fbpx

18,000 Words, Prelude: The Prep Work

This has been some time in coming, hasn’t it? Many thought that I wouldn’t get this done – but here it is, in all its glory. Be prepared for a long, long ride into the journey that is Pro Tour Houston, the new Extended, Ben Bleiweiss, and a bunch of cards with white mana in their casting cost… And we’ll be looking at who finished what, and where, before I start in on Monday.

By

Well, now… This has been some time in coming, hasn’t it? Many thought that I wouldn’t get this done – but here it is, in all its glory. Be prepared for a long, long ride into the journey that is Pro Tour Houston, the new Extended, Ben Bleiweiss, and a bunch of cards with white mana in their casting cost.

For those in the dark (or just joining us for the first time), here’s a recap. Back in October, virtually nobody was talking about the new Extended format. Ice Age, Alliances, Mirage, Visions, Weatherlight, and 5th Edition were rotating out, leaving the cut off for legal sets at Tempest block. This decimated virtually every pre-existing archetype, and left the field wide open for innovation.

Except nobody was discussing Extended.

This really blew my mind. Here was one of the most vital and fresh formats in recent history, and people were failing to get excited about innovating new decks.

At the same time, people had begun complaining heavily that white, as a color, had no bite. Many readers of MTG.com wrote in to complain about white’s current power level.

So I decided to kill two birds with one stone: I would write an article which gave credit to white where credit was due, and kick-start discussion on the upcoming Extended season at the same time. The best way to get both accomplished would be to publish an article so outrageous that people would have no choice but to respond.

I went back through the archives of the Sideboard, and pulled out a list of virtually every white card which appeared in a deck at the past few years’ worth of constructed Pro Tours, Masters, and Grand Prix. This included Extended, Type 2, and Block Constructed. Next, I compiled the list up, and guaranteed that these cards would see play, and put up a hundred words of writing per card that didn’t see play.

Here’s the list, changed only to include the ‘anonymous’ at the time Onslaught cards. I’m under an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) with Wizards, meaning I couldn’t discuss actual Onslaught cards before the public release. Instead, I inserted the Onslaught cards alphabetically into the list.

