We just got an awesome reprint announced in today’s Innistrad: Crimson Vow previews and it’s one that could bring a new archetype to the Standard format! The community has been speculating on what powerful reprints were going to be. Some thought it was
Snapcaster Mage
Snapcaster Mage
Flash
When this creature enters, target instant or sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost. (You may cast that card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
, but we now know that the card is actually
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
First strike
Noncreature spells cost {1} more to cast.
. There’s probably a few homes for her in Standard, but one deck archetype might utilize her best.
Mono White Death and Taxes
For anyone who has seen my articles in the past, I’m a BIG fan of Death and Taxes. I’ve played a lot of the deck in Historic and am a fan of it across all formats. Thalia is a big part of that deck, being a cheap threat that slowed down non-creature spells. So naturally, I’m going to see if we can make the deck work in Standard. We happen to have quite a few pieces that could make the core of the deck possible.
Tax Effects
Our tax pieces come in a few forms. Obviously we have Thalia, but to combo with Thalia, we have
Elite Spellbinder
Elite Spellbinder
Flying
When this creature enters, look at target opponent's hand. You may exile a nonland card from it. For as long as that card remains exiled, its owner may play it. A spell cast this way costs {2} more to cast.
,
Archon of Emeria
Archon of Emeria
Flying
Each player can't cast more than one spell each turn.
Nonbasic lands your opponents control enter tapped.
, and
Strict Proctor
Strict Proctor
Flying
Whenever a permanent entering causes a triggered ability to trigger, counter that ability unless its controller pays {2}.
. Each of these cards has a taxing effect on our opponent’s mana, cards and effects. This should allow us enough time to build a wide board.
This fits relatively well into the current meta because truthfully, there’s a lot of cards that we can hit with this.
Alrund’s Epiphany
Alrund’s Epiphany
Create two 1/1 blue Bird creature tokens with flying. Take an extra turn after this one. Exile Alrund's Epiphany.
Foretell {4}{U}{U} (During your turn, you may pay {2} and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)
and
Esika’s Chariot
Esika’s Chariot
When Esika's Chariot enters, create two 2/2 green Cat creature tokens.
Whenever Esika's Chariot attacks, create a token that's a copy of target token you control.
Crew 4
are prime candidates for Spellbinder and Proctor. Archon slows the turns deck down, as they can’t take multiple turns in a row as reliably any more.
Paladin Class
Paladin Class
(Gain the next level as a sorcery to add its ability.)
Spells your opponents cast during your turn cost {1} more to cast.
{2}{W}: Level 2
Creatures you control get +1/+1.
{4}{W}: Level 3
Whenever you attack, until end of turn, target attacking creature gets +1/+1 for each other attacking creature and gains double strike.
and Curse of Silence are also very cheap ways to tax our opponent’s mana under specific conditions. Paladin Class also gives us the benefit of beefing up our team and Curse lets us draw a card when the card we named is cast if we want.
Removal
We have a small but powerful hit squad of removal spells, in Fateful Absence, Borrowed Time and Brutal Cathar. Each of these cards have a different use case, and each are cheap enough to fall nicely on the curve.
READ MORE: Azorius Spirits Get Ghostly Gains From MTG Crimson Vow
Pushing Through Damage
We have a few cards that will help us push through damage. Luminarch Aspirant has been an all star 2 drop in white based aggro decks. Maul of the Skyclaves gives a creature flying, first strike and decent stat boost. Another strong card that can help push damage out of nowhere is Faceless Haven. A land that can represent 4 damage consistently is always a great asset to this kind of deck.
Legion Angel is a solid body and a reliable source of damage, since we can fetch subsequent copies out of the sideboard. Sigardian Savior is our make shift
Return to the Ranks
Return to the Ranks
Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for {1} or one mana of that creature's color.)
Return X target creature cards with mana value 2 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.
, but also provides another flying body.
READ MORE: 10 Most Expensive Magic: the Gathering Cards in Innistrad
I’m very excited for what other fun tools we’re going to get in Innistrad: Crimson Vow. Make sure that you check out our Preview Gallery to stay up to date with all the new cards! Innistrad: Crimson Vow will be releasing on Magic Arena and Magic Online on November 11th. Tabletop Prerelease is November 12th and 13th. The set releases on Tabletop on November 19th. Innistrad: Crimson Vow product can be preordered over at Amazon and TCGplayer as well.