Archived Analysis

The state of Pauper is incredibly strong this week, highlighted by a robust Final Health Index of 85.3. This score reflects an engaged and growing player base, driven by significant participation increases. We are seeing major growth in both paper (4.2% average per month) and MTGO (1.6% average per month) participation, alongside a massive jump in events—October recorded 322 events, the high mark for the year.

Diving into the metrics confirms this upward trend: Archetype Distribution sits at a commanding 90.2 and Event Growth is near peak at 93.1. While our Metagame Diversity Score remains solid at 76.2, the format undeniably leans aggressive. Aggro currently dominates 68.8% of the meta share, reinforcing the format’s reputation for speed, though historically this distribution is only slightly up from the 66.6% average.

Looking at the Top 10, the field is clearly led by three decks that break the 8% barrier. Affinity is the current frontrunner at 11.5%, followed closely by Mono Blue Aggro at 10%, and Burn taking 8%. Red Deck Wins, Jund, and Elves fill out the middle tier, demonstrating that consistent aggressive strategies and resilient midrange are the keys to current success.

The competitive scene is defined by the "Big Three": Caw-Gate, Affinity, and Kuldotha Red. Community discussion focuses intensely on consistency enablers like *Basilica Gate* for Caw-Gate's resilience and the artifact lands fueling Affinity. The utility of *Reckless Impulse* and *Kuldotha Rebirth* in Red strategies remains a hot topic, providing aggressive decks with serious mid-game resilience. Despite this top-end dominance, brewers are fighting back; we see Tempo Dimir Faeries and Tron shells utilizing *Ephemerate* to create hard locks as key disruptive technologies. The recent B&R update was cautious, postponing a decision on High Tide, reflecting confidence in the format's overall 85.3 health index, even if the top tier feels slightly stale.