Nikya of the Old Ways by jsa013

Format: Commander

Commander: Nikya of the Old Ways

Bracket: 3

DeckCheck Threat Index: 38

Deck overview

This deck is a dedicated Gruul creature-only stompy list designed to maximize Nikya of the Old Ways. By omitting all noncreature spells, the list turns Nikya's heavy casting restriction into pure upside. The game plan accelerates through 1-3 CMC mana dorks into a turn 4 Nikya, instantly unlocking 10 to 12 mana on turn 5. This massive mana surplus funds overwhelming top-end threats like Apex Devastator, Worldspine Wurm, and Terastodon. Card velocity is maintained through creature-based draw engines such as Beast Whisperer and Soul of the Harvest. The deck closes the game rapidly on turns 6 to 7 with overrun effects from Craterhoof Behemoth and combat enablers like Xenagos, God of Revels. While soft to instant-speed board wipes and lacking stack interaction, its brute force and asymmetric hate pieces like Ruric Thar, the Unbowed punish noncreature-heavy tables.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Altanak, the Thrice-Called
  • 1 Apex Devastator
  • 1 Arch of Orazca
  • 1 Archetype of Endurance
  • 1 Ash Barrens
  • 1 Bane of Progress
  • 1 Beast Whisperer
  • 1 Brash Taunter
  • 1 Cactusfolk Sureshot
  • 1 Canopy Gargantuan
  • 1 Cinder Glade
  • 1 Circle of Dreams Druid
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Craftwork Crusher
  • 1 Craterhoof Behemoth
  • 1 Elvish Mystic
  • 1 Elvish Piper
  • 1 Enduring Courage
  • 1 Evolving Wilds
  • 1 Exotic Orchard
  • 1 Fanatic of Rhonas
  • 1 Flameblast Dragon
  • 12 Forest
  • 1 Game Trail
  • 1 Ghalta the Unstoppable
  • 1 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
  • 1 Goblin Anarchomancer
  • 1 Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
  • 1 Gwenna, Eyes of Gaea
  • 1 Hall of Echoes
  • 1 Hexhaven Invigorator
  • 1 Ilharg, the Raze-Boar
  • 1 Kessig Wolf Run
  • 1 Kodama of the East Tree
  • 1 Kogla and Yidaro
  • 1 Kogla, the Titan Ape
  • 1 Llanowar Elves
  • 1 Magus of the Candelabra
  • 9 Mountain
  • 1 Nikya of the Old Ways
  • 1 Nullstone Gargoyle
  • 1 Nylea, Keen-Eyed
  • 1 Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth // Temple of Cultivation
  • 1 Opal Palace
  • 1 Primordial Sage
  • 1 Quartzwood Crasher
  • 1 Radha, Heir to Keld
  • 1 Rampaging Yao Guai
  • 1 Regal Force
  • 1 Rockfall Vale
  • 1 Rogue's Passage
  • 1 Rootbound Crag
  • 1 Ruby, Daring Tracker
  • 1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
  • 1 Scourge of Kher Ridges
  • 1 Scourge of the Throne
  • 1 Seedborn Muse
  • 1 Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
  • 1 Shaman of Forgotten Ways
  • 1 Soul of New Phyrexia
  • 1 Soul of the Harvest
  • 1 Spire Garden
  • 1 Steel Hellkite
  • 1 Stonehoof Chieftain
  • 1 Tender Wildguide
  • 1 Terastodon
  • 1 Terramorphic Expanse
  • 1 Thornspire Verge
  • 1 Thriving Bluff
  • 1 Thunderfoot Baloth
  • 1 Thundermaw Hellkite
  • 1 Toski, Bearer of Secrets
  • 1 Trailtracker Scout
  • 1 Twitching Doll
  • 1 Tyvar, the Pummeler
  • 1 Vigor
  • 1 Vorinclex // The Grand Evolution
  • 1 Woodfall Primus
  • 1 Worldspine Wurm
  • 1 Xenagos, God of Revels
  • 1 Zhur-Taa Druid