Today, I wanted to write about how the winning deck from Grand Prix: Oakland performs in Magic Online queues. Sadly, that’s not to be. Even though Elves is an interesting deck — and Boros or the Living End deck would have been interesting to write about too – I chose instead to write about an Extended deck I really like a lot. The list was made public a few hours ago (at the time of writing) by German writer, player, and deckbuilder Tobias Henke.
For you German-speaking guys out there, his article can be found here.
Tobias has created a White Solution deck, and I immediately contacted him and asked if he would allow me to write about his build. Let’s get started with the decklist.
Creatures (17)
- 3 Samurai of the Pale Curtain
- 4 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
- 4 Kitchen Finks
- 4 Ethersworn Canonist
- 2 Knight of the White Orchid
Lands (18)
- 17 Plains
- 1 Eiganjo Castle
Spells (25)
As Kor Firewalker is not yet available on Magic Online, I run Auriok Champion instead.
When I first examined the decklist, I immediately felt it missed cards like Figure of Destiny; Hokori, Dust Drinker; and Aven Mindcensor. After realising how bad Figure of Destiny is with Suppression Field and Damping Matrix , I didn’t want to embarrass myself more by adding the other cards to the deck, as I am sure Tobias already considered such additions.
Path to Exile was another card I missed, but I figured that Spectral Procession would likely be a good solution to a 20/20 flying indestructible token, and that Tarmogoyf might not have enough impact on the board. Either way, let’s figure these things out for ourselves by joining Magic Online queues.
Round 1 – Teachings
We win the die roll.
Game 1
Opening Hand:
3 Plains, Isamaru, Raise the Alarm, Samurai of the Pale Curtain, Spectral Procession
No hate other than the Samurai in the opening hand… still, I doubt it’s a mulligan.
We open with Isamaru. He leads with Misty Rainforest and passes the turn. I draw Suppression Field and immediately play it, hoping he forgets to fetch in response. He fetches in response (sigh), and the Field gets Spell Snared. After drawing Damping Matrix, the Procession gets countered as well, this time by Mana Leak. He plays Engineered Explosives for one, and after Isamaru gets in for another two, the freshly-drawn Kitchen Finks gets dealt the same way as the Spectral Procession. Samurai of the Pale Curtain gets Dismissed by Cryptic Command, but the two soldiers at the end of turn from Raise The Alarm stick. An end of my draw step, Esper Charm forces the discard of my hand, and the Soldiers bring him down to 6. He taps out for Baneslayer Angel, and I die unable to deal with the 5/5 menace.
+2 Cloudgoat Ranger, +1 Samurai of the Pale Curtain
-3 Damping Matrix
Game 2
Opening Hand:
2 Plains, 2 Suppression Field, Raise the Alarm, Knight of the White Orchid, Ethersworn Canonist
He mulligans, and again opens with Misty Rainforest. I try to resolve a Suppression Field against his fetch-land heavy manabase, and this time it sticks after he fetched up a Watery Grave. I don’t play anything on my next turn, and create some pressure with Raise the Alarm. The soldiers get in for two, and Knight of the White Orchid gets countered afterwards. A Kitchen Finks resolves, while he is drawing some more cards with Esper Charm (and playing a Kitchen Finks himself). Honor of the Pure pumps up my guys, and my Kitchen Finks trades with his. The team gets in again, and Suppression Field stops my opponent from activating his Engineered Explosives. While I am playing more guys, he eventually finds lands in form of Fetch Lands, which he can’t activate as he needs to tap out to have solutions for my guys. Eventually my guys overwhelm him, and I take down game 2.
-2 Cloudgoat Ranger
+2 Path to Exile
He definitely doesn’t seem to be Tezzeret/Thopter, therefore I choose to run the Path as a solution to Baneslayer Angel.
Game 3
Opening Hand:
4 Plains, Suppression Field, Ethersworn Canonist, Kitchen Finks
It’s a close one, but I think it is better than the average six-card hand.
