Budget Commander Staples: White

Continuing this month's theme (see this post for an introduction), today I look at budget Commander staples in white, focusing on four categories: ramp, card draw, targeted removal, and board wipe.

Ramp (white)

Ramp is about accelerating land deployment and/or mana access. White's specialty is creatures that enable you to fetch a plains from your library *if* you have fewer lands than one or more opponents (as the first four creature below, plus Weathered Wayfarer at the end, attest). But some are a little stronger—Ambitious Farmhand, Kor Cartographer, and The Birth of Meletis give you a plains unconditionally. And Gold Myr is white's equivalent of Llanowar Elves.

Card draw (white)

White has some creature that grant a card upon entering (Helpful Hunter, Inspiring Overseer, and Wall of Omens below). Some spells give a card with life gain (Union of the Third Path, Revitalize) or enable you to draw a card when you gain life (Dawn of Hope); as life gain is a white theme, decks built around this concept should include these. Another white theme is 'white weenie'—building armies of little guys to do battle. If you go that route, Mentor of the Meek is a powerful option for card draw. And white generally doesn't counter spells, making Reprieve a powerful option (to at least stall an opponent) while giving you a card to boot.

Targeted removal (white)

White excels at destroying enchantments and artifacts (Cathar Commando, Invoke the Divine, Seal of Cleansing, Expose to Daylight, Sanctify), and creatures that are attacking you (Rebuke, Chastise) or tapped (Swift Response). More generic/powerful white removal spells grant something to an opponent: Generous Gift gives them a creature, Fateful Absence a Clue token, and Path fo Exile a land. But all three should be in your deck; they are worth it.

Board wipe (white)

This is a strength; there are a lot of budget board wipe options in this color. Choose three of the six below and you'll be solid. Fell the Mighty is more for the 'white weenie' strategy.

Conclusion

Of the 34 cards I show above, many are good in nearly any mono-white commander deck, while others are more situational (if your theme is life gain, white weenie, etc.).