  1. Absolute Grace

  2. Absolute Law

  3. Academy Rector

  4. Akroma’s Blessing

  5. Akroma’s Vengeance

  6. Allay

  7. Ancestor’s Chosen

  8. Ancestral Tribute

  9. Angel of Mercy

  10. Armageddon

  11. Arrest

  12. Aura Blast

  13. Auratog

  14. Balancing Act

  15. Battle Screech

  16. Benevolent Bodyguard

  17. Blinding Angel

  18. Cataclysm

  19. Chastise

  20. Cho-Manno, Revolutionary

  21. Cho-Manno’s Blessing

  22. Circle of Protection: Black

  23. Circle of Protection: Blue

  24. Circle of Protection: Green

  25. Circle of Protection: Red

  26. Circle of Protection: White

  27. Clear

  28. Commander Eesha

  29. Crusade

  30. Defender En-Vec

  31. Defiant Falcon

  32. Defiant Vanguard

  33. Devoted Caretaker

  34. Devout Witness

  35. Disenchant

  36. Dismantling Blow

  37. Divine Sacrament

  38. Enlightened Tutor

  39. Erase

  40. Exalted Angel

  41. Exile

  42. False Prophet

  43. Flickering Ward

  44. Fresh Volunteers

  45. Gerrard’s Battle Cry

  46. Gerrard’s Wisdom

  47. Global Ruin

  48. Glorious Anthem

  49. Glory

  50. Golden Wish

  51. Hobble

  52. Honor the Fallen

  53. Humility

  54. Intrepid Hero

  55. Ivory Mask

  56. Jareth, Leonine Titan

  57. Jeweled Spirit

  58. Jhovall Queen

  59. Karmic Guide

  60. Lashknife Barrier

  61. Last Breath

  62. Lawbringer

  63. Light of Day

  64. Lightbringer

  65. Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero

  66. Longbow Archer

  67. Mageta the Lion

  68. Mobilization

  69. Monk Realist

  70. Morningtide

  71. Mother of Runes

  72. Nightwind Glider

  73. Nomads en-Kor

  74. Nova Cleric

  75. Oblation

  76. Opalescence

  77. Order of the Sacred Torch

  78. Orim, Samite Healer

  79. Orim’s Chant

  80. Orim’s Prayer

  81. Orim’s Thunder

  82. Paladin En-Vec

  83. Parallax Wave

  84. Pariah

  85. Pegasus Stampede

  86. Phantom Nomad

  87. Pianna, Nomad Captain

  88. Pilgrim of Justice

  89. Planar Birth

  90. Prismatic Strands

  91. Pure Reflection

  92. Pursuit of Knowledge

  93. Radiant’s Dragoons

  94. Ramosian Lieutenant

  95. Ramosian Sky Marshall

  96. Rapelling Scouts

  97. Renounce

  98. Reverent Mantra

  99. Rout

  100. Rune of Protection: Black

  101. Rune of Protection: Blue

  102. Rune of Protection: Green

  103. Rune of Protection: Red

  104. Rune of Protection: White

  105. Sacred Ground

  106. Sacred Guide

  107. Samite Ministrations

  108. Sanctimony

  109. Scour

  110. Serenity

  111. Serra Angel

  112. Serra Avatar

  113. Shaman En-Kor

  114. Shared Triumph

  115. Solitary Confinement

  116. Soltari Crusader

  117. Soltari Monk

  118. Soltari Priest

  119. Soltari Visionary

  120. Spectral Lynx

  121. Spirit Cairn

  122. Spiritual Focus

  123. Spurnmage Advocate

  124. Staunch Defenders

  125. Steadfast Guard

  126. Stern Judge

  127. Story Circle

  128. Sunscape Familiar

  129. Suntail Hawk

  130. Tariff

  131. Test of Endurance

  132. Thermal Glider

  133. Topple

  134. True Believer

  135. Vengeful Dreams

  136. Voice of All

  137. Warmth

  138. Warrior en-Kor

  139. Wave of Reckoning

  140. Waylay

  141. Weathered Wayfarer

  142. Whipcorder

  143. Wishmonger

  144. Worship

  145. Worthy Cause

  146. Wrath of God

  147. Absorb

  148. Anurid Brushhopper

  149. Armadillo Cloak

  150. Aura Mutation

  151. Captain Sisay

  152. Charging Troll

  153. Crystalline Sliver

  154. Death Grasp

  155. Dromar, The Banisher

  156. Dromar’s Charm

  157. Eladamri’s Call

  158. Fleetfoot Panther

  159. Galina’s Knight

  160. Gerrard’s Verdict

  161. Goblin Legionnaires

  162. Goblin Trenches

  163. Hunting Grounds

  164. Lightning Angel

  165. Llanowar Knight

  166. Meddling Mage

  167. Mirari’s Wake

  168. Mystic Enforcer

  169. Noble Panther

  170. Overgrown Estate

  171. Phantom Nishoba

  172. Questing Phelddagrif

  173. Reviving Vapors

  174. Rith, The Awakener

  175. Sabertooth Nishoba

  176. Sliver Queen

  177. Sterling Grove

  178. Teferi’s Moat

  179. Vindicate

  180. Victual Sliver

  181. Wax / Wane

Quite a list, eh? At 100 words a card, my article had the potential to reach 18,100 words (hence the title of my column being 18,000 words). So just how much did end up being obligated to write about cards not being played?



To answer this question, let’s take an in-depth look at how white decks performed at PT Houston.

KEY:

Deck Type

$$=Made Day 2, Finished in the money.

**=Made Day 2, did not finish in the money

(Finish) Player Name: Total, White Cards played (Main Deck/Sideboard)

UB Reanimator-38 Played

Aluren-33 Played

Ghoul Burst-10 Played

Angry Ghoul-9 Played

Enchantress-9 Played

BW Reanimator-7 Played

MonoB Reanimator-6 Played

BG Reanimator-5 Played

Rebels-4 Played

Solitary Confinement-4 Played

White Weenie-4 Played

Angry Terravore-3 Played

Pattern of Therapy-3 Played

The Rock-3 Played

BR Reanimator-2 Played

Elves-2 Played

Fiends-2 Played

Suicide Black-2 Played

Turbo Oath-2 Played

BW Control-1 Played

Life-1 Played

Nether Post-1 Played

Turboland-1 Played

WUB Reanimator-1 Played

Wow, that’s a lot of decks that played white: One hundred and fifty five (out of three hundredy and fifty one competitors). Of these, fifty (out of one hundred and seventeen) advanced to the second day of competition, earning a combined total of $61,555.

Now, which white cards were played the most? Here’s a bunch of rankings for your edification, dear reader.

1st List-Total number of decks in which a card appeared.

2nd List-Total quantity of a card

3rd List-Total quantity of a card, main deck

4th List-Total quantity of a card, sideboard

5th List-Highest finish, by card.

