Monk GyatsoMonk Gyatso | Art by Masateru Ikeda

Remember last year when Wizards printed the now infamous Nadu, Winged WisdomNadu, Winged Wisdom? You know, the card that's banned in pretty much every format. Well, what if I told you that they reprinted Nadu, but in white?

Sure, Monk GyatsoMonk Gyatso isn't actually Nadu, it uses the same combo pieces and can win out of nowhere. And in this Monk Gyatso Commander deck tech, I'll showcase the power that is White Nadu. While I usually do budget decks, I decided to go all out here, so budget isn't a consideration.

What Does Monk GyatsoMonk Gyatso Do?

The airbending master, Monk GyatsoMonk Gyatso, allows you to airbend your creatures whenever they become the target of a spell or ability. This only works with other creatures, so he can't airbend him self. And unlike Norin the WaryNorin the Wary or Nadu, this is a may ability.

This prevents your opponents from targeting your creatures with cheap spells or abilities to disrupt the game plan. However, it provides enough protection that it'll be hard to remove combo pieces if Monk Gyatso is protected.

And much like his Simic counterpart, Gyatso is a powerful combo commander. There are several creatures and Equipment that have abilities we can activate for zero mana to trigger his ability as often as we'd like.

But we still have to cast the creatures again; isn't that a problem? Well, yes. But actually no. The two mana to cast a card in exile can be reduced with effects to be free, which is a key part of the combos in the deck.

Key Cards for Monk GyatsoMonk Gyatso

Cost Reducion

As I mentioned before, a key part of the combo is reducing costs. This is trivial in monocolored decks thanks to the cards like Pearl MedallionPearl Medallion and Oketra's MonumentOketra's Monument. These pieces aren't only combo enablers but can save you dozens of mana over the course of a game. The best cost reducer is Semblance AnvilSemblance Anvil because it can reduce multiple card types by two at once.

There is an argument to add Urza's IncubatorUrza's Incubator since most of the creatures for the combo are Ally or Human.

The Creature Targeting

The next key pieces are the targeters. These are the cards that can target creatures for zero mana repeatedly. Taking a page from the Nadu playbook, I first added Nomads en-KorNomads en-Kor. It's one mana and does exactly what we need. I also included Shaman en-KorShaman en-Kor and Warrior en-KorWarrior en-Kor for redundancy. They share the same ability that lets you target creatures for zero mana and are cheap.

It's a perfect option if you're looking to build this deck on any budget. But only three ways to target aren't enough, especially in Commander.

The Equipment Package

Thankfully, several pieces of Equipment can be equipped for zero. The most common option found in Nadu decks was ShukoShuko and Lightning GreavesLightning Greaves. But I went a little deeper and added Grafted WargearGrafted Wargear and Umbral MantleUmbral Mantle to my list. The downside of Wargear isn't a problem since you airbend the creature before it becomes equipped.

My favorite piece of Equipment is Pre-War FormalwearPre-War Formalwear. Now, I might be too high on this card thanks to Vintage Cube, but it reanimates the targeting creatures, and it's a great airbend target with Aang, the Last AirbenderAang, the Last Airbender.

How Does Monk GyatsoMonk Gyatso Win?

The Combo

Unlike a lot of the Nadu combos, Monk Gyasto's combo is straightforward. All you need is Monk Gyasto, ideally Semblance AnvilSemblance Anvil, and a zero-mana way to target creatures. You'll also need some creatures that are worth airbending.

Target your creature, let's say Helpful HunterHelpful Hunter, with ShukoShuko. You'll then airbend the Cat with Gyasto's ability. Then you'll recast Helpful Hunter from exile for free and draw a card. Now you repeat this for infinite card draw, storm, and enters triggers.

The Payoffs

There are two primary combo finishes and one backup. The two primary finishes are Aetherflux ReservoirAetherflux Reservoir and Altar of the BroodAltar of the Brood. Unlike the normal blink combos, airbending has you cast the spell, so you'll gain infinite life to blast the table. And Altar of the Brood adds a mill win condition thanks to all the creatures entering the battlefield.

The backup win condition requires Appa, Steadfast GuardianAppa, Steadfast Guardian, and Vedalken OrreryVedalken Orrery. Appa's second ability creates 1/1 tokens when you cast spells from exile. So this, along with Vedalken Orrery, allows you to combo right before your turn and swing with infinite 1/1s.

Monk Gyatso Commander Deck List

Conclusion

Despite my aversion to combo, I've enjoyed piloting Monk Gyatso. It's a powerful deck that isn't reliant on combos to win and can play a fair midrange game. It's definitely one of my strongest decks and can easily punch up into Bracket 4.

Even if you aren't a combo player, I'd highly suggest giving this deck a try. The combo is straightforward, which helps make tutoring much easier. And while I loaded up on tutors and some fast mana, these pieces aren't necessary. You can easily cut most of the expensive cards and still have an incredibly powerful midrange deck.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the deck in the comments. What's your favorite combo commander? Do you think Monk Gyatso is underrated? And make sure to check out more Avatar deck techs.