nykthos shrine to nyx – Brother Of Runes

gb constellations

Here’s a look at a Devotion/Constellation/Whip build in the current Standard format. It’s pretty robust and does well against a lot of the smaller creature decks out there.

G/B Constellation

Standard Format

Creatures: 27
1 Arbor Colossus
4 Courser of Kruphix
3 Doomwake Giant
4 Eidolon of Blossoms
1 Elvish Mystic
3 Hornet Queen
2 Pharika, God of Affliction
1 Reclamation Sage
4 Satyr Wayfinder
4 Sylvan Caryatid

Enchantments: 3
3 Whip of Erebos

Sorceries: 4
2 Thoughtseize
2 Commune with the Gods

Instants: 4
3 Murderous Cut
1 Hero’s Downfall

Lands: 22
7 Forest
1 Jungle Hollow
4 Llanowar Wastes
2 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Swamp
4 Temple of Malady
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Windswept Heath

Sideboard: 10
1 Thoughtseize
1 Hero’s Downfall
1 Murderous Cut
3 Arbor Colossus
2 Reclamation Sage
1 Doomwake Giant
1 Pharika, God of Affliction
2 Extinguish All Hope
1 Bile Blight
2 Garruk, Apex Predator

It’s somewhat similar to the Sidisi Whip deck played at worlds, without the unnecessary Sidisi, Blood Tyrant and requires one less color. It doesn’t have any ‘fancy’ tricks, but that doesn’t exactly matter much. You get Pharika to make a ton of little deathtouch blockers which will trigger constellation at instant speed as well (drawing cards with Eidolon of Blossoms or shrinking their army with Doomwake Giant)

“Just because they know whats coming, doesn’t mean they can play around it.” – David Schnayer, GB Constellation player/ PPTQ winner

You also get to play with this sweet card

and this one too!

Here’s a little something to do with your extra copies of Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx copies you have lying around:

Nykthos Green

Modern Format

Creatures: 23

4 Arbor Elf
4 Burning Tree Emissary
4 Eternal Witness
3 Birds of Paradise
3 Wistful Selkie
3 Primeval Titan
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Craterhoof Behemoth

Sorceries: 6

2 Genesis Wave
4 Primal Command

Planeswalkers: 4

4 Garruk Wildspeaker

Enchantments: 6
2 Abundant Growth
4 Utopia Sprawl

Lands: 21

7 Forest
1 Temple Garden
2 Stomping Ground
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Kessig Wolf Run
4 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx

Sideboard

1 Stony Silence
1 Spellskite
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Rest in Peace
2 Ghost Quarter
2 Fracturing Gust
1 Dismember
2 Courser of Kruphix
1 Combust
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Beast Within
1 Obstinate Baloth

The original list ran 1 x Grafdigger’s Cage, but I opted to run 1 x Beast Within instead (also cage stops your Genesis Wave from putting creatures into play). I also cut a Stony Silence in favor of an Obstinate Baloth. I find it is a rather decent surprise card against non-targeted discard (Liliana of the Veil) as well as being a nice pocket of life for when you are not being the aggressor.

You also get to cast this sweet card. It still looks awesome despite being about 10 + years old.

The deck can have some absurd sequences, such as:

Turn 1 : Forest (or Stomping Ground or Temple Garden) into Utopia Sprawl

Turn 2: Burning-Tree Emissary, Burning-Tree Emissary, play Nykthos, tap for 5 green mana. Cast Garruk Wildspeaker, untap Nykthos and Utopia Sprawl land, tap Nykthos for 7 (plus the one mana you still have leftover) to cast Primeval Titan or Primal Command (putting one of their lands back on top and getting Eternal Witness maybe?)

Turn 3: Opponent is completely disgusted and is unsure that this even actually turn 3.

Some cards like Wistful Selkie can be Boggart Ram-Gang or Leatherback Baloth if you’re feeling slightly more aggressive, but I prefer the cantrip and they both pretty much contribute the same towards devotion. Having only run the deck once, I can’t really say that Selkie is the right card here. I also adore Eternal Witness in this particular deck since it does a lot for it. It can even do ‘unimpressive’ things like grab back a fetchland if you haven’t accelerated at all, so that you can cast your turn 4 Garruk Wildspeaker. The deck also features another card that’s been slightly underplayed in Modern thus far:

Remember this guy ?

Playing Nykthos Green will oftentimes feel like you are playing a game of Commander (minus Primeval Titan, since he’s banned). It’s actually one of the more reasonably priced Modern decks out there ( you don’t ‘have’ to run the fetches) and its cost to fun ratio is pretty great. Give it a try, you won’t regret it.

Warning: Casting Primal Command versus mill decks might cause opponents to rage quit.