In the first part of this two-part series, I took a look at how the so-called Sligh style of deck might look in the new Standard environment. In the second and final part of this series I'm going to focus on another seemingly ever-present style of creature rush deck: White Weenie.

Like Sligh, White Weenie tries to win by swarming its opponents with cheap, efficient creatures. However, unlike red, white doesn't have a lot of efficient removal to clear blockers out of the way of those creatures. True, in days gone by, white had the most efficient removal spell ever - Swords to Plowshares - but those days are long gone in Type Two, though Plowshares is still an effective choice in Extended.

Extended (Type 1.X) White Weenie
By Antoine Ruel

=Land (18)=
8x Plains
4x Flood Plain
4x Tundra
2x Scrubland

=Creatures (20)=
4x Meddling Mage
4x Mother of Runes
4x Ramosian Sergeant
4x Soltari Priest
4x Steadfast Guard

=Artifacts (4)=
4x Cursed Scroll

=Spells (18)=
4x Seal of Cleansing
4x Swords to Plowshares
4x Tithe
3x Brainstorm
3x Crusade

Instead of playing burn, traditional White Weenie decks instead play evasion creatures. For white, this has traditionally meant creatures with Shadow or Protection from a color, although first strike and flying are both respectable evasion abilities as well. Creature pump in the form of Crusades has also been component of the deck from the beginning, turning the deck's early game beats into respectable late-game beasts.

In Standard, where the deck has lacked good, targeted creature removal for some time, it has become standard operating practice to splash a second color - generally either blue for counterspells or red for burn. At the end of the last Standard season, a group on New York area players made a stir with a W/R version of the deck that played Urza's Rage and Blood Oath main.

The Great White Hope
by Don Lim, Toby Watcher and Mike Flores

=Lands (25)=
4x Battlefield Forge
6x Mountain
15x Plains

=Creatures (20)=
4x Ramosian Sergeant
4x Steadfast Guard
4x Goblin Legionnaire
2x Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero
2x Defiant Vanguard
2x Defiant Falcon
1x Ramosian Lieutenant
1x Ramosian Sky Marshal

=Spells (15)=
4x Urza's Rage
4x Disenchant
4x Parallax Wave
3x Blood Oath

This season, White Weenie has lost the rebel card advantage engine, but does pick up some very strong new creatures from Odyssey. However, it looks like a splash color will still be needed for the deck to play the removal that it requires. That probably means playing either W/R (which allows the deck to play Goblin Legionnaire) or W/B (giving the deck the mana to regenerate Spectral Lynx). In my early testing, I have come to prefer the W/B version of the deck.

Here is my current deck list and some notes on the cards that I chose to play:

White Weenie - November 2001
By Ken Collier

=Land (23)=
15x Plains
4x Caves of Koilos
4x Swamp

=Creatures (25)=
4x Devoted Caretaker
4x Beloved Chaplain
4x Spectral Lynx
4x Longbow Archer
3x Lieutenant Kirtar
3x Capashen Unicorn
3x Voice of All

=Spells (12)=
4x Glorious Anthem
4x Vindicate
2x Tsabo's Decree
2x Death Grasp

=Sideboard=
3x Samite Elder
3x Standard Bearer
3x Mystic Crusader
2x Crimson Acolyte

2x Sacred Ground
2x Sandstone Deadfall

Land (Plains, Swamps, Caves of Koilos): The mana for the deck is extremely consistent. The deck will almost always have WW by turn two and WWB by turn three, so it will rarely have to slow down to play its Longbow Archers, Lynxes, Anthems, or Kirtars. With Port and Dust Bowl rotated out, there isn't a lot to disrupt the mana either. I could possibly see playing one fewer swamp, but I have found the twenty-three lands to be quite good in the late game for fueling Death Grasp.

Devoted Caretaker: This card was originally highly touted when the Odyssey spoiler first hit the street, but has fallen out of favor with many deckbuilders recently. Don't ask me why. Granted, the Caretaker's ability isn't spectacular, but it is useful at saving creatures from burn, getting your Anthems Disenchanted, or saving lands from being Stone Rained. Besides, there isn't another decent one-drop in the format that fits the deck. What's that, you say? What about Mystic Penitent? Pul-leeze! Why would I want to play a vanilla 1/1 over a man with a useful ability? What? The threshold? Believe me, if this deck ever gets to threshold, it means that you are losing already. The Penitent's threshold ability is strong, but probably not strong enough. I'll keep my Caretakers.

Beloved Chaplain: You can think of the Chaplain's ability as being analogous to Shadow, 'cept better. He is essentially an unblockable 1/1 for 1W. If need be, he can play defense against anything that doesn't have protection from white, some kind of evasion, or trample. Yep, the Chaplain can block Spiritmonger ad nauseam. Good stuff.

Spectral Lynx: Green looks like a very strong color in the new Standard environment, so protection from green should be a very useful ability. The fact that the Lynx also regenerates keeps it strong against non-green decks as well.

Longbow Archer: Archers are clearly the strongest two-drop in the deck. With an Anthem or two out, these guys get insane.

Lieutenant Kirtar: A decently-costed card with a good evasion ability, Kirtar also gives the deck some extra spot removal against fat creatures. Not insane, but very strong.

Capashen Unicorn: This is a card that I am surprised not to have seen on more deck lists. The white version of Elvish Lyrist solves two problems for the deck. First, it gets around Devoted Caretaker's ability in the mirror match. Secondly, it is still a useful 1/2 body, even in matches where Disenchants would be dead cards. With these guys and Vindicates both, the deck has seven cards that can deal with artifacts and enchantments.

Voice of All: The Voices fill out the top end of the creature curve and provide protection from whatever color you need at the time. Very solid.

Glorious Anthem: The Anthems serve the role traditionally occupied by Crusade, pumping the deck's creatures up to the level of fatties. Anthems are strictly superior to Divine Sacrament; they cost the same and have the same effect. As I stated earlier, this deck will almost never get to threshold unless it is losing, and the extra effect of the Sacrament simply doesn't justify itself even then - never mind the risk of helping your opponent's creatures just as much it helps your own in the mirror match.

Vindicate: Simply the best all-around removal spell in Standard today.

Tsabo's Decree: A powerful non-targeted removal spell, Decrees give the deck a way to remove creatures with untargetability or protection. It also gives the deck a way to gain card advantage, as it can hit multiple targets at the same time. Naming"nomad" or"cleric" in the mirror can be pretty devastating.

Death Grasp: Death Grasp serves two purposes in the deck. It gives the deck a strong finisher, a la what red has in the form of Ghitu Fire. This is often useful if your opponent manages to stabilize as your creature rush slows. Secondly, it allows the deck to win some unwinnable games with a big life swing. Essentially, it can force your opponent to have to win faster while giving you extra time to win.

Samite Elder: The mirror match card. No, Rizzo, not Dominaria's Judgement: Samite Elder.

Standard Bearer: As long as Opposition is in the environment, Standard Bearer will be appearing in white sideboards. This one creature alone can completely shut down Opposition's lock.

Mystic Crusader: The Crusader will be appearing in some main decks, no doubt, but really doesn't deserve to unless the whole environment shifts to B/R - which does not look like it is going to be the case. It's good when its protection abilities are useful, but a 2/1 for three is really less than spectacular otherwise. As far as the threshold, see my comments above.

Crimson Acolyte: Sligh and G/R both look strong in the metagame heading into States. The Acolyte gives the deck a way to protect its creatures from the removal packed by those decks.

Sacred Ground: In a wide-open metagame, land destruction is often thought of as a good fallback plan. Since a number of good land destruction cards were printed in Odyssey, you can bet you will see that plan put into action. Devoted Caretaker and Sacred Ground give the deck a one-two punch in protecting itself.

Sandstone Deadfall: Colorless removal is good. Deadfalls take out fatties, even fatties with protection from all colors. You don't even have to have any untapped mana to use it. ::wipes the drool from his mouth::

The deck is very strong and consistent, and overall I think it has the tools to deal with just about anything. I am sure that White Weenie is going to make an impressive showing at States, either in a W/B or W/R configuration. Good luck!

Ken Collier
kcollier@pryme.com