<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Waltz No. 3" href="#" target="_blank">Black Waltz No. 3</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/lordigan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lordigan</a></em></p>
<p>I know it's been a while since <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/fin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Final Fantasy</em></a> came out, but I just saw the art for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Waltz No. 3" href="#" target="_blank">Black Waltz No. 3</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it looks way too cool to pass up.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Waltz No. 3"></div></div>
<p>Also, on a less important note, its abilities are pretty good. Two damage to each opponent every single time we cast a noncreature spell? Yeah, we can work with that. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Guttersnipe" href="#" target="_blank">Guttersnipe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the command zone is quite strong.</p>
<h2>Let's Waltz!</h2>
<p>I've built a number of decks like this, but they're usually in Izzet colors (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>). In those decks, blue gave us instants and sorceries aplenty, along with some helpful utilities when it comes to racking up a storm count. We also lose counterspells without blue, and with them a lot of protection.</p>
<p>What this means is that there's less time for dilly dallying, so we'll have to increase the pace and lean into the aggressiveness of the Rakdos (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) color slice.</p>
<p>That's how I like it though! Either we drain life totals and start swinging in for kills right away, or we make ourselves the enemy and speed up the game regardless. Sounds like a plan.</p>
<h2>Storming Off</h2>
<p>So obviously our main goal is to just cast as many instants and sorceries as possible. Yeah, our commander triggers on any noncreature spell, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Guttersnipe" href="#" target="_blank">Guttersnipe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does not, and we want to be making the most of that card as well. So we'll focus on nonpermanents.</p>
<p>Any spells that are neutral in card advantage, i.e., cantrips, are exactly what we're looking for. We can cast a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrill of Possibility" href="#" target="_blank">Thrill of Possibility</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, discard a land and draw two, and then we've got a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tormenting Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Tormenting Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in hand ready to be cast next. The only thing we're losing is mana, and we can easily build a reserve of that with cards like <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> or <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>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thrill of Possibility"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tormenting Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Big Score"></div></div>
<p>Really, we're just looking for any spells that draw cards, so the black draw spells are great too:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sign in Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Sign in Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Painful Lesson" href="#" target="_blank">Painful Lesson</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Night&#039;s Whisper" href="#" target="_blank">Night&#039;s Whisper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Read the Bones" href="#" target="_blank">Read the Bones</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diresight" href="#" target="_blank">Diresight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p>There's a million of them, all with the cost of two life. But our commander evens that out across the board.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sign in Blood"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Night&#039;s Whisper"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Read the Bones"></div></div>
<h2>Melting Life Totals</h2>
<p>Those cards are an engine all by themselves, but not every spell has to create card advantage. A simple <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will deal nine damage around the board for the cost of one mana, and any other removal spell will have a similarly big impact.</p>
<p>Even if all we do for the game is draw cards and kill creatures, we're still gonna be doing quite well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tragic Slip" href="#" target="_blank">Tragic Slip</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, bam, that's six damage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cremate" href="#" target="_blank">Cremate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, pow, that's another six. Opponents are trying to remove our commander? Cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Not Dead After All" href="#" target="_blank">Not Dead After All</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in response, and they take six again.</p>
<p>Heck, even an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will lower life totals.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lightning Bolt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tragic Slip"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Not Dead After All"></div></div>
<p>But like I said before, we shouldn't lean too much into artifacts and enchantments. Why? Because a significant amount of our deck is already taken up by creatures duplicating our commander - little guys who deal damage whenever we cast spells.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Guttersnipe" href="#" target="_blank">Guttersnipe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Firebrand Archer" href="#" target="_blank">Firebrand Archer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindlespark Duo" href="#" target="_blank">Kindlespark Duo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, just one of these fellas will improve our game plan by 50-100%. And when we get multiple of them on board, it'll be a bloodbath.</p>
<p>We even get some extra assistance from the new <em>Final Fantasy </em>tokens, in the form of Wizards made by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mysidian Elder" href="#" target="_blank">Mysidian Elder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cornered by Black Mages" href="#" target="_blank">Cornered by Black Mages</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Guttersnipe"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kindlespark Duo"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mysidian Elder"></div></div>
<h2>Rakdos Lifegain?</h2>
<p>Now that's our primary game plan, but we'd be leaving money on the table if all we did was cast instants and sorceries 'cause our commander's got a bit more to it than that.</p>
<p>First is the fact that it's the one dealing the damage. That means if we slap lifelink on our general, we gain as much life as its ability is taking. Which is a lot.</p>
