I guess both Vault of Whispers and Glimmervoid seem feasible. The chances of someone running a Shatterstorm analog in casual are pretty low, and we don't play with sideboards, so it's unlikely half my land will get blown out too. (hedging against Shatterstorm effects is the main reason for artifact land manabases to run Darksteel over another arti-land or avoid Glimmervoid)
Etched Champion carries equipment like a boss. Not sure what to take out for him, perhaps 2 Frogmite? Also, with 4 SfM you don't really need all four Cranial Plating; a good sword could easily replace one of them, or perhaps another threat.
I really like this deck! It has a possibly awesome combo, or it can just be a really good aggro deck. Fantastic!
I think Glint Hawk is not a very good card for you. Have you seen Phyrexian Walker? His high toughness has been a thorn in my backside in casual play for some time. Definitely not to be underestimated. I actually think he's better than Memnite.
Having made an equipment deck for my girlfriend, I can tell you that Puresteel Paladin does not pull his weight. I eventually took him out because he doesn't really draw you a lot of cards (maybe 1-2, usually none), and equipping is so cheap that his Metalcraft is irrelevant. I think you have enough creatures, so Dispatch could definitely take his place.
Have you played one of these decks with Glint Hawk before? It typically got included in Tempered Steel decks and Standard Quest (Standard back in Mirrodin2.0) even though it is not an artifact creature. This is because not only is it an efficient evasive beater, but it is amazing at adding Quest counters. (e.g. T1 Mox Opal, land, Quest, 2 0cc dorks, Glint Hawk, replay a 0 cc dork = 4 counters). Glint Hawk actually nets you more creature triggers than a free dork would, plus it has a better body. Opening hands with both Glint Hawk and Mox Opal led to turn 2 Argentum Armor in Standard, which was absolutely bonkers, and happened a lot more often than just Magical Christmasland type stuff. And otherwise, turn 3 was quite common. This deck can get a similar effect more consistently thanks to artifact lands, which makes me tempted to keep Hawk in. Hawk also attacks and carries Plating like a boss.
Anyway, yeah, the purpose of this casual deck was to integrate a similar combo but with more support for an aggro shell, so you can either combo out or just aggro out, with both plans flowing together fairly seamlessly so you can be flexible and/or aren't screwed over by bad draws.
Phyrexian Walker seems alright, but it does a lot less without something to pump it up. This deck wants to play more aggro than defense, and I'm concerned about having too many 0-power dorks that do nothing. Perhaps I should replace some Plains with Lotus Petal to increase turn 1 explosiveness and Glint Hawk silliness, helping aggro out faster so you don't need the 0/3 blocker...
Speaking of Standard Quest decks, one issue they faced was having the creature with Argentum Armor eat a Doom Blade. Then the equipment just kind of sits there and does nothing, because a low land deck is not going to hit 6 mana any time relevant. To fix that, these decks often ran a couple copies of Kor Outfitter, just to have a plan B to re-equip Argentum. Outfitters also let you combo Argentum without Quest, using SFM to deploy it for 1W and then equipping it for free, which was the deck's plan C. Now, Outfitters is a terrible card, and there's no way I'm running that. However, I realized that Puresteel Paladin's second ability is basically Kor Outfitters on steroids (Metalcraft is trivial in an affinity shell). It solves the same problems and randomly has the draw ability too. Plus it can be used to move Plating and Batterskull around more efficiently. Anyway, that's why there are random Puresteel Paladins in here. I agree they're awkward. I just think they're less awkward than Outfitters.
Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with unequipped Argentums without Puresteel (i.e. with some better card in its place)? Or, do you have suggestions on how I could change the equipment package so that Puresteel also gives more value (e.g add Swords or Loxodon Warhammer)?
I considered Dispatch and originally had some in. Spell slots were just tight, since I need a lot of creature slots to make the engine work. If you have suggestions of what to cut for it, I'd love to make room.
Any suggestions?
4 Glint Hawk
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopter
4 Signal Pest
4 Vault Skirge
4 Frogmite
4 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Puresteel Paladin
4 Quest for the Holy Relic
4 Cranial Plating
1 Argentum Armor
1 Batterskull
//Mana: 20
4 Mox Opal
4 Ancient Den
4 Darksteel Citadel
8 Plains
You could try replacing Darksteel Citadel with Vault of Whispers here. Unless you prefer the Indestructible on Darksteel Citadel, Vault of Whispers might be better because it can produce B for Vault Skirge and Cranial Plating.
