Magic Origins Set Review: White

I can’t remember the last time a set added at the end of a rotation had as big of an impact as Magic Origins will. They have really pulled out all the stops for this one. Figuring out what the format of the future looks like begins with understanding how to use all of the new cards. It’s not about swiping right or swiping left. It’s more like “Learn All The Things!”

The more we understand how to use all of the new cards, the more we’ll gain an understanding of what we believe the rest of the world’s perception will be. That means focusing on power, synergy, and consistency for now. What deck beats what deck comes later.

Today, I’m going to be focusing on white. We covered blue on Monday, and I’ll be back Friday with the rest (which isn’t as imbalanced as it sounds, with how many non-white cards as we’re discussing today, since a lot of white decks are not mono). What better place to start that with one of the most hyped cards in the set, Kytheon, Hero of Akros?

To start with, Kytheon is a 2/1 for one, so already I’m at least interested. It doesn’t take much more to be playable, and it could be a lot better than that.

Next, we factor in that Kytheon has 2W: Indestructible until end of turn. This ability is amazing, and quietly why Kytheon is gonna be a serious winner. As the game goes on, Kytheon gives you something productive to do with your extra mana that has a serious impact on the game. On offense, it means Kytheon can attack without serious risk of dying (which also ensures he can flip safely, later).

Kytheon can be a monster on defense, potentially eating small attackers and living or holding off their largest threat as long as it takes. He’s also difficult to kill with removal spells. Sure, you can often power through it, perhaps with a second Lightning Strike; but remember, we’re talking about a one-drop here. Drawing Kytheon early is good because he’s two power for one mana, but drawing Kytheon late is also good because he’s so hard to kill.

That Kytheon is a legend is a real cost, but the indestructible ability is worth more. Even if Kytheon could never flip, he’d at least be playable. He’s even good creature types and there are rewards for playing legends these days. Besides, once he does flip, you can play a second copy without any problem. They have different names, and unlike some of the others, you aren’t really at risk of him flipping against your will.

How good is the flipside?

Well, the baseline is the 4/4 body immune to sorcery-speed removal and damage from blockers. It can’t block and can be attacked, so it’s not without counterplay. However, both abilities are useful for advancing the game while also defending Gideon.

His +2 ability gains loyalty fast, helping Gideon live while also potentially eating away at opposing boards. I particularly love combining it with Brimaz and Knights with First Strike.

His +1 ability is very interesting, and surprisingly versatile. Used on an attacker, it can ensure safety to creatures with attack triggers like Brimaz and Consul’s Lieutenants; both from blockers and from attack-only kill spells like Swift Reckoning. It even provides defense against sorceries such as End Hostilities!

It can also give creatures pseudo-Vigilance, ensuring someone can stay home to defend Kytheon while still getting in for damage. To get the untap, you have to use the ability after combat, so that aspect works particularly well with creatures that are already not at serious risk of dying in combat such as Archangel of Tithes. It’s also awesome that the Archangel gets to attack, making blocking you hard, while still being untapped to making attacking you hard.

There is an unfortunate interaction to be careful of with these two. The Archangel’s first ability disrupts Gideon’s +2 ability. If you try to force someone to attack Gideon, they can just “choose to not pay,” and now you don’t get to eat their creature in combat.

I still love Archangel of Tithes though. A 3/5 flier is a fantastic allocation of stats (sort of the opposite of 1/7 or 6/2). It’s big enough to live through Stoke the Flames and Exquisite Firecraft yet ducks right under Elspeth. It even dodges Roast, since it flies. The ability is deceptively strong, not only crippling token-based strategies but also making it very hard to block all of your creatures in an alpha strike.

What about Kytheon?

Well, Kytheon isn’t really at risk of flipping when you don’t want him to. Yes, you are occasionally going to miss some damage by not attacking in game states where you can afford to have him flip; in general, his ability is a very serious bonus to put on a one-drop (particularly one that was already good).

Verdict: Staple. Flagship. This card is amazing.

There are a ton of potential homes for Kytheon. Really, any deck with reasonable chances of casting it on turn one, and reasonable chances of ever flipping it, it’s worth considering.

Here’s a White Weenie deck that mostly focuses on card quality and a good curve:

White Weenie

Patrick Chapin

Test deck on 11-30--0001

Standard

Creatures (32)

Lands (22)

22 Plains

Spells (6)

2 Gods Willing
4 Valorous Stance

Sideboard

White has gained so many great cards in Magic Origins, it’s hard to know where to start. This build has plenty of minor synergies, but is really just about using all of your mana every turn efficiently.

