Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Wizard
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Jadar offers repeated zombie tokens at no extra card cost, bolstering board presence and enabling various synergies.
  2. The need to sacrifice creatures can be restrictive, affecting board presence and aligning with specific deck types.
  3. Flexibility and combo potential make Jadar a versatile addition to decks utilizing tokens or graveyard mechanics.

Text of card

At the beginning of your end step, if you control no creatures with decayed, create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token with decayed. (It can't block. When it attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia offers consistent value by creating a 2/2 Zombie creature token with decayed at the beginning of your end step, provided you control no creatures with decayed. This translates to a potential new blocker every turn, aiding in maintaining board presence and card advantage without depleting the cards in your hand.

Resource Acceleration: Through generating a stream of creature tokens, this card can pave the way for various strategies. It pairs excellently with sacrifice outlets, allowing players to accelerate their resources by converting creatures into other forms of advantage, such as life gain, card draw, or additional mana.

Instant Speed: While Jadar himself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the tokens he creates can be utilized with other spells or abilities that you can activate at instant speed. This could include sacrificing the Zombie token in response to an opponent’s action, which adds a layer of flexibility and strategic depth to your gameplay.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia necessitates the disposal of another creature to create a 2/2 black Zombie creature token. This can be a hindrance in game scenarios when your board presence is sparse and sacrificing a creature could undermine your field strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Costing a combination of one black and one generic mana, Jadar’s specific mana requirements can constrain deck-building options, particularly in multi-colored or mana-intensive decks where maintaining the necessary black mana can be challenging.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not exceedingly high, two mana for Jadar’s ability might be considered steep in situations where speed is paramount. In the fast-paced current meta, there are other lower-cost creatures that could take immediate effect on the board, outpacing Jadar’s impact per mana spent.


Reasons to Include Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia in Your Collection

Versatility: Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia serves as a consistent token creator that fits snugly into various deck builds. As a low-cost creature, he provides an early presence on the board and synergizes with strategies that capitalize on creature and zombie tokens.

Combo Potential: The card’s ability to produce a 2/2 black Zombie creature token with decayed at each of your upkeeps has immense combo potential. It can be harnessed in sacrifice-focused decks, enabling you to exploit various death triggers or engine cards that thrive on sacrificing creatures for value.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta filled with decks that look to go wide with creatures or utilize graveyard strategies, Jadar fits perfectly. His constant supply of Zombie tokens can be pivotal in overrun strategies or as fodder for various sacrificial mechanics. Against slower decks, the pressure applied from the consistent token generation can force opponents to react sooner than they’d like.


How to beat

Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia presents an interesting challenge in the realm of MTG. This card generates a 2/2 black Zombie creature token with decayed at the beginning of your end step if you control no creatures with decayed. The decayed mechanic limits these tokens as they can’t block and when they attack, they must be sacrificed at the end of combat.

To counter Jadar’s influence, strategies revolving around creature removal are highly effective. Board wipes or damage-based spells can clear the tokens before they get the chance to attack. Cards like Wrath of God or Blasphemous Act will leave Jadar without his undead army. Single target removal like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can target Jadar directly, stunting the creation of these tokens before they become a reoccurring problem.

Moreover, enchantments that restrict the ability to attack, such as Ghostly Prison or Propaganda, minimize the threat by forcing the opponent to pay mana to attack, which could be especially taxing when dealing with multiple tokens. Ultimately, maintaining control of the field and managing the tokens efficiently is key to overcoming Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia’s relentless undead swarm.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the dynamics of Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia, can add a distinct edge to your gameplay. With his ability to create a flow of Zombie tokens, you can explore a new realm of strategies, especially in decks that thrive on creature and graveyard synergies. To harness the full power of this unique card, consider its role in sacrifice mechanics and how it can pressure opponents in various game scenarios. Enhance your collection and gameplay by including Jadar for his combo potential and the continual challenge he poses to others on the battlefield. Dive deeper into strategic plays by joining us to learn more.


Cards like Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia

Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia carves out a unique spot for itself among creature cards in the game with an ability that consistently generates tokens. Delving into cards with similar mechanics, we encounter Tattered Mummy—a card which doesn’t provide the same token generation, yet influences the battlefield with its death trigger, causing opponents to lose life.

Comparatively, Doomed Dissenter offers a one-time effect upon demise by creating a single 2/2 zombie token, unlike Jadar’s ongoing token production each turn. Cemetery Reaper stands out as well, providing both a static buff to your zombie tokens and an exiling ability that generates additional zombie tokens, yet it lacks Jadar’s low mana cost and self-recurring gameplay element.

In evaluating token generating card efficiency, Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia presents an intriguing value with its automatic and renewable zombie creation, making it a dependable asset, especially in a deck centered around undead themes or sacrifice mechanics.

Tattered Mummy - MTG Card versions
Doomed Dissenter - MTG Card versions
Cemetery Reaper - MTG Card versions
Tattered Mummy - Amonkhet (AKH)
Doomed Dissenter - Amonkhet (AKH)
Cemetery Reaper - Magic 2010 (M10)

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Skullsnatcher - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, 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 Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 3152015normalblackDZO
22021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 1082015normalblackYongjae Choi
32021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight Hunt PromosPMID 108p2015normalblackYongjae Choi
42021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight Hunt PromosPMID 108s2015normalblackYongjae Choi
52022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 1082015normalblackYongjae Choi

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-09-24 Decayed does not create any attacking requirements. You may choose not to attack with a creature that has decayed.
2021-09-24 Decayed does not grant haste. Creatures with decayed that enter the battlefield during your turn may not attack until your next turn.
2021-09-24 Decayed represents a static ability and a triggered ability. "Decayed" means "This creature can't block" and "When this creature attacks, sacrifice it at end of combat."
2021-09-24 Once a creature with decayed attacks, it will be sacrificed at end of combat, even if it no longer has decayed at that time.

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