IntroductionGreetings, Legacy community! Today, we'll explore a new take on an old favorite that returned to the format when The Fantasticar reigned supreme: Monowhite Initiative Stompy.Now that this scary car is gone, can this deck still compete? As a longtime advocate, I can say that yes, this deck still has a place in Legacy.Nadaar Monowhite Initiative - DeckbuildingThe version below actually didn't come from a Magic Online Challenge this time. I built it! I’ve been playing different Initiative versions basically since this mechanic became available in Legacy and Vintage and got some good results along the way.I’ve been using this version in Magic Online Leagues and local tournaments. It has some interesting picks, including a few I added to adapt it to the post-ban format.For example, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben was extremely valuable when The Fantasticar was still around, but she’s not that interesting now and is particularly vulnerable to Orcish Bowmasters.On the other hand, now that White Plume Adventurer is banned, Seasoned Dungeoneer is the only way to create value with this deck. That’s why many lists have adopted Boros or Naya colors: so they can play more cards that can venture into the Undercity. Some time ago, however, Nick, a common figure in the Initiative Discord, brought a forgotten way to create value to our attention. Something that we could adapt into Monowhite lists. Enter Nadaar, Selfless Paladin.Let’s be clear: Nadaar is not the second coming of White Plume Adventurer, as someone once asked me. But he does act as the 5-8 copies of a value engine that Monowhite had lost since the last bans.So how does the venture into the Dungeon mechanic interact with Initiative?Here’s a quick crash course: If you already have the Initiative and cast Nadaar, he advances you one more room through the Undercity each time his venture ability resolves. If your opponent has the Initiative, Nadaar’s ability lets you advance through Undercity, but it does not let you take the Initiative again (it still triggers during its controller’s upkeep step).If you don’t have the Initiative, Nadaar lets you venture into one of the three original Forgotten Realms dungeons. Lost Mine of Phandelver is almost always the best option: it’s fast and offers useful effects along the way. If you take the Initiative while you’re in one of the original dungeons, you simply advance through the dungeon you’re currently in and can only get to the Undercity after you complete it.Once you complete your current dungeon, the first triggered ability to resolve afterward determines which dungeon you enter next. If that's Initiative, you automatically go to the Undercity. If it’s Nadaar’s ability (which is quite common if he enters play again through the last room of the Undercity), you must choose one of the three original dungeons.As for the rest of the list, it plays the same main core as the standard versions of this archetype: plenty of disruption (Chalice of the Void, Archon of Emeria, Anointed Peacekeeper, Clarion Conqueror, Wasteland, Cavern of Souls, and Karakas). Karakas is particularly well-positioned in the current meta, considering you'll have many targets to use it on and can even play it on Nadaar to reuse him later.This deck gets its value from Seasoned Dungeoneer, the aforementioned Nadaar, Selfless Paladin, and Witch Enchanter, while its acceleration comes from Ancient Tomb, City of Traitors, Chrome Mox, and Lotus Petal.In terms of removal, I recommend one significant change: Solitude instead of Sheltered by Ghosts. I find the aura particularly risky because the opponent can catch you off guard with a removal of their own and prevent you from gaining tempo. When there’s nothing to enchant, it's a bit terrible to draw as well, whereas Solitude is more versatile. After all, it can make dead cards in your hand useful again and is still a reasonable threat when you cast for its full mana cost.Why Play MonoWhite Initiative in LegacySince Initiative decks were introduced to Legacy, they have always been a part of the format, although they lost their tier 1 status after White Plume Adventurer was banned. These decks are great for players who enjoy aggressive strategies but also want extra resources to lock down the opponent’s game plan. The value the dungeons create, often in a way that cannot be countered, makes this deck an excellent choice for metas with lots of Control decks.In addition, 4 Clarion Conqueror can simply win some matchups on their own, particularly against decks like Welder-Cam and Affinity.MulliganThis deck plays lots of acceleration and no cantrips, so your opening hand is extremely important. You'll mulligan a lot with it because you almost always need some kind of turn-1 play (unless you know the opponent’s deck and are confident there’s a reasonable turn-2 play, or you’re already several mulligans deep and need to do something on turn 2).Let's see a few hands:This hand is very risky, but this deck can work with that. I would keep it and lead with City, Petal, and Peacekeeper. This opening lets you find out what you’re playing against and plan out your next move: if Conqueror is useless, it goes into Mox, and you’re guaranteed to get