Niv-Monkey to Light Top 8 Dreamhack Kalamazoo

Modern Competitive Control Niv to Light Value Engine

Evanbob007

Land (25)

• 1x Blood Crypt
• 2x Boseiju, Who Endures
• 1x Breeding Pool
• 1x Forest
• 1x Indatha Triome
• 1x Island
• 1x Misty Rainforest
• 1x Mountain
• 1x Overgrown Tomb
• 1x Plains
• 1x Prismatic Vista
• 1x Sacred Foundry
• 1x Spara's Headquarters
• 1x Steam Vents
• 1x Stomping Ground
• 1x Temple Garden
• 4x Windswept Heath
• 4x Wooded Foothills

Sorcery (12)

• 3x Bring to Light
• 3x Glittering Wish
• 3x Prismatic Ending
• 1x Supreme Verdict
• 1x Unmoored Ego
• 1x Vindicate

Instant (5)

• 2x Izzet Charm
• 3x Lightning Helix

Creature (8)

• 1x Niv-Mizzet Reborn
• 3x Omnath, Locus of Creation
• 4x Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer

Planeswalker (6)

• 3x Teferi, Time Raveler
• 3x Wrenn and Six

Enchantment (4)

• 4x Abundant Growth

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Sideboard

Instant (7)

• 3x Dovin's Veto
• 1x Fracturing Gust
• 1x Kaya's Guile
• 1x Lightning Helix
• 1x Terminate

Creature (4)

• 2x Meddling Mage
• 1x Niv-Mizzet Reborn
• 1x Omnath, Locus of Creation

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Teferi, Time Raveler

Sorcery (3)

• 1x Supreme Verdict
• 1x Unmoored Ego
• 1x Vindicate

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Introduction

I have been playing Niv to Light since MH1 and I love it! It had been difficult to play anything else with the versatility in game play and card selection that this deck offers. The card advantage and raw power is the reason to build this deck. I have found that this is the best version of the deck given my local meta, but it can easily flex to match other LGSs. My LGS has a lot of combo decks, so this version of the deck has more anti-combo pieces for decks like Goblin Charbelcher and it has found repeated success.

After doing a 1K, I realized the power of Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer in this list and so wanted to try a 60 card version to be more consistent in getting my anti-linear cards such as Vindicate and Unmoored Ego.

Creatures

Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer - initially I over looked this card due to it not being hit by Niv and being a small creature. However, I found that it's usually a better Utopia Sprawl as it advances your mana, provides card advantage, and makes your opponent choose keeping in cheap removal as you are a control/midrange deck.

Omnath, Locus of Creation - amazing card that hold the deck together with ramp and life gain.

Niv-Mizzet Reborn - deck's namesake that usually provides 3-5 cards on summoning and is a quick clock. I reduced this count from 2 as Glittering Wish can grab one from the sideboard.

Instants

Izzet Charm - at first I tired this as a meme over Fire / Ice but it has worked phenomenally. The Spell Pierce and Shock modes are great early game and the Faithless Looting mode is for the late game with W6 to pitch excess lands. I will probably try to squeeze a 3rd one into the list in the future.

Lightning Helix - decent removal card that also provides a Boros card and gains life.

Kaya's Guile - this number may change depending on the graveyard or Burn matches in your LGS. It's a powerful and flexible card, but my list chose Vindicate as it's Orzhov cards as it hits harder against the worst match ups such as Tron.

Sorceries

Glittering Wish - a flex spot in the deck that covers a Guild that otherwise would not have a card. I like to use it to get access to the sideboard in game one while also being a card I cut always in games 2 & 3.

Unmoored Ego - your silver bullet against any combo or big-mana deck. Choose an unplanned Tron land, Titan/Valakut/Dryad, Goblin Charbelcher, or Cascade card.

Vindicate - anti-big mana decks or a catch all removal for any permanent. This card has drastically improved the big-mana match ups especially when played on turn 2.

