A 132-player Pauper showdown like Sideboard 5 in Lyon demands a deck that can handle anything the field throws at it—and Caw-Gates was the perfect choice. Its flexible shell of resilient creatures, tempo lands, and versatile interaction let me navigate a brutally diverse metagame, finishing Swiss at 5-1-1 before falling in the Top 8 quarterfinals to Jund Wildfire (the eventual tournament winner).
Tournament Overview
Sideboard 5 drew 132 players to Lyon on January 24, 2026, marking France’s largest Pauper event ever. The Top 8 showcased the format’s diversity: Jund Wildfire, Spy Combo, Izzet Faeries, Rakdos Madness, Kiln Fiend, Mono-Red Madness, Red Deck Wins, and my Caw-Gates. I expected more Spy Combo than showed up, but the wide-open field—with rogues like Golgari Garden Pestilence (which I drew against)—perfectly validated the deck’s adaptability.
Why Caw-Gates Shines Here
Caw-Gates thrives against variety because it pivots effortlessly:
Aggro: Sacred Cat walls early pressure; Basilisk Gate becomes a 6/6 vigilance attacker.
Midrange/Control: Lorien Revealed and The Modern Age grind value; Thraben Charm flexes across roles.
My exact list:
Lands (21)
4 Basilisk Gate
4 Citadel Gate
4 Sea Gate
2 Heap Gate
2 Azorius Guildgate
4 Island
1 Idyllic Beachfront
Creatures (12)
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Sacred Cat
3 Outlaw Medic
1 Guardian of the Guildpact
Instants/Sorceries (19)
4 Brainstorm
4 Counterspell
4 Lorien Revealed
4 Prismatic Strands
3 Thraben Charm
Other Spells (8)
4 Journey to Nowhere
4 The Modern Age
Sideboard (15)
4 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Breath Weapon
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Remove Soul
1 Dispel
1 Dust to Dust
1 Envelop
1 Palace Sentinels
1 Relic of Progenitus
The sideboard’s shotgun approach—narrow bullets for every archetype—perfectly matched the unpredictable field.
Swiss Rounds: Preparation Pays Off
After a long hiatus from competitive Magic, I approached this event with serious testing. The 5-1-1 Swiss record proved the work paid dividends.
Key moments included drawing against Pestilence Combo (a matchup where my maindeck resilience shines) and consistently stabilizing against aggressive decks with Cat + Gate while holding up Counterspell for threats. Each win built confidence in my reads and sideboarding.
Top 8 Quarterfinal: The Costly Mistake
Paired against Jund Wildfire (#1 seed, eventual champion Victor Hatte), I knew timing was everything. Game 1 hinged on interaction windows around their Wildfires—I needed to maximize every spell.
The turning point: I cast Thraben Charm too early, not playing around Cast Down. That tempo loss let them stabilize and execute their gameplan. By Top 8, fatigue from the long day eroded my focus, amplifying the error.
Sideboard Guide
Aggro (Madness, RDW): -4 Lorien Revealed, +2 Breath Weapon, +2 REB, +2 Remove Soul
Combo (Spy): -3 Outlaw Medic, +1 Dispel, +1 Envelop, +1 Relic
Faeries: -1 Guardian, +4 BEB
Grind: +1 Palace Sentinels
Card Evaluation & Lessons
Stars: Sacred Cat (lifegain + evasive blocker), Basilisk Gate (game-ending vigilance), Counterspell suite (format-defining).
Solid: The Modern Age, Lorien Revealed (consistent filtering).
Consider cutting: 1-of Guardian (cute but situational).
Biggest lesson: Discipline with flexible spells. Thraben Charm demands patience—read the board states, not just your hand. Fatigue management also proved critical; Top 8 sharpness requires stamina.
Final Thoughts
Top 8 at France’s biggest Pauper event after a long competitive break felt incredible. Caw-Gates proved its mettle, validating the grindy tempo-control gameplan against any field composition.
Next time: sharper focus, better endurance, no premature Charms. This run reignited my Pauper passion—I’ll be back, aiming higher.