grab</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malevolent Rumble" href="#" target="_blank">Malevolent Rumble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stock our graveyard directly, then get a card back. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malevolent Rumble" href="#" target="_blank">Malevolent Rumble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> even makes a token for Street Urchin! See what I was saying about all our different themes feeding each other?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, this set of cards isn't living up to its full potential, as we only have recursion for lands, but that should be good enough, and I think they still have a spot in this deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grapple with the Past"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cache Grab"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malevolent Rumble"></div></div>
<p>Finally, there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Orcish Lumberjack" href="#" target="_blank">Orcish Lumberjack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a card that's been nuts since it was first printed in <em>Ice Age</em>. I mean, it adds three mana just for sacrificing a land that Erinis will get right back. That's about as perfect as it gets.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Orcish Lumberjack"></div></div>
<h2>Swingin' Away</h2>
<p>Finally, we'll turn our attention to letting Erinis attack. The fact that he has deathtouch should go a long way in letting him attack, but just to be safe, we'll toss in a number of wings, from the cobbled ones to the ones that show hubris. And of course, we can't forget <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whispersilk Cloak" href="#" target="_blank">Whispersilk Cloak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Since we're on the subject of Equipment to put on Erinis, we might as well talk about a few other garments. How about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snake Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Snake Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Yup, that enchantment lets us draw a card every single time we activate street Urchin. Then we've got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viridian Longbow" href="#" target="_blank">Viridian Longbow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is effectively a backup of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Street Urchin" href="#" target="_blank">Street Urchin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cobbled Wings"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Whispersilk Cloak"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Snake Umbra"></div></div>
<p>For one more layer of security, we'll make sure Erinis is well defended by tossing in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gaea&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Gaea&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping" href="#" target="_blank">Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ranger&#039;s Guile" href="#" target="_blank">Ranger&#039;s Guile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snakeskin Veil" href="#" target="_blank">Snakeskin Veil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Better safe than sorry, right? Those cards will win the game if you wait long enough to use them.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gaea&#039;s Gift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ranger&#039;s Guile"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Pauper Commander - Erinis, Gloom Stalker and Street Urchin" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Erinis, Gloom Stalker
*1 Street Urchin
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Arbor Elf
*1 Eldrazi Repurposer
*1 Elfsworn Giant
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Emrakul&#039;s Hatcher
*1 Fyndhorn Elves
*1 Genasi Enforcers
*1 Generous Ent
*1 Goblin Anarchomancer
*1 Impulsive Pilferer
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Masked Vandal
*1 Mogg War Marshal
*1 Orchard Strider
*1 Orcish Lumberjack
*1 Patient Naturalist
*1 Patron of the Arts
*1 Rapacious One
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Sporemound
*1 Springbloom Druid
*1 Tavern Scoundrel
*1 Writhing Chrysalis
*1 Yavimaya Elder
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Beamtown Beatstick
*1 Cliffhaven Kitesail
*1 Cloak of the Bat
*1 Cobbled Wings
*1 Experimental Synthesizer
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Goldvein Pick
*1 Haunted Cloak
*1 Heaped Harvest
*1 Ichor Wellspring
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Nimblewright Schematic
*1 Prized Statue
*1 Prying Blade
*1 Viridian Longbow
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
*1 Wings of Hubris
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Cabaretti Courtyard
*1 Command Tower
*1 Darksteel Citadel
*1 Escape Tunnel
*1 Evolving Wilds
*8 Forest
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Great Furnace
*1 Haunted Fengraf
*8 Mountain
*1 Riveteers Overlook
*1 Slagwoods Bridge
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Tranquil Thicket
*1 Tree of Tales
[/Lands]
[Instants]
*1 Big Score
*1 Cache Grab
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Demand Answers
*1 Gaea&#039;s Gift
*1 Grapple with the Past
*1 Lightning Bolt
*1 Moment&#039;s Peace
*1 Ranger&#039;s Guile
*1 Return to Nature
*1 Snakeskin Veil
*1 Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping
*1 Unexpected Windfall
*1 Vines of Vastwood
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Edge of Autumn
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Glimpse the Impossible
*1 Malevolent Rumble
*1 Seize the Spoils
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crawling Infestation
*1 Goblin War Drums
*1 Shiny Impetus
*1 Snake Umbra
*1 Sticky Fingers
*1 Utopia Sprawl
*1 Wild Growth
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>
<p>On paper, I would never have expected this deck to work... which is why I'm going to play with it in <em>MTG Arena</em>! Haha, just kidding.</p>
<p>But the point is, I'm glad I tried this deck out, because it's really cool. There's a lot of stuff to do, and it has a ton of variation in gameplay between games, in comparison to other decks.</p>
<p>One moment, you might be focused on getting Erinis to attack, the next you could be sniping creatures with Street Urchin. There's a lot of fun to be had here, and I'm gonna have all of it.</p>
