1.) Attack someone else. A fat flier with a big butt discourages people from attacking me, which often makes them attack elsewhere. Getting other people to do things for you is a major element of multi-player. More cards that make attacking me not worth it: Seraph of the Sword, Archangel of Tithes, Knight-Captain of Eos, Maze of Ith, and Kor Haven. Indestructible blockers make them go away too: Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Aegis Angel, Bastion Protector, and Darksteel Plate. And finally, chump blockers whenever I can get one in: Solemn Simulacrum, Stoneforge Mystic, etc. All this contributes to a strategy where I sit back, play it safe, and let a little of the work be done for me. We’re not winning any games quickly. We’re in it for the long haul.
2.) Angel/Human Value. Mono-white needs all the card advantage it can scrounge together. Bruna’s greatest asset is her reanimation. Even after a board wipe, I cast Bruna and I’m right back in action with a solid board state. However, I need a lot of angels and humans for this to work, which requires a lot of deck space. Too many times I had Bruna mana, but nothing in my yard. So I cut a lot of cards like Ghostly Prison, for example, and tried to find an angel/human replacement such as Archangel of Tithes. Magus of the Moat and Magus of the Tabernacle instead of their enchantment counterparts. The results have been excellent. I’ve put more thought than ever into simply playing good angel/humans on curve. The Bruna moment will come. Again, I’m in no rush here.
4.) Oh yeah, Brisela, Voice of Nightmares. When it happens, someone always takes a picture with their phone. Even if I lose, that’s a win in my book.
Why not Bruna?
A lot of reasons, unfortunately. Lack of card draw chief among them, which is why in addition to what little card draw is available I run Emeria Shepherd, Emeria the Sky Ruin, Remember the Fallen, Sword of Light and Shadow, and Heirloom Blade (equipped to a creature other than Bruna). All of which can net me card advantage. I also run the monarch cards Palace Jailer and Protector of the Crown because this deck has enough defense that I can hang onto the crown, and enough fliers to get it back. The main problem is this deck folds to most combos and mass land destruction. However, it’s fun to play because my meta is a close-knit group of friends that don’t like EDH to be too hardcore.
Strategy
Even though I stress the importance of defense and playing it safe in multi-player, this is an aggro deck, not control. This deck plays creatures on curve for offense, defense, or both. Creature pump makes any angel a serious threat. There are some pillow fort cards to deter aggro. My commander brings value to the table, can herself win with general damage, and all the while protects me from aggro. I kill the combo player first if I can. I’ll need the table’s help. They’re usually happy to oblige. I pick one player for Bruna damage and send my other creatures elsewhere. I can’t kill every player, so I have to play smart with politics and wait for one player to kill another. After that though I go into berserker rage mode because I know mono-white can’t win the value game for long.
Of course no game has ever gone like that. If I win one game a night I’m happy.
Thanks, and I welcome and appreciate any and all criticism.
1 Bruna, the Fading Light
1 Brisela, Voice of Nightmares
Creatures (31)
1 Serra Ascendant
1 Weathered Wayfarer
1 Knight of the White Orchid
1 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Wall of Omens
1 Bastion Protector
1 Recruiter of the Guard
1 Silverblade Paladin
1 Archangel of Tithes
1 Gisela, the Broken Blade
1 Magus of the Moat
1 Magus of the Tabernacle
1 Angel of Finality
1 Palace Jailer
1 Seraph of the Sword
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Blinding Angel
1 Knight-Captain of Eos
1 Lyra Dawnbringer
1 Thalia's Lancers
1 Aegis Angel
1 Protector of the Crown
1 Sun Titan
1 Sunblast Angel
1 Twilight Shepherd
1 Angel of Serenity
1 Angel of the Dire Hour
1 Emeria Shepherd
1 Akroma, Angel of Wrath
1 Avacyn, Angel of Hope
1 Land Tax
1 Aura of Silence
1 True Conviction
Sorceries (6)
1 Steelshaper's Gift
1 Open the Armory
1 Remember the Fallen
1 Tragic Arrogance
1 Austere Command
1 Hour of Revelation
Instants (3)
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Tithe
1 Return to Dust
Artifacts (15)
1 Dowsing Dagger
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Mask of Memory
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Darksteel Plate
1 Heirloom Blade
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Expedition Map
1 Sol Ring
1 Mind Stone
1 Commander's Sphere
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Mind's Eye
1 The Immortal Sun
1 Buried Ruin
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Dust Bowl
1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
1 Karoo
1 Kor Haven
1 Maze of Ith
1 Myriad Landscape
1 New Banalia
1 Path of Ancestry
1 Scavenger Grounds
1 Secluded Steppe
1 Strip Mine
1 Temple of the False God
1 Thawing Glaciers
1 Zhalfirin Void
25 Plains
Why Bruna?
