Since the release of Lorwyn Eclipsed, the Standard metagame has experienced some major shifts. Prior to the Pro Tour, it looked as though green creature decks were going to dominate. Many players were even calling for bans right out of the gates. Yet, not only did these green decks underperform, but other archetypes like Dimir Excruciator and Izzet Elementals rose to stardom.
Now, it appears that even more successful brews are making their way out of the woodworks. Following back-to-back Magic Online Standard Challenge victories, Mono-White Aggro has quickly cemented itself as a force to be reckoned with. This archetype presents a versatile gameplan that attacks the metagame at hand quite nicely.
Main Gameplan
At a baseline, this mono-white shell is looking to get on board fast and put the opponent on the backfoot. Like many traditional aggressive decks, Mono-White features a boatload of creatures, many of which can be cast for the low price of one mana. Despite this, though, the way Mono-White Aggro gets its advantage is actually quite unique.
Rather than simply focusing on the most efficient white beaters out there, like Descendant of Storms, Mono-White Aggro is designed to use extra mana and cost reductions to generate explosive turns. Momo, Friendly Flier and Springleaf Drum are the deck’s strongest and most important tools that make this gameplan possible.
Once you stick Momo, pairing Springleaf Drum with Sage of the Skies will put you ahead on the board as early as turn two. Springleaf Drum opens up similar opportunities with Cosmogrand Zenith, enabling you to jam the three-mana Human, then tap it for mana to immediately cast a one-drop. This way, even if the opponent has removal at the ready, you’ll still get your trigger out of the deal.
Grindy Potential
In addition to accelerating out extra bodies, this archetype has a lot of ways to bury your opponent in attrition battles. Starfield Shepherd is among the best options in this department. While this creature is a bit clunky at face value, Momo’s ability to reduce this Angel’s normal casting costs goes a long way. Even when Warped, you have a variety of one-drops to search for, including Nurturing Pixie, which lets you rebuy Starfield Shepherd or Sage of the Skies and get more value.
Joining Starfield Shepherd in the long-game department is Haliya, Guided by Light. Early on, you can always Warp it to enable Sage, drawing a card in the process. Then, on a future turn, you have the luxury of recasting it, connecting with your Sage copies, and drawing more cards.
While these tools make it hard to run out of gas, in the rare event you have no more cards to cast, there are other ways to spend your mana. With a full playset of Abandoned Air Temple in the mix, this deck does a great job dominating board stalls. On top of that, Figure of Fable‘s activated abilities start to become a real problem in the late game.
Versatility in a Diverse Field
Thanks to Mono-White Aggro’s flexible approach, the strategy is well-suited to win against a variety of decks. Going wide with Cosmogrand Zenith and Sage of the Skies gives the deck a lot of game against single-target removal decks. At the same time, though, Sage dominates in racing situations, making it a premium threat versus Badgermole Cub decks and Mono-Red Aggro.
As a white aggro deck, you also have access to some of the strongest sideboard cards in the format. Against Five-Color Rhythm, curving Momo into turn two Clarion Conqueror threatens to completely shut the opponent’s plans down. Meanwhile, Rest in Peace can have a similarly devastating effect against Superior Spider-Man decks.
This isn’t to say that Mono-White Aggro doesn’t have some weaknesses. For example, some of this deck’s draws may not be fast enough to race Sunderflock out of Izzet Spellementals. Mightform Harmonizer out of Mono-Green Landfall and Temur Harmonizer can be even scarier if you don’t have Get Lost lined up.
Nonetheless, no current Standard deck is foolproof, especially in such a diverse field. Mono-White Aggro still has so much going in its favor, and the deck hardly feels like a flash in the pan. The archetype’s sudden dominance is incredibly impressive, and we look forward to seeing how players adjust to the new Standard powerhouse.
Stick with us here at mtgrocks.com: the best site for Magic: The Gathering coverage. Be sure to check out our deckbuilder for your next big brew!