Bracket 4 · Our Y'shtola, Night's Blessed decklist · Esper Spellslinger
Our Y'shtola list is Esper spellslinger. Every noncreature spell with mana value 3 or greater hits each opponent for 2 and gains you 2, and big turns draw you an extra card at end step.
The deck stacks drain creatures like Vito, Papalymo Totolymo and Kambal, doubles triggers with Delney, draws with Rhystic Study and Archmage Emeritus, and finishes with Exsanguinate, Bolas's Citadel or Emet-Selch.
- Strategy
- Esper Spellslinger
- Bracket
- 4
- Avg. mana value
- 3.06
- Lands
- 35
01The Commander
Y'shtola, Night's Blessed is a four-mana 2/4 with vigilance. Whenever you cast a noncreature spell with mana value 3 or greater, she deals 2 damage to each opponent and you gain 2 life.
At the beginning of each end step, if any player lost 4 or more life that turn, you draw a card. Two big spells in a turn is usually enough.
Mana value counts even when you pay less. Fierce Guardianship and Deadly Rollick cast for free still trigger her, and so does Snuff Out paid with life.
02How This Deck Wins
- 1
Ramp and draw
Sol Ring, the Talismans and Arcane Signet get Y'shtola out on turn three, with Rhystic Study or Smothering Tithe ahead of her.
- 2
Cast big noncreature spells
Every removal spell, counterspell and draw spell at three or more mana drains the table, and Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose turns the life gain into more damage.
- 3
Finish with a drain
Exsanguinate, Bolas's Citadel and Emet-Selch of the Third Seat close the game once everyone is low.
03Deck at a Glance
Bracket 4 · Esper Spellslinger · 100 cards
Composition
- Commander1
- Creatures15
- Instants & sorceries25
- Artifacts & enchantments23
- Planeswalkers1
- Lands35
- Tokens8
Mana Curve
Color Split
symbols
- White 30%
- Blue 31%
- Black 40%
By the Numbers
Cards by Role
04Drain Engines
Small creatures that turn every spell into damage.
Also in this role
05Card Draw
Keep the spells coming.
Also in this role
06Finishers
Close the game once the table is low.
07Mana
Ramp into four-drops and big spells.
Also in this role
08Interaction
Most of these cost three or more, so they drain the table too.
Also in this role
09Combos and Key Interactions
Y'shtola, Night's Blessed + Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
Each big noncreature spell deals 2 to each opponent and gains you 2, and Vito makes one opponent lose 2 more.
Delney, Streetwise Lookout + Y'shtola, Night's Blessed
Y'shtola has power 2, so each of her triggers fires twice: 4 damage to each opponent per big spell. Vito's triggers double too.
Exsanguinate + Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
You gain the total life lost by all opponents, and Vito makes one of them lose that much again.
Bolas's Citadel + Y'shtola, Night's Blessed
Pay life to cast spells off the top, and every one at mana value 3 or more gains 2 back while draining the table.
10How to Play
Opening hand
Keep hands with three lands and a mana rock or cheap draw engine. Y'shtola on turn three or four is ideal.
Early gameturns 1-3
Play a Talisman or Sol Ring, then Rhystic Study, Smothering Tithe or a cheap drain creature like Papalymo Totolymo.
Mid gameturns 4-7
Cast Y'shtola and hold up interaction at three or more mana, so even your answers drain the table.
Late gameturn 8+
Drop Bolas's Citadel or cast a big Exsanguinate with Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose out to finish.
Tips
- Y'shtola only triggers on noncreature spells with mana value 3 or greater.
- Free spells like Fierce Guardianship and Deadly Rollick keep their full mana value.
- Y'shtola's end step draw checks if any player lost 4 or more life, including you.
- Delney doubles triggers of creatures with power 2 or less, so keep pumps off Y'shtola.
Common mistakes
- Spending your turn on two-mana spells that don't trigger Y'shtola.
- Paying too much life to Bolas's Citadel and Toxic Deluge.
- Playing Dancer's Chakrams with Delney out. Its Hero gives Y'shtola +2/+2, and at power 4 she loses Delney's double triggers.
- Tapping out with no counterspell against a combo deck.
Watch out for
- Lifegain prevention and hate on your drain creatures.
- Removal on Y'shtola and Vito.
- Fast aggro decks while you set up.
- Counterspells on your big finishers.
