Subject: Burning Wake Type II Anthony A.
       Mirari's Wake has been on the Standard scene for some time. Whether it be Cunning Wake or its four-color relative Burning Wake, the reaction is all the same: With the right cards in hand and played correctly, the deck is a powerhouse waiting to explode. It seems that Cunning Wake is getting most of the hype these days, so this article will concentrate on its Burning brethren.

WHITE SPELLS
       4 Wrath of God
       1 Gerrard's Wisdom

WHITE CREATURES
       4 Exalted Angel

BLUE SPELLS
       4 Circular Logic
       3 Deep Analysis
       4 Compulsion
       1 Time Stretch
       2 Memory Lapse

RED SPELLS
       3 Burning Wish

GREEN SPELLS
       4 Moment's Peace

GOLD SPELLS
       2 Mirari's Wake

ARTIFACTS
       2 Mirari

LAND
       3 Adarkar Wastes
       1 Sungrass Prairie
       4 Krosan Verge
       4 Plains
       6 Island
       3 Mountain
       5 Forest

SIDEBOARD
       1 Cleansing Meditation
       1 Kirtar's Wrath
       1 Ancestral Tribute
       1 Time Stretch
       1 Reminisce
       2 Overmaster
       1 Firecat Blitz
       1 Crush of Wurms
       1 Nostalgic Dreams
       1 Creeping Mold
       1 Burning Wish
       3 Compost      

       Many have criticized Burning Wake, since its made mainly of sorceries, and it has been deemed "slower" than Cunning Wake. Well then, why not take advantage of the "slower" sorceries by using the most powerful among them to fashion an infinite-everything machine?
       White's mainstay Wrath of God is the lead card against aggressive red/green, blue/green, and Sligh builds that tend to throw out a lot of creatures. A maindeck Gerrard's Wisdom insures you don't lose to cheesy direct damage fired off from the other end of the table. The devastating Exalted Angel takes games all by itself, and gains you enough life to stay in and overtake the game. Blue's Circular Logic has excellent synergy with fellow hand-honer Compulsion and sac-land Krosan Verge. Memory Lapse is an economical, mana-efficient way to stall your foe or effectively counter a flashback spell. Deep Analysis draws through your deck to find your winning Mirari and corresponding Wake, and hard-hitter Time Stretch can seal the game if it resolves. And if Mirari and 13 mana are on the board, rest assured your foe isn't going to take another turn.
       Red's Burning Wish grants the deck its infinite power, being able to be forked by the Mirari to grab the Wish from the sideboard and another powerful card. Green's only showing other than a single green in Mirari's Wake is a four-of of critical damage-stopper Moment's Peace. These are best used in only the direst of straits, but be careful not to go too long against red, as it can just burn you out. Wake and Mirari round out the board and win you your games to boot.
       The basic premise of the deck is thusly: Stall until you win. With Moment's Peace and Wrath of God backed up by Exalted Angel, you should have no trouble waiting until you sculpt the perfect hand with which to crush your foe. Once Wake and Mirari (or Mirari and a ton of lands) hit the table, you can choose your path to victory. Perhaps you'd like the fast kill of Waked Cats courtesy of Firecat Blitz? Or maybe a never-ending torrent of huge wurms from Crush of Wurms? Maybe you prefer to systemically obliterate your enemy's board with a nifty infinte Creeping Mold Miraried loop courtesy of Nostalgic Dreams. The Dreams can power an infinite turn loop by Time Stretch Miraried and Burning Wish Miraried, also. Gaining massive life on loops of Ancestral Tribute is fun, also.
       Try this deck out. If it doesn't suit you, go back to its Cunning relative. Until Oddysey BLock rotates out, though, you'll see me toting Burning Wake.

MtGKid700@aol.com, Anthony A.