Forgive me about this silly question. But I am really interested about your deck. Would you mind if I ask you how this deck runs? I'm new to magic. I can't tell for now how a deck goes just by looking on the cards. I know that the effects are already written but I'm having a hard time understanding how the deck works. Response will be highly appreciated. Thanks.

AttentionDeficitDisorder,

I can tell you this about this deck. It is consistent. It wins by never stumbling on draws. What this list and any other good list in magic will do is play something every turn, and have that play be strong always in any point in the match.

Some people build what are called aggro (or blitz) decks that are strong early, looking to close out games turns 4-7. Others build what are called mid-range decks which control tempo of the match by delaying the power plays of the match to turns 5-9, when their bigger more powerful creatures are able to crush in 2 or 3 turns. Some are strictly control delaying almost indefinitely until they get one of their few win conditions in play, which they then protect until victory.

This deck, and it's variants (like mine) can sometimes find that special balance. Where they are not dominant in any one phase of a match , but because of synergy and consistency, can win in any phase. This deck plays small powerful creatures in the early game then builds to a beautiful turn 7 or 8 when the more powerful creatures and spells go nuts. Even into the late game some cards just keep on keeping on.

Is this deck beatable? Yes any deck is. But the results speak for themselves.

This deck just consistently builds and builds and when it wants it wins. It takes some practice and timing to know what to play and when, but the learning curve is way lower than a control type deck.

Thank you. I really aprreciate it. I will definitely grab every piece of cards listed here and try. Thanks. One last question, how will you stand up against Mass Removal like Supreme Verdict or Mizzium Mortars or Anger of the Gods? Thanks. Super +1 for the deck and for you. Thanks

Brave the Elements for Anger of the Gods and Mizzium Mortars . Side board in Rootborn Defenses for cards like Supreme Verdict

Could you explain what cards you would sideboard out for what and why? This is one of the coolest standard decks I've seen thus far. A rare +1 from me.

A light splash of blue for Azorius Charm and Detention Sphere would really help this deck go over the top. Not to mention you could get rid of those Angelic Edict 's

Also I'd definitely throw in the Mutavault s if you're keeping everything the way it is. That would only be 5/22 lands that don't produce white (including Nykthos) being able to hit your land drops consistently is really why mono and bi-colored decks are on top of the pile these days.

If we still had the Buddy Lands with Shocks then Dega or U/W/R would be trouncing everyone (they run better cards). But the difficulty in dealing with the mana-base deals those decks losses more often than not (I played a lot of Dega).

Sorry for the triple post, just wondering what the reasoning behind Fencing Ace over say... Imposing Sovereign is? They both hit for 2 and since you don't have any "pants" to suit the Fencing Ace up with (Ethereal Armor etc...) it seems like Sovereign would be the better play, making all haste creatures (I'm looking at you Ash Zealot just 2/2's). Seeing as Fiendslayer Paladin is in over Boros Reckoner it would seem like haste is a problem at your store, or at least Red and Black.

I do understand that Fencing Ace has it's merits against a deck full of x/1's like Rakdos Cackler 's and the like but it seems like you've got a lot of anti-aggro synergies built into your deck already. Precinct Captain connecting can provide a "Cackler Killer" token for example. Stalling those Spike Jester 's, Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch 's and this decks arch-nemesis Stormbreath Dragon seems like a nice upside and worst-case scenario it empties a removal card from their hand. 2 mana for 2 mana seems fair to me.

No worries, I'll have an in depth response coming for all three of the posters soon.

Instead of Soldier of the Pantheon I was thinking about adding Soulmender . With Archangel of Thune out its pretty much becomes tap to give all your creatures +1/+1. Figured since theroes there have been a lot of mono devotion decks out there and might be more beneficial than the pantheon. Just depends on what your playing against though.

@Stemii I'm glad to hear others are having success in the MWD area, I for one think it's a great play style and will only get better as time progresses. If trends follow the pattern I think I've spotted, there are going to be some killer white devotion cards coming to print in the upcoming sets.

@AttentionDeficitDisorder Hey sorry for the delay, I've been quite busy this last few days but wanted to make sure I got you a response.

Mono-White Devotion is a Tempo play style.

So the main engine making this deck run is between the symmetry the cards create with one another and all the cards making an impact as they com into play. My first few turns are spent establishing a board presence, then my next few turns are spent fortifying my creatures and buffing the field with enchants.

My goal is to have an overwhelming white army midrange that can stand up to the worst an enemy can throw at me. I can lose a few creatures, but my aim is to always be drawing into cards that are a threat.

So;

• Aggro can't get enough damage in because of my first strikers on defense.
• Control can't decide what to counter because everything becomes a threat.
• Reanimator can't make a solid board presence before I knock them out.

My weakness?

• Mono-Black Devotion; Mainly due to Erebos, God of the Dead killing my life gain.

Thanks for the +1!

@Fitzig23 Hey man, yeah the sideboard was a little janked up due to some testing but I'll be including a detailed list on card selection very soon here.

Mainly though;

• Elspeth, Sun's Champion In for Gideon, Champion of Justice against control.
• Pithing Needle to deal with planeswalkers and AEtherling , so mainly control and R/G super friends.
• Renounce the Guilds for Control and decks that I saw were very duel color heavy game one.
• Rest in Peace screws anything with Whip of Erebos or Spellheart Chimera
• Rootborn Defenses against anything with board wipes, I've won a lot of games with this card now. Love it.
• Soldier of the Pantheon Comes in against heavy duel colored decks.
• Sundering Growth Deals with all weapons, screws over Mono-Blue devotion decks using heavy enchant builds.