List One: Total appearances in decks (Out of 155 Decks)

77-Phantom Nishoba

28-Soul Warden

25-Monk Realist

24-Academy Rector

22-Seal of Cleansing

18-Disenchant

16-Serenity

15-Worship

13-Meddling Mage

13-Ray of Revelation

11-Absolute Law

11-Light of Day

11-Parallax Wave

10-Orim’s Chant

10-Ramosian Sergeant

10-Whipcorder

7-Mother of Runes

6-Crusade

6-Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero

6-Reprisal

6-Solitary Confinement

6-Vindicate

6-Wrath of God

5-Armageddon

5-Defiant Falcon

5-Defiant Vanguard

5-False Prophet

4-Auratog

4-Ramosian Sky Marshal

4-Topple

3-Circle of Protection: Red

3-Nightwind Glider

3-Paladin En-Vec

3-Radiant’s Dragoons

3-Ramosian Lieutenant

3-Rith, The Awakener

3-Teferi’s Moat

3-Thermal Glider

2-Abolish

2-Absolute Grace

2-Beloved Chaplain

2-Dismantling Blow

2-Eladamri’s Call

2-Honor the Fallen

2-Ivory Mask

2-Lightbringer

2-Sabretooth Nishoba

2-Soltari Monk

2-Spectral Lynx

2-Spirit Link

1-Absorb

1-Ancestor’s Chosen

1-Angelic Protector

1-Angelic Shield

1-Auramancer

1-Cloudchaser Eagle

1-Enlightened Tutor

1-Galina’s Knight

1-Gerrard’s Verdict

1-Iridescent Angel

1-Karmic Justice

1-Last Breath

1-Longbow Archer

1-Mobilization

1-Nomad En-Kor

1-Prismatic Strands

1-Reya Dawnbringer

1-Shaman En-Kor

1-Scour

1-Sliver Queen

1-Soltari Priest

1-Sphere of Law

1-Spirit Cairn

1-Stand/Deliver

1-Sterling Grove

1-Tariff

1-Task Force

1-Warrior En-Kor

1-Weathered Wayfarer

1-Worthy Cause

List Two-Total Quantity

91-Phantom Nishoba

66-Academy Rector

61-Seal of Cleansing

50-Meddling Mage

42-Soul Warden

41-Disenchant

40-Ramosian Sergeant

39-Whipcorder

34-Parallax Wave

31-Serenity

28-Absolute Law

28-Mother of Runes

25-Monk Realist

25-Orim’s Chant

22-Crusade

22-Vindicate

20-Worship

19-Reprisal

19-Wrath of God

18-Solitary Confinement

16-Ray of Revelation

15-Armageddon

14-Auratog

13-Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero

13-Topple

12-Paladin En-Vec

11-Light of Day

10-Defiant Falcon

9-Defiant Vanguard

8-Soltari Monk

8-Spectral Lynx

7-Radiant’s Dragoons

6-False Prophet

5-Abolish

5-Beloved Chaplain

5-Eladamri’s Call

5-Spirit Link

4-Absolute Grace

4-Absorb

4-Angelic Protector

4-Circle of Protection: Red

4-Dismantling Blow

4-Galina’s Knight

4-Longbow Archers

4-Nomad En-Kor

4-Ramosian Sky Marshal

4-Soltari Priest

4-Tariff

4-Task Force

4-Weathered Wayfarer

4-Worthy Cause

3-Nightwind Glider

3-Ramosian Lieutenant

3-Rith, The Awakener

3-Shaman En-Kor

3-Sphere of Law

3-Teferi’s Moat

3-Thermal Glider

2-Gerrard’s Verdict

2-Honor the Fallen

2-Ivory Mask

2-Lightbringer

2-Sabretooth Nishoba

2-Stand/Deliver

2-Warrior En-Kor

1-Ancestor’s Chosen

1-Angelic Shield

1-Auramancer

1-Cloudchaser Eagle

1-Enlightened Tutor

1-Iridescent Angel

1-Karmic Justice

1-Last Breath

1-Mobilization

1-Prismatic Strands

1-Reya Dawnbringer

1-Scour

1-Sliver Queen

1-Spirit Cairn

1-Sterling Grove

List Three-Total Quantity, Main Deck

55-Academy Rector

46-Phantom Nishoba

40-Meddling Mage

40-Ramosian Sergeant

39-Whipcorder

31-Seal of Cleansing

28-Mother of Runes

27-Soul Warden

26-Parallax Wave

22-Crusade

19-Vindicate

17-Solitary Confinement

14-Auratog

12-Paladin En-Vec

11-Disenchant

10-Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero

8-Soltari Monk

8-Spectral Lynx

8-Worship

7-Defiant Falcon

6-Defiant Vanguard

5-Beloved Chaplain

5-Spirit Link

4-Dismantling Blow

4-Eladamri’s Call

4-Galina’s Knight

4-Longbow Archer

4-Nomad En-Kor

4-Soltari Priest

4-Task Force

4-Weathered Wayfarer

4-Wrath of God

3-Angelic Protector

3-Nightwind Glider

3-Ramosian Lieutenant

3-Ramosian Sky Marshal

3-Rith, The Awakener

3-Serenity

3-Tariff

3-Thermal Glider

3-Worthy Cause

2-Lightbringer

2-Radiant’s Dragoons

2-Shaman En-Kor

2-Stand/Deliver

2-Warrior En-Kor

1-False Prophet

1-Mobilization

1-Reya Dawnbringer

1-Sabretooth Nishoba

1-Sliver Queen

1-Spirit Cairn

1-Sterling Grove

List Four-Total Quantity, Sideboard

45-Sabretooth Nishoba

30-Disenchant

29-Seal of Cleansing

28-Absolute Law

28-Serenity

25-Monk Realist

25-Orim’s Chant

19-Reprisal

15-Armageddon

15-Wrath of God

14-Soul Warden

13-Topple

12-Worship

11-Academy Rector

11-Light of Day

10-Meddling Mage

8-Parallax Wave

5-Abolish

5-False Prophet

5-Radiant’s Dragoons

4-Absolute Grace

4-Circle of Protection: Red

3-Defiant Falcon

3-Defiant Vanguard

3-Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero

3-Sphere of Law

3-Teferi’s Moat

3-Vindicate

2-Gerrard’s Verdict

2-Honor the Fallen

2-Ivory Mask

1-Ancestor’s Chosen

1-Angelic Protector

1-Angelic Shield

1-Auramancer

1-Cloudchaser Eagle

1-Eladamri’s Call

1-Enlightened Tutor

1-Karmic Justice

1-Last Breath

1-Prismatic Strands

1-Ramosian Sky Marshal

1-Sabretooth Nishoba

1-Scour

1-Shaman En-Kor

1-Solitary Confinement

1-Tariff

1-Worthy Cause

List Five: By Highest Finish

2nd–Phantom Nishoba

6th–Academy Rector

6th–Orim’s Chant

6th–Soul Warden

7th–Ray of Revelation

12th–Eladamri’s Call

12th–False Prophet

12th–Light of Day

12th–Serenity

31st–Auratog

31st–Honor the Fallen

31st–Karmic Justice

31st–Seal of Cleansing

31st–Solitary Confinement

31st–Sterling Grove

33rd–Worship

39th–Topple

41st–Absolute Law

47th–Disenchant

47th–Vindicate

71st–Armageddon

71st–Crusade

71st–Defiant Vanguard

71st–Defiant Falcon

71st–Lightbringer

71st–Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero

71st–Mother of Runes

71st–Nightwind Glider

71st–Ramosian Lieutenant

71st–Ramosian Sergeant

71st–Ramosian Sky Marshal

71st–Reprisal

71st–Thermal Glider

71st–Whipcorder

75th–Armageddon

82nd–Angelic Shield

82nd–Meddling Mage

89th–Spectral Lynx

89th–Wrath of God

90th–Circle of Protection: Red

90th–Parallax Wave

92nd–Galina’s Knight

92nd–Soltari Priest

101st–Enlightened Tutor

101st–Last Breath

101st–Scour

101st–Spirit Cairn

115th–Dismantling Blow

148th–Teferi’s Moat

149th–Auramancer

154th–Ivory Mask

154th-Rith, The Awakener

159th–Ancestor’s Chosen

165th–Longbow Archers

165th-Paladin En-Vec

165th-Stand/Deliver

166th–Spirit Link

176th–Abolish

176th–Prismatic Strands

186th–Absolute Grace

208th–Radiant’s Dragoons

242nd-Sabretooth Nishoba

287th–Sphere of Law

289th–Gerrard’s Verdict

291st–Reya Dawnbringer

297th–Beloved Chaplain

297th–Soltari Monk

313th–Iridescent Angel

313th–Sliver Queen

337th–Angelic Protector

337th-Nomad En-Kor

337th-Shaman En-Kor

337th–Task Force

337th-Warrior En-Kor

337th–Weathered Wayfarer

337th–Worthy Cause

348th–Absorb

348th–Mobilization

348th–Tariff

349th–Cloudchaser Eagle

For those interested, here are the cards I missed.