My opponent is signalling Spell Snare when he played a shock land tapped on his second turn. Therefore, I choose to play Canonist over Suppression Field, as it seems less valuable in this matchup. I misread him, and the Cleric is the first guy on the battlefield. The Kitchen Finks next turn resolves as well, while he draws two with Esper Charm. Path to Exile takes out several of my guys, and a surprising flashed-in Teferi kills the Ethersworn Canonist, leaving me without any pressure. One Baneslayer Angel later kills me instantly.
I don’t think the matchup is winnable.
1-2 / 0-1
When I join the next queue, I face the same guy and immediately concede the match, as writing about playing Teachings twice doesn’t help the article. Talking to the guy, he tells me not to join until I find somebody else. Awesome!
Round 2 – Tribal Zoo
Once again, we win the die roll.
Game 1
Opening Hand:
2 Plains, Suppression Field, Raise the Alarm, Ethersworn Canonist, Kitchen Finks, Spectral Procession
While I make Plains and say go, he starts with fetchland into Steppe Lynx. I answer that with Suppression Field to keep the Lynx small. Steppe Lynx gets in for two, and he follows it with a Kird Ape, which is 1/1 thanks to the two fetchlands he is unable to activate. I try to trap it with Raise the Alarm. The trap doesn’t work out, as he ends up Pathing his own Steppe Lynx, fetching up a Forest. I don’t draw another land and play the Samurai. He builds up his board with Pridemage, and I finally draw my land to cast Spectral Procession — which I play over Finks because the Ouphe doesn’t have a lot of synergy with the Samurai. He attacks with Kird Ape for another three points of damage, and plays Tarmogoyf. I draw another land and swing with my whole team, after playing the Honor of the Pure. Samurai is trading with Tarmogoyf after he blocks with his two guys, which makes my Kitchen Finks next turn very likely game-winning. This statements ends up being true, and I take down the first game.
-3 Damping Matrix, -4 Ethersworn Canonist
+2 Cloudgoat Ranger, +2 Path to Exile, +2 Auriok Champion, +1 Samurai of the Pale Curtain
Game 2
Opening Hand:
3 Plains, Auriok Champion, Isamaru, 2 Spectral Procession
After a mulligan, he opens with Kird Ape, which I answer with Isamaru. After getting in, he plays a Squired Tarmogoyf, which I answer with Auriok Champion and an attack for two with the hound. Pridemage joins the battlefield, and Tarmogoyf gets in for three. I am not able to attack, and create three tokens for a fair amount of extra life, and to start making some pressure. Lightning Bolt takes down Isamaru mid-combat, which leaves the Tarmogoyf with 5 power, taking me down to 15. I play another Procession, regaining some life, and getting in for three, taking him down to 10. The turn after, he taps out for Knight of the Reliquary, which leaves me a window to get lethal damage with Glorious Anthem without him being able to kill it with his Pridemage.
Auriok Champion sure is better in this matchup than Kor Firewalker ever could be.
2-0 / 1-1
Round 3 – Mono Burn
We lose the die roll.
Game 1
Opening Hand (after my opponent mulliganed):
Chrome Mox, 2 Plains, Knight of the White Orchid, Honor of the Pure, Suppression Field, Damping Matrix
He starts with Mountain, Goblin Guide. Its attack reveals Spectral Procession. As Suppression Field doesn’t seem very good in this matchup, I imprint it on the Mox to cast the Knight. On his next turn he plays Teetering Peaks with no other play. I play Spectral Procession and pass the turn without any attacks. Shard Volley takes care of the Knight, while Spark Elemental (pumped up by Teetering Peaks) and Goblin Guide get in there. The Guide reveals a Chrome Mox, and I drop down to 11. I play the Honor, and attack with two of the three Spirits. He has Hellspark Elemental, and Goblin Guide trades with the Spirit after drawing me a Plains. I play Matrix and attack for four after drawing another land. He only drops Nexus. I draw Glorious Anthem, and the two Spirits half his life total. He doesn’t draw anything, and concedes the game.