While we have twelve here, I always consider using eleven one-drops, as it is one of those magic numbers that gives the optimal balance between “higher chances of having one” but “lower chances of wasting mana in the mid-game after playing all of our cheap cards.” To this end, I considered trimming a Kytheon (after all, he is a legend), but he seems enough better than Soldier of the Pantheon and Mardu Woe-Reaper to risk the fourth copy. If we wanted to cut one, I think I would cut one of them instead.

Take that, Deathmist Raptor!

Kytheon is awesome, but what really gives us new reason to look at White Weenie are the new two-drops in Magic Origins. We’re not usually going to be able to fit all three into the same deck, but you never know.

Knight of the White Orchid is going to get you an extra land less than half the time, but it’s still a 2/2 first striker and the games where it does, that is often a free Mox Pearl. It’s a stronger card on the draw, but I would still choose to play first just in general. If you have plenty of mana and no other two-drops, it is a totally fine play on two, but we are typically going to be looking to play it on turn three or four, depending on if we can afford to miss a land drop on turn three (if we were on the play).

Consul’s Lieutenant is really exciting to me, but it is interesting finding the balance between removal (to get it through) and creature swarm (to capitalize on the AOE +1/+1). This might not be enough support to get it through, but Gods Willing, Kytheon, and Archangel of Tithes do help. Besides, First Strike does a pretty good job on its own.

Relic Seeker may not be Stoneforge Mystic, but it is pretty great. Upgrading your 2/2 into a 3/3 is a little worse than a 3/3 for two (which we would definitely play), but it also draws you a card (with selection) a substantial amount of the time. That’s huge! Relic Seeker also asks you to play a package of equipment to go get. I think the bare minimum is two pieces of equipment, but if there’s a third we like, that’s preferable.

Ghostfire Blade requires a fair number of artifact creatures or morphs to justify it, but could be good. Likewise, Helm of the Gods asks us to be heavy into enchantments (a card we’ll build around later today).

Sword of the Animist doesn’t excite me as much as it does some people. I dunno. I mean, it’s fine, I guess. It just seems so much worse than a Sword – like way, way worse – and even though Sword of Body and Mind is probably asking too much, I think this might be a minor role-player until this fall (when landfall probably returns). If Sword of the Animist is actually great right now, it is probably because of the acceleration aspect. After all, this is a sweet card for Thopter decks with an expensive high end…

Throwing Knife is probably too expensive. It’s just interesting because of how novel the effect is.

Hero’s Blade is awesome even if you have just eight legends in your deck (we have ten here, just remember that it doesn’t attach to Gideon, Battle-Forged). It’s a ton of stats for cheap in those cases, and even when you don’t draw one, it’s still useable. This is a great target for when we don’t have much time to work with.

Godsend is a little slow, but it can really take over a game. This is my favorite target to go get if we do actually have time to spare. On offense, your creature is functionally invincible. On defense, they are The Abyss.

Haunted Plate Mail gives us a creature to search up against removal-heavy decks and sweepers. I’m not 100% that it isn’t too slow, but it is definitely worth trying.

Dragon Throne of Tarkir is an oddball, but it is extremely good at dominating some stand-offs. I don’t want it here, as Godsend probably does enough for those games, but it is one to keep in mind.

Here’s a version making room for Relic Seeker, though maybe we still need the Knight of the White Orchids to help pay the equip costs:

White Weenie

Patrick Chapin

Test deck on 11-30--0001

Standard

Creatures (25)

Lands (23)

23 Plains

Spells (12)

Sideboard

This version is even more dependent on getting its creatures through, leading to Banishing Lights maindeck. I like blanking Dromoka’s Command, but at a certain point you just need the removal.

This version has even more dead cards against creature-light opponents, so we are interested in some kind of a threat we can sideboard in against those people. Vryn Wingmare is perfect, as it specifically punishes creature-light decks. It’s not as good as Thalia (three is a lot more than two), but Flying is better than First Strike and this is a very fun card to stack multiples of (as long as they are yours).

Kytheon’s more than just a great one-drop. He’s a Soldier!

Mono-White Soldiers

Patrick Chapin

Test deck on 11-30--0001

Standard