Journey into Nyx

Journey into Nyx

 

Event deck

 

Intro packs

 

Journey into Nyx
[[File:{{#setmainimage:JOULogo.jpg}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description	Combination of an altar and the Horns of Xenagos
Design	Ethan Fleischer (lead) Dan Emmons Erik Lauer Mark Rosewater Matt Tabak
Development	David Humpherys (lead) Ian Duke Tom Jenkot Erik Lauer Ken Nagle
Art direction	Jeremy Jarvis
Release date	May 2, 2014
Plane	Theros
Themes and mechanics	"enchantment matters"
Keywords/​ability words	Constellation, Strive, Bestow, Heroic, Inspired, Scry, Monstrosity, Devotion
Set size	165 cards (60 commons, 60 uncommons, 35 rares, 10 mythic rares)
Expansion code	JOU
Development codename	Countrymen
Theros block
Theros Born of the Gods Journey into Nyx
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska Journey into Nyx Modern Event Deck

Journey into Nyx is the third and final set in the Theros block. It is the 64th Magic expansion and was released May 2014.

Set details

“

Rival the Gods

”

Like its predecessors, Journey into Nyx has an ancient Greek-themed top-down design, making use of many mythological tropes. The set contains 165 cards (60 Common, 60 Uncommon, 35 Rare, 10 Mythic) and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. Fitting in with the "enchantment matters" theme, 59 of the set's 165 cards carry the enchantment type. The set introduces the Lamia creature type.

Flavor and storyline

The plane of Theros is in chaos. Gods and mortals are pitted against each other, and terrifying monsters stalk the land. Heroes strive for glory while new and terrifying constellations take shape in the night sky. Supported by Ajani, Elspeth travels to Nyx and kills Xenagos. Afraid of her power, Heliod kills Elspeth.

Magic Story

Title	Author	Release Date	Setting (plane)	Featuring
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes	Kelly Digges	2014-04-09	Theros	Ajani Goldmane, Seza, Aletha, Koila, Brimaz, Elspeth, Lanathos, Polukranos, Agnomakhos
Desperate Stand	Matt Knicl	2014-04-16	Theros	Vinack, Aesrias, Solon, Kedarick VI, Kytheon Iora, Athreos
Dreams of the City	Ken Troop	2014-04-23	Theros	Cacophony, Euneas, Pollio, Melantha, Xenocrates, Koblios, Ephara, Phenax, Ashiok, Xenagos
Thank the Gods	Clayton Kroh	2014-04-30	Theros	Raissa, Xenagos, Karametra
The Path or the Horizon	Adam Lee	2014-05-07	Theros	Zosimos
Kruphix's Insight	Kelly Digges	2014-06-11	Theros	Diantha, Kydele, Kruphix, Xenagos, Elspeth, Ajani, Kiora, Callaphe
Ajani's Vengeance	Tom LaPille	2014-07-23	Theros	Ajani Goldmane, Lanathos, Anthousa, Elspeth, Seza, Brimaz, Pyxathor, Xenagos, Heliod

Marketing

Journey into Nyx is sold in 16-card boosters (one card being a marketing card), five intro packs, one event deck and a fat pack. The boosters feature artwork from Ajani, Mentor of Heroes, Pharika, God of Affliction and Cyclops of Eternal Fury . The set featured the continuation of the Hero's Path.

God packs

Random Journey into Nyx boosters were seeded to be literally and figuratively "God Packs": they contained all 15 Gods of Theros.

Prerelease

Forge a Godslayer

Quest 7 on the Hero's Path takes place at the Journey into Nyx Prerelease events, April 26 and 27, 2014. Players will forge a Godslayer based on a favorite mana color and receive a Seeded Prerelease Pack based on that color (Forged in Glory , Intellect , Tyranny , War or Pursuit ). The Prerelease Pack contains a Spindown™ Life Counter, one of five Hero Equipment cards (respectively Spear of the General, Cloak of the Philosopher, Lash of the Tyrant, Axe of the Warmonger or Bow of the Hunter), one of five quiz activity cards, five Theros block boosters, and a seeded booster featuring cards appropriate for that player's chosen path — including one of the five Prerelease promo cards. During the prerelease, players have the opportunity to win three mystical components, represented by reward stickers. Three-component stickers combine in specific ways to create one of seven different enhancements. The activity card is handed to the tournament organizer to receive the corresponding "enhancement sticker". That sticker is put on the player's Hero card in the blank space as a new permanent ability, thus forging one the most powerful weapons on Theros: a customized Godslayer.

