Apparently this deck is all rage right now, putting up results left and right with a win percentage against the format to back it up. It's odd not to have a discussion thread for that.
Sample decklist
Most people have adopted SFM by now, but there are still great differences between the lists.
Your thoughts on the deck/current lists?
I saw this deck that was also running Palace Jailer.
Watching them lock the game up and get value off Monarch and Initiative was pretty impressive.
This was before Unfinity was fully spoiled, but the player was saying they were interested in putting Attractions into the list to go all the way into "out of game" effects
Originally Posted by GreatWhale
This version has impressive win rates against Tier 1 decks: https://mtgmeta.io/decks/29417
8x tax effect (4 Esper Sentinel, 4 Thalia) seems strong against a format of Brainstorms. It also has 8x Stp (4 Swords, 4 Solitude) vs creatures, when Stp currently answers the best fair creatures (Murktide, Uro) and combo creature (Marit Lage), so Swords effects are well-positioned.
White creature-based stompy was always good at taxing but typically lacked card advantage. The main way to get card advantage was the Soldier mechanic, so Soldier Stompy was the dominant archetype. Solitude and the modal land improved threat density. Now initiative puts card advantage onto midrange white creatures. The initiative mechanic is a bit too 1-sided if you can back it up with prison/protection.
ThrabenU trophies with a SFM version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnthWhkI__A
ThrabenU on earlier version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e9eiYAPnLk
ThrabenU 4-1 on Winota Boros version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Unyn7d1d9Gg
The Boros version seems more meme. Mono white looks promising.
Radiant Solar looks weak. Archon of Emeria, Elite Spellbinder, or Anointed Peacekeeper offer good variety for 3-mana hate creatures.
Last edited by FTW; 11-30-2022 at 12:55 PM.
I expect the win percentage to go down a bit once the format has adapted to it. E.g. people are starting to run Torpor Orb now.
The Initiative is so strong because it gives you immediate CA in form of a basic land, which ensures you your next land drop as well while negating all card disadvantage from using fast mana like Moxen or Lotus, and putting massive pressue on the opponent with the two +2/+2 counters and the 5 life loss the next turn. A T1 White Plum Adventurer turns into a pseudo-vigiliance 5/5 beater on T2. Combine that with Trap and your opponent is already down 15 life at T3, with White Plum threatening lethal on T4 -all with no further mana investment, so you can start playing other stuff as early as T2. White Stompy decks never had access to threats this fast before. And it isn't like Dungeoneer isn't shabby, either, with its explore mechanic and pro creature attack trigger.
Archon of Emeria is really strong, but I'm not too sold on the other 3-drop options yet. They're all cute, but don't feel as impactful as the rest of deck. There's probably streamline potential there.
Good points.
The core slots seem to be
//Mana: 28+
4 Chrome Mox
4 Lotus Petal
4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
4 Emeria's Call
1-2 Karakas
x Plains
//Creatures: 16
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 White Plume Adventurer
4 Seasoned Dungeoneer
4 Solitude
Most players are on Chalice instead of 1 drops
//Prison: 4
4 Chalice of the Void
That leaves about 10-12 other slots. Although some builds trim on Thalia, Solitude or Petal to create space.
Many are on the Stoneforge package:
4 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Kaldra Compleat
0-1 Lion Sash
0-1 Umezawa's Jitte
0-1 Batterskull
Some are on the Saga package:
4 Urza's Saga
1 Shadowspear
The packages are cute but also limit density of disruptive creatures. The remaining slots seem up for grabs, with a range of disruptive options:
Spirit of the Labyrinth
Archon of Emeria
Elite Spellbinder
Anointed Peacekeeper
Cloudsteel Kirin
Palace Jailer
Touch the Spirit Realm
Wasteland
Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
Timeless Dragon
The Wandering Emperor
Multiples of Eiganjo are common now. But I think basic Plains will prove more valuable long-term. All threats are white so you can't afford to get hated off white.
The SFM package is popular for boosting threat density. Is that better than the disruption?
Archon of Emeria seems very strong at slowing opponent down enough for the engine to take over.
Timeless Dragon is a great card in general but not seeing much play yet.
Flickerwisp is unplayed but has good interactions, retaking the Initiative via ETB trigger or flying combat. It is weak to Torpor Orb though. Touch the Spirit Realm is good flicker tech that also answers Torpor or flying attackers.
Emeria's Call is a card choice I'm not sure I fully understand, it looks like Chrome Mox food that can also be a land? Is casting it just for the memes then?
It's the former, pitch fodder for Chrome Mox that doubles as land, if necessary. You would very rarely cast the actual spell.
Same reason why Red Stompy runs Shatterskull Smashing. It's about slot efficiency.
Spell lands decrease mulligans, thus directly increasing CA. This is why every deck that can plays them; getting better while cantrip cartel does not get better.
Now the white spell lands are pretty worthless on the spell side as compared to a burn spell, but you have up to 12 ways to pitch them (Mox, Solitude, March).
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