So I'm very slowly doing the 32 deck challenge, and a few years ago decided to see what the options were for mono-white. Every legend basically felt like it wanted me to make some kind of white weenie deck and that the cards in the deck would work pretty much regardless of who was at the helm, which left me a bit down about the whole thing. Then my brain provided the following idea: 'If the general doesn't matter, make the deck out of all the generals!'. So I ran it past a few people to check if it was an unworkable idea or not, then spent several hours poring over the list on Gatherer. At the start of each game, I'll shuffle up and then reveal cards until I hit an eligible Commander, then shuffle for the actual game.
The non-legendary stuff basically has to feel like a legend would cast it, hence it being mostly wraths and powerful spot removal. The Retainers are both on-theme and I had one I otherwise wasn't going to use, so in it went. I'll probably be swapping the Norn's Annex for Parhelion II once I get my hands on one.
The usual route to victory is attacking people with a non-specific mass of stuff. Sometimes you voltron, sometimes you get lucky and you commander is decent enough to get in for commander damage, but usually you just lob the army at someones face.
I like the general idea of a rotating system to keep it fresh.
But there are a few nonbo selections. Hope of Ghirapur as your commander will mean that you will have an illegal deck. Myojin of Cleansing Fire is awful in the commander zone as you are not casting it from your hand, so it's a 4/6 for 8 mana, literally no abilities. Hikari, Twilight Guardian. You're going to need to convince me on this one. Like you don't even have any ETB triggers when you cast any of your 4 spirits.
@Serberus_08: It... should be in there. I definitely own one for the express purpose of putting it in, I must have not got round to it. The other three are also possibles, might cut Oathkeeper for Blackblade.
@darrenhabib: I just go past Hope of Ghirapur when generating the commander. The Myojin is the ultimate in 'work around the RNG of the concept'. Hikari is in there because there aren't all that many cheap legendary white flyers. In this context, 5 is cheap because most of them are 8 mana Angels.
Thalia's Lancers they aren't legendary but I feel like they fit the theme very well and lets really break down and look at the fact that like literally well over half of your deck can be tutored to hand with this. I feel it fits the concept of this deck just as well as Loyal Retainers.
There is always the option to consider some legendary Eldrazi in here as well if you wanted. You wouldn't be able to legally put them in the command zone but they could be a consideration. I often find the variations of Kozilek appealing in mono white for their draw.
I agree with Serberus and ISB on potential adds, though I might pass on Mox Amber.
Takeno, Samurai General is not a good card here. You have a grand total of three creatures for it to buff and one of them can't attack. Playing well with Konda and Golden-Tail isn't going to come up most games. I'm a little skeptical of Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo as well. Konda isn't really a good card but it's a least a fun one, so it gets a pass.
You're missing a number of the legendary creatures I would have started this concept with, especially because you describe it as white weenie, like Thalia, Heretic Cathar, Odric, Lunarch Marshal, Brimaz, King of Oreskos, Linvala, Keeper of Silence, and Pianna, Nomad Captain - efficiently costed creatures with relevant abilities. The small double strikers and keyword soup legends also play nicely with the anthem effects, so cards like Danitha Capashen, Paragon, Kwende, Pride of Femeref, or Sylvia Brightspear (2/2 double strike for 3 CMC isn't a terrible rate, even without the partner). I'd consider Hero's Blade as well. It's not legendary, but it's still very much on theme and a 3 power buff is enough to make voltron kills much more feasible regardless of the general at the time.
Right now this feels torn between going for inevitability and a lower curve, more aggressive list. Cards like Yomiji, Who Bars the Way and Akroma, Angel of Wrath suggest the first one, while cards like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit fit the second. Focusing on what you want to be doing with the deck will make it feel more cohesive and lead to fewer games with awkward draws, and there's a deep enough pool of legends in mono-W that you can do it without sacrificing the theme.
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[Pr]Jaya | Estrid | A rotating cast of decks built out of my box.
I got given a Parhelion II today, so that replaced the Myojin.
@ISB: I genuinely thought Nykthos was already in here. I'm having a lot of these moments in the wake of uploading lists it turns out. I think I decided against the Mox on the basis it doesn't help get the first creature down, although I've not tested it. For some reason I've never liked the idea of Djeru in here but I can't articulate why, so clearly I was having an off day when he came out and never re-examined my opinion. I meant to swap Oathkeeper for Blackblade today and forgot. Lancers are a solid call, Eldritch Moon kinda coincided with me disengaging a bit so I probably never gave them a full consideration.
@Weebo: I think there were more Samurai in here initially that have slowly been culled. What you see as the deck pulling in two directions is more because I want the big cool stuff, but also need things to do turns 1-6 within the limitations of the theme. You're right though that some of the newer keyword soup guys can go in in place of the remaining Samurai.
@tstorm: Considered, but in the end not having to remember/Google what banding did every time I played it won out.
Well, that's certainly given me a lot to think about. The Samurai cut is definitely happening, as is the Oathkeeper/Blackblade swap. I'll have to rummage through the collection, see what's viable without too much expenditure.