Launch Weekend

Journey into Nyx launches May 2–4, 2014 and the month's first Friday Night Magic starts the festivities. Players on the Hero's Path come to their stores to "Journey into Nyx" and solve a puzzle hidden within the poster included in the Journey into Nyx Launch Weekend kit. Players who solve the puzzle receive a copy of the Quest 8 Hero card (The Destined).

Game Day

On May 24–25, 2014 Journey into Nyx Game Day players can use their Standard decks for the ninth quest on the Hero's Path: Defeat a God, a special Challenge Deck provided to the retailer. By winning against the Challenge deck, players win a ninth Hero card (The Champion). Players will be able to use three of the Hero cards they have collected and the Godslayer that they forged at the Prerelease to complete this final quest of the Hero's Path!

Magic online

For Magic Online, Journey into Nyx Prerelease Events begin Friday, May 9. The set officially goes on sale in Magic Online and Release Events begin on Monday, May 12.

Promotional Cards

• Prerelease, one of five according to the chosen Godslayer: Dawnbringer Charioteers, Scourge of Fleets, Doomwake Giant, Spawn of Thraxes or Heroes' Bane
• Launch promo: Dictate of the Twin Gods
• Game Day: full-art Squelching Leeches
• Game Day (Top 8): full-art foil Dictate of Kruphix
• Buy-a-Box: Eidolon of Blossoms
• Completing the Hero's Path: Hall of Triumph

Tokens

A sixteenth card in the boosters can be a token creature card, with advertisements on the back side:

1. 4/4 Sphinx with flying for Hour of Need
2. */* Zombie for Ritual of the Returned
3. 2/3 Minotaur for Flurry of Horns
4. */* Hydra for Hydra Broodmaster
5. 1/3 Spider enchantment creature with reach for Renowned Weaver
6. 1/1 Snake enchantment creature with deathtouch for Pharika, God of Affliction

The following named tokens were released with Born of the Gods:

1. 2/2 Bird enchantment creature for Rise of Eagles
2. Artifact token named Gold for King Macar, the Gold-Cursed

The following named tokens were released with Theros:

1. 1/1 Soldier for Launch the Fleet
2. 2/2 Satyr with haste for Revel of the Fallen God

Themes and mechanics

See also: Theros block/Trivia.

Journey into Nyx has a heavy theme of "enchantments matter", and those cards were "pushed" to a higher power level to ensure that enchantments would be key components of competitive decks. The keywords Bestow, Heroic, Scry, Monstrosity, Inspired and Devotion returned from the previous sets (with monstrosity skipping one set). Two new ability words were added: constellation and strive. Enchantments with constellation abilities represent the divine constellations that fill the night sky. An enchantment's constellation ability triggers every time it or another enchantment enters the battlefield under the player's control. Most of the enchantments with constellation abilities are enchantment creatures, but not all of them. A spell with a strive ability lets you pump more mana into it to increase the number of targets.

Cycles

Journey into Nyx has nine cycles. Some cards are part of a Theros block mega cycle.

Cycle name
Common heroic growers	Lagonna-Band Trailblazer	War-Wing Siren	Bloodcrazed Hoplite	Satyr Hoplite	Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
	Five common heroic creatures that get +1/+1 counters, all but one of which have nonsquare Power/Toughness.
Constellation Nymphs	Harvestguard Alseids	Whitewater Naiads	Dreadbringer Lampads	Forgeborn Oreads	Oakheart Dryads
	Five cross-rarity nymphs with constellation.
Downside Bestow creatures	Sightless Brawler	Crystalline Nautilus	Gnarled Scarhide	Mogis's Warhound	Spirespine
	Five uncommon creatures with bestow and a downside ability.
X Lands Creatures	Quarry Colossus	Scourge of Fleets	Squelching Leeches	Spawn of Thraxes	Nessian Game Warden
	Five cross-rarity creatures with a double-colored mana cost and an effect (all but one an ETB effect) that depends on the number of basic lands of that color you control.
Common Strive spells	Ajani's Presence	Aerial Formation	Cruel Feeding	Rouse the Mob	Nature's Panoply
	Five common Instant spells with Strive that cost a single colored mana and 2C for each additional target.
Fonts	Font of Vigor	Font of Fortunes	Font of Return	Font of Ire	Font of Fertility
	Five common enchantments with an activated ability that sacrifices it.
Dictates	Dictate of Heliod	Dictate of Kruphix	Dictate of Erebos	Dictate of the Twin Gods	Dictate of Karametra
	Five rare enchantments with flash.
Cycle name
Gold uncommons	Underworld Coinsmith	Stormchaser Chimera	Nyx Weaver	Desperate Stand	Fleetfeather Cockatrice
	Five uncommon enemy-colored gold cards with colors matching the gods of the set.
Gods	Athreos, God of Passage	Keranos, God of Storms	Pharika, God of Affliction	Iroas, God of Victory	Kruphix, God of Horizons
	Five multicolored mythic rare legendary enchantment creatures that each embody one of the gods of Theros. Each card has a low casting cost but is not a creature until your Devotion to their two colors is 7 or more. They are all indestructible.

