Need help with Mono-White Shop Aggro

[+t]

I tried to build one of those five color shop aggro decks utlizing dark confidant, but I found that, like many five color decks, it just struggled finding colored mana.  I liked the idea of playing non-welder, non-artifact creatures in shop aggro though.  I also liked the idea of playing a deck that was mono white.  So, here I am.

Beats – 12

3 True Believer
3 Jötun Grunt
4 Juggernaut
2 Razormane Masticore

Utility – 8

1 Enlightened Tutor
2 Crucible of Worlds
2 Seal of Cleansing
3 Anvil of Bogardan
Disrupt – 19

2 Ghost Quarter
4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
4 Winter Orb
3 Null Rod
4 Tangle Wire
1 Trinisphere

Mana – 21

4 Mishra’s Workshop
6 White Fetchlands
2 Plains
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring

I took the core of the the Artifact Fish thread in open and basiclly made it mono white.  I like the idea of going mono white because it adds True Beliver, and because it allows me to play more Fetchlands, which have obvious synergy with Grunt.

Some Card Discussions:

True Believer:  So good in the current metagame.  It is obviously a house versus Tendrils based combo.  In addition, it make it so that your opponent cannot Duress you or Hurkyl's Recall your board.  The fact that he's also a bear doesn't hurt.

Anvil of Bogardan: I don't know how to feel about this card.  I randomly like it and randomly hate it.  Obviously, he has great synergy with both Masticore and Grunt.  However, this card is symetrical, which kind of sucks.  You don't want to drop this, then pass the turn to your opponent.  This is more a mid-game play.

COTV/Suppresion Field/Winter Orb: I am of the opinion that Chalice is bad in this sort of deck, mainly because you want to be casting chalice for 2 alot first turn, which obviously shuts down this deck.  However, I'm not 100% sure whether field or orb should go in its place.  I tend to lean towards Orb, because it has a sick interaction with Null Rod and because running Field hurts out Fetches and Strips.

Ghost Quarter: Deprives an opponent from non-U mana.  At the very least, this puts two cards in the grave for Grunt.

Many cards seem rather interesting that I could incorporate into this build, such as Tithe (obv I would have to increase the Plains count), Land Tax (ibid), and Bazzar of Bagdad.  However, I'm not sure how these fit into the deck.  Suggestions are appreciated.

[brianpk80]

Hi,

There are definitely some things I like about this list, including the Grunts and the Enlightened Tutor.

If you're worried about Tendrils of Agony, you might appreciate Children of Korlis, a 1/1 for that sacrifices to gain life equal to the life you've lost this turn.  You sacrifice it after each copy of Tendrils has resolved except the first to make it lethal and end up losing usually only 2-6 life overall.  It will dramatically improve your Ichorid and Goblins match-up as well.

On a similar note, Icatian Javelineers are a reliable way of dealing with opposing Goblin Welders, Gorilla Shamans, Dark Confidants, and other X/1 creatures. 

Mind's Eye or Bottled Cloister would give you a better and less symmetrical draw engine than Anvil of Bogarden.  Further, I think you're focusing too much on your opponent's lands with 7 Strip effects, 4 Winter Orbs, 2 Crucibles, and 4 Tangle Wires.  If I were playing against you, I would let you have the land advantage and then counter the one or two Null Rods you're likely to see during the course of a game, which you can't recur because of lacking Welders.  Something like Devout Witness could give you more options against artifact mana, AEther Vials, and even Oath of Druids and Dragon-animating enchantments.

Good luck,

-Brian 

[chrissss]

definately Children of korlis, its really amazing. It even buys you another turn against Oath, and makes tendrils based decks lot easier for u to deal with.

Flagstones of Trokair 
Legendary Land 
T: Add W to your mana pool.
When Flagstones of Trokair is put into a graveyard from play, you may search your library for a plains card and put it into play tapped. If you do, shuffle your library afterwards.

This might be interesting, since it thins you deck, gives the grunt food, and protects against wasteland and strip mine.

what about your SB? Any ideas here?

[rmn]

I don't think you'd have any problem running Grafted Skullcap in place of the Anvil.  Since you only have one card which is not a permanent, you wouldn't be hit too hard by the drawback.

[+t]

I honestly can't think of very many situations where I'd want Flagstones over a White Fetch.  Fetches die when I want them to and thin my deck.  Further, Flagstones don't really help me a whole lot versus wasteland...

Cloister is...interesting.  I wasn't really aware of this card before just now.  I'm going to try that, or possibly Grafted Skull Cap (which has decent synergy with Grunt).

I'm thinking I'll take out the Masticores from the maindeck, especially if I'm going to be playing with Skull Cap.

I'm not sold on Children either.  I probably do need more one drops though, but I like Javelinners more.  

I'm also considering dropping the Crucibles for Life from the Loam (Dredge seems like it has interesting synergy with Grunt).  Thoughts on this?  Green also gives me Crop Rotation and Rootmaze, which I'd probably play over Suppresion Field/Winter Orb.

Regarding the sideboard, I haven't given it much thought.  As you can see, the core of this deck is very, very small.  It really depends on what does and doesn't make it into the maindeck.  For my meta though, I'd probably try out at least:

2-4 Tormod's Crypt
3 Devout Witness
3 Abeyance/Chant
Some number of Swords to Plowshares (Some of these will probably make it to the maindeck)

Edit: With regards to Skull Cap, the problem is that you don't have a hand during your upkeep, which basiclly means Masticore doesn't die.  I realized this in testing the deck with one of my friends, so I was trying to find an alternative. 

[Duncan]

Haven't you had problems with your white mana, since you only run 2 plains, lotus and pearl? It seems to me that true believer would be uncastable half the times you draw it. Children of Korlis seems like a better addition instead.
Another thing that has come into my mind: if you replace crucible, winter orb and masticore for colored cards, how good are workshops then?

- Duncan

[chrissss]

children of korlis gives you a turn against Oath, goblins, and every other things that do damage. True beleiver doesnt.
children is W, and a one drop, which means that you can stop a turn 2 tendrils. Hey, it even combos with fetch lands
just try the children, I did, and I love them. ( this sounds wrong)