<p>If we start our turn with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxin Analysis" href="#" target="_blank">Toxin Analysis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, by the end of it, we could easily gain 18 life or more. In most Commander games, that's an unbeatable advantage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eternal Thirst" href="#" target="_blank">Eternal Thirst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cartouche of Ambition" href="#" target="_blank">Cartouche of Ambition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampiric Link" href="#" target="_blank">Vampiric Link</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> aren't instants or sorceries, but they're worth it to permanently give our commander lifelink.</p>
<p>Even better, lasting lifelink can actually be achieved with one particular instant: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unexpected Fangs" href="#" target="_blank">Unexpected Fangs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It triggers all our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Guttersnipe" href="#" target="_blank">Guttersnipe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s <em>and</em> gives lifelink for more than a turn.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Toxin Analysis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eternal Thirst"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unexpected Fangs"></div></div>
<p>There are also a surprising number of instants that give both indestructible and lifelink. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Orcish Medicine" href="#" target="_blank">Orcish Medicine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rush of Vitality" href="#" target="_blank">Rush of Vitality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Return to Action" href="#" target="_blank">Return to Action</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are excellent means of either protecting our commander or gaining some life. That's an unexpectedly defensive strategy for a Rakdos deck!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Orcish Medicine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rush of Vitality"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return to Action"></div></div>
<p>Of course, the other way to take advantage of our commander's damage is a lot more menacing. I'm talking about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyresis" href="#" target="_blank">Phyresis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the only way to give a creature infect in Pauper.</p>
<p>The thing is, if we put this on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Waltz No. 3" href="#" target="_blank">Black Waltz No. 3</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it'll become a target real quick. Honestly, it might not even be worth going for the win with it, because you'd have to cast five spells in a row <em>after </em>playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyresis" href="#" target="_blank">Phyresis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and that's assuming no one kills <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Waltz No. 3" href="#" target="_blank">Black Waltz No. 3</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> mid storm.</p>
<p>Plus, because infect replaces damage, you won't even get anything out of the turn if you fail. And you absolutely can't bet on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyresis" href="#" target="_blank">Phyresis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lasting a turn cycle. Still, I'm gonna include it in the deck in case a miracle hand ever arranges itself.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyresis"></div></div>
<p>Finally, it's worth noting that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Waltz No. 3" href="#" target="_blank">Black Waltz No. 3</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a 2/2 flyer with deathtouch. That makes it very unlikely that it'll be blocked, and thanks to that, we can hook it up with a <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> or <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> and net some extra Treasures every turn.</p>
<p>Why let a good attacker go to waste?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goldvein Pick"></div></div>
<h2>Black Waltz No. 3 Pauper Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Pauper Commander - Black Waltz No. 3" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Black Waltz No. 3
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Abrade
*1 Big Score
*1 Cremate
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Defile
*1 Demand Answers
*1 Fists of Flame
*1 Go for the Throat
*1 Lightning Bolt
*1 Not Dead After All
*1 Orcish Medicine
*1 Return to Action
*1 Rush of Vitality
*1 Seething Song
*1 Thrill of Possibility
*1 Toxin Analysis
*1 Tragic Slip
*1 Unexpected Fangs
*1 Unexpected Windfall
*1 Victim of Night
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Beamtown Beatstick
*1 Black Mage&#039;s Rod
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Decanter of Endless Water
*1 Goldvein Pick
*1 Prying Blade
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Red Mage&#039;s Rapier
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Tormod&#039;s Crypt
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cathartic Reunion
*1 Cornered by Black Mages
*1 Diresight
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Feed the Swarm
*1 Galvanic Relay
*1 Glimpse the Impossible
*1 Grab the Prize
*1 Night&#039;s Whisper
*1 Painful Lesson
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Reckless Impulse
*1 Risky Shortcut
*1 Seize the Spoils
*1 Sign in Blood
*1 Tormenting Voice
*1 Witch&#039;s Mark
*1 Wrenn&#039;s Resolve
[/Sorceries]
[Creatures]
*1 Erebor Flamesmith
*1 Firebrand Archer
*1 Guttersnipe
*1 Kessig Flamebreather
*1 Kindlespark Duo
*1 Mysidian Elder
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Thermo-Alchemist
*1 Unruly Catapult
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Cartouche of Ambition
*1 Eternal Thirst
*1 Kaya&#039;s Ghostform
*1 Phyresis
*1 Sticky Fingers
*1 Tavern Brawler
*1 Vampiric Link
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Command Tower
*1 Forgotten Cave
*15 Mountain
*15 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>And that sums up the deck. We've got a scary flying Wizard who turns the game into a death clock for our opponents, and we do our best to protect it until everyone is dead.</p>
<p>Aggressive in a way, but not exactly how I imagined it. In reality, we're playing very defensively as we wait for our opponents' lives to be drained, and we don't do much more than that. Man, it's almost like this deck is blue!</p>
<p>Oh well, I still think we got something pretty strong out of here, and I bet we can win a good few games with it.</p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="2z5rj6jehc"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/does-shantotto-work-as-a-pauper-commander/">Does Shantotto Work as a Pauper Commander?</a></p></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="cvMKRNe7JM"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/pauper-commander-tormod-and-ramirez/">Pauper Commander - Tormod and Ramirez</a></p></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="3zIxGcQoBs"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/yue-the-moon-spirit/">Yue, The Moon Spirit</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Yue, The Moon Spirit&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/yue-the-moon-spirit/embed/#?secret=RXDfXZVonT#?secret=3zIxGcQoBs" data-secret="3zIxGcQoBs" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


rakdos pauper

Black Waltz No. 3 - Pauper Commander Deck Tech