Supreme Verdict - any deck that goes wide or Murktide, this is your best friend.

Bring to Light - the other namesake card that is your Swiss Army Knife, it usually grabs Niv-Mizzet or a boardwipe. Don't forget it can grab Lightning Helix for a kill.

Enchantments

Abundant Growth - really is Ragavan 5-8 and is safer against red based removal. I found these to be better than Utopia Sprawl due to the redraw and more flexibility for what land it can be placed on.

Leyline Binding - one of the most powerful and useful removal spells. This replaced Prismatic Ending as it is an instant and often only cost {W}.

Planeswalkers

Wrenn and Six - best planeswalker for the deck, ensures you keep playing lands, and often can become your path to victory. This is why there is a higher fetch count. Also, unmulligans a lot of hands.

Teferi, Time Raveler - shines best in the U/X control decks and Cascade. This plus Bring to Light is usually lights out to make a Niv or boardwipe from the sideboard appear in the middle of combat.

Lands

I am testing out the mana base, it appears to be working well as green is the most important color then red then white then closely blue and black. If your mana base is slightly different, that is fine as the different fetches will not be a large impact to the game play. If your fetches are different, you may want to change the shocklands as well to ensure that your fetches can grab any color you need.

Indatha Triome is a common fetched land per my experience.

Spara's Headquarters - this could be Raffine's Tower, but this land is easier to grab. Possibly increasing Misty Rainforests over Wooded Foothills would allow to grab the Esper Triome.

Boseiju, Who Endures - replaced Pillar of the Paruns as you can't dash Ragavan, play Prismatic Ending, or put your Companion in your hand.

Sideboard

Dovin's Veto - easily fills in matchups where your opponent doesn't fill up their graveyard quickly and/or have counterspells. Brought in against Tron, Cascade Decks, U/X control decks, Goblin Charbelcher and Burn.

Lightning Helix - good add against aggro decks.

Meddling Mage - this is against Living End and Rhinos in place of Chalice of the Void as it is Wishable and Bring to Light.

Terminate - an extra sideboard card against Murktide, replaced a Kaya's Guile.

Kaya's Guile - a flexible card that is brought in against Murktide, Dredge, Living End, and sometimes Amulet.

Teferi, Time Raveler - the 4th copy for Cascade decks and control/midrange decks.

Vindicate/Boseiju, Who Endures - bring in against combo and linear decks to slow them down or disrupt them such as Tron, Amulet, and Goblin Charbelcher. I think Vindicate is better as it can be grapped by Glittering Wish.

Omnath, Locus of Creation - would be in the main, but wanted to lower the curve and increase the power of Niv entering the battlefield. Also, can be grabbed by Glittering Wish game one, which has allowed me to win game one in a couple matches. Bring in against midrange, control, and Burn decks.

Fracturing Gust - powerful boardwipe against Affinity, Enchantress, and Hammer Time to easily gain 8+ life. You can store up treasure tokens for more life.

Niv-Mizzet Reborn - probably the most powerful Glittering Wish target. Also can be brought in against midrange and control. Could be replaced with General Ferrous Rokiric or another sideboard silver bolt depending on the meta.

Other Sideboard Considerations

Mind Grind - a spicy anti-Belcher card that allows you to beat them for 3 mana and is grabbed by Wish.

Emrakul, the Aeons Torn - can be replaced with a castable Kozilek, Butcherer of Truth. Need to have a mill card if no longer playing Yorion.

Thoughtseize - a good but awkward anti-combo card, thus I replaced it with Meddling Mage.

Date added	2 years
Last updated	1 year
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	20 - 3 Mythic Rares 27 - 8 Rares 5 - 1 Uncommons 4 - 0 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	2.40
Tokens	Emblem Wrenn and Six, Spirit 1/1 WB, Treasure
Based on	Monkey Sees the Glittering Light Evanbob007 MDN