Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Vampire Wizard |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Released | 2013-11-01 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Commander 2013 |
| Set code | C13 |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 194 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Cynthia Sheppard |
Text of card
Flying When Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge enters the battlefield, each player exiles the top X cards of his or her library, where X is the amount of mana spent to cast Jeleva. Whenever Jeleva attacks, you may cast an instant or sorcery card exiled with it without paying its mana cost.
Cards like Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
Jeleva, Nephalia’s Scourge elevates the dynamics of casting spells in MTG. This legendary vampire wizard offers a unique twist on exile and cast mechanics that’s shared by few cards. Comparable to Jeleva is the renown Chaos Wand, which also harnesses the potential of casting spells from other players’ libraries. However, unlike Chaos Wand’s randomness and reliance on an artifact’s activation, Jeleva provides a more predictable outcome upon entering the battlefield or attacking.
Another similar card to highlight is Mind’s Dilation, an enchantment that exiles and allows you to cast the top card of an opponent’s library whenever they cast their first spell each turn. While Mind’s Dilation works passively and continually, it doesn’t provide the upfront card advantage that Jeleva does when she initially comes into play. Also, Jeleva’s ability to cast multiple cards over time as she attacks can lead to accumulating card advantage in a way that Mind’s Dilation wouldn’t.
When considering strategic depth and control over opponents’ resources, Jeleva stands out. Her ability to carve a path through the game by using opponents’ spells makes her a unique and formidable card, holding her own among MTG cards that manipulate exile and casting.
Cards similar to Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Jeleva, Nephalia’s Scourge is a powerhouse when it comes to gaining card advantage. When she enters the battlefield, each player exiles the top cards of their library, but only you get to play those cards without paying their mana costs. This ability can potentially provide access to an array of powerful spells at no additional resource commitment on your part.
Resource Acceleration: Although Jeleva herself doesn’t directly produce mana, the resource acceleration comes into play by bypassing mana costs of the exiled cards. This allows you to deploy more threats or answers than you would normally be able to based on your available mana, effectively giving you a massive acceleration in resources.
Instant Speed: While Jeleva’s ability isn’t at instant speed, the spells you cast from exile with her can be—if they’re instants. This gives you the strategic advantage of being able to wait for the optimal moment to disrupt your opponent’s plays or make game-changing moves without having to commit to a strategy until you see how the game unfolds.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Jeleva, Nephalia’s Scourge demands that you exile the top cards of each player’s library, which may force you to part with key spells of your own, putting you at a strategic disadvantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Jeleva requires a spread of colored mana, one each of blue, black, and red, plus one generic. This can pose challenges in mana fixing, especially in a high-speed game where consistency is key.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While her ability is potentially powerful, Jeleva comes with a mana cost of four, including three specific colors. In competitive play, where speed is crucial, other commanders may offer quicker starts or more immediate impacts on the game.
Reasons to Include Jeleva, Nephalia’s Scourge in Your Collection
Versatility: Jeleva, Nephalia’s Scourge, with her unique ability to exile cards from all players’ decks, allowing a casting of spells without paying their mana costs, adapts to various play styles. Whether you’re leading a spell-slinger or a mill-focused deck, her mechanics complement different strategic avenues.
Combo Potential: When it comes to setting up game-winning combinations, Jeleva elevates the bar. Her inherent capacity to pluck out spells from your opponent’s library positions her as a formidable force, catalyzing explosive turns rife with unexpected spell plays that can turn the tide of any game.
Meta-Relevance: Given the constant ebb and flow of the MTG multiplayer environment, Jeleva retains her place as a force to be reckoned with. Strategic decks capitalizing on high-impact spells dominate group play, ensuring that Jeleva, Nephalia’s Scourge, remains a competitive and surprising threat against a breadth of popular strategies.
How to beat
Jeleva, Nephalia’s Scourge presents a unique challenge in MTG due to her ability to exile and cast spells for free. The key to overcoming this powerful commander lies in understanding her mechanics and knowing when to disrupt her strategy. One effective strategy is to keep her off the battlefield. Using instant-speed removal when she’s cast or about to attack can prevent her from exiling top cards of libraries. Counterspells are also valuable here as they can stop her from hitting the board in the first place.
Once Jeleva is in play, graveyard manipulation in your deck can be a game-changer. This can limit the number of potential threats she can exile and access. Additionally, effects that shuffle your library can help mitigate the damage done by her ability by refreshing the potential spells she may cast. Prioritize targeting Jeleva with spells or abilities that force her owner to shuffle their library or purposefully exile less impactful cards when she resolves.
Ultimately, consistent board control, strategic library and graveyard management, and savvy spell timing can turn the tide against Jeleva, Nephalia’s Scourge, keeping your game plan safe from her free cast interruption.
BurnMana Recommendations
Diving deeper into MTG’s rich tactical play, Jeleva, Nephalia’s Scourge stands out as a riveting addition to any commander arsenal. Her ability to cast crucial spells without a mana cost from exile positions her as a fascinating choice for players seeking an edge through card advantage and resource acceleration. While her own cons require attention to detail and strategic planning, her versatility, combo potential, and relevance in the constantly evolving MTG meta cannot be understated. To harness these powerful dynamics and refine your gameplay, continue your journey with us, where strategy meets imagination. Discover how to incorporate Jeleva into your deck strategies and adapt to her unique playstyle for a truly engaging MTG experience.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2013, 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 Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge and other MTG cards:
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-10-17 | If Jeleva leaves the battlefield, the exiled cards will remain exiled indefinitely. If Jeleva enters the battlefield again, it won’t be associated with the cards the “other” Jeleva exiled. The new Jeleva will exile a new set of cards. Only those cards can be cast using Jeleva’s last ability. |
| 2013-10-17 | If the card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value. |
| 2013-10-17 | If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t pay alternative costs such as overload costs. However, you can pay additional costs such as kicker costs. If the card has mandatory additional costs, you must pay those. |
| 2013-10-17 | If you cast an instant or sorcery card using Jeleva’s last ability, you do so while that ability is resolving. If you choose not to (or you can’t), you won’t get a chance to cast it later unless the ability triggers again. |
| 2013-10-17 | The card is cast before blocking creatures are declared. |
| 2013-10-17 | When casting an instant or sorcery card this way, ignore all timing restrictions based on the card’s type. Other timing restrictions, such as “Cast -his spell] only during combat,” must be followed. |
| 