Reading your thread reminded me of the other reason I decided against Serras Cathedral: mono-white doesn't get much access to trample, so my bands would be chump blockable more often than not.
It seems that God-Eternal Oketra could do a fair bit of work in this type of deck. I agree that Thalia's Lancers fits the theme even if they are not, themselves, Legendary. I don't really have a lot more to add as I can't really think of too much else that is "Legendary Matters" and that seems to be the direction this deck is taking.
This deck looks painfully slow. There's no ramp or even card draw to ensure land-drops. It's massively full of anti-synergy. It's trying to play big durdly 6 drops and a million wraths with no recursion. I feel like most pre-cons would dismantle this deck with minimal difficulty.
1 Mikaeus, the Lunarch
1 Heliod, God of the Sun
1 Kongming, "Sleeping Dragon"
1 Hope of Ghiraphur
1 Konda, Lord of Eiganjo
1 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
1 Odric, Master Tactician
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Akroma, Angel of Wrath
1 Jazal Goldmane
1 Yosei, the Morning Star
1 Lyra Dawnbringer
1 Yomiji, Who Bars the Way
1 Hikari, Twilight Guardian
1 Lieutenant Kirtar
1 Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle
1 Danitha, Capashen Paragon
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
1 Cho-Manno, Revolutionary
1 Avacyn, Angel of Hope
1 Baird, Steward of Argive
1 Avacyn, Guardian Angel
1 Kwende, Pride of Femeref
1 Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant
1 Mangara of Corondor
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Ajani, Caller of the Pride
1 Gideon Jura
1 Ajani Steadfast
1 Gideon, Champion of Justice
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Elspeth Tirel
1 Nahiri, the Lithomancer
1 Ajani Goldmane
Legendary Artifacts/Enchantments
1 Heroes Podium
1 Blackblade Reforged
1 Heart of Kiran
1 Godsend
1 Weatherlight
1 Hall of Triumph
1 Sword of Kaldra
1 Helm of Kaldra
1 Spear of Heliod
1 Shield of Kaldra
1 Konda's Banner
1 Akroma's Memorial
1 Day of Destiny
1 Parhelion II
1 Hour of Reckoning
1 Loyal Retainers
1 Kirtar's Wrath
1 Austere Command
1 Day of Judgement
1 Wrath of God
1 Reverse the Sands
1 Akroma's Vengeance
1 Oblation
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Urza's Ruinous Blast
Lands:
1 Eiganjo Castle
1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
1 Untaidake, the Cloud Keeper
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
35 Plains
So I'm very slowly doing the 32 deck challenge, and a few years ago decided to see what the options were for mono-white. Every legend basically felt like it wanted me to make some kind of white weenie deck and that the cards in the deck would work pretty much regardless of who was at the helm, which left me a bit down about the whole thing. Then my brain provided the following idea: 'If the general doesn't matter, make the deck out of all the generals!'. So I ran it past a few people to check if it was an unworkable idea or not, then spent several hours poring over the list on Gatherer. At the start of each game, I'll shuffle up and then reveal cards until I hit an eligible Commander, then shuffle for the actual game.
The non-legendary stuff basically has to feel like a legend would cast it, hence it being mostly wraths and powerful spot removal. The Retainers are both on-theme and I had one I otherwise wasn't going to use, so in it went. I'll probably be swapping the Norn's Annex for Parhelion II once I get my hands on one.
The usual route to victory is attacking people with a non-specific mass of stuff. Sometimes you voltron, sometimes you get lucky and you commander is decent enough to get in for commander damage, but usually you just lob the army at someones face.
Dragonlover
30/04/19
Out: Norn's Annex, Myojin of Cleansing Fire
In: Urza's Ruinous Blast, Parhelion II
08/05/19
Out: Oathkeeper, Takeno's Daisho, Masako the Humorless, Takeno, Samurai General, Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo, Sensei Golden-Tail
In: Blackblade Reforged, Danitha Capashen Paragon, Baird, Steward of Argive, Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle, Kwende, Pride of Femeref
09/05/19
Out: Plains
In: Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
Lathliss Dragon Queen - All dragons all the time!
Mono-White Mono-Legends
Ruhan of the Fomori
Molimo, Maro-Sorcerer
Storrev, Devkarin Lich
Some cards from Dominaria also jump out for a Legendary-Tribal as it were:
(W/U)(B/R)GForm of Progenitus, Shape of a Scrubland
BRGJund Tokens with Prossh, the Magic Dragon Foil
URGAnimar, the RUG CleanerFoil
RRRFeldon of the Third Path 2.0 Foil
BG(B/G)Not Another Meren DeckFoil
UR(U/R)Mizzix, Y Control and X Burn Spells
(W/U)(B/R)GHarold Ramos - The 35 Foot Long Twinkie (In +1/+1 counters)
UB(U/B)Dragonlord Silumgar
But there are a few nonbo selections.
Hope of Ghirapur as your commander will mean that you will have an illegal deck.