Having 4 more B sources can reduce the number of unnecessary life payments for Vault Skirge, and Vault of Whispers + Mox Opal can potentially open up the BB attach ability on Cranial Plating.
EDIT: Also since you are mono white, for removal you can use Dispatch.
U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
EDH:
G Ezuri, Renegade Leader, Fighting for Rivendell
WU Brago, King Eternal, Long Live the King
WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon, Worship the Dragon
Thought: splashing green for Glimpse of Nature would be hilarious.
I think Glint Hawk is not a very good card for you. Have you seen Phyrexian Walker? His high toughness has been a thorn in my backside in casual play for some time. Definitely not to be underestimated. I actually think he's better than Memnite.
Having made an equipment deck for my girlfriend, I can tell you that Puresteel Paladin does not pull his weight. I eventually took him out because he doesn't really draw you a lot of cards (maybe 1-2, usually none), and equipping is so cheap that his Metalcraft is irrelevant. I think you have enough creatures, so Dispatch could definitely take his place.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
Have you played one of these decks with Glint Hawk before? It typically got included in Tempered Steel decks and Standard Quest (Standard back in Mirrodin2.0) even though it is not an artifact creature. This is because not only is it an efficient evasive beater, but it is amazing at adding Quest counters. (e.g. T1 Mox Opal, land, Quest, 2 0cc dorks, Glint Hawk, replay a 0 cc dork = 4 counters). Glint Hawk actually nets you more creature triggers than a free dork would, plus it has a better body. Opening hands with both Glint Hawk and Mox Opal led to turn 2 Argentum Armor in Standard, which was absolutely bonkers, and happened a lot more often than just Magical Christmasland type stuff. And otherwise, turn 3 was quite common. This deck can get a similar effect more consistently thanks to artifact lands, which makes me tempted to keep Hawk in. Hawk also attacks and carries Plating like a boss.
Anyway, yeah, the purpose of this casual deck was to integrate a similar combo but with more support for an aggro shell, so you can either combo out or just aggro out, with both plans flowing together fairly seamlessly so you can be flexible and/or aren't screwed over by bad draws.
Phyrexian Walker seems alright, but it does a lot less without something to pump it up. This deck wants to play more aggro than defense, and I'm concerned about having too many 0-power dorks that do nothing. Perhaps I should replace some Plains with Lotus Petal to increase turn 1 explosiveness and Glint Hawk silliness, helping aggro out faster so you don't need the 0/3 blocker...
Speaking of Standard Quest decks, one issue they faced was having the creature with Argentum Armor eat a Doom Blade. Then the equipment just kind of sits there and does nothing, because a low land deck is not going to hit 6 mana any time relevant. To fix that, these decks often ran a couple copies of Kor Outfitter, just to have a plan B to re-equip Argentum. Outfitters also let you combo Argentum without Quest, using SFM to deploy it for 1W and then equipping it for free, which was the deck's plan C. Now, Outfitters is a terrible card, and there's no way I'm running that. However, I realized that Puresteel Paladin's second ability is basically Kor Outfitters on steroids (Metalcraft is trivial in an affinity shell). It solves the same problems and randomly has the draw ability too. Plus it can be used to move Plating and Batterskull around more efficiently. Anyway, that's why there are random Puresteel Paladins in here. I agree they're awkward. I just think they're less awkward than Outfitters.
Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with unequipped Argentums without Puresteel (i.e. with some better card in its place)? Or, do you have suggestions on how I could change the equipment package so that Puresteel also gives more value (e.g add Swords or Loxodon Warhammer)?
I considered Dispatch and originally had some in. Spell slots were just tight, since I need a lot of creature slots to make the engine work. If you have suggestions of what to cut for it, I'd love to make room.
Etched Champion sounds awesome. There are other 2+ drop creatures like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Ethersworn Canonist, Arcbound Ravager, Steel Overseer that would be fun in here too. But there's only so much room, since the deck needs so many 0-1cc guys. I'm open to suggestions though. Frogmite slots could be cut...
Agreed, 4 Plating is probably overkill. Maybe 3 Plating + Sword of Light and Shadow.
4 Quest for the Holy Relic
4 Glimpse of Nature
//Creatures: 29
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopter
4 Vault Skirge
4 Signal Pest
4 Ethersworn Canonist
4 Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
3 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Etched Champion
1 Argentum Armor
2 Cranial Plating
//Mana: 20
4 Mox Opal
4 Ancient Den
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Glimmervoid
4 Mana Confluence
Back-up plans are to softlock people with Erayo+Ethersworn or to beatdown with Progenitus