All The Elements of Beatdown

A Nissa Creature Deck in the Brawl Format

There are many possibilities in the Brawl format that Wizards (of the Coast) announced recently. If you haven't read the announcement, it's like Commander, with 30 life, 60 card decks, no Commander damage, and Standard format rules and banlists. Oh, and you can use a Planeswalker as your commander if you want. One of the best choices for a Planeswalker commander is Nissa, SteWard of Elements. Long overlooked in Standard, this is a highly unusual Planeswalker with a scaled cost and a great ability that depends on that cost.

Cast her early and use the +2 to Scry 2, or cast her midgame and use her 0 ability to play a good creature for free. Late in the game when you can cast her for a lot, you'll be able to flip some of the biggest creatures in your deck on to the battlefield. And the deck is filled with value creatures in Green and blue.

Other than Nissa herself, here are some of the all-star cards that make this fun creature-based midrange deck work.

Rashmi, Eternities Crafter

Each time you cast a spell, Rashmi flips over the top card; if it's a nonland card that costs less, it gets cast for free, otherwise it goes in your hand. Naturally this a great way to build a board presence or fill your hand. Rashmi is all about value.

Tishana, Voice of Thunder

A potentially very large creature that can also draw a lot of cards, Tishana is a great late-game play when the deck runs out of gas.

Carnage Tyrant

With the Brawl format being what it is, there might be a lot of counterspell decks out there and a lot of kill spells. Carnage Tyrant is your way around both.

Majestic Myriarch

Another creature that has the potential of being very large, Myriarch also gains abilities from your other creatures on the battlefield. Give this chimera evasion from another creature on the battlefield and you're in good shape.

Rhonas the Indomitable

Indestructible creatures with deathtouch and an easily overcome drawback are pure gold in this deck. On top of that, it has the ability to gve another creature trample and +2/+0. Where's the downside?

SteWard of Beats

1 Nissa, SteWard of Elements
1 Rashmi, Eternities Crafter 
1 Tishana, Voice of Thunder 
1 Carnage Tyrant 
1 Majestic Myriarch 
1 Rhonas the Indomitable 
1 Verdurous Gearhulk 
1 Vizier of the Menagerie 
1 Glyph Keeper 
1 Deathgorge Scavenger 
1 Ghalta, Primal Hunger 
1 Rishkar, Peema Renegade 
1 WayWard Swordtooth 
1 Channeler Initiate 
1 Druid of the Cowl 
1 Naga Vitalist 
1 Weaver of Currents 
1 Merfolk Branchwalker 
1 Resilient Khenra 
1 Jadelight Ranger 
1 Reason // Believe
1 Heroic Intervention
1 Rhonas's Last Stand
1 Rishkar's Expertise
1 Blossoming Defense
1 Hadana's Climb
1 Growing Rites of Itlimoc
1 Gift of Paradise
1 New Horizons
1 Unbridled Growth
1 Ghirapur Orrery
1 Pyramid of the Pantheon
1 Thaumatic Compass
1 Rhonas's Monument
1 Aether Hub
1 Arch of Orazca
1 Botanical Sanctum
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Desert of the Indomitable
1 Desert of the Mindful
1 Field of Ruin
1 Hashep Oasis
1 Ipnu Rivulet
1 Woodland Stream
1 Scavenger Grounds
8 Forest
7 Island