Aaron's School of Higher Learning
(Deck Tweaks)

My name is Brendan Mercier and I am from Massachusetts.

I have played magic for a few years but haven't played in any tourneys, although I am going to be going to one next Saturday, that's why I'm looking for some help. I call My deck Bean's Machine.

I play this deck with mostly older cards (although some have been re-released) because I don't have many new cards but you can put any card you want.  I am not up to date with very much that goes on with magic as you can see I have just started really playing a lot again.

I use this deck to Control Creatures and Creature damage. As well as getting some quick creatures out a.k.a. White Knight, Tundra Wolves with a holy strength or something like that.
And the beat down with the Angels later.
thanks

Here is the deck list.

Creatures (15)
3 Serra Angel
1 Radiant Archangel
3 Diving Griffon
4 White Knights
4 Tundra Wolves

Spells (26)

4 Humble
3 Swords to Plowshare
3 Wrath of God
3 Reverse Damage
3 Eye For an Eye
3 Disenchants
2 Holy Strength
2 Crusade
1 Excise
1 Feldon's Cane
1 worn powerstone

Land (19)
1 Ice Floe
18 Plains

Side Board - (really needs help)

3 Sheltering Prayers
3 Armageddon
3 Worn Powerstone
3 Orim's Chant

thanks for your help,
                   Brendan
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If you're just getting back into magic... or just starting to play in tournaments for the first time it's always a good idea to know what format your playing in.  Based off your deck, it looks like the Extended format is what your aiming for.  This gives you a huge selection of cards to choose from.

Your deck looks like a variant of a "white weenie" deck.  These decks are designed to drop cheap, efficient creatures to swarm the opponent.  This strategy wins by dealing 20 damage to the opponent as quickly as possible... preferably before the opponent can take control of the board.  As always, there are cards to look out for that can really mess with this strategy.  Sweeper effects like Wrath of God or Earthquake can often deal with all your early creature drops in one swoop... significantly hampering a white weenie decks ability to finish off the opponent.  Be sure not to overextend yourself by putting to many creatures on the board if you think your opponent has a "sweeper".  

To support the creature base, nothing works better in a white weenie deck than Crusade.  Pumping ALL your white creatures can be simply overwhelming to the opponent... especially when some of them have pro red/black.  Swords to Plowshares, Parallax Wave, and Cursed Scroll all deal with any annoying blockers the opponent may have as well as have other uses.  In a pinch, Swordsing your own creature can keep you alive versus a burn deck.  Parallax Wave not only removes your opponents creatures but can save your own creatures from dying as well!  Cursed Scroll is incredibly effective as it is artifact damage (read: can kill Black Knight) not to mention the fact it can deal damage directly to the opponent!  

4 Tundra Wolves
4 Savannah Lions
4 White Knights
4 Soltari Priest
4 Chimeric Idol
2 Serra Angel

4 STP
4 Cursed Scroll
4 Crusade
2 Disenchant
2 Parallax Wave

18 Plains
4 Wasteland

Finally, sideboard as you see necessary.  I usually build my sideboard based off what the main decktypes are in my area.  Staple sideboard cards for white include Armageddon, Reverent Mantra, additional disenchant effects, and color hosers like COP's and the like.


Hope this help... have fun!
Aaron