Hello, everyone! This past weekend was the Theros Beyond Death prerelease and we've begun to see the power level of these new cards. The new cards were also released on Magic Online (MTGO) as well, allowing events to take place there. This week I have a few new decks that were played this past weekend on MTGO. Let's get started.

White Weenie

The first deck I have for you went 5-0 on MTGO in Standard Leagues this week. It's the latest in a long line of White Weenie decks. Let's take a look at it:

White Weenie | THB Standard | ELYALLO, (5-0) MTGO

• Creatures (27)
• 3 Law-Rune Enforcer
• 4 Eidolon of Obstruction
• 4 Faerie Guidemother
• 4 Giant Killer
• 4 Healer's Hawk
• 4 Loyal Pegasus
• 4 Venerated Loxodon

• Planeswalkers (4)
• 4 Elspeth, Sun's Nemesis

• Instants (6)
• 2 Unbreakable Formation
• 4 Raise the Alarm

• Artifacts (3)
• 3 Heraldic Banner

• Lands (20)
• 16 Plains
• 4 Castle Ardenvale

• Sideboard (15)
• 3 Devout Decree
• 3 Gideon Blackblade
• 3 Gideon's Sacrifice
• 2 Glass Casket
• 4 Hushbringer

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The main problem with having a bunch of tiny creatures on the battlefield is that it's easy for your opponent to block them individually. Luckily, there's a number of ways that you can beef up your creatures. The -1 loyalty ability of Elspeth, Sun's Nemesis gives a +2/+1 bonus to up to two creatures you control for the turn. You can use this to help punch through some damage, since your creatures won't be quite as fragile and it might be more difficult for your opponent to block effectively.

For more permanent ways to pump up your creatures, this deck has a few possibilities. With Venerated Loxodon, you'll be able to put a +1/+1 counter on up to five of your creatures, thanks to convoke. Unbreakable Formation also allows you to gain a +1/+1 counter on each of your creatures in play, as long as it is cast during your main phase. Finally, you have Heraldic Banner, which offers a +1 bonus to your White creature power only, with no bonus to their toughness.

Mono-Red Aggro

The next deck came in 10th Place at the Standard Challenge on MTGO. It's the latest incarnation of Mono-Red Aggro. Let's take a look at it:

Mono-Red Aggro | THB Standard | GAMEBOI27, 10th Place, Standard Challenge #12071839 ON 01/18/2020

• Creatures (24)
• 4 Fervent Champion
• 4 Phoenix of Ash
• 4 Robber of the Rich
• 4 Runaway Steam-Kin
• 4 Scorch Spitter
• 4 Tin Street Dodger

• Instants (8)
• 4 Infuriate
• 4 Shock

• Sorceries (4)
• 4 Light Up the Stage

• Artifacts (4)
• 4 Embercleave

• Lands (20)
• 17 Mountain
• 3 Castle Embereth

• Sideboard (15)
• 2 Chandra, Acolyte of Flame
• 4 Claim the Firstborn
• 1 Embereth Shieldbreaker
• 1 Experimental Frenzy
• 3 Redcap Melee
• 4 Unchained Berserker

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Phoenix of Ash pairs up nicely with another card in this deck, Embercleave. Since Embercleave gives the equipped creature a +1/+1 bonus, it can be quite possible to attack with a 4/4 Phoenix as long as it has escaped from your graveyard. The double strike and trample that Embercleave also provides will mean that Phoenix of Ash needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. If your opponent doesn't have a way to stop the equipped Phoenix, you could easily attack with your 4/4 creature, potentially dealing massive amounts of damage if unblocked.

The other new card in this deck is Infuriate. This Instant gives a target creature a +3/+2 bonus for the turn for a single mana. When this is cast upon a Fervent Champion, you'll be able to block nearly any creature effectively. In the past, my Mono-Red Aggro decks have had trouble dealing with creatures like Questing Beast, but now I have a low-mana solution to this problem.

Gruul Midrange

The final deck I have for you today also comes from the Standard Challenge. Let's take a look at it:

Gruul Midrange | THB Standard | SAHAKVIC, 22nd Place, Standard Challenge #12071839 ON 01/18/2020

• Creatures (28)
• 1 Gallia of the Endless Dance
• 1 Grumgully, the Generous
• 1 Klothys, God of Destiny
• 1 Nylea, Keen-Eyed
• 2 Kraul Harpooner
• 2 Wicked Wolf
• 4 Bonecrusher Giant
• 4 Gilded Goose
• 4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
• 4 Gruul Spellbreaker
• 4 Pelt Collector

• Planeswalkers (3)
• 1 Chandra, Fire Artisan
• 2 Sarkhan the Masterless

• Sorceries (4)
• 4 Domri's Ambush

• Artifacts (1)
• 1 Embercleave

• Lands (24)
• 11 Forest
• 7 Mountain
• 2 Fabled Passage
• 4 Stomping Ground

• Sideboard (15)
• 2 Embereth Shieldbreaker
• 3 Lava Coil
• 2 Mystic Repeal
• 2 Shock
• 2 Shifting Ceratops
• 2 Sorcerous Spyglass
• 2 Wicked Wolf

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While Nylea's mana reduction ability won't help with its casting cost, Gallia of the Endless Dance serves an important purpose in this deck. By attacking with three or more creatures, you'll be able to discard a card at random from your hand and draw two cards from your deck. Being able to draw additional threats to use on following turns can be key to defeating your opponent.

Another new card from Theros Beyond Death is Klothys, God of Destiny. Klothys is a relatively cheap spell to cast that will allow you to exile cards from any player's graveyard for profit. Being able to exile an opponent's threats, making them unable to be cast for their escape cost, while also giving you two points of life and dealing two points of damage to your opponent can help end games quickly.

Wrapping Up

While cards from Theros Beyond Death are only a few days old, they're already starting to make their mark in Standard. It's always an exciting time right after a new set releases, and I can't wait to see what new decks emerge featuring cards from this new set.

What do you think of these decks? Do you have any suggestions for improvements? Let me know by leaving a comment below or email me directly at mikelikesmtg@gmail.com. Also, feel free to share this article with your friends anywhere on social media. And be sure to join me here again next week as I continue my search for innovative decks in Standard. I'll see you then!

- Mike Likes