Myojin of Cleansing Fire is awful in the commander zone as you are not casting it from your hand, so it's a 4/6 for 8 mana, literally no abilities.
Hikari, Twilight Guardian. You're going to need to convince me on this one. Like you don't even have any ETB triggers when you cast any of your 4 spirits.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
@darrenhabib: I just go past Hope of Ghirapur when generating the commander. The Myojin is the ultimate in 'work around the RNG of the concept'. Hikari is in there because there aren't all that many cheap legendary white flyers. In this context, 5 is cheap because most of them are 8 mana Angels.
Dragonlover
Lathliss Dragon Queen - All dragons all the time!
Mono-White Mono-Legends
Ruhan of the Fomori
Molimo, Maro-Sorcerer
Storrev, Devkarin Lich
Mox Amber would be a flavorful add as well but I am not sure how it would go over.
Djeru, With Eyes Open seems good with all of those walkers in your list. He gives you a little toolboxing.
Oathkeeper, Takeno's Daisho feels a little narrow, perhaps swap it out for Umezawa's Jitte?
Thalia's Lancers they aren't legendary but I feel like they fit the theme very well and lets really break down and look at the fact that like literally well over half of your deck can be tutored to hand with this. I feel it fits the concept of this deck just as well as Loyal Retainers.
There is always the option to consider some legendary Eldrazi in here as well if you wanted. You wouldn't be able to legally put them in the command zone but they could be a consideration. I often find the variations of Kozilek appealing in mono white for their draw.
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[Modern] Allies
Takeno, Samurai General is not a good card here. You have a grand total of three creatures for it to buff and one of them can't attack. Playing well with Konda and Golden-Tail isn't going to come up most games. I'm a little skeptical of Opal-Eye, Konda's Yojimbo as well. Konda isn't really a good card but it's a least a fun one, so it gets a pass.
You're missing a number of the legendary creatures I would have started this concept with, especially because you describe it as white weenie, like Thalia, Heretic Cathar, Odric, Lunarch Marshal, Brimaz, King of Oreskos, Linvala, Keeper of Silence, and Pianna, Nomad Captain - efficiently costed creatures with relevant abilities. The small double strikers and keyword soup legends also play nicely with the anthem effects, so cards like Danitha Capashen, Paragon, Kwende, Pride of Femeref, or Sylvia Brightspear (2/2 double strike for 3 CMC isn't a terrible rate, even without the partner). I'd consider Hero's Blade as well. It's not legendary, but it's still very much on theme and a 3 power buff is enough to make voltron kills much more feasible regardless of the general at the time.
Right now this feels torn between going for inevitability and a lower curve, more aggressive list. Cards like Yomiji, Who Bars the Way and Akroma, Angel of Wrath suggest the first one, while cards like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit fit the second. Focusing on what you want to be doing with the deck will make it feel more cohesive and lead to fewer games with awkward draws, and there's a deep enough pool of legends in mono-W that you can do it without sacrificing the theme.
@ISB: I genuinely thought Nykthos was already in here. I'm having a lot of these moments in the wake of uploading lists it turns out. I think I decided against the Mox on the basis it doesn't help get the first creature down, although I've not tested it. For some reason I've never liked the idea of Djeru in here but I can't articulate why, so clearly I was having an off day when he came out and never re-examined my opinion. I meant to swap Oathkeeper for Blackblade today and forgot. Lancers are a solid call, Eldritch Moon kinda coincided with me disengaging a bit so I probably never gave them a full consideration.
@Weebo: I think there were more Samurai in here initially that have slowly been culled. What you see as the deck pulling in two directions is more because I want the big cool stuff, but also need things to do turns 1-6 within the limitations of the theme. You're right though that some of the newer keyword soup guys can go in in place of the remaining Samurai.
@tstorm: Considered, but in the end not having to remember/Google what banding did every time I played it won out.
Well, that's certainly given me a lot to think about. The Samurai cut is definitely happening, as is the Oathkeeper/Blackblade swap. I'll have to rummage through the collection, see what's viable without too much expenditure.
Dragonlover
Lathliss Dragon Queen - All dragons all the time!
Mono-White Mono-Legends
Ruhan of the Fomori
Molimo, Maro-Sorcerer
Storrev, Devkarin Lich
Well, I guess this is probably as good a time as any to put my legend deck on the internet and remind everyone what banding does.
Dragonlover
Lathliss Dragon Queen - All dragons all the time!
Mono-White Mono-Legends
Ruhan of the Fomori
Molimo, Maro-Sorcerer
Storrev, Devkarin Lich
I'm just gonna put materpillars post from the Random Deck thread in here so I can find it more easily in the future when I'm making adjustments.
Dragonlover
Lathliss Dragon Queen - All dragons all the time!
Mono-White Mono-Legends
Ruhan of the Fomori
Molimo, Maro-Sorcerer
Storrev, Devkarin Lich
Dragonlover
Lathliss Dragon Queen - All dragons all the time!
Mono-White Mono-Legends
Ruhan of the Fomori
Molimo, Maro-Sorcerer
Storrev, Devkarin Lich