If you follow my blog or you have ever played me then you probably know I keep going on about my Mono white control list. I was trying to save this one for Grand Prix London, but some very clever chap from Seattle took a near faultless run with a very similar deck, so similar in fact that a friend actually called me up to let me know that the list was on the Wizards site (if you get a moment Joe, could you post a comment just to let folks know I’m not making this up). Anyway, the reason I was keeping it under wraps, is that it’s a strong list and it works and I was actually planning to play it at GP London, but since the cat’s out of the bag I thought I’d post my list now.
So Ladies and Gentleman here is my version
I call it
Vanilla Ice…
Because it’s white, but it really wishes it was black…
You will need
12 Plains
4 Marsh Flats
Ok So I’m going to explain this deck in detail because I play it a lot and I have about 5 different versions and while the concept remains the same in most of them the variations are what make the deck. This one is an early-ish build.
So what does it do?
Well effectively the idea is very simple; it’s a recursion deck designed to bring your creatures back from the dead and at the same time destroy the board with a number of different wrath effects. Almost every card has a ‘come into play' effect and these will help you draw cards to gain life and find land. There is a little bit of ramp, which is rare in white and as I mentioned, there are many ways to blow up the world.
So how do you play it?
Well there are number of ways but here’s a good example…
Turn 1 – drop an Emeria
Turn 2 - Wall of Omens or Chalice for 1
Turn 3 - Mimic Vat
Turn 4 - Pilgrim's Eye and Wall or one of the Lifegainers…
Turn 5 - blow up the world with Day of Judgment and get the Pilgrim’s Eye under the Vat….
With a Pilgrim’s Eye under a Vat you can pretty much block everything except Tramplers and Creeping Tar Pits, and every time you make one you’re getting nearer to the sacred goal of getting Emeria on line and this is how you’ll win….
Core concepts… Every creature in the deck can be brought back with Sun Titan so don’t be precious bout them..... stick them in front of anything.
Mimic Vats are amazing, and possibly the best target in the game is Sun Titan… If you can get a Sun Titan under a Mimic Vat you can do horrible things, but if your opponent loses something better, like Vengevine or Bloodghast, then take that, even if it’s just to stop them getting it back, . Inferno Titan is one of my favourites and Frost Titan can be funny.
Elspeth ? I seriously don’t know why this card doesn’t see more play; it’s a one woman nuke and will halt control in its tracks. Obviously in this deck she is another wrath effect and yes, she will blow up a Mimic Vat, but that’s ok because Sun Titan can bring them back. One of my favourite plays is to swing a Sun Titan to his death, bringing back a Mimic Vat, and as he dies in combat, putting him under the very Vat he returned…
Tectonic Edges can be used to foil counter spells and don’t worry if an opponent Tectonic Edges your Emeria because Sun Titan can bring them back and he can also bring back Tectonic Edges and Marsh Flats for that matter.
Elixir? Really? Yep, Elixir does two things in this deck; it helps you get your wraths back after you've stripped the graveyard of cards you want to recur, but it also has the added ability of making the deck pretty much mill proof. I'll tell you a true story (involving one of the blogs followers.... if they want to join in the story thats cool but it doesn't matter if they'd rather remain silent) Basically I was playing this deck against their Blue White Ally mill deck and they actually managed to mill every single card n my deck... they passed the turn and I didn't have any cards in my library. If anyome can tell me how I won that game then I'll offer a prize... (obviously the person who played me can't enter, but maybe we can let them be judge?)
Secret tech? Well there is one card in this deck that folk will not see coming, and it can have devastating effects on your opponant's board while keeping your key pieces safe... All is Dust is horrible in this meta, play it late game from nowhere in order to devastate Planeswalkers and Elves and pretty much anything that's indestructable.
So there is the basic concept… I have a newer list that that's great for the current meta, I can’t tell you it all yet because London GP is only a month away and I have to keep some tricks up my sleeve, but I will say.... get your Baneslayer Angels now…
