I mostly play BO1 these days – The local LGS are once again closed as Omicron tears through Canada. When the boys and I play, it’s all Commander these days. But when I’m looking for a quick distraction, I turn to MTG Arena’s BO1 where I can quickly play a game or two and then return to what I was doing before.

My favourite deck at the moment is the very popular White Aggro deck. Much as others have discovered, the deck is very consistent and manages well against most threats as long as it does not stall out in the early turns.

My take on Mono White is heavily focused on the Exile mechanic. Stonebinder’s Familiar can quickly become a real threat if not addressed quickly. Intrepid Adversary is a great closer; played later in the game with plenty of mana around, it can quickly lock up the game. Unfortunately, when the game stalls out, it can get ugly, especially against the abundant Alrund’s Epiphany decks.

Here’s how the deck looks these days:

Main deck:

• 4 Stonebinder’s Familiar (STX)
• 4 Usher of the Fallen (KHM)
• 4 Intrepid Adversary (MID)
• 4 Luminarch Aspirant (ZNR)
• 3 Sungold Sentinel (MID)
• 3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben (VOW)
• 4 Elite Spellbinder (STX)
• 2 Borrowed Time (MID)
• 4 Brutal Cathar (MID)
• 4 Skyclave Apparition (ZNR)
• 1 Legion Angel (ZNR)
• 17 Snow-Covered Plains (KHM)
• 2 Cave of the Frost Dragon (AFR)
• 4 Faceless Haven (KHM)

Sideboard:

• 3 Legion Angel (ZNR)

On the Play side of MTG Arena, I’m still enjoying playing with my Giants deck. I’ve not made any adjustments to it as there wasn’t much in the last set that I found helped it. It continues to fare well despite not being a Tier 1 deck but it does not do as well in Ranked. It is not a very popular deck and I think it comes as a surprise to many. And a painful one when a couple of Calamity Bearers are in play.