Pairs

Journey into Nyx has one mirrored pair.

Mirrored Pairs		Description
Mortal Obstinacy ()	Flamespeaker's Will ()	Common auras that cost 1 colored mana. Both grant +1/+1 and can be sacrificed to destroy an artifact or enchantment when the creature deals damage to a player.

Reprinted cards

• Bladetusk Boar was first printed in Zendikar and last seen in Magic 2013
• Magma Spray was first printed in Shards of Alara and last seen in Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari
• Reprisal was first printed in Alliances and last seen in Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons
• Riddle of Lightning was first printed in Future Sight

Functional reprints

• Banishing Light is a functional reprint of Oblivion Ring from Lorwyn, except for the use of the new "exile until" template.
• Brain Maggot is a functional reprint of Mesmeric Fiend from Torment, except for the use of the new "exile until" template and for being an Enchantment Creature.
• Golden Hind is a functional reprint of Leaf Gilder from Lorwyn, except for creature types.
• Market Festival is a functional reprint of Dawn's Reflection from Fifth Dawn.
• Oreskos Swiftclaw is a functional reprint of Blade of the Sixth Pride from Future Sight, except for creature types.
• Pensive Minotaur is a functional reprint of Minotaur Warrior from Portal.
• Pharika's Chosen is a functional reprint of Typhoid Rats from Innistrad, except for creature types.
• Satyr Grovedancer is a functional reprint of Ironshell Beetle from Judgment and Timberland Guide from Avacyn Restored, except for creature types.

Creature enchantment functional reprints

• Eidolon of Rhetoric is a creature enchantment version of Rule of Law
• Eidolon of the Great Revel is a creature enchantment version of Pyrostatic Pillar
• Hypnotic Siren is a creature enchantment version of Control Magic and Mind Control
• Mogis's Warhound is a creature enchantment version of Furor of the Bitten and/or Goblin Brigand
• Nyx-fleece Ram is a creature enchantment version of Ajani's Mantra

Colorshifted

• Akroan Mastiff, white colorshifted version of Ostiary Thrull (Guildpact), except for types.

Strictly better

• Dawnbringer Charioteers is strictly better than Seraph of Dawn.
• Felhide Petrifier is strictly better than Felhide Minotaur.
• Lagonna-Band Trailblazer is strictly better than Yoked Ox.
• Nature's Panoply is strictly better than Battlegrowth.
• Oppressive Rays is strictly better than Brainwash.
• Prophetic Flamespeaker is strictly better than Two-Headed Cerberus.
• Supply-Line Cranes is strictly better than Silent Artisan.
• Triton Shorestalker is strictly better than Fugitive Wizard, Grayscaled Gharial, Hazy Homunculus, Metathran Soldier and Sneaky Homunculus.

Strictly worse

• Akroan Mastiff is strictly worse than Ballynock Trapper.
• Starfall is strictly worse than Punish the Enemy.

Notable cards

• Mana Confluence is a staple mana fixing land for color-intensive multicolor decks from Standard back to Legacy
• Eidolon of the Great Revel is a staple in Burn decks in Modern.
• Twinflame is one of a few cards that can combo with Dualcaster Mage
• Eidolon of Rhetoric is a great sideboard card against combo decks that rely on casting multiple spells in the same turn
• Banishing Light was a staple removal spell in Standard and the first Oblivion Ring style enchantment to use the new templating
• Worst Fears is among the few cards to give control over an opposing player for a turn, and the first since Sorin Markov

Preconstructed decks

Intro packs

Journey into Nyx has five bicolored intro packs:

Intro pack name	Colors Included					Foil rare
Voracious Rage			B	R		Spawn of Thraxes
Mortals of Myth	W				G	Dawnbringer Charioteers
Pantheon's Power	W		B			Doomwake Giant
Fates Foreseen		U		R		Scourge of Fleets
The Wilds and the Deep		U			G	Heroes' Bane

Event deck

Journey into Nyx has one event deck.

Event deck name	Colors Included
Wrath of the Mortals		U		R

External links

• Journey into Nyx product information page — Wizards of the Coast
• Journey into Nyx trailer