11Bracket and Rule 0
Our list runs 4 Game Changers (Bolas's Citadel, Fierce Guardianship, Rhystic Study, Smothering Tithe). That is more than the Bracket 3 limit of three, so we call it Bracket 4 at the table.
This list runs four Game Changers (Bolas's Citadel, Fierce Guardianship, Rhystic Study and Smothering Tithe), so it pushes toward Bracket 4. Talk to your table before the game.
Exsanguinate with Vito out, or Y'shtola with Delney and Vito, can end a game in one turn, so flag it at Rule 0.
12Full Decklist
Every card in our Y'shtola, Night's Blessed proxy deck (100 cards). Hover or tap a name to see the card.
Commander
- 1Y'shtola, Night's Blessed1WUB
Creatures (15)
- 1Baleful StrixUB
- 1Lotho, Corrupt ShirriffWB
- 1Papalymo TotolymoWB
- 1Tataru Taru1W
- 1Alisaie Leveilleur2W
- 1Delney, Streetwise Lookout2W
- 1G'raha Tia, Scion RebornWUB
- 1Kambal, Consul of Allocation1WB
- 1Lyse Hext1WU
- 1Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose2B
- 1Alphinaud Leveilleur3U
- 1Archmage Emeritus2UU
- 1Emet-Selch of the Third Seat2UB
- 1Sheoldred, the Apocalypse2BB
- 1Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian4B
Planeswalkers (1)
- 1Teferi, Time Raveler1WU
Instants (16)
- 1Swords to PlowsharesW
- 1CounterspellUU
- 1Anguished Unmaking1WB
- 1Dismember1B/PB/P
- 1Fierce Guardianship2U
- 1Frantic Search2U
- 1Generous Gift2W
- 1Stroke of Midnight2W
- 1Transpose2B
- 1Unwind2U
- 1Void RendWUB
- 1Deadly Rollick3B
- 1Lethal Scheme2BB
- 1Rewind2UU
- 1Snuff Out3B
- 1Dig Through Time6UU
Sorceries (9)
- 1Callous Dismissal1U
- 1ExsanguinateXBB
- 1Risky Shortcut2B
- 1Toxic Deluge2B
- 1Vindicate1WB
- 1Circle of Power3B
- 1Irenicus's Vile Duplication3U
- 1Syphon Mind3B
- 1Cleansing Nova3WW
Artifacts (13)
- 1Sol Ring1
- 1Arcane Signet2
- 1Fellwar Stone2
- 1Talisman of Dominance2
- 1Talisman of Hierarchy2
- 1Talisman of Progress2
- 1Thought Vessel2
- 1Archaeomancer's Map2W
- 1Decanter of Endless Water3
- 1Relic of Legends3
- 1Dancer's Chakrams3W
- 1White Auracite2WW
- 1Bolas's Citadel3BBB
Enchantments (10)
- 1Authority of the ConsulsW
- 1Bloodchief AscensionB
- 1CuriosityU
- 1Black Market Connections2B
- 1Ghostly Prison2W
- 1Ophidian Eye2U
- 1Propaganda2U
- 1Rhystic Study2U
- 1Helm of the Ghastlord3U/B
- 1Smothering Tithe3W
Lands (35)
- 1Arcane Sanctum
- 1Choked Estuary
- 1Command Tower
- 1Darkwater Catacombs
- 1Drowned Catacomb
- 1Exotic Orchard
- 1Fetid Heath
- 1Flooded Strand
- 1Glacial Fortress
- 1Godless Shrine
- 1Hallowed Fountain
- 5Island
- 1Isolated Chapel
- 1Marsh Flats
- 1Path of Ancestry
- 3Plains
- 1Polluted Delta
- 1Port Town
- 1Prairie Stream
- 1Raffine's Tower
- 1Reliquary Tower
- 1Sunken Hollow
- 1Sunken Ruins
- 4Swamp
- 1Underground River
- 1Watery Grave
Get the deck
Y'shtola, Night's Blessed Esper Spellslinger proxy deck
Y'shtola turns every big spell into damage. Cast answers, drain the table, and finish with Exsanguinate.
Every card in this guide is shown exactly as it prints in the deck you get, sleeve-ready, with tokens.
Shop the deck · $45Every card named in this guide is in our deck, and every image is our own proxy card, rendered from the art in this deck.