Jasmine Boreal of the Seven is a compelling commander choice in the Pauper EDH format. While originally a vanilla creature from the early days of Magic: The Gathering, her reimagined version in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate brought her back into the spotlight with a unique identity. In Pauper EDH, where deck construction is limited to common cards except for the commander, Jasmine’s ability to give your creatures evasion and generate extra mana provides a surprisingly potent strategy in the right hands. Combining efficient green and white commons with her supportive effect, Jasmine Boreal of the Seven has become a favorite among budget-conscious players who still want to build something elegant and powerful.
Understanding Jasmine Boreal of the Seven
Commander Identity and Abilities
Jasmine Boreal of the Seven is a green and white (Selesnya) commander with a unique twist for Pauper EDH. Her stats and abilities include:
- Mana Cost: 3GW
- Power/Toughness: 2/4
- Abilities: Tap to add GG or WW, and creatures with no abilities can’t be blocked this turn
Her mana generation helps ramp into bigger plays, while her second ability rewards the use of creatures that have no abilities vanilla creatures. This encourages a deckbuilding approach that prioritizes simple creatures, enabling a unique, often overlooked design in Commander gameplay.
Why Pauper EDH?
Pauper EDH, also known as PDH, is a variant of Commander where your deck is composed of only commons, with a single uncommon creature as your commander. This significantly lowers the cost of entry and promotes creative deckbuilding. Jasmine is legal in this format and shines due to her rare synergy with vanilla creatures some of the most budget-friendly options in the game.
Building Around Jasmine Boreal of the Seven
Creature Base: Embracing the Vanilla Army
To get the most value from Jasmine’s evasion-granting effect, your creature base should focus on creatures with no abilities. Thankfully, green and white have plenty of efficient vanilla creatures at common rarity.
- Tundra Wolves A 1-drop 1/1, perfect for early pressure
- Runeclaw Bear A classic 2/2 for two mana, no frills
- Benalish Honor Guard While not entirely vanilla, its scaling power makes it fit well
- Woolly Loxodon A massive 6/7 for seven mana, perfect for late-game pressure
- Charging Badger It may have trample, but it’s low-cost and flavorful
Filling your board with these simple creatures and then turning them into unblockable threats with Jasmine’s tap ability can pressure opponents in a surprisingly effective way.
Ramp and Mana Fixing
Jasmine’s ability to generate GG or WW is useful, but you’ll also need a solid base of ramp spells and mana dorks to accelerate your board development.
- Llanowar Elves A classic 1-drop mana dork
- Avacyn’s Pilgrim Provides white mana for just one green
- Rampant Growth Fixes mana while thinning your deck
- Sylvan Ranger Searches for a land and leaves behind a body
Combining Jasmine’s mana ability with cheap ramp allows you to flood the board with creatures and activate her evasion-granting ability every turn.
Combat Tricks and Buffs
Since your creatures lack abilities, you’ll often want to enhance them through spells or equipment to gain an edge during combat. Luckily, many effective pump spells and enchantments are available at common rarity.
- Might of Old Krosa Offers a huge buff for a single green
- Armory of Iroas Slowly grows your creatures each turn
- Unflinching Courage Adds trample and lifelink for big swings
- Travel Preparations Adds two +1/+1 counters and can flashback
Combining these buffs with Jasmine’s unblockable clause can lead to unexpected, game-winning turns.
Utility Spells and Interaction
Removal and Protection
Even in Pauper, removal is crucial. Jasmine needs some level of protection, and your vanilla creatures will be vulnerable to sweepers and bounce spells. Include a suite of efficient removal and a few ways to protect your key threats.
- Pacifism Cheap and efficient creature lockdown
- Oblivion Ring Handles any nonland permanent
- Moment’s Peace Buy time with fog effects
- Apostle’s Blessing Protects creatures or your commander
Card Draw in Green and White
Card draw can be tricky in Selesnya colors, especially at common rarity, but there are a few workarounds and tools you can use.
- Hunter’s Insight Draw cards based on combat damage
- Soul’s Majesty Draw based on a creature’s power
- Abundant Growth Cantrips while fixing your mana
- Oasis Ritualist Not draw, but helps cast higher-cost spells
Relying on draw-on-damage effects can work well in a Jasmine deck because her ability lets your creatures swing through unblocked.
Strategies and Game Plan
Early Game
In the early game, your goal is to develop your mana base and get a few vanilla creatures on the battlefield. Utilize cheap ramp and play aggressively with your creatures. Establish board presence early to prepare for mid-game pressure.
Mid-Game
By now, you should have Jasmine on the board. Begin tapping her to give your vanilla creatures unblockability. Start applying pressure while holding up protection or combat tricks. Begin buffing creatures selectively to force life swings in your favor.
Late Game
In the late game, look to overwhelm with wide board states. Jasmine’s ability becomes even more impactful when paired with large vanilla creatures like Sentinel Spider or Alpine Grizzly. Finish off weakened opponents or hold back as a political threat in multiplayer scenarios.
Advantages of Jasmine Boreal PDH
- Budget-friendly and accessible to all players
- Unique gameplay focused on underutilized vanilla creatures
- Strong mana generation and consistent board pressure
- Simple to learn but deep in strategy
Potential Weaknesses
- Lack of built-in protection for your commander
- Limited access to instant-speed interaction
- Creatures are vulnerable to bounce and board wipes
- Card draw can be inconsistent without careful deckbuilding
Jasmine Boreal of the Seven offers a refreshing take on Pauper EDH by promoting the use of creatures often deemed too simple for competitive decks. Her ability to make those creatures unblockable turns your humble army into a legitimate threat, especially when paired with buffs and combat tricks. As a budget commander, she stands out for her flavor, versatility, and synergy with a type of card many players overlook. Whether you’re new to Pauper EDH or a seasoned veteran looking for a new twist, Jasmine Boreal brings charm, strategy, and power to the table no mythics or rares required.