I'm actually a huge fan of Blessing , but don't see a spot for it in the list. I've actually been looking at it for Selesnya is down right enchanting!, my reasons being it has fantastic synergy with Unflinching Courage and Ethereal Armor . Pump the trample, life link, first strike creature and rub your nipples as you enjoy the pain on your opponents face.

First off, please condense all the comments into an update, this is a travesty having to scroll down so far.

Second, I playtested against X-games and I can't get your deck to beat it. I was hoping you could help me see how to win with your deck against creature-burn-aggro

In regards to your first comment; deleting the comments will end up causing people recommenting the same crap. In this sense, people have a chance to view the discussion and either add something or ask an unasked question.

I just play tested against you and won 2-0 in under 10 turns. The second game I ended at 36 life. I'd say it has a lot to do with the play test system and personal bias when a person is playing themselves. I'd also suggest being more polite, your comment was aggressive and abrasive.

How I won? I got under your deck, flared out your major threats, then board wiped you with Elspeth, Sun's Champion around t6. I'd say you not being able to win with my deck has more to do with your own short comings as a player. Maybe read the beginners guide that comes with most fat packs and intro packs. Then learn about strategy.

Also;

First off, there is no need to be a douchebag. I've played MTG since Ice Age; I think I have a grasp of how to play.

Also, I haven't seen a game go more than 6 turns with that matchup, so I'm curious as to how you ended up going 2-0.... perhaps I got manascrewed? If it helps you, I can record turn-by-turn the matchups on here so you can see if the moves I make were moves you would also make, or vice versa so I can learn how to adapt my deck if indeed you find a way to truly win.

I play enemy decks to win against my decks. I use the advantages given and play as hard as I can in order to put my decks through stress-testing. Each loss gives me insight into how to make it better. My original comment was meant as a question of "how-do-you-deal-with-x-type-of-deck" not "I'm-a-noob-plz-hlp-me-lrn-2-play". I'm just trying to help you overcome a potential shortcoming, not trying to be an ass.

I've had some success with Last Breath as a sideboard option recently, i've found it an effective way to deal with those pesky Voice of Resurgence , Master of Waves , and Mutavault 's
Maybe an idea to try?

I might have to, though Mono blue never really messes with me. They quickly become forced into deciding between trying to establish their board presence, and trying to eliminate mine. Even an overloaded rift hampers them a turn, which allows me to reestablish my defenses and lifegain before they knock me out.

Aren't you low on lands? I have almost cloned this deck, and I was low in land, always.

Even after adding 2 extra lands (with 24 lands, and 62 cards) I feel they were not enough :)

I lost a game againt a red-wins deck because I had only 2 lands on table... and 2 Ajani and 2 friendslayer and 1 Path of Bravery on hand :(

The only time I had more than enough lands were playing against a noob :D

My advice? Shuffle better. Seriously, look up a shuffling tutorial on youtube and watch it. I'm almost never under mana screw, and I always take the time to shuffle well.

This is a decent explanation of what shuffling can do for you;

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic-6mc4VRuk

How would the play experience of your opponent have any affect on your draws? Hope that doesn't sound rude, I just don't see the connection.

About the noob: it was just simple a joke. I was short on mana in every game but against the noob, perhaps the game were it didnt matter so much.

BTW, it was a genuine question, as i play most of my decks with 24 lands.

Also, I can hardly understand spoken english, so, perhaps, you can write me here a little resume of this video, as I saw it fully and didnt understand anything.

Another question: in my deck I have only 3x fiendslayer, so I have to put another creature. My son told me first line medic, but I think it is better boros reckoner... What do you think? Perhaps something else?

How/what do you play against mono-red decks?

Ah. I understand better. Yeah a language barrier can really spin things in a different light. You're right though, playing against a player low on experience may let the game drag on further than normal.

Because what my decks goal is, I can normally gain enough life to push the game a few turns to get enough land for an angel. The issue with just adding 2 land and taking your count to 62 is your screwing the odds to draw into another needed card.

If you have a Boros Reckoner that will work great in here, he can easily become a 4/4 even a 5/5 and at that point he's a weapon on the field.

Against mono red your goal will be to play agressive while trying to gain as much life as possible, if you can make it until an Archangel of Thune hits board, or even a Path of Bravery you can take it from them. Gaining life will destroy them.

Shuffling well is important; I always power shuffle into 7 stacks, then shuffle each stack into one another. After that I shuffle the bottom 1/3rd of the deck towards the top, repeat that again, then shuffle the top 1/3rd down. People can "over shuffle" which means you take your cards from one order, and shuffle so much they re-clump into the same sections.

What should you do if you play against Azorius/Esper control? I have a deck super similar to this (I run an extra of each instant, and 2x mutavaults instead of a Nykthos and a Plains) and whenever they boardwipe, I always get kinda screwed. Also, Sphinx's Revelation just makes it impossible to get them low enough to Alpha strike with Brave the Elements, and Jace, Architect of Memory and Elspeth make it almost impossible to get through to them with (enough) damage

Azorius just runs out of things to do against me, I have a pretty decent win ratio against them. Honestly the first game is usually a blow out against Esper control though. Then I side in my rootborns for the verdicts, pithing needle for their plains walkers (I side out my own Elspeth), and sundering growth to take care of detention sphere.Then the game changes, 1 of them and they fall behind almost instantly.

Example, of a recent situation;

Game 2; I'm on play of course.

Me T1; Plains => Judge's Familiar

T1; Temple of Deceit => Scry and pass

Me T2; Plains => Precinct Captain Swing for 1 with familiar

T2; Hallowed Fountain untapped => Omenspeaker *He stated how good the defense was at stalling out cheesey wienie decks and aggro, I laughed and said "yea..."