1.) Attack someone else. A fat flier with a big butt discourages people from attacking me, which often makes them attack elsewhere. Getting other people to do things for you is a major element of multi-player. More cards that make attacking me not worth it: Seraph of the Sword, Archangel of Tithes, Knight-Captain of Eos, Maze of Ith, and Kor Haven. Indestructible blockers make them go away too: Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Aegis Angel, Bastion Protector, and Darksteel Plate. And finally, chump blockers whenever I can get one in: Solemn Simulacrum, Stoneforge Mystic, etc. All this contributes to a strategy where I sit back, play it safe, and let a little of the work be done for me. We’re not winning any games quickly. We’re in it for the long haul.
2.) Angel/Human Value. Mono-white needs all the card advantage it can scrounge together. Bruna’s greatest asset is her reanimation. Even after a board wipe, I cast Bruna and I’m right back in action with a solid board state. However, I need a lot of angels and humans for this to work, which requires a lot of deck space. Too many times I had Bruna mana, but nothing in my yard. So I cut a lot of cards like Ghostly Prison, for example, and tried to find an angel/human replacement such as Archangel of Tithes. Magus of the Moat and Magus of the Tabernacle instead of their enchantment counterparts. The results have been excellent. I’ve put more thought than ever into simply playing good angel/humans on curve. The Bruna moment will come. Again, I’m in no rush here.
3.) Offense and Defense combined. Vigilance is my favorite ability in multi-player. No more calculating the risk of attacking and leaving myself open. Bruna attacks with little abandon, and she flies over a lot of opposition. This naturally lends itself to some Voltron strategies: Sword of Fire and Ice, Sword of Light and Shadow, Heirloom Blade, and True Conviction. I protect Bruna with Lightning Greaves and the indestructible cards I mentioned earlier. There’s more vigilance where that came from: Avacyn, Angel of Hope, Akroma, Angel of Wrath, Twilight Shepherd, and Sun Titan. Lifelink also allows me to go offensive without much risk: True Conviction, Lyra Dawnbringer, Baneslayer Angel, Serra Ascendant, and of course Gisela, the Broken Blade. Blinding Angel lets me attack at will as well in many cases. Typically if I win I killed one player with Bruna damage and the other players got finished off by regular damage.
4.) Oh yeah, Brisela, Voice of Nightmares. When it happens, someone always takes a picture with their phone. Even if I lose, that’s a win in my book.
Why not Bruna?
A lot of reasons, unfortunately. Lack of card draw chief among them, which is why in addition to what little card draw is available I run Emeria Shepherd, Emeria the Sky Ruin, Remember the Fallen, Sword of Light and Shadow, and Heirloom Blade (equipped to a creature other than Bruna). All of which can net me card advantage. I also run the monarch cards Palace Jailer and Protector of the Crown because this deck has enough defense that I can hang onto the crown, and enough fliers to get it back. The main problem is this deck folds to most combos and mass land destruction. However, it’s fun to play because my meta is a close-knit group of friends that don’t like EDH to be too hardcore.
Strategy
Even though I stress the importance of defense and playing it safe in multi-player, this is an aggro deck, not control. This deck plays creatures on curve for offense, defense, or both. Creature pump makes any angel a serious threat. There are some pillow fort cards to deter aggro. My commander brings value to the table, can herself win with general damage, and all the while protects me from aggro. I kill the combo player first if I can. I’ll need the table’s help. They’re usually happy to oblige. I pick one player for Bruna damage and send my other creatures elsewhere. I can’t kill every player, so I have to play smart with politics and wait for one player to kill another. After that though I go into berserker rage mode because I know mono-white can’t win the value game for long.
Of course no game has ever gone like that. If I win one game a night I’m happy.
Thanks, and I welcome and appreciate any and all criticism.