at least the second Peacekeeper. If you want Conqueror, you'll give up Mox (I know, risky!) and trust it to carry the game. Verdict: Keep.This hand also fits the main game plan when you’re playing blind, as you can play Chalice for 1 on turn 1 and still have a Solitude as backup. Verdict: Keep.This is an "all-in" hand: you’ll risk it with a turn-1 Dungeoneer and hope it doesn’t get countered. That’s a common line for this deck, and it usually wins games if it resolves. Verdict: Keep.No white mana, no turn-1 play, no chance. Verdict: Mulligan.Building the SideboardStompy decks tend to have redundant sideboards filled with lots of broad tools, and this one is no different.Containment Priest answers both Reanimator decks and Show and Tell strategies. She even came in handy for me once against a Ninjas deck!Disruptor Flute has been the #1 sideboard card ever since it came out because it answers a wide range of strategies but doesn't take a lot of space. You'll get it to deal with Planar Nexus decks, that is, to shut down both The One Ring and Karn, the Great Creator. Then, to deal with Lands and Depths so that you can stop Thespian’s Stage and against Welder-Cam to shut down essentially any card. Its ability to tax spells by an additional 3 mana also makes it useful against combos such as Show and Tell, Doomsday, and Storm.Speaking of combos, Trinisphere remains an atomic bomb against most of those decks, even though it doesn't have a space in main decks anymore now that there is no The Fantasticar to beat. You can also get Trinis against tempo decks when you start out playing, but there’s no consensus on that.Finally, the most controversial choice in this sideboard is the 4 Swords to Plowshares, considering this deck already plays 4 Chalice of the Void. This kind of tension is nothing new for this type of deck: Monored Stompy sometimes has to make the same sacrifice to play Pyroblast, for example. The issue here is that highly aggressive decks can be a problem for this archetype, and Swords remains the best removal in all of Legacy. Against some decks, such as Azorius Pup, Eldrazi, and other Stompy decks, you want Swords to Plowshares and don’t want Chalice, so this tension is irrelevant. Against others, such as Dimir and Izzet Tempo, Swords is excellent, but resolving a Chalice of the Void for 1 puts you so far ahead that giving it up is acceptable. In Monowhite strategies, dead cards can always fuel a Chrome Mox or a Solitude.Another sideboard option is Faerie Macabre or Leyline of the Void in metas with lots of Reanimator decks.Sideboard GuideDimir TempoDimir Tempo is usually a real headache for Stompy decks, especially because it attacks your mana base with Wasteland and uses Daze to the max. Monowhite decks have that same weakness, but with 28 mana sources plus 4 Wasteland, it’s not unusual for both decks to destroy each other’s mana bases and still manage to find enough lands to keep playing. Of all the Stompy decks I’ve played against Dimir, this version has been the most efficient at balancing the battlefield. Against this opponent in particular, Naadar does help put an end to the war of attrition.In:Out:Azorius PupThe key card in this matchup is Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd. It makes Chalice of the Void useless (although Chalice should theoretically be good here), and their deck is a lot faster when it is in play. Karakas is extremely helpful for that reason. The many Stifles/Consign to Memory will make it very difficult to take or keep the Initiative.In:Out:Boros EnergyDecks that can go wide can make it difficult to keep the Initiative, but some of your easiest wins will come from casting a Seasoned Dungeoneer on turn 1 and pushing through their defenses. Chalice of the Void for 1 is also great against them.In:Out:ReanimatorYour lock pieces are usually very effective against their game plan, and even if they reanimate a monster, you still have Solitude to deal with it. In fact, one problem in this matchup is having Seasoned Dungeoneer discarded and then seeing it reanimated on the same turn.In:Out:Trini TronLook who’s back! Trini Tron didn’t disappear because Candelabra of Tawnos was banned, but because it was brutally beaten by The Fantasticar. Without that threat, this deck has returned, and the most common version now uses blue and Giant’s Boulder. Monowhite has all the tools to ruin its day: Clarion Conqueror, Archon of Emeria, Wasteland, and Anointed Peacekeeper are all problematic for them, and post-side you'll also have Disruptor Flute.If Trini Tron continues to rise, Monowhite will have a great season.In:Out:ConclusionI believe I can say that I really enjoyed writing this article. If there’s an archetype I can call myself an enthusiast of in Legacy and Vintage, it’s Initiative. I’ll admit I didn’t remember Nadaar existed until it was brought to my attention on Discord, but since then, I’ve come to believe this card could bring a lot to this archetype, considering adding a second or third color to a deck with 8 colorless lands comes at a significant cost.What do you think? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.Thank you for reading, and see you next time!
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