#20 Gruul by OddCarrot

Format: Commander

Commander: Nikya of the Old Ways

Bracket: 3

DeckCheck Threat Index: 37

Deck overview

This deck is a dedicated Gruul creature-only battlecruiser engine helmed by Nikya of the Old Ways. By strictly adhering to an all-creature and land construction, it maximizes Nikya's passive ability to double all mana produced by lands. The early turns focus on deploying efficient creature ramp such as Arbor Elf, Sakura-Tribe Elder, and Wood Elves to cast Nikya on Turn 4. On Turn 5, the deck untaps with 10 or more mana, deploying format-warping behemoths including Apex Devastator, Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant, and Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus. Haste enablers like Surrak and Goreclaw and Enduring Courage turn this sudden influx of power into an immediate combat clock that overwhelms the table by Turn 6. While the all-creature restriction limits instant-speed interaction and stack protection, heavy anti-noncreature punishers like Ruric Thar, the Unbowed and Nullstone Gargoyle constrain opposing strategies.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Acidic Slime
  • 1 Ancient Ziggurat
  • 1 Anger
  • 1 Anzrag, the Quake-Mole
  • 1 Apex Devastator
  • 1 Arbor Elf
  • 1 Arcane Lighthouse
  • 1 Archetype of Aggression
  • 1 Archetype of Endurance
  • 1 Arena of Glory
  • 1 Augur of Autumn
  • 1 Bane of Progress
  • 1 Beast Whisperer
  • 1 Cactusfolk Sureshot
  • 1 Cinder Glade
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Eladamri, Korvecdal
  • 1 End-Raze Forerunners
  • 1 Enduring Courage
  • 1 Etali, Primal Storm
  • 1 Eternal Witness
  • 1 Fabled Passage
  • 1 Fanatic of Rhonas
  • 1 Farhaven Elf
  • 1 Fire-Lit Thicket
  • 7 Forest
  • 1 Frenzied Baloth
  • 1 Garruk's Horde
  • 1 Garruk's Packleader
  • 1 Genesis Hydra
  • 1 Ghalta the Unstoppable
  • 1 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
  • 1 Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant
  • 1 Giant Ankheg
  • 1 Goblin Anarchomancer
  • 1 Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
  • 1 Gruul Ragebeast
  • 1 Gruul Turf
  • 1 Hellkite Charger
  • 1 Hexhaven Invigorator
  • 1 Ilharg, the Raze-Boar
  • 1 Karplusan Forest
  • 1 Keeper of Fables
  • 1 Kessig Wolf Run
  • 1 Kogla and Yidaro
  • 1 Kogla, the Titan Ape
  • 1 Magus of the Candelabra
  • 1 Manglehorn
  • 1 Maze of Ith
  • 1 Mossfire Valley
  • 1 Mosswort Bridge
  • 6 Mountain
  • 1 Multiversal Passage
  • 1 Myriad Landscape
  • 1 Nikya of the Old Ways
  • 1 Nullstone Gargoyle
  • 1 Nylea, Keen-Eyed
  • 1 Ogre Battledriver
  • 1 Ohran Frostfang
  • 1 Oracle of Mul Daya
  • 1 Primordial Sage
  • 1 Prowling Serpopard
  • 1 Reclamation Sage
  • 1 Reflecting Pool
  • 1 Rockfall Vale
  • 1 Rogue's Passage
  • 1 Rootbound Crag
  • 1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
  • 1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
  • 1 Silverback Elder
  • 1 Soul of the Harvest
  • 1 Spinerock Knoll
  • 1 Spire Garden
  • 1 Springbloom Druid
  • 1 Stomping Ground
  • 1 Surrak and Goreclaw
  • 1 Tectonic Edge
  • 1 Terastodon
  • 1 Thornspire Verge
  • 1 Topiary Stomper
  • 1 Toski, Bearer of Secrets
  • 1 Urabrask the Hidden
  • 1 Vizier of the Menagerie
  • 1 Voyaging Satyr
  • 1 War Room
  • 1 Wood Elves
  • 1 Xenagos, God of Revels
  • 1 Yeva, Nature's Herald
  • 1 Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus