When Commander games have gotten chaotic and Standard rotation has made most of your decks ineligible, maybe it’s time to go back to Pauper format (only Common cards eligible)?
Common cards are the backbone of MTG, and regardless if you’re a new player or a 20-year veteran, everyone needs good Common cards. Scryfall lists just over 7800 Common cards in the game, so beginners might have trouble evaluating what is best for them.
We did a little roundtable discussion and came up with the 15 top Common cards that players of all levels need. Each colour has at least two cards represented, and we tried to avoid cards that have similar functions.
A little upfront spoiler: there is no Rhystic Study in this list! While it is no doubt one of the most commonly seen cards in Commander, the high price of around US$15 makes this an expensive purchase and not something we want to recommend to new players joining the game. The list isn’t perfect, and if you have a good suggestion, please drop us a message at tapandsac@gmail.com!
Lightning Bolt
A classic burn spell for Red, and the math couldn’t be simpler – 3 damage anywhere for one Red Mana 
. Even in the Uncommon or Rare level, it is arguable that no other burn spell is better. Lightning Bolt is used in so many formats – Commander, Modern, Legacy, etc – and has been reprinted so many times but still there isn’t enough.
Delver of Secrets
Delver of Secrets is used in many decks from Legacy to Pauper, simply because it offers a possible turn-two 3/2 Flyer. In a deck that has lots of Instants and Sorceries, it’s a high chance that will happen. While this aggressive card may feel very unlike Blue, a Blue-Red deck with lots of Prowess Creatures and Wizard synergies would be a good home for Delver.
Llanowar Elves
Just as Red has its Lightning Bolt, Green has its Mana ‘dork’ – a Creature that can generate Mana itself and ramp to bigger Creatures or spells. The Dorks all started with this guy – Llanowar Elves for one Green Mana and can also tap for 
. Each player wants this as their turn-one play to be able to cast 3-Mana cards on turn two.
Counterspell
Blue is most well known for countering spells. While there are other worthy contenders such as Blue Elemental Blast and even the recent Mystical Dispute that costs only 1 Blue Mana 
, Counterspell offers blanket protection for 2 Blue Mana. Those two untapped Islands always gives pause to the opponent and cannot be taken lightly.
Duress
Black is renown for discarding opponent’s cards, and in the Common category Duress is the best of them, offering a Sideboard solution in Pioneer and Standard formats. The Rare card Thoughtseize is a better version of Duress but unfortunately does not qualify for this list. A close second is Hymn to Tourach, but both cards discarded are random and is less useful for competitive play.
Brainstorm
Many think that Brainstorm has been around since the beginning of MTG – I certainly did. But this quintessential draw card came out in Ice Age. Since then, it has been used in all kinds of decks outside of Pauper format, notably in Commander and Modern where Brainstorm can be combined with Fetch Lands to great effect.
Grasp of Darkness
This will come as a surprise to many, because they will ask: “what about Terror or Diabolic Edict?” Terror unfortunately has a non-Black clause while Edict let’s the opponent choose which Creature is sacrificed. Grasp of Darkness on the other hand, takes care of almost all Creatures at 2 or 3 Mana and can eliminate Indestructible Creatures as well.
Growth Spiral
The newest card on the list, first seeing print in 2018. It became so essential and powerful that it was the first card to see 32 copies in the Top 8 of a big tournament. That means every player was using a full playset of them in their decks. It got so out of hand that it was banned in Standard a few months before rotation. Two powerful abilities for 2 Mana makes Growth Spiral a powerhouse.
Rancor
Although upgraded into an Uncommon in recent years, Rancor started off as a Common and is the perfect complement to the classic Mono-Green “Stompy” deck. It pumps 2 Power and gives Trample to Green’s already beefy Creatures, for just 1 Green Mana. And it keeps coming back! Even Exiled Creatures do not get rid of Rancor as the Enchantment itself doesn’t get Exiled.
Spell Pierce
Spell Pierce is very similar to Counterspell, but it offers unique consideration because of its versatility and tradeoff. For 1 Blue Mana, an opponent may not expect a counter to their big Planeswalker or “Board Wipe” spell, making Spell Pierce a much more viable card than Counterspell, especially when you’re unable to leave double Blue Mana available. It does fall on the wayside against Creature-heavy decks, so many keep this in the Sideboard.
Manamorphose
This Common Manamorphose was so popular that is once became a $20 card until it was finally reprinted in 2019. It is the functional cousin to Growth Spiral, drawing a card and fixing Mana colours for just 2 Mana. Essentially it is a 0-cost spell to draw a card, and since it counts as an Instant, this could trigger Prowess abilities in Aggro decks.
Bojuka Bog
The only Land on the list, and it’s a bomb! Even though it comes in Tapped, its Graveyard exile effect could completely destroy the opponent’s game plan. Since Bojuka Bog is a Land, it cannot be countered and any response to destroy it will not remove the Exile effect. It even taps for 
and not colourless Mana! An amazing Sideboard card or for any Commander deck.
Dark Ritual
Back in the early days, a player could play Black Lotus, sacrifice it for Mana, cast Dark Ritual and thus have 5 Black Mana available on turn one. Neither card may no longer be in legal in Standard or Modern format, but it is still very useful in Commander or Pauper to ramp up to bigger spells.
Capsize
Like Dark Ritual, Capsize is so good that it hasn’t been reprinted in a long time, making ineligible for Modern and new formats. It is immensely powerful because of its Buyback ability, allow you to cast it indefinitely as long as Mana is available. It can target any Permanent (Lands as well) of any player, thus it can save your Creatures or Planeswalkers when they are targeted. Easily the most flexible card on this list!
Sakura Tribe Elder
Sakura Tribe Elder may not be as efficient as Llanowar Elves, since it costs 2 instead of 1 Mana, but it has the special ability to search your Library for any Basic Land. In Commander, where decks run multiple colours in a 100-card deck, this Tribe Elder could be a lifesaver. It’s a pity you have to sacrifice it and the Land search is not a free ability, but it is still a must-have in multi-coloured decks.
