Hello everyone! I'm Levi from The Thought Vessel Show, and today, we're diving into a divine Magic: The Gathering mechanic from 2013: Devotion.

What is Devotion

Devotion is defined as love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. Most often, we hear it used in a religious context. In marriage ceremonies, ministers often speak of being devoted to one another. Bible study guides are even called "devotionals." However, devotion goes beyond words--it's about actions. For example, some people give 10% of their income to their church in an act called "tithing." Others give up vacation time to participate in missionary trips, both locally and abroad. At its core, devotion means placing a cause above oneself--a philosophy we frequently see reflected in white-colored cards in Magic.

By now, you might be wondering, "What does any of this have to do with Magic?" To answer that, let's travel back to September 2013 with the release of Theros.

Theros: A World of Gods and Devotion

Theros is a plane inspired by Greek culture, drawing heavily from mythology and figures like Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Greek myths are filled with stories of gods interfering with, or ignoring, mortal affairs. The challenge for Wizards of the Coast was: How do we design gods for Commander that feel influenced by their followers in a flavorful way? The answer was devotion.

The mechanic works like this: Devotion to a color is a numerical value equal to the total number of colored mana symbols from permanents you control. Different cards care about devotion in various ways, depending on the color they reference. For example, a card like Eternal Witness has a devotion to green of 2, while Copper Myr has none. Yorion, the Sky Nomad contributes two to both blue and white at the same time.

Now, let's explore six cards that make great use of this mechanic from a power and flavor perspective.

Gray Merchant of Asphodel ("Gary")

Known affectionately as "Gary," Gray Merchant of Asphodel drains each opponent for life equal to your devotion to black. In a board state filled with black permanents, it's easy to drain everyone for 10 to 15 life. In Commander, you gain that life--so if each opponent loses 10 life, you gain a staggering 30 making it very difficult to get knocked out in combat. Gary remains one of the most potent finishers in mono-black decks, especially if the effect can be repeated or doubled.

Iroas, God of Victory

Iroas exemplifies a Theros god perfectly. On the surface, a four-mana, 7/4 indestructible creature with menace would be broken--but there's a catch. Iroas isn't a creature unless your total devotion to red and white exceeds 7. Upon entering the battlefield, Iroas grants divine influence, but once your devotion reaches the threshold, he fully awakens to lead your army to victory. In this way, devotion unlocks your deck's potential.

Anax, Hardened in the Forge

Anax is a demigod, reflecting his half-god, half-mortal nature. His power scales with your devotion to red, making him stronger the more you prove your allegiance. Unlike the full gods, demigods like Anax are always creatures and lack indestructibility which makes perfect sense due to their half human side.

Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx

Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx is [strong]Magic[/strong]'s version of Mount Olympus. With the right setup, this land can generate Gaea's Cradle-level mana. At worst, it taps for one colorless, but with sufficient devotion, it can launch your mana output into endgame levels. I have used Nykthos in games past to the tune of 15+ mana by simply playing the game. It beautifully captures the idea that the gods draw strength from the faith of their followers.

Thassa's Oracle

Thassa's Oracle is arguably the most famous card on this list. It allows you to dig 10 to 15 cards deep, setting up a divine draw. However, in competitive EDH (cEDH), players often cast it alongside Demonic Consultation or Tainted Pact, exiling their entire library to win the game on the spot. No matter the setting, Thassa's Oracle is a force to be reckoned with.

Thassa's Rebuff

Flavor-wise, Thassa's Rebuff feels like the god of the sea herself is protecting you. The spell counters a target unless its caster pays X, where X is your devotion to blue. In a devotion-heavy deck, this card essentially reads, "Pay one blue mana to counter any spell." If mono-blue devotion were more popular, I believe this card would be a staple. But alas, this is a format of choice and the option of more cards is incredibly tempting.

And there you have it--devotion may very well be one of the most flavorful mechanics in all of Magic: The Gathering. Not only does it scale perfectly with the game, but it also captures the essence of the gods from all those Mythological epics. I hope you enjoyed this look back at Theros and its divine design. Until next time, happy gaming!