Why White Weenie, Revisted

Just a few days after starting this blog over a year ago, I wrote a post entitled "Why White Weenie?" Today, I want to revisit this same idea. Let me explain why.

Since becoming the host of Monday Pauper Deck Challenge, I have noticed that time and time again, Mono-White decks rise to be top contenders in our tournament metagame. And every season, the belief seems to go that the release of the latest card set will finally see this archetype dethroned. But, time and time again, it eventually rises back to the top.

This season was no exception. This archetype captured three of the fourteen title trophies this season, with all three wins in the last six events of the season. And while White Weenie didn't capture the trophy for Season 23 Worlds, versions of this build placed 2nd, Top 4, and twice in Top 8. In fact, White Weenie made up almost a third of the field.

Just a strange anomaly? I think not. I am more convinced than ever that White Weenie will always be a major force in the format, especially given the current constraints that govern Commons. It comes down to three factors:

• White is fast and efficient. White gets access to cheap creatures, typically with good abilities, typically including the key mechanics of the set. Combined with the right spells, it can win very fast, or simply create enough tempo that an opponent can't keep up.
• White has lots of options. There's very little that White can't do. It has good creatures, evasion, removal, enchantment destruction, combat tricks, creature protection, lifegain, and even some graveyard recursion. About the only thing it can't do is counter spells, destroy artifacts, or deal direct damage.
• White has game against almost any archetype. There are very few ways to win in Standard Pauper that White doesn't have some answer to, even if that answer is simply being faster than an opponent.

If you had to pick one archetype that you had to play no matter what for the next season of Standard Pauper, historically your best choice would be White Weenie. And that says a ton about just how good it is.

If you're still reading, I have a few other items of note to point out:

1. Part Two of my review of Born of the Gods for Standard Pauper has been published over at PureMTGO. Go check it out if you haven't already.
2. This coming Monday we will have a special Standard Pauper Singleton event for Monday Pauper Deck Challenge. Get all the details here.
3. As part of the weekly maintenance, Wizards removed 22 different format filters from Magic Online, including the very popular Legacy Tribal Wars. Considering that this format is still heavily supported by Player Run Events, this is a big deal. I encourage you to make your voice heard over at this link, and/or E-mail Mike Turian, the Organized Play Digital Manager.

Thanks for reading. See you next time.