Will of the Naga MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
| Abilities | Delve |
| Released | 2015-01-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Fate Reforged |
| Set code | FRF |
| Number | 58 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Wayne Reynolds |
Key Takeaways
- Provides a versatile control tool, freezing two creatures to disrupt opponent strategies and gain tempo.
- Instant speed allows surprise play, turning tides mid-game by halting enemy attacks or defending.
- The Delve cost reduction taps into graveyard resources, offering strategic depth and mana efficiency.
Text of card
Delve (Each card you exile from your graveyard while casting this spell pays for .) Tap up to two target creatures. Those creatures don't untap during their controller's next untap step.
The charm of a naga is undeniable.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Will of the Naga offers a double benefit in terms of card utility. One aspect of its advantage is the ability to neutralize two key creatures your opponent controls, potentially swinging the tempo of the game in your favor without losing card equity in your hand.
Resource Acceleration: With its delve mechanic, Will of the Naga can help you utilize resources from your graveyard to cast the spell for a reduced cost. This allows you to maintain or develop your board presence while still playing impactful spells, ensuring your mana resources are not overstretched.
Instant Speed: The instant speed of Will of the Naga offers strategic flexibility, allowing you to react to your opponent’s moves during their turn. By casting it at the right moment, you can effectively surprise the adversary, disrupt their attack strategies, or create openings for your onslaught on the following turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Will of the Naga doesn’t force you to discard cards, its Delve ability encourages you to exile cards from your graveyard. This can deplete valuable resources that might be crucial for other strategies within your deck.
Specific Mana Cost: This card demands two blue mana, which can be restrictive. If your deck isn’t focused on generating a lot of blue mana or is a multicolored deck that can struggle with mana consistency, casting Will of the Naga can be challenging at critical moments.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: In a game where speed can be paramount, six mana, even with the aid of Delve, is substantial. There are alternative spells in the MTG universe that can offer similar or better effects without such a steep cost, potentially making Will of the Naga a less attractive choice for tempo-based or aggressive decks seeking to maximize efficiency.
Reasons to Include Will of the Naga in Your Collection
Versatility: Will of the Naga offers flexible gameplay options, serving as a strategic spell to stall aggressive opponents or secure the final push for victory. This makes it a suitable card for tempo decks looking to control the pace of play.
Combo Potential: Its delving mechanism allows for synergies with graveyard strategies, matching well with decks that cycle through their libraries quickly and need to make efficient use of every card. Additionally, immobilizing two target creatures can set up favorable conditions for turn-based combos.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that prioritizes creature-based tactics, Will of the Naga can be a handy tool to disrupt opponent formations. By temporarily taking key creatures out of the equation, it can swing the board state in your favor and pave the way for your win conditions to unfold unimpeded.
How to beat
Will of the Naga emerges as a tactical blue spell that can unexpectedly turn the tides of a game in Magic: The Gathering. Its mastery lies in the timing, using the Delve mechanic to potentially reduce its casting cost and temporarily remove opposing creatures from combat. To effectively combat this card, one should consider the swiftness of their own deck and the capability to operate under limited resources.
The key to countering Will of the Naga lies in maintaining a diverse array of low-cost threats to reduce the impact of your creatures being tapped down. Instant speed removals can intercept creatures before they are targeted by Will of the Naga, dismantling the opponent’s planned assault or defensive strategy. Additionally, including cards with untap abilities or those that grant vigilance can mitigate the tempo loss that Will of the Naga seeks to impose.
Remaining vigilant for an opponent’s open mana and potential delve fuel in their graveyard can be crucial. A strategic approach, utilizing a careful selection of spells and creatures, can ensure that Will of the Naga’s icy grip does not freeze your path to victory.
Cards like Will of the Naga
Exploring the strategic depths of Magic: The Gathering, Will of the Naga stands out in its niche of tempo-oriented control cards. This card is a cousin to other ice-themed spells like Frost Breath, which also temporarily neutralizes enemy forces. Where Will of the Naga differs significantly is in its delve mechanic, allowing players to potentially cast it at a reduced cost by utilizing graveyard resources.
Another noteworthy parallel is with the card Blustersquall, which shares the ability to tap creatures and hinder an opponent’s onslaught, albeit with a narrower scope since it’s limited to a single turn. However, what makes Will of the Naga particularly compelling is the duration of its effect, covering two full rounds of play. This extended control can heavily swing the game’s momentum.
It’s crucial to consider a card’s impact in the ebb and flow of a match. Within its realm, Will of the Naga not only demonstrates a potent effect but also embodies the versatility and strategic intricacies that appeal to discerning MTG tacticians appreciating the subtle art of delay and disable strategies.
Cards similar to Will of the Naga by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Will of the Naga MTG card by a specific set like Fate Reforged, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Will of the Naga and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Will of the Naga has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Will of the Naga card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2014-11-24 | Because delve isn’t an alternative cost, it can be used in conjunction with alternative costs. |
| 2014-11-24 | Delve doesn’t change a spell’s mana cost or converted mana cost. For example, the converted mana cost of Tasigur’s Cruelty (with mana cost ) is 6 even if you exile three cards to cast it. |
| 2014-11-24 | If you chose two targets and one is an illegal target as Will of the Naga resolves, that creature won’t become tapped and it won’t be stopped from untapping during its controller’s next untap step. It won’t be affected by Will of the Naga in any way. |
| 2014-11-24 | Will of the Naga can target creatures that are already tapped. Those creatures won’t untap during their controller’s next untap step. |
| 2014-11-24 | Will of the Naga tracks the creatures, but not their controllers. If any of those creatures changes controllers before its first controller’s next untap step, then it won’t untap during its new controller’s next untap step. |
| 2014-11-24 | You can’t exile cards to pay for the colored mana requirements of a spell with delve. |
| 2014-11-24 | You can’t exile more cards than the generic mana requirement of a spell with delve. For example, you can’t exile more than five cards from your graveyard to cast Tasigur’s Cruelty. |
| 2014-11-24 | You exile cards from your graveyard at the same time you pay the spell’s cost. Exiling a card this way is simply another way to pay that cost. |
