Iona, Shield of Emeria: Building a Color-Lock Combo Deck

In TCG ·

Iona, Shield of Emeria card art from Modern Masters 2015, a radiant angelic figure ready to shield the battle

Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Color-Lock Mastery: Iona’s White-Gloved Chessboard

There’s something irresistibly elegant about a plan that locks the battlefield in your favor, long before the first spell is cast. Iona, Shield of Emeria embodies that philosophy with the quiet menace of a judgment passed from above. A legendary creature from Modern Masters 2015, this 9-mana marvel (6WW) is a 7/7 flyer with a single, devastating line: when Iona enters the battlefield, you choose a color, and your opponents can’t cast spells of that color. It’s not just a tax; it’s a strategic constraint that reshapes every game. 🧙‍♂️🔥

The beauty of Iona lies in its simplicity. Flying ensures she can land behind blockers, and the color-lock is a form of “color hate” that doesn’t care about your deck’s identity. Your opponents must adapt, not you. The flavor text—“No more shall the righteous cower before evil”—rings with flavor and a reminder that Iona isn’t just a wall of light; she’s a move in a broader, more theatrical game of MTG chess. The card’s rarity—mythic in MM2—signals the weight of what she can do when you’ve built the rest of your list around her presence. This is not a one-card solution; it’s a catalyst for a carefully curated white-based toolbox. ⚔️

When you commit to a color-lock strategy, the game shifts from “how do I win fast” to “how do I survive until the lock lands, and what do I win with once it’s in place?” That means your deck should lean into white’s suite of protective and stabilize-laden tools: efficient removal, board protection, life gain, and steady card draw. You’ll want ways to ramp to the critical mass of mana, tutor for Iona when the field is ready, and protect her once she’s on the battlefield. The color you choose at ETB becomes your opponents’ constraint, so you’ll want to plan for diverse metagames—from control-heavy boards to creature-driven stalemates. 🧙‍♂️🎨

Building the framework: core pillars of a white-led color-lock deck

  • Stabilization and protection: removal that buys time, plus effects that shield Iona from opposing threats while she sits in play. A strong defensive backbone helps you weather counterspells and aggro drops while you shape the late-game plan.
  • Mana acceleration and ramp: getting to the 9-mana commitment on schedule is essential. White-based decks lean on efficient rocks, land fetch, and card draw that doesn’t tilt the balance too far toward the offense.
  • Card draw and filtration: you’ll want consistent access to Iona and her supporting cast. Draw engines and tutor effects ensure you can assemble the lock and still find your win-cons in time.
  • Recursion and re-use: the occasional flicker effect or graveyard resilience can be a lifesaver if Iona gets removed. Redundant angles to re-establish the lock keep pressure on opponents who try to pivot around it.
  • Non-locked-win condition: with a color lock in place, you’ll typically win via a method that doesn’t rely on spells of the locked color. Plan for a way to close out the game once the board is stabilized—tokens, obliterate effects, or combat-based finishers that ignore the color constraint.

In practical terms, you’ll want to present a resilient threat line that can carry you to victory even if the lock is temporarily circumvented. The design space invites white’s classic values: tempo control, protective auras, and value-based plays. The result is not just a lock; it’s a narrative of restraint and precision—exactly the kind of strategic puzzle MTG fans crave. 🧩💎

Imagine the moment you drop Iona, choose a color—say red—then watch as your opponents scramble to adapt. While their red spells sit idle, you deploy a plan that capitalizes on the open lanes, whether that means ramping into a decisive board state, assembling an overwhelming token swarm, or simply outlasting the field with lifegain and card advantage. The tension is deliciously real, and the payoff can be glorious when you finally push over the top with a color-neutral or white-aligned win condition. That’s the core thrill of a color-lock deck—a calculated dance of restraint that rewards patient, precise plays. 🧙‍♂️⚔️

“No more shall the righteous cower before evil.” — Iona’s flavor echoing through the battlefield as a reminder that a single, well-timed lock can tilt the odds in your favor.

From a lore angle, Iona’s origin across the planes—an emissary of Emeria, a beacon that embodies white’s justice and mercy—adds flavor to the table you’re building. Her presence signals a deliberate, almost ceremonial approach to the game: you don’t rush, you curate. You assemble the pieces, you guard the throne, and you let the lock do the talking. The card’s art by Jason Chan captures that moment of epic restraint, a radiant guardian whose wings seem ready to shield the whole board. This is the kind of card that feels at home on the table, not just in a decklist. 🎨🧙‍♂️

For collectors and players alike, MM2’s Iona is a celebrated piece—mythic rarity with a storied past, and a striking centerpiece for a white-centric strategy that leans into control, protection, and clever timing. Its price reflects both nostalgia and power, but the joy comes from the gameplay, the decision trees, and the way a color lock reshapes an entire matchup. If you’re chasing a project that blends narrative weight with hard, satisfying play, this is a card that invites you to think, plan, and triumph. 🔥

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