Nezumi Cutthroat MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Rat Warrior
Abilities Fear
Power 2
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Nezumi Cutthroat excels at maintaining card advantage while presenting a continuous threat to opponents.
  2. The card’s efficient damage output and pressure can disrupt opponent’s resources and play strategies.
  3. Fear ability complements instant-speed spells, creating opportunities for advantageous combat trades.

Text of card

Fear Nezumi Cutthroat can't block.

"These nezumi, they disgust me. The things they will do for money no other thinking creature would consider. This, of course, makes them useful beyond words." —Meloku the Clouded Mirror


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Nezumi Cutthroat, you maintain a balance in your hand by sustaining a threat on the board without needing to overcommit additional cards. This leaves your hand ready to react to the evolving game state, preserving your in-game resources.

Resource Acceleration: While this agile creature doesn’t directly provide mana, it does offer a form of resource acceleration by allowing you to pressure your opponent efficiently. Its low casting cost coupled with Fear makes it difficult to block, delivering consistent damage and forcing your opponent to allocate resources elsewhere.

Instant Speed: Though not an instant itself, Nezumi Cutthroat’s Fear ability can complement your instant-speed spells. By presenting an evasive and relentless threat, you encourage your opponent to hold back their creatures for defense, which in turn could enable you to capitalize on instant-speed interactions unimpeded during their end phase.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Nezumi Cutthroat’s gameplay doesn’t inherently involve discarding; however, its synergy with discard strategies means it’s often in decks where you might be forced to part with valuable cards to feed graveyard-based mechanics or to activate other cards’ abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: Nezumi Cutthroat demands a specific mana composition, with both colorless and black mana necessary for casting. This requirement can be a stumbling block in multicolored decks that may struggle with mana consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not exorbitant, the mana cost to get this creature on the battlefield could be considered high for aggressive strategies that aim to deploy numerous threats quickly. There are alternative two-mana creatures with comparable or better stats and abilities that might fit more smoothly into a deck’s curve.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Nezumi Cutthroat has a solid place in aggressive black decks, thanks to its ability to be unblockable by creatures with defender. This allows it to sneak in damage regardless of the opponent’s board state, making it a flexible inclusion for various strategic approaches.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in decks that capitalize on creature synergy and attack bonuses. Its Fear ability can be a linchpin in strategies that aim to minimize blockers and maximize damage, fitting nicely with other creatures and spells that benefit from steady combat damage to the opponent.

Meta-Relevance: Considering its capability to bypass many common defensive setups, Nezumi Cutthroat fares well in metas that favor control decks with creatures meant to stall the board. Its consistent attack pressure keeps opponents on a tight clock, which is pivotal in tipping the scales in your favor during tight matches.


How to beat

Nezumi Cutthroat makes its mark as a relentless attacker in Magic: The Gathering, creating an interesting challenge for players facing this agile creature. Renowned for its fear ability, the card can only be blocked by black creatures or artifact creatures, narrowing down the defensive options significantly. Despite its evasive edge, strategic counters exist to tip the scales in your favor.

Efficient removal spells are a reliable approach, as they sidestep the creature’s blocking restrictions. Direct spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can exile the Nezumi Cutthroat swiftly, negating its potential damage entirely. Board wipes, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, also clear the path by removing all creatures, regardless of their abilities.

Another tactic involves nullifying the fear ability with cards that change the color of creatures or include all colors, like Painter’s Servant. With its stealth compromised, defensive creatures can block it with ease. In this way, by being aware of the Cutthroat’s strengths and employing strategic counters, players can manage this feared creature and maintain control of the game.


Cards like Nezumi Cutthroat

Nezumi Cutthroat is a solid player in the rogues’ gallery of aggressive creatures found in Magic: The Gathering. Its fear ability, allowing it to be blocked only by black creatures and artifact creatures, provides a certain level of unblockability akin to Skulking Ghost. While Skulking Ghost offers similar evasion, the Cutthroat has the advantage of being able to block – something the Ghost cannot boast.

Another creature worth comparing is Prickly Boggart. It, too, has the evasion mechanic of fear but at a lower cost with its one mana for a 1/1. Nezumi Cutthroat edges out in power and toughness but comes at double the mana cost. There’s a balance between efficiency and strength here. Meanwhile, Ghostly Changeling can become unblockable against most decks by gaining all creature types, including the ability to dodge creatures without the fear mechanic. It comes with a mana-flexible morph ability but again at a higher cost than the Cutthroat.

The Nezumi Cutthroat finds its niche by blending aggressiveness with resilient board presence, making it a notable card among its counterparts for players seeking to tip the scales in their favor during the early to mid-game.

Skulking Ghost - MTG Card versions
Prickly Boggart - MTG Card versions
Ghostly Changeling - MTG Card versions
Skulking Ghost - Mirage (MIR)
Prickly Boggart - Morningtide (MOR)
Ghostly Changeling - Lorwyn (LRW)

Cards similar to Nezumi Cutthroat by color, type and mana cost

Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Blighted Shaman - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Skullsnatcher - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator - MTG Card versions
Stromgald Crusader - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Erg Raiders - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Cuombajj Witches - Chronicles (CHR)
Order of the Ebon Hand - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Bog Imp - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Wall of Corpses - Mirage (MIR)
Blighted Shaman - Mirage (MIR)
Rabid Rats - Stronghold (STH)
Dakmor Bat - Portal Second Age (P02)
Ravenous Rats - Invasion (INV)
Flesh Reaver - Urza's Saga (USG)
Bloodcurdler - Odyssey (ODY)
Nantuko Shade - Commander 2014 (C14)
Piper of the Swarm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Undead Augur - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Shepherd of Rot - Onslaught (ONS)
Swarm of Rats - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Skullsnatcher - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator - Commander Anthology Volume II (CM2)
Stromgald Crusader - Coldsnap (CSP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nezumi Cutthroat MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa and Salvat 2005, 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 Nezumi Cutthroat and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Nezumi Cutthroat Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2004-10-01 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Carl Critchlow.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12004-10-01Champions of KamigawaCHK 1282003normalblackCarl Critchlow
22005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL A292003normalwhiteCarl Critchlow
32005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL A172003normalwhiteCarl Critchlow
42006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 172003normalwhiteCarl Critchlow
52006-01-01Hachette UKPHUK 292003normalwhiteCarl Critchlow
62018-03-16Masters 25A25 992015normalblackCarl Critchlow
72021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 3672015normalblackCarl Critchlow

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nezumi Cutthroat has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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