Abyssal Nocturnus MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Horror
Released	2006-02-03
Set symbol
Set name	Guildpact
Set code	GPT
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	43
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jon Foster

Key Takeaways

Increases in strength with each black spell your opponent reveals, enhancing its game-altering presence.
Strategically fosters growth during opponents’ turns, capitalized by instant speed play.
Might compel resource misallocation, subtly accelerating your own strategic execution.

Text of card

Whenever an opponent discards a card, Abyssal Nocturnus gets +2/+2 and gains fear until end of turn.

"I fear to keep an open mind, for there are those who would use it as a door to my soul." —Voka Schlak, Mauzam Asylum inmate, diary

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Abyssal Nocturnus shines in maintaining card advantage as it becomes more formidable with each opposing card revealed. Each black spell your opponent plays swells its power, turning this creature into a growing threat that commands attention and manages the battlefield effectively.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly influencing resource acceleration, the presence of Abyssal Nocturnus on the battlefield can indirectly expedite your game plan by pressuring opponents to deal with it, potentially diverting resources they would otherwise use against you or to build their own board presence.

Instant Speed: A striking aspect of Abyssal Nocturnus is its synergy with instant speed spells. Since it gains power during your opponent’s turn, instant speed removal and discard effects can be strategically timed to bolster its power and toughness unexpectedly, turning routine plays into significant threats and forcing your opponent to play around an ever-dangerous board state.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Abyssal Nocturnus hinges on opponents discarding cards, which may not consistently trigger in games where the opponent’s strategy doesn’t align with this mechanic.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature demands a dedication to black mana, which can skew a deck’s mana base and make it harder to cast spells of other colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three black mana, Abyssal Nocturnus competes with other impactful four-drops that might not be as situational.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Abyssal Nocturnus is a dark horse in deck building, offering flexibility in its application. Its potential to become a massive threat with each opponents’ misplay or discarded card makes it an adaptable addition to various strategies that revolve around hand disruption and control.

Combo Potential: This creature’s power to grow with each black spell and discarding effects creates synergies with cards that manipulate both your hand and your opponent’s. This can lead to explosive turns with a dramatically boosted power level, paving the way for game-ending swings.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of multicolored decks and strategies that pivot around hand manipulation, integrating Abyssal Nocturnus into your collection can be a savvy move. It thrives as a sleeper hit in environments dense with targeted discard effects and can quickly become an unmanageable threat for your adversaries.

How to beat

Abyssal Nocturnus is an intriguing creature card that thrives in the chaos of black-dominated decks within Magic: The Gathering. Proving formidable with its ability to grow stronger through the discarding of cards, Abyssal Nocturnus can quickly become a significant threat. To effectively counter this spectral powerhouse, players must strategically manage their hand and field.

Key removal spells are essential in handling Abyssal Nocturnus. Instant spells that can destroy or exile creatures, such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade, can promptly deal with the Nocturnus before it becomes too large. Furthermore, employing graveyard disruption techniques or spells that can control or prevent discarding will mitigate the Nocturnus’ strength. Cards that force card draws, like Howling Mine, or those that shuffle the graveyard back into the library, such as Elixir of Immortality, can be particularly effective strategies.

Ultimately, the best approach to overcome a card like Abyssal Nocturnus is to remain adaptable and to consider incorporating a blend of creature removal, graveyard control, and hand disruption within your deck to ensure you’re not caught off guard by the dark surprises this card can bring to the table.

Cards like Abyssal Nocturnus

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Abyssal Nocturnus is a unique horror creature that thrives in a deck with a heavy emphasis on black mana and discarding strategies. If we consider a related creature like Hypnotic Specter, both share a focus on the opponent discarding cards. While Hypnotic Specter allows you to chip away at your adversary’s hand each time it deals damage, Abyssal Nocturnus gains power and becomes a real threat on board through its power-boosting ability linked to the opponent’s hand being disrupted.

Comparatively, Guul Draz Specter benefits from an opponent having a reduced hand, growing stronger and harder to block. Unlike Abyssal Nocturnus, this scaling is reliant on the size of the opponent’s hand rather than specific discard events. Lastly, Painful Quandary presents a different approach. As an enchantment, it puts opponents in a dilemma with each spell cast, potentially swelling your Nocturnus without the peril combat brings. While not a creature, it synergizes well by enhancing the conditions that make Abyssal Nocturnus formidable.

Ultimately, Abyssal Nocturnus is a fine choice for players who enjoy a psyche-out style of gameplay, using hand disruption to gain an upper hand and command a threatening presence on the battlefield.

Cards similar to Abyssal Nocturnus by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Abyssal Nocturnus MTG card by a specific set like Guildpact, 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 Abyssal Nocturnus and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Abyssal Nocturnus has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Abyssal Nocturnus card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2006-02-01	If your opponent discards any cards during their cleanup step to get down to the maximum hand size, the ability will trigger and players will receive priority. After that cleanup step ends, a new one will begin and Abyssal Nocturnus's effect will end. It won't carry over into the next turn.
2006-02-01	If your opponent discards multiple cards to a single effect, this will trigger multiple times.