Standard rotation happens once a year and this year it’s happening on September 17, 2021. This can be really exciting, as it creates a massive shakeup in the Standard metagame.
Throne of Eldraine, Theros: Beyond Death, Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, and Core Set 2021, will all be leaving the Standard format. That leaves Zendikar Rising, Kaldheim, Strixhaven, Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, along with the soon-to-be-released Innistrad: Midnight Hunt for us to craft decks with.
Whether you’re sad or happy that certain cards are leaving, there are plenty of viable cards that will survive Standard Rotation. While it’s fun to think about how all the new cards from Innistrad: Midnight Hunt will fare in the Standard 2022 environment, it’s important to think about what cards and decks will remain from the previous sets.
This article will take a look at some of the best mono-white cards from Standard’s old sets that will continue to see play going forward, and thus are must-buy cards if you want to play in the new Standard format.
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Skyclave Apparition
Skyclave Apparition is an amazing piece of removal. It’s comparable to cards like Fairgrounds Warden which is an effect we commonly see injected into Magic: the Gathering‘s draft formats. But unlike Fairgrounds Warden, the permanent that Skyclave Apparition removes is gone forever. If Apparition dies, your opponent gets an Illusion token, but their original card will not come back.
This has made Skyclave Apparition an auto-include in mono-white aggro strategies, a deck that will verly likely stick around for Standard 2022. Plus, depending on what kind of support spirits receive in Innistrad: Crimson Vow, there could be an Azorius spirit deck that picks up steam in Standard.
Luminarch Aspirant
Luminarch Aspirant is the premier two-drop creature in Standard’s mono-white aggro deck. Every turn it adds a +1/+1 counter to any creature you choose. This flexibility opens up a lot of options when doing combat. And when there are so many good one-mana white creatures in the format, like Usher of the Fallen and Monk of the Open Hand, curving into Luminarch Aspirant can create some seriously fast opening plays.
Elite Spellbinder
The World Champion, Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa, helped design this card, so you know it’s got to be pretty good. Elite Spellbinder has performed exceedingly well in multiple formats. In Standard, its main home has been in the mono-white aggro deck, which is looking to be a promising deck moving into the new Standard format.
This aggressive 3/1 flying body provides a lot of value. It gives valuable information on the opponent’s hand, and it effectively taxes their scariest card. It is a major tempo play and will certainly see play in Standard 2022
Righteous Valkyrie
Righteous Valkyrie is a unique lord effect (an effect that buffs your whole board of creatures, named after Lord of Atlantis). It is good in any life gain-themed deck but works particularly well in Angel or Cleric tribal decks.
Angels were a big tribe in Kaldheim, and a lot of the key players will be sticking around for new Standard like Legion Angel and Firja’s Retribution. Plus, even though Avacyn is gone, Innistrad: Midnight Hunt will bring some new Angels to the format like Sigardian Savior, and whatever is bound to come in Innistrad: Crimson Vow.
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