-3 Damping Matrix, -4 Suppression Field
+1 Samurai of the Pale Curtain, +2 Auriok Champion, +2 Path to Exile, +2 Cloudgoat Ranger
Game 2
Opening Hand:
2 Plains, Chrome Mox, 2 Honor of the Pure, Isamaru, Raise the Alarm
He again starts with a Goblin Guide, this time revealing Plains. I draw Spectral Procession and play Honor of the Pure, imprinting the Hound. With this play I can make Spectral Procession next turn, and Honor of the Pure backed up with Raise the Alarm the turn after, which seems really good. I draw Isamaru after Goblin Guide deals another two, which leaves me with a change of plans to make Isamaru plus Raise the Alarm this turn. His end of turn Magma Jet takes me down to 14. He chooses to leave both cards on top. He then plays Hellspark Elemental, and attacks with his two guys. Isamaru takes down the Goblin for some card advantage, and the two Soldiers block the Elemental. I draw the previously revealed Samurai, and immediately play it with the other Honor of the Pure, attacking for seven in the very same turn. Sadly, he manages to deal me 14 in the two turns he had left, and so we shuffle up for game 3.
Game 3
Opening Hand:
3 Plains, Raise the Alarm, Knight of the White Orchid, 2 Spectral Procession
Once again he has the first play, in Goblin Guide, revealing Eiganjo Castle in his attack, and with me drawing Honor of the Pure afterwards. I play the Knight and pass the turn. He doesn’t play anything in his next turn, while I create 3 Spirit Tokens on my turn 3 and pass the turn with no attacks, in respect of Hellspark Elemental or his smaller brother. He deals me six with Lightning Bolt and Lava Spike, while I draw Mox, which lets me play Spectral Procession and Honor of the Pure on my turn 4, getting in for 9 and leaving him one turn to kill me. At this point my opponent – “killerbee69” – loses the connection, and doesn’t show up again.
2-1 / 2-1
I was talking to Andreas Nordhal during this game (my second round opponent). He was really interested about the deck, but he didn’t really like the Raise the Alarm. At this point, I agree with him, and the cards he suggested as replacements are interesting choices: Kataki, Jotun Grunt, or Aven Mindcensor. And Chalice of the Void in the sideboard after Elves took down the GP. I wouldn’t mind playing 4 Auriok Champion between the main and sideboard at this point, as the card would have been absolutely fantastic against burn too.
Round 4 – Living End
We lose the die roll.
Game 1
Opening Hand:
1 Plains, 2 Ethersworn Canonist, Samurai of the Pale Curtain, Knight of the White Orchid, Damping Matrix, Glorious Anthem
No real decision.
Opening Six:
3 Plains, Ethersworn Canonist, Suppression Field, Knight of the White Orchid
No real decision.
He plays Mountain and ends the turn. I draw Isamaru and play the lucky one-drop. He cycles some dudes and I draw another Canonist. I play the first one so he wouldn’t be able to Living End in his very next turn. An evoked Shriekmaw kills the Isamaru, and he passes the turn. I play a Knight of the White Orchid for its full power, and another Canonist. He cycles some more guys and tries to Demonic Dread, but the Canonists are forbidding the Living End from being cast. I don’t draw a spell in my turn, so Suppression Fields joins the board to slow down his cycling engine. After he cycles a Jungle Weaver for four, he concedes.
+3 Rule of Law, +2 Auriok Champion, +1 Samurai of the Pale Curtain
-3 Damping Matrix, -3 Kitchen Finks
At this point, I wish the Traps would be either Tormod’s Crypt or Relic of Progentius. Even though the artifacts don’t like Suppression Field, nor Damping Matrix.
