Welcome all to the Daily Dose of Theros Beyond Death. Today I’ll be continuing looking at what each colour brings to the table when it comes to devotion. I want to focus today on cards from a certain colour that already exist in Standard that could start to see more play thanks to possible devotion decks for that colour. Today that focus in on Blue. I think that blue is one of the best colours suited to support a mono-coloured devotion deck. Instead of removal, it usually plays enchantment style removal cards that lock down opponents’ creatures. This will help you increase your devotion count without needing to play many instants and/or sorceries. Before I talk about a devotion card coming in Theros Beyond Death, let’s have a look at the best cards available right now for a devotion deck using Blue in Standard.
Arcanist's Owl
Arcanist’s Owl – I could see an enchantment blue devotion deck being made and this could be a big part of it. You get a 3/2 Flying creature while also adding four to your devotion count.
Ashiok, Dream Render
Ashiok, Dream Render – You might want to add some cards into your own graveyard with all the Escape cards going around blue. You also get two devotion for three mana on the battlefield.
Brazen Borrower
Brazen Borrower – This is an easy card to put in any Mono-Blue devotion deck as it can act as a bounce spell and put a strong 3/1 flying creature on the battlefield. You might also get some surprise factor with it by adding an instant 2 devotion onto the battlefield.
Cavalier of Gales
Cavalier of Gales – To know one’s surprise, this five mana 5/5 Flying creature makes the Mono-Blue devotion deck cut. Strong devotion, plus card advantage will make this a must have for the mid-to-late part of the game.
Charmed Sleep
Charmed Sleep – Removal that works well with cards like Arcanist’s Owl and provides two devotion for a removal spell.
Gadwick, the Wizened
Gadwick, the Wizened – This is a great way to refill your hand and lock down the battlefield thanks to all the wonderful blue spells in your deck. It’s also great just to play on turn three to add 3 devotion to the battlefield.
Hypnotic Sprite
Hypnotic Sprite – You want to be able to maximize the number of permanents in your deck so that your devotion count is high, but it’s nice to have a card like this that can also used potentially be used as a counterspell.
Jace, Wielder of Mysteries
Jace, Wielder of Mysteries – This can be a great planeswalker that allows you to gain card advantage while filling your own graveyard with potentially some cards you could Escape back later onto the battlefield. It also has an amazing 3 devotion count for only four mana.
Leyline of Anticipation
Leyline of Anticipation – This is a great card to have in a Mono-Blue devotion deck as it can help you surprise your opponent with all your cards having Flash. It can also add some free devotion on to the battlefield at the start of the game.
Loch Dragon
Loch Dragon – Another great 4-devotion creature that can provide you with better card selection upon resolution and after each attack.
Mu Yanling, Sky Dancer
Mu Yanling, Sky Dancer – A mono-blue devotion deck could be where this card starts to shine in Standard. It adds two devotion to the battlefield and can shut down a threat each turn. Throw in some 4/4 Flying Elemental Birds and you’re laughing!
Narset, Parter of Veils
Narset, Parter of Veils – This will work well in a Mono-Blue devotion deck that has a build more centered around noncreature permanents like other planeswalkers and enchantments.
Now that we have seen the best of what Standard currently has to offer for a mono-blue devotion deck, it’s time to see one of the devotion payoff cards from Theros Beyond Death. One of the most used Gods in Standard from the original Theros was Thassa, and I don’t think it will be any different this time around. Here is Thassa, Deep-Dwelling.
Thassa, Deep-Dwelling
To start off you get a 6/5 Indestructible creature for four mana. With the cards you see listed above, this shouldn’t be too hard to turn into a creature. There are plenty of ways to get to a devotion of five quickly and it might be active right when you cast Thassa, Deep-Dwelling. The best part about this card is its ability to blink one of your own creatures during your end step. Being able to blink cards like Arcanist’s Owl or Cavalier of Gales will provide some card advantage. You can also use it on any creature you’ve attacked with to allow it to block giving it pseudo-vigilance. Other fun targets in blue to blink include Agent of Treachery, Elite Guardmage, and Risen Reef. If this first ability wasn’t enough, you also have to ability tap down some opposing threats. Overall, I think if you build the right deck to compliment it, this will be one of the stronger of the mono-coloured Gods.
There you have it folks! In looking back, Blue seems to be well suited for a mono-coloured devotion deck. I’ve now been able to have a look at what is to come for mono-coloured devotion decks in all five colours and I’m excited to start building some decks. Thanks again for joining me on the Daily Dose of Theros Beyond Death. Join me again tomorrow as we delve into more talk about the new set!