Hope this helps and thanks for the +1!

@daveprince13 There is a very strong chance that Blue will be splashed in to this build in February once the scry lands come out making room for Detention Sphere , Sphinx's Revelation , and something mono blue to deal with Blood Baron of Vizkopa . I won't do it before the scry's become available though.

The Mutavault are nice, but not 100% necessary at the moment. I've had a great win record with this deck thus far, and though Mutavault would be nice, I don't think it'll make the deck sing.

Originally this built included Bow of Nylea and as many cheap first/double strikers as I could manage which created a wave of death when I swung all out. When the green got taken out, he stayed because of how useful he became when I had a few +1/+1 stacking enchants out. I found the replacement that works though, and that's Chosen by Heliod . Most people look and say, wait, the fuck? But it's the perfect card for this deck. It feeds the hand and takes a 2/2 out of range from Anger of the Gods . It also makes my Fiendslayer Paladin s that much more annoying to my friends which is a huge ass plus.

@soulwatch5 I've given it a thought, but I can't justify the switch. Though nice in concept, it begins to aim the deck too much towards Archangel of Thune , who is amazing, but isn't always in play. I have to say the 2/1 Soldier offers has come in handy before, as well as the fact he can trump block an Obzedat, Ghost Council .

just saying, id splash black for Whip of Erebos

@Xexvis

I've given a thought to that move, then also include Xathrid Necromancer do deal with board wipes. I've actually looked at splashing in all four colors at times, the same issue arises each time though; I lose so much consistency that I must run more lands, which I don't want to do.

Blue makes more sense to me though for Bident of Thassa and a solution to Blood Baron of Vizkopa like Paralyzing Grasp .

I don't think that you need to run more lands by any means, i've played alot of duel colored decks with only 22 land, and as long as you have the shocks and gates/scry lands and then correctly proportion the resulting basics, you'll never have problems (except for the slowing effect from the gates/scry land)

I've found that a very effective way to get the right proportion of mana in such decks, is to count the manna symbols of each color, and use that as a rough proportion for your basic lands
so if you have in total 20 white mana symbols and 10 blue, you know you'll need roughly double the white than the blue

Finding the correct proportions isn't so much of the issue as the slowing effect it can have on the deck. Right now part of the magic of this list is playing bombs that put immense pressure on the opponent by turn three.

I usually use a statistical graphing based on mana symbols and the potential to draw a certain mana source to decide my land percentage. I have found an amazing sweet spot as of now so I've become apprehensive to add a splash of something at the cost of the tempo the list produces.

I'm a fan of this deck, the mechanic is pretty good. It's a tough one to control.

Awesome deck, I like the ideas behind it and I'm building one much like it. Thanks for your ingenuity and sharing.

Question: How do you deal with cards like Erebos, God of the Dead ? Kind of shuts down Archangel of Thune and other good cards in the deck. I suppose Soul Tithe could potentially help, but perhaps Banisher Priest would be good to have?

@Fouro4

Erebos, God of the Dead is the single most detrimental card to this list. Luckily he doesn't see much play, and when he is played it's only a 1-2 of in decks. Soul Tithe Recently won me a game where Erebos hit field and that's the reason it's now in my list; it just causes havoc on the opponent's side of the board while they decide to invest more resources into a permanent, or let it die and move on. My issue with Banisher Priest as a God solution is they must have the devotion, so now I'm at the mercy or their board presence.

Hope that helps, and thanks for the kind words and +1!

Have you considered using Frontline Medic ?

@AJohnson9x

Yes, he was originally sideboarded and came in handy making my assaults so much more difficult to deal with. The issue would arise where I was siding in him with Rootborn Defenses and suddenly I'm stuck with way too many 3cmc drops in hand. That means my major flop turn won't be until 6, where I can potentially play 2 spells. As of now that is turn 5 for me, and I love that for the tempo.

I like the list.I personally don't play white, but all of my friends so, and they've been fiddling around with different brews since rotation change in September.I think this is the definitive mono colored list.

Hey Monoxidechild. I didn't get to play my deck this week at FNM, but I am keeping up watching your posts here. Made some changes to my version again and I would like to know your opinion on the changes. Hit me up. Mono W Devotion

Fabled Hero

Yes? No? Maybe sub it in for Blind Obedience?

Imposing Sovereign

Switch this out for Blind Obedience? It seems like it would be better against aggro, rather than the more grindy-feeling that you get from Obedience. I get that the lifegain is for Archangel, but Sovereign wrecks aggro mirrors hard

@1alian

I have nothing to trigger Fabled Hero . He works amazingly in Heroic White wienies but that just isn't my play style so he doesn't make the cut seeing as he's not an impactful 3 cmc creature and is easily removed.

Imposing Sovereign is super easy to remove for aggro. Plus you're forgetting Blind Obedience offers extort; killer in conjunction with Archangel of Thune . Is it that big of a deal? Yes. Has it won me games? Yes. Has it lost me games. Banana.

I used to run a Boros variant of this deck, and I'll admit, i was questioning the use of Blind Obedience mainboarded and not Imposing Sovereign , but like you said, extort is definitely a bacon saver...with Archangel of Thune out, the extra counters were able to swing a game where i was at 3 life to where i was able to weather the storm and pull the win.

+1 from me as well as an internet high five.