Game 2
Opening Hand:
2 Plains, Ethersworn Canonist, Suppression Field, Knight of the White Orchid, Raise the Alarm, Samurai of the Pale Curtain
He does not cycle a guy on turn 2, therefore my first play is a turn 2 Suppression Field. He responds by cycling two guys. He Living Ends his guys immediately, Street Wraith and Igneous Pouncer, and I take 6 from the first attack. I misclick on a land, but I drew Isamaru, which leaves me with plying the Hound and passing the turn with Raise the Alarm back up. Isamaru dies to Spitebellows, and one of the Soldier tokens trades with the Pouncer. I now play the Knight for its full power, and the Samurai, and start the race with the Soldier. He Living Ends once again, and the Hound takes down the Pouncer. I then play Canonist and pass the turn. The Cleric trades with Spitebellows and he hard casts Valley Rannet. I play a Samurai, which should be able to trade with his big guy, and Eiganjo Castle, leaving me with lands only in both hand and play. He plays another Living End before the two guys are able to trade. On his side, an Igneous Pouncer, Street Wraith, and Spitebellows enter the battlefield. On my side, Isamaru and Canonist. The Canonist immediately trades with the Pouncer. I draw another Hound and pass the turn. I blocked with the Canonist because the Hound is able to block the Wraith, thanks to Eiganjo Castle, and he can’t attack into the Hound with Spitebellows as it would take down his Wraith. He doesn’t care about that, and attacks with both guys anyway. He then casts another Valley Rannet. I draw the Champion, play it, and follow it up by Isamaru, leaving the board stalled once again. I draw another land the next turn, and pass when he surprises me with an Infest. I draw Glorious Anthem a turn too late, and he takes game 2.
+3 Kitchen Finks
-3 Raise the Alarm
I now realize the interaction between the Finks and Living End, and sideboard it back in.
Game 3
Opening Hand:
3 Plains, Samurai of the Pale Curtain, Ethersworn Canonist, Kitchen Finks, Glorious Anthem
I play a second turn Canonist, while he again cycles two of his guys. I then play Kitchen Finks — with his first two land-drops being Mountains, I don’t fear the Infest yet. He keeps on cycling. After land cycling, he plays a Swamp, which leaves me with no choice but to play the Anthem, protecting my board from the nasty Infest. Ingot Chewer takes down the Canonist, and nothing stops him now from resolving Living End. I follow up his End with Isamaru, Samurai, and Canonist, trying to fight his five big guys. An evoked Spitebellows takes down the Samurai, and he gets in with his team. I survive on an unhealthy life total, and die the turn after.
1-2 / 2-2
Round 5 – Mono Burn
We win the die roll.
Game 1
Opening Hand:
Plains, Isamaru, 2 Suppression Field, Knight of the White Orchid, Honor of the Pure, Kitchen Finks
-1
Opening Six:
Plains, Chrome Mox, 2 Spectral Procession, Raise the Alarm, Knight of the White Orchid
I open the game with a turn 1 Mox, imprinting Spectral Procession, and Plains. Passing the turn with the intention to Raise the Alarm. He starts with Goblin Guide, revealing Canonist, and the Goblin trades with the Instant. I play Canonist and pass. Hellspark Elemental takes me down to 17. But I can play Knight of the White Orchid for its full power now, to set up a Spectral Procession next turn. He gets in with a Peaked-up Nexus for another three damage. I attack for four, even up the life totals, and follow it up by Spectral Procession. Lightning Bolt takes down Canonist, and I take 6 damage from the unearthed Hellspark Elemental and the freshly-cast Spark Elemental. I get in with my team and cast another Canonist. Magma Jet takes care of the second Canonist and his top two cards. He plays another Goblin Guide, and I drop down to six. As my top two cards are lands, I don’t have any plays and get in for three, leaving the both of us at six. He gets in with the Nexus, and his burn spells finish me off.