  1. Abolish

  2. Angelic Protector

  3. Angelic Shield

  4. Auramancer

  5. Beloved Chaplain

  6. Cloudchaser Eagle

  7. Karmic Justice

  8. Ramosian Sergeant

  9. Ray of Revelation

  10. Reprisal

  11. Reya Dawnbringer

  12. Seal of Cleansing

  13. Soul Warden

  14. Sphere of Law

  15. Spirit Link

  16. Stand / Deliver

  17. Task Force

Of these, three were on my hand-written list but somehow disappeared when I was going to type them on my computer. They are Ramosian Sergeant (the only rebel in existence pretty much not on this list), Task Force (the other missing rebel, and the main component of the Life deck played by Ped Bun), and Seal of Cleansing. The biggest two cards I completely missed were Soul Warden (which made quite a few appearances in Aluren) and Ray of Revelation (a sideboard mainstay in every Angry Ghoul/Terravore Deck).

So here are the cards I’ll be writing about over the course of the coming weeks:

  1. Akroma’s Blessing

  2. Akroma’s Vengeance

  3. Allay

  4. Ancestral Tribute

  5. Angel of Mercy

  6. Arrest

  7. Aura Blast

  8. Balancing Act

  9. Battle Screech

  10. Benevolent Bodyguard

  11. Blinding Angel

  12. Cataclysm

  13. Chastise

  14. Cho-Manno, Revolutionary

  15. Cho-Manno’s Blessing

  16. COP: Black

  17. COP: Blue

  18. COP: Green

  19. COP: White

  20. Clear

  21. Commander Eesha

  22. Defender en-Vec

  23. Devoted Caretaker

  24. Devout Witness

  25. Divine Sacrament

  26. Erase

  27. Exalted Angel

  28. Exile

  29. Flickering Ward

  30. Fresh Volunteers

  31. Gerrard’s Battle Cry

  32. Gerrard’s Wisdom

  33. Global Ruin

  34. Glorious Anthem

  35. Glory

  36. Golden Wish

  37. Hobble

  38. Humility

  39. Intrepid Hero

  40. Jareth, Leonine Titan

  41. Jeweled Spirit

  42. Jhovall Queen

  43. Karmic Guide

  44. Lashknife Barrier

  45. Lawbringer

  46. Mageta the Lion

  47. Morningtide

  48. Nova Cleric

  49. Oblation

  50. Opalescence

  51. Order of the Sacred Torch

  52. Orim, Samite Healer

  53. Orim’s Prayer

  54. Orim’s Thunder

  55. Pariah

  56. Pegasus Stampede

  57. Phantom Nomad

  58. Pianna, Nomad Captain

  59. Pilgrim of Justice

  60. Planar Birth

  61. Pure Reflection

  62. Pursuit of Knowledge

  63. Rapelling Scouts

  64. Renounce

  65. Reverent Mantra

  66. Rout

  67. Rune: Black

  68. Rune: Blue

  69. Rune: Green

  70. Rune: Red

  71. Rune: White

  72. Sacred Ground

  73. Sacred Guide

  74. Samite Ministration

  75. Sanctimony

  76. Serra Angel

  77. Serra Avatar

  78. Shared Triumph

  79. Soltari Crusader

  80. Soltari Visionary

  81. Spiritual Focus

  82. Spurnmage Advocate

  83. Staunch Defenders

  84. Steadfast Guard

  85. Stern Judge

  86. Story Circle

  87. Sunscape Familiar

  88. Suntail Hawk

  89. Test of Endurance

  90. True Believer

  91. Vengeful Dreams

  92. Voice of All

  93. Warmth

  94. Wave of Reckoning

  95. Waylay

  96. Wishmonger

  97. Anurid Brushhopper

  98. Armadillo Cloak

  99. Aura Mutation

  100. Captain Sisay

  101. Charging Troll

  102. Crystaline Sliver

  103. Death Grasp

  104. Dromar, The Banisher

  105. Dromar’s Charm

  106. Fleetfoot Panther

  107. Goblin Legionnaires

  108. Goblin Trenches

  109. Hunting Grounds

  110. Lightning Angel

  111. Llanowar Knight

  112. Mirari’s Wake

  113. Mystic Enforcer

  114. Noble Panther

  115. Overgrown Estate

  116. Questing Phelddagrif

  117. Reviving Vapors

  118. Victual Sliver

  119. Wax/Wave

Join me for the first installment of my weekly Starcity column (titled”18,000 words”) this coming Monday (in just three days) when I dive straight into a discussion the most conspicuously absent Extended card this season – and knock off some of those 11,900 words.

Special Feature: Total Word-o-Meter: 0/11,900 (0%)