Me T3; Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx => Path of Bravery Swing all out with 2/2 flyer and 3/3 Captain, Block, they take 2, they're at 15. "Trump to chump" - he didn't smile

T3; Temple of Silence => Scry and Pass

*At this point I'm assuming he's going to T4 Supreme Verdict , or Jace. I'm holding onto a Rootborn Defenses and a Fiendslayer Paladin . I have to have mana open to thwart the Verdict.

Me T4; Plains => Judge's Familiar (because fuck it) Swing, I get a token and 5 damage get's across on top of me gaining 2 from path.

T4; Hallowed Fountain Untapped (He's at 8) => Supreme Verdict in response I cast Rootborn Defenses , populate, and my creatures stand.

T5; No land but I have an Ajani, Caller of the Pride which is overkill => Cast the Ajani, flying double strike my captain because fuck it, swing all out with 2x 2/2 token, 2x 2/2 Judge's Familiar , and 3/3 double strike Precinct Captain .

Game 3 stalled out, which you would think that's great for the control deck, except he couldn't get rid of an Ajani who I hit ult with at 24 life, Rootborn Defenses 'd, and swung for game through him. He sat for the whole game bitching because I Needled both Jace and Elspeth and drew into all of the ones he had in his deck. I felt bad because I laughed at his belly aching which isn't sportsmanlike, but hey, sideboards are there to be used.

It's important to know when to play aggressive and when to keep a few cards in hand ready for a wipe. I can tell you I've beat a $600 Esper deck by holding onto a single creature, and then getting it down with a few enchants on board. A solo Soldier of the Pantheon with a Path, spear, and Heliod out can singlehandedly win you the game. Swing for 4, block the Ghost Council, swing for 4, block the Ghost Council.

Hope this helped 1alian and wasn't just a useless wall of text!

Actually, really useful. What do you think is your ideal hand? Like, what conditions would you mulligan over? Having 4+ lands? Having 2+ Brave the Elements?

Honestly? I keep 4 or 5 land hands pretty regularly. Mainly if I have at least one creature and enchant. In that way I already know I have better odds of drawing nonland haha

I mull if the mana curve in hand is over 3. So say 2 land, 2x Angel, Heliod, and Spear, and Path.

I love the concept of the deck but I'm wondering why you only run 3 copies of Archangel of Thune ? Is it just because of the high price or because its higher on your cmc?

A mixture of both and the fact more than one in my opening hand is almost a forced Mul unless the other 5 cards are 2 plains, a shrine, and 2 2-3cmc creatures so I can hopefully devotion them out.

I, just the past Friday, took a similar list to my local shop. My question is in regards to your meta. Are you facing alot or a little in the form of control lists? I had to shift my sideboard on Saturday morning and replace some cards for 2x Rootborn Defenses . Also is Sundering Growth too narrow of an option? Why not Glare of Heresy ?

Finally one more thing of note. I played a 1x Gideon, Champion of Justice in my sideboard, mostly for Mono U Devotion lists, and found him to be an absolute gem. I would say having him on your list raises your win rate against Mono U by about 5-10%. That said Mono U really has issues with this type of list anyway. Good list.

Maybe someone important in the professional circuit will catch on to this type of list and shift the meta. Watched two events last weekend and heard all the back pats for how great Mono U is. I mean its good in standard, but not like affinity was when it was an automatic lock to win in standard. Spikes just don't have the creativity to find solutions.

Thanks for your input, it's always great to hear people are running similar lists. My meta right now is about 1/3 esper control, and the main issues that deck gives me is Blood Baron of Vizkopa which is immune to glare anyways. My main strat for him though is to pray for a Flare and good timing, or hope I have so much life gain he won't make an impact anyways.

I've been thinking about a Gideon in the sideboard, he seems like a great response to a few different play styles, I just haven't seen one at my shop in the last month or so, so I haven't gone through with it.

The one player using a mono blue deck at my shop hates when our names are called, I'm literally the only person who ever puts pressure on him in the store and most of the time he's pulling T5-T6 wins. We'll see what happens when the next set drops, I'm excited to see what the next White Devotion creature will look like.

I think you missed my point on Glare of Heresy . It gets Detention Sphere , Chained to the Rocks , opposing Elspeth, Sun's Champion , Voice of Resurgence , etc. I just think if you were running Sundering Growth you were limiting your potential on your sideboard options. I agree, nothing stops a Blood Baron of Vizkopa . Truly the worst card to face as Mono W in the current meta.

I love the deck and might build something similar but would you run a play set of Boros Reckoner ? Just wondering +1 :)

For my meta it doesn't make sense for me over Fiendslayer Paladin . The main reason being; he dodges 90% of the removal control decks will be packing. It's important to have something resiliant swinging hard with my enchants out while the rest of my board desolves around him. He has a nick name as The Jedi (The foil version looks exactly like a light-saber) and my meta dreads seeing one hit board.

In other meta's though I've heard he doesn't do much for them, in that case Boros Reckoner is the perfect 3CMC replacement.

Oh I see that's pretty sweet hahaha thanks

How do you dodge Anger of the Gods so consistently? I mean do you always have Brave mana up or what?

All I need to do is keep one mana open and a brave the elements in hand until the creatures get above it's range. It's not perfect, but nothing is, it's a game where odds play a role, some games I have nothing to counter the board wipes, other times I steam roll people after the cast.

I continued our push for Mono W this FNM, finishing with a 5-1 match record and drawing top 4. My Mono W Devotion deck was simply amazing. I don't understand why more "pros" haven't taken up this type of list. It is consistently dominating and giving my local spikes fits. I almost beat mono blue in a 8 round game where I had only 3 lands the whole game. If people are looking to shift the meta this deck is going to break it open. Hope you had good results with yours also.