So you read my article Friday all about MTG Arena, esports, and the future of Magic and you want in!

You've downloaded MTG Arena, played through the tutorial, and are looking for a good first deck with not many wild cards to spend. Magic is clearly expensive and you've already gotten trashed by a few decks chock full of mythic rares, but you're not ready to break out the credit card (which is already exhausted from Christmas shopping) and buy a metric ton of gems.

If only there was a deck that was both cheap to build as well as competitive...

Oh wait, there is!

Time Stamps:

Match 1 - 00:07:56

Match 2 - 00:34:21

Match 3 - 00:50:36

Match 4 - 01:06:18

Match 5 - 01:20:26

Match 6 - 01:41:57

Mono-Blue Poopers | Guilds Standard | Jim Davis

• Creatures (18)
• 2 Exclusion Mage
• 4 Merfolk Trickster
• 4 Mist-Cloaked Herald
• 4 Siren Stormtamer
• 4 Tempest Djinn

• Instants (16)
• 1 Blink of an Eye
• 3 Essence Scatter
• 4 Dive Down
• 4 Opt
• 4 Wizard's Retort

• Sorceries (2)
• 2 Chart a Course

• Enchantments (4)
• 4 Curious Obsession

• Lands (20)
• 20 Island

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Spell Pierce
• 3 Negate
• 2 Surge Mare
• 2 Diamond Mare
• 2 Deep Freeze
• 1 Jace, Cunning Castaway
• 1 Transmogrifying Wand
• 1 Sleep
• 2 Entrancing Melody

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The Venn diagram of "decks that do well in Standard" and "decks that are easy to build" rarely features much overlap, but that exciting case is on full display here.

With only four maindeck rares, Caleb's Twitch Rivals winning Mono-Blue Aggro deck is the perfect place to jump right in to Standard. The deck is quick, proactive, and extra punishing to any sort of midrange or control deck that is looking to resolve big spells and defend itself with cards like Vraska's Contempt. While the deck struggles a little against faster aggressive decks, that weakness can be shored up with cards like Exclusion Mage, Sleep, and Entrancing Melody, as well as tight play.

That is also one of the biggest draws to this deck: It forces you to learn how to play better Magic.

When you register Mist-Cloaked Herald in a tournament when you could have registered Rekindling Phoenix or Carnage Tyrant, you recognize that your deck is going to require some finesse to win. The raw power level of your cards is unlikely to do it for you. You must be a ninja in a world full of giant ogres.

As such, playing and learning this deck teaches you a ton about protecting your threats, anticipating your opponent's next plays, and knowing when you need to go for it or leave the shields up. Your number one goal is to stick an evasive creature with a Curious Obsession on it, protect it, and ride it to victory. Realistically, that may be the decks greatest gift. When it comes down to it decks will always come and go, but acquiring the fundamental skills Magic requires is transferable to future decks.

Are you ready to be a ninja?