This is the first time I have ever pre-ordered a card.

[Dan Turner]

So I went and ordered 4x Nyktos, Shrine to Nix. @$7 each. I have a feeling this will end up becoming a staple for both goblins and Elves eventually.

I have been playtesting it in my Elf deck and it went like this.

Turn one

Forest
LLanowar Elf

Turn 2
Gaea's Cradle
Elvish Archdruid

Turn 3
Nykthos, Shrine to Nix

tap the archdruid for 2 and the forest to play another archdruid

tap cradle for 3

tap Nykthos for 5 I ended up with 6 mana and cast Khalni Hydra for 5 and another llanowar.

Turn 4

Nykthos for 14 mana 2x archdruid for 4 each and 2 llanowar for 1 each and cradle for 5 gives me 27 mana

Biomass mutation for 25 and swing with the hydra for game

[UnderwaterGuy]

I think Nykthos is pretty terrible.

If you are in a position where it can actually net you mana with it's ability then you are probably already in a really good board state. It encourages overextending and it carries the big risk of being unusable for colored mana if you don't already have a colored board in play.

[Megadeus]

No offense, but that isn't a very standard elves build right now. Also having cradle and shrine and dryad arbor in your deck as lands that don't give you green on turn one it seems less than desirable

[Dan Turner]

No offense, but that isn't a very standard elves build right now. Also having cradle and shrine and dryad arbor in your deck as lands that don't give you green on turn one it seems less than desirable

I know it is just something I am working on atm

thinking about genesis wave to dump mana into maybe work on a modern deck with it

[Koby]

Compare your scenario with:

Turn 1
Forest
Llanowar Elves

Turn 2
Gaea's Cradle
Elvish Archdruid

Turn 3
Tap Archdruid and Forest to cast Archdruid #2
Tap Cradle for 3
Play 2nd Cradle, tap it for 3 and a total of 6.
Cast Khalni Hydra for GGG, with 3 mana left over to cast Elvish Visionary and Wirewood Symbiote, recycle Visionary untapping the Archdruid and attack for 6 with the two creatures you started your turn with.

Turn 4
Attack for lethal.

EDIT: so we're clear, this is the best case scenario for Nyxthos; and even then it's "only as good as" playing a 2nd Cradle and utilizing the new Legend rule.

[apple713]

cancel your preorder before its too late :P

[akuma1623]

Now they are double in price.

[Dan Turner]

I know i got 8 more when they was $5.50 last friday on Amazon.

[Megadeus]

They may not be lagacy cards, but damn devotion is a whole lot more popular than I wouldve predicted in standard

[MirrorMask]

Also, don't forget that modern does NOT have a better gaea's cradle. Not only that but it works for EVERY color. Maybe in Legacy isn't as good but i firmly believe that it DOES have a place in Modern.

P.S Good call on the pre-order. I would do the same if I had money for more than 4...

[Megadeus]

Maybe beck and call elves can be solid. I'm not so sure of it though.

[Megadeus]

Mono green banefire elves? Lol. Leatherback Baloths and Khalini hydras, all culminating in huge banefires with the mana made from shrine

[MirrorMask]

Maybe beck and call elves can be solid. I'm not so sure of it though.

It helps a lot. Worse than cradle? Certainly, but you work with what you have. And don't forget that quirion ranger and wirewood symbiot could be reprinted at some point. These two cards, in my opinion, is all that is missing.