Timeline Tuesday: Commons!

Some *very knowledgeable Genesis Players* have pointed out that competitive deckbuilding can feel a little stale with the same core of powerful cards for certain colors constantly popping up in competitive decks. Most of those cards are uncommon/rare (Epiphany, Bolt Shot, Dedicated Studies, Chronowalker, etc), which got me thinking: what about the Commons? What about a Genesis PAUPER format to shake things up?

This week we’re going to highlight the Commons of Genesis: we’ll take a look at some of the best cards available and what each colour has access to. If you’re craving an actual decklist, don’t worry! In the following weeks we’re also going to craft some Pauper Decks to get you started! In the meantime, let’s get to it!

When it comes to “Powerful” cards, we tend to ignore our common cards, because…usually the power is in the more expensive (in every sense of the word) cards. Dig deep enough though, and you’re bound to find all sorts of sneaky, tricky, momentum-shifting cards. We already know a few common ones, like Dedicated Studies, Teleportation, even Ponerodon. Never mind that those are all blue cards; the point is that even at the common level there’s still a lot of high level potential for skillful play.

Deckbuilding limitations force you to focus more on execution and timing and strategic play vs just jamming as many copies of the best things in your deck and filtering your deck mathematically perfect every time to get the right cards. Focusing on commons and a pauper format is a quick and easy way to explore a different deckbuilding perspective that may enhance and improve our deckbuilding skills in the future, provide another low-barrier-to-entry format for Genesis players to enjoy, and gives every player a chance to reconsider their the value of their bulk pile.

Before we get into covering the specs of each color, I do want to point out that while Green has only 2 sets worth of presence in the game, the amount of useful commons cannot be overstated: Green is in a GOOD place.

Blue has 3 alterations, 9 summons, 2 enchantments, 13 spells and 5 techniques as commons, with a general focus on Spells, Water and Electric Damage, Movement, and Draw.

Top Blue Cards: Tar Pit, Ruined Sculpture, Ponerodon, Ma’Anthur, Dedicated Studies, Teleportation, Delayed Protections, Water Strike, Chain Lightning, Thunderstruck, Backstep, Leg Sweep.

Red has 1 alteration, 11 summons, 2 enchantments, 5 spells, and 13 techniques as commons, with a general focus on Techniques, Earth Damage, and Movement.

Top Red Cards: Taru, Gelada Baboon, Khorat Frog, Quake Hoof, Rampaging Mare, Raging Rooster, Agility Break, Mythical Protection, Landslide, Cleansing Waters, Earth Strike, Diving Juke, Gut Punch, Hearty Soup, Knockback, Light Net, Stable Footing, Vault.

Yellow has 3 alterations, 11 summons, 2 enchantments, 11 spells and 5 techniques as commons, with a general focus on Spells, Air and Holy Damage, and Movement.

Top Yellow Cards: Hallowed Ground, Tower Sphinx, Andha Ceru, Cattail Tiger, Dawa-jinn, Hawa-jinn, Goliath Sphinx-Eater, Prowling Yvala, Flight, Draw Break, Air Strike, Buffeting Winds, Holy Wave, Searing Light, Twister, Disabling Shot, Far Shot, Twin Arrows.

Green has 2 alterations, 11 summons, 2 enchantments, 6 spells, and 7 techniques as commons, with a general focus on Duplicating Beckons and Evasion.

Top Green Cards: Evade Right, Electric Strike, Taser, Pummel, Short Signal, Beckon Break, Shield Major, Toxic Mushroom, Infected Brush, Fontanellar, Bombardier Beetle, Illusion Moth.

Purple has 5 alterations, 10 sunmons, 1 enchantment, 9 spells, and 7 techniques as commons, with a general focus on Alterations, Dark and Fire Damage, and Energy Attacks.

Top Purple Cards: Chasm, Inferno Pits, Haunted Catacombs, Blood Rakshasa, Death Eater, Fire Hound, Pain Imp, Rompo, Burn Break, Fire Strike, Siphon Vitality, Smoke, Underworld Knowledge, Unhinge, Blood Blade, Cleave, Foot Stomp, and Shadow Claw.

Universal has 8 summons, 6 spells, and 13 techniques as commons, with a general focus on Energy Techniques, Healing, and Beckons.

Top Universal Cards: Angel of Words, Rugged Majara, Jaelarian Hound, Dancing Stream, Jaelarian Mist, Mythic Burst, Hiza-Guruma, Innovative Cover, Forward Stab, Direct Punch, Block, Right Uppercut, Right Hook, Power Punch, Side Step.

As you can see, every color has some decent tools and summons, and there’s a lot of potential to discover your new favorite common card that will start making appearances in your future decks. In future articles we’ll be going over how various champions would perform in a common-only Pauper format, providing some decklists, and even exploring various common-only combos to encourage Genesis players to try something new this week and in the future, and who knows? You may find you’ve discovered your new favorite way to play Genesis!

As always, make sure you tune in on Monday’s, now at 8PM EST for the Genesis: Battle of Champions live streams. You can check out the official Genesis Battle of Champions website for a full card library, up-to-date rules and a store locator so you can find out the nearest LGS carrying Genesis!