-3 Damping Matrix, -4 Suppression Field
+2 Auriok Champion, +2 Path to Exile, +2 Cloudgoat Ranger, +1 Samurai of the Pale Curtain
Game 2
Opening Hand:
Chrome Mox, Isamaru, 2 Raise the Alarm, Honor of the Pure, Auriok Champion, Samurai of the Pale Curtain
-1
Opening Six:
Chrome Mox, Plains, Isamaru, 2 Cloudgoat Ranger, Auriok Champion
I play Mox, imprint one of the probably useless Rangers, and play the Champion. I draw another Isamaru after he suspends Rift Bolt, and get in for one. He suspends another Rift Bolt and then plays Goblin Guide, attacks, and I happily trade with the hound. I also get a land in the process. I draw a Samurai, play my two guys, and get in for one once again. Rift Bolt, Magma Jet (leaving both cards on top), and Lightning Bolt take me down to 13, but I draw Spectral Procession to regain three life. He plays Goblin Guide and kills the Samurai before passing the turn. I draw and play Knight of the White Orchid for its full value before getting in for some damage. He concedes at this point.
Game 3
Opening Hand:
3 Plains, Eiganjo Castle, Isamaru, Ethersworn Canonist, Cloudgoat Ranger
The hand is not a dream, but I doubt I can mulligan in this matchup when I have a one- and a two-drop.
He ones again leads with Goblin Guide, revealing a land. I draw another Isamaru, and play one of the hounds. The hound gets burned and his Goblin takes me down to 13 with the help of Spark Elemental. I play the Canonist and pass. The Cleric trades with the Goblin, and I play my Isamaru and a freshly drawn Samurai. Flames of the Blood Hand take me down to 9. He has three burn spells that deal three damage for one mana in his three-card hand, and I die.
1-2 / 2-3
Round 6 – Burn
We win the die roll.
Game 1
Opening Hand:
2 Plains, Chrome Mox, Ethersworn Canonist, Honor of the Pure, Spectral Procession
I play turn 1 Canonist imprinting the Raise. He plays a Mountain and Lava Spikes me. And no, it is not the same opponent. I play Spectral Procession, get in for two, and pass. He doesn’t do anything. I draw another Spectral Procession, but playing the Honor of the Pure is more efficient, as it makes my creatures lethal next turn. He plays Magma Jet to take down one of the Spirits, giving him another turn. He plays Keldon Marauders and passes. The two Spirits get in, and I create three more. As I have a Glorious Anthem in hand, I can comfortably block the Marauders and finish him off in my very next turn.
-3 Damping Matrix, -4 Suppression Field
+2 Auriok Champion, +2 Path to Exile, +2 Cloudgoat Ranger, +1 Samurai of the Pale Curtain
Game 2
Opening hand: 4x Plains, Chrome Mox, Auriok Champion, Samurai of the Pale Curtain
The hand is a bit weak, but the Champion did such a great job so far that I still end up keeping, especially after he took a mulligan himself.
I draw Kitchen Finks and decide to play the turn 1 Champion. He Lightning Bolts me end of turn and plays Keldon Marauders. I play a Kitchen Finks and decide not to attack after I drew Cloudgoat Ranger (man, I am good). Cyroclasm kills one of the Plains. I block his attacking Marauders with my Protection from Red guy, and get back in with my team after drawing a Mox. I draw another land and Kitchen Finks deals another three. He doesn’t recover from the massive life gain when I cast Cloudgoat Ranger, and I win the game shortly after.
2-0 / 3-3
The deck is a ton of fun to play, and there is still a fair amount of room to improve the list. If you are planning on playing in the future PTQs you should definitely take a look at the deck. It’s a little sad that I faced Mono Red three times, and that I was paired against Teachings, but I expect the deck to do well against any Thopter-based deck and Zoo. Suppression Field is just such a blowout card in the format.
Thanks for reading, have fun!
Manu B