Topic: My Standard Deck- white w splash of red - "Step Into the White"

Hey All, so I posted a topic a few months back with my main deck idea, and got a lot of helpful criticism which I appreciate very much. I've since started playing more seriously and have made a lot of changes. Id like as much feedback as I can get.

It still revolves around archangel of thune and lifegain triggers, but now it has a couple more win-cons and is less susceptible to boardwipes and removal. I also have what I think is a decent sideboard now...

What do you think?? Constructive or destructive criticism is welcomed, please let me know any thoughts, comments, suggestions, or hate you may have! smile

p.s. I used to run Path of Bravery but took it out - it seemed liked overkill, which i was better off replacing with more utility I found after much playtesting.

Here's my deck: http://deckbox.org/sets/502765

Fire Away!

Re: My Standard Deck- white w splash of red - "Step Into the White"

I could see the argument to run Sacred Foundry and perhaps some number of mountains to give you access to Chained to the Rocks.  But I see a few issues:

1) I'm seeing is the lack of power outside of Archangel and Elspeth.  One of the strengths of the white weenie decks is that they will overwhelm you with a TON of 1 and 2 cost creatures.  This lets you get away with them all being 1 or 2 (maybe 3) power because you have 4-6 of them many times and are swinging for substantial life totals.  Here you have only 8 creatures at the low end of the spectrum but then have 8 at the three drop, none of which has more than 2 power.  Personally, I would advocate to move either 2x of both Banisher and Fiendslayer to the SB or perhaps all four of one to the board in favor of Soldier of the Pantheon - he has his own life-gain trigger AND gives you a much more aggressive start (pro multi-color is also relevant).

2) What exactly is the plan against a non-creature Erebos?  I can see this deck struggling against a lot of black strategies.  Further, against control, only 2 Boros Charms (3 if you side the other one in) doesn't give you the best odds to survive a board wipe (which they're likely to do given their number of draw spells).  Thoughts?

3) Why 3x Arrest? Pacifism does the combat bit for less and if you're worried about activated abilities, that's what Pithing Needle in the SB is for.

4) Isn't Elspeth rather counter to the whole idea of your pumping creatures?  I get that she wins games on her own and is nasty and all, but you've completely invalidated her -3 as it will likely end up dropping a lot of your guys in the process.  Perhaps she is a SB piece more than anything?

5) If you're going the devotion route, no Heliod at all?

6) If you were open to multiple colors, I actually ran against an interesting Naya tokens build a few days back that strikes me as a great option to run here... the simple combination of Trostani, Selesnya's Voice with Assemble the Legion would make Archangel hilarious.

7) How has Soulmender performed?  I was intrigued at the Archangel - Mender combo when they were spoiling M14, but I can't get over the nagging feeling that he has to be underperforming for you.

I hope some of this helps...

Re: My Standard Deck- white w splash of red - "Step Into the White"

TyWooOneTime has put up some solid advice here about Chained to the Rocks.  Arrest is terrible right now because of Devotion.  Two of the decks you're most likely to face (Mono-Black and Mono-Blue Devotion) will almost be happy to let you lock up their threat as long as it gets to stay on the board for devotion points. 

Banisher Priest is... ok.  Against mostly vegetarian control he becomes a vanilla 2/2 for 3 Mana.  Against control running Aetherling or Blood Baron of Vizkopa (the most common control creatures) he's not likely to hit Aetherling ever and simply can't do anything at all to Blood Baron.  The best you can usually hope for is targeting Aetherling, forcing an exile, so you can swing with other creatures before it comes back at end of turn. 

Against mono-black putting your Banisher Priest on his Desecration Demon is a good play in theory, until you attack against his empty board and he kills your priest with an instant and has that demon eat one of your other creatures. 

Alot of these problems don't happen with Chained to the Rocks. 

Fiendslayer Paladin he goes with the lifegain strategy your deck is trying to do, he's resilient to Black and Red spot removal.  He trumps any 2 toughness or less creature in combat, plus if you have Archangel of Thune on the field his first strike and lifelink will trigger and resolve in the first strike damage step giving all your other creatures +1/+1 before they deal normal combat damage, which is pretty awesome. 

I'd say cut 2 Banisher Priests entirely, and put the other two in the sideboard for now.  Get four Sacred Foundry and a few mountains in there so you can run 4 x Chained to the Rocks in lieu of the 3 Arrest and 1 of the Banisher Priest.   Hmmm.

You only really need Nykthos to cast Elspeth, which you are only running 2 of.  Not sure if 3 Nykthos is the right number.  You'd hate to double draw them opening hand.

Now if we add Heliod, God of the Sun we'd have a mega mana sink for that Nykthos and all that devotion. 

I messed around a little bit and tweaked your deck into this http://deckbox.org/sets/580612

Re: My Standard Deck- white w splash of red - "Step Into the White"

Wow, you guys are wicked! The one thing I immediately agreed on was adding Chained to the Rocks...I'd been wanting to play it, but I dont have Sacred Foundry's, and theyre kinda expensive, so I was looking for another route. But its clear I need them now, so the wallet is coming out.

TyWooOneTime, thanks for 're-advising', Im pretty sure you helped me a couple months back too big_smile
This is a really good high level diagnosis, and exactly what Ive found from playtesting:

1) I'm seeing is the lack of power outside of Archangel and Elspeth.  One of the strengths of the white weenie decks is that they will overwhelm you with a TON of 1 and 2 cost creatures.  This lets you get away with them all being 1 or 2 (maybe 3) power because you have 4-6 of them many times and are swinging for substantial life totals.  Here you have only 8 creatures at the low end of the spectrum but then have 8 at the three drop, none of which has more than 2 power.  Personally, I would advocate to move either 2x of both Banisher and Fiendslayer to the SB or perhaps all four of one to the board in favor of Soldier of the Pantheon - he has his own life-gain trigger AND gives you a much more aggressive start (pro multi-color is also relevant).

And this is just 'hilarious', as you put it. I tried to build a deck around all 3 cards, but its nigh impossible, at least for me...I want to do it so badly though... roll

6) If you were open to multiple colors, I actually ran against an interesting Naya tokens build a few days back that strikes me as a great option to run here... the simple combination of Trostani, Selesnya's Voice with Assemble the Legion would make Archangel hilarious.


And drock007, youre a champion, cant believe you actually rebuilt for me, its marvellous and Im taking the tweaks you made pretty much verbatim.
This bit really helped clear the waters for me:

Banisher Priest is... ok.  Against mostly vegetarian control he becomes a vanilla 2/2 for 3 Mana.  Against control running Aetherling or Blood Baron of Vizkopa (the most common control creatures) he's not likely to hit Aetherling ever and simply can't do anything at all to Blood Baron.  The best you can usually hope for is targeting Aetherling, forcing an exile, so you can swing with other creatures before it comes back at end of turn.

Anwyays thanks a lot both of you, great to have support like that. Im going to be playing this deck hard in a couple tournaments in the very near future, wish me luck, Ill let you know how I do.

Re: My Standard Deck- white w splash of red - "Step Into the White"

Boros Reckoner might have a place here too, at least in the sideboard.  He ups your devotion, and can swing into damn near anything and at least trade if they choose to block.