So after I made a really enjoyable Modern Block-Constructed (with flavorful exceptions) deck when Theros was going on and Origins gave it a boost, I've committed myself to making 1-2 of the same per block and culminating in crafting an Original Character inspired by each deck, but planeswalkers are so overdone and block-constructed really doesn't represent planeswalkers well. I'd like feedback primarily on the characters. So here goes.

My currently only example of a deck already built is a Black-White-Green deck featuring Constellation as a focus, and the spotlight goes to the combo of Demonic Pact + Starfield of Nyx + Evolutionary Leap. This had led me to conceive Xanthe, a gorgon resembling the gorgon shown on Evolutionary Leap. Due to the non-legendary status of Demonic Pact, I took this to mean perhaps ANY demonic pact COULD be represented here, esp as demons exist on Theros. Due to Starfield of Nyx and the Constellation theme, I want her to have the starfield affect visible on her yellow scales. Only thing is, what would a gorgon make a pact with a demon for? Just to glue it together and use her name and concept further, I'd considered perhaps a replacement effect on her petrification ability that operates like King Macar's gold-curse, but I can't see the motivation. Or perhaps a human made such a pact with a demon for the secret to immortality (who knows why Pharika wasn't her first attempt) and the demon twisted it to make her a gorgon (not a mortal, long-living, but still able to be fatally wounded) bonus points for a sensible way to tie in Demonic Pact and/or a demonic Bestow effect with the combo added in as fluff, some sort of strange divine enchantmenty starfield-demon-skin shedding.

For Tarkir, I intend to make some assortment of Morph/Manifest/Megamorph deck(s) throughout the timelines so an equivalent story can be told regardless of whether it is the Khans or Dragons timeline. So far as a character I've considered goes, what sounds good is a mixed-breed Ainok from the Abzan/Temur/Dromoka/Atarka breeds of Ainok, and through both of those clans' (more so Abzan/Temur) willingness to redefine family and accept even other races as their family, the Ainok could have learned from both clans, knowing a mix of snow and sand conjuring magic, as well as the recycled use of Ugin's deceptive cloaking magic. Unsure of how said character's story could be spun differrently in one timeline versus another.

I've yet to decide about Zendikar this go around.... I've considered a Roilmage for an Awaken deck, perhaps twins for a Surge deck, or I even suppose a WURG Superfriends deck could represent some young Zendikari resident whom was enamored by the Gatewatch's efforts to save his/her world and thus is their self-proclaimed #1 fan lol I like some Eldrazi interaction, but not so sure that translates as well to a Zendikar-bound character....

Innistrad definitely seems like a WU/WUG Investigate deck would do well as a Human Investigator extraordinaire.

Theros: Pharika probably was Xanthe's first attempt, and (for one reason or another) it didn't work out. Perhaps it required a medicinal regimen that was difficult to produce and unpleasant to undergo. Perhaps there were side effects, like say skin molting, that nauseated and disgusted Xanthe into abandoning that method. Perhaps Pharika found Xanthe too... much of something She didn't like (too impetuous, perhaps, or too arrogant), and refused to pass along the secret of immortality.

Tarkir: Have the Dragons timeline be similar, but have the ainok be a slave to Dromoka or Atarka. That will help fuel the desire to learn hiding magic, to avoid the wrath of the master.

Awesomely put. Just wonder A. How the contract actually may have worked B. How the contract and/or demonic enchantment aspect functions for her on Theros. Is the Nyx effect more sinister and "underworldly" in nature due to her transformation being "artificial" thanks to the demon bestowing it upon her? Is the starry appearance essentially a visual cue of the contract and/or physical presence of the demon upon her body/within her soul similar to Liliana's magical scars?

And C. Deck-wise, Morph/Manifest/Megamorph primarily fall into Blue & Green with a splash of White... but Ainok seeeem to be primarily Green, Abzan sand magic seems to be mostly White (but with Ancestral Vengeance and Duneblast seems Black is sensible too... and the Ainok breeds found in Temur territory are mountainous and are all Red. While unsure about maximum colors in the representative deck, I'd prefer the Ainok character to be Green for sure... and idk I guess the Blue magic is just coincidental, that while the "morph" magic itself is colorless in nature, the cards that would best interact with those types of effects would be Blue followed by Green. So, perhaps a Naya-colored Ainok Archer...Ranger type character (appropriate, as more Ainok are Green than any color, mountainous Ainok in Temur are Red while none are Blue, and sand magic is White and Abzan territory Ainok are White but none are Black. Only issue I feel is, without Blue magic in his repetoire, that makes snow-elemental magic pretty much moot lol Unless I use logic from Ice Age/Cold Snap with Snow-Covered Mountains xD Or just let it be known he's Green & Red via heritage, but Blue and White via magical prowess (no pun intended)

Best interpretation could be he's Mono-Green as an Ainok Ranger and splashes other colors in a druidic way based on terrain and kind of on heritage. Splash red for mountainous terrain and his bear-like ainok blood, splash white for desert sands and hills and his jackal-like ainok blood, splash blue for ice and snow and for sharpening his morph magic, splash black for swamplands, bogs, and some of the darker needs of camouflage magic.

If there is to be some alteration of the Nyx star effect, it would be (were I writing this) that dark patches on her body do not show the starfield, but her normal shadow does. Like the thing that is reaching into Nyx is not her, but something attached to her.



Yeah, that seems the best way to go about it. , but splashing other things based on situation. (I forget what exactly the mana fixing was like in Tarkir Block, but before the time travel I seem to recall it was pretty good)

Ohh, love the shadow idea. But what say you on the end result of a contract with a Theran demon? Just the "when you die, I get your soul"? Or "you work for me", or what maybe?

Favors. Theros' afterlife precludes the possibility of a traditional "your soul is mine" deal, and even if the contract stipulated that she would have to become Nostron, (or is it "Noston"? I can never remember) she wouldn't remember the contract after returning. (And holding her memories in trust until she Returns seems heavily slanted in Xanthe's favor)

Another thought occurs: Isn't Theros a heavily fated world? Like, with 3 weavers of fate and everything? What would Xanthe's fate be such that she would pursue immortality so vigorously, and bind herself into demonic servitude so readily?

Yeah actually, Triad of Fates and all lol Hmm, that's an interesting void to fill. Old age followed by death IS scary enough tbh, but an even worse fate foretold WOULD be better. Ripped apart by harpies? Crushed by a giant/titan or Mogis himself, trapped in a maze killed by a minotaur, etc?