TABLETOP TALES PRESENTS
AVACYN: BATTLE CRUISER ENGAGE!
To check out my other decks, hit the links below:
This article serves two purposes: To share the nerd entertainment around with anyone who might find it interesting and, in this case, to prove how taking the theme of an intro pack, especially a more recent intro pack, can not only make a passable deck, but also a powerful and fun deck.
Today's deck is the angelic result of my attempts to make a mono-white deck with the Avacyn, Angel of Hope.
I spent about $13 on the Angelic Might intro pack (click this LINK to check out the deck list), $25 bucks for the Avacyn Pre-Release, and the other cards are either from my collection or from various trades/gifts, etc. I've bought one booster for Avacyn, since the pre-release, and a buck worth of cards, so we'll call that $5.
APPROX. EXPENSE: $43
You
can find Magic Cards in super stores (Ex. Walmart, Target) but the best
place you can buy your cards, meet other players, and play in events is
at your local comic book store or hobby shop. I buy most of my cards at
The Comic Cellar. Here is a link to its Google Maps location at 3620 Austin Peay Highway #2 Memphis, TN 38128.
TABLETOP TALES DEBATE #1
With this in mind and the purchases described above, the result was...
THE MONO-WHITE ANGEL DECK:
AVACYN: BATTLE CRUISER ENGAGE!
For those of you who don't know, flicker-effects are card effects that involve exiling one of your own cards and returning it to the field either immediately or at the end of the turn. The reason you would do this is to take advantage of cards with entrance effects or to remove negative counters, enemy enchantments, and other annoyances.
As I always mention, I am just a casual player and I play with what I have available to me. Thanks for reading and please comment.
Please leave comments & suggestions.
To check out the contents of the deck, click "READ MORE" below.
Contains 60 Cards
CREATURES
(24 Creatures: 24 White Creatures)
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| "Lawbreakers, law makers, let us fight them all. Why not." -Blake's 7 |
Reasons? This cheap human is perfect for building the tempo to this deck. He slows down your opponents monsters and he can buff Angelic Overseer. Two of these babies are enough to trip up your opponent for a few turns.
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| "...We go out as a old knights of the Cross to redeem more [souls]. Like them we shall travel towards sunrise and; like them, if we fall, we fall in good cause." -Van Hellsing, Bram Stoker's Dracula |
Reasons? This card is a blast. First Strike, Vigilance, and 2/2 for 2 White would already be a steal. Add in protection from three powerful tribes and it becomes a one of the most efficient non-spirit related creature cards in the block. The flavor and art of this card makes it all the better.
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| "Good night, sweet prince:/ And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." -Horatio, Shakespeare's Hamlet |
Reasons? I got one of these in the pre-release and I became enamored with the possibilities (and the gorgeous card art). In this deck, it mostly serves as a powerful 3 drop that can return a Seraph Sanctuary, allow me to return a Fiend Hunter or Oblivion Ring to my hand to change targets, or save a card with -1 counters or some other affliction. Her abilities would be better served combined with Abundant Growth and maybe we'll get to see the possibilities of that combo next week?
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| "In the name of Avacyn, I cast you out!" |
Reasons? This card is a quirky one. I am probably going to have some trouble explaining why this superior to Oblivion Ring, in some fashion. First, it gets a 1/3 human on the field for 1 more white mana than an Oblivion Ring. Combo'd with a Cloudshift, he can permanently exile targets. To do so, you simply cast Fiend, target the creature, then instantly interrupt with a Cloudshift. The second part of Fiend Hunter's abilities will be unable to resolve, the card targeted will be permanently exiled, and when Fiend Hunter returns to the battlefield you can choose a new target. If you have any questions, or can clarify, google and/or comment.
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| "Hark the herald angles sing, glory to the released Queen!" |
Reasons? I also got one of these at pre-release and this probably helped prompt me to go mono-white. It is undeniably superior to Honor of the Pure, because, for two more mana, you get a 3/3 flying angel that's secondary ability that is filled with anti-black spell sentiment.
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| "To arms! To arms! The zombies are coming! The zombies are coming!" |
Reasons? These handy dandy cards are more or less placeholders for Silverblade Paladins.They are pretty efficient against other tribal decks. Half of my creatures are humans so, adding protection to a powerful tribe, is effective. Against non-tribal, I'd probably sideboard these for something else more prudent, but for now, they are pretty efficient.
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| "Seeing, contrary to popular wisdom, isn't believing. It's where belief stops, because it isn't needed any more." -Terry Pratchett |
Reasons? This card's art is just glorious. And, considering she has 12 humans to combo with for an indestructible, hexproof beast, this card is simply devastating at the right time. She is simple, violent and fun.
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| "A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight!" -Aragorn, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King |
Reasons? This card is a lot of fun in an angel/human deck. You'll probably want to swing with her until she has a couple of counters and then stop so you can cast angels at a discount. Her ramping aggression is also not something to sneeze at.
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| To war on wings of angels! |
Reasons? Now here is the most reliable muscle in this deck. I really hope they reprint Serra Angel in M13 because she pretty much sets the standard to compare other angels. She is fair, effective, and efficient. This warrior angel is a fantastic blocker and even more fantastic attacker.
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| "Instead of a Dark Lord, you would have a queen, not dark but beautiful and terrible as the dawn!" -Galadriel, Tolkein's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring |
Reasons? Now, here is the namesake of the deck and to be honest, she is difficult to justify in this kind of deck. I've played about ten games with the deck and haven't cast her once. Then again, the threat is effective and, if games get dragged out, and she hits the field, you are pretty much guaranteed victory against most decks. She also encourages a splash of green to get the mana to cast her.
Enchantments, Instants and Sorcery
(12
Cards: 5 White Enchantments, 4 White Instants, 3 White Sorceries)
Reasons? The trick is to bounce often and bounce well. This card is great for shifting the targets of Fiend Hunter, permanently exiling cards, and saving cards from destruction. Remove the target before it gets destroyed or exiled. A handy card, cheap, and a perfect fit. Although, it demands combination with something like Borderland Ranger...
Deck contains. 2.
Reasons? This is one of my favorite enchantments and I, honestly, prefer it to giving a creature intimidate. It basically gives a creature protection from all creatures, including creatures of its own color, and their abilities. Put this on a fat angel and swing to victory.
Reasons? One of the best removal cards ever printed, it is fantastic for targeting what your Fiend Hunters can't. Definitely worth side-boarding a couple more to deal with enchantment and artifact heavy decks.
Reasons? Hello, white Unburial Rites. Here we have a card that, in a mono white deck, is incredibly useful. Would you rather hard cast Avacyn or hope your foe puts her into the graveyard and then summon her for five with two +1/+1 counters?
Reasons? Here we have removal with a twist. What's better than putting creature in the graveyard? Exiling them. What's better than exiling them? Putting them at the bottom of the library so your opponent can't summon them from the graveyard and you can get back any cards you might lose. The best part? Casting it for a miracle cost of one mana.
Reasons? And here is a game-ender. Combo this with an angel or two and you'll decimate your opponent into oblivion and bulk up with life.
LANDS
( 24 Cards: 20 Plains, 4 Others)
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| Contains: 20 |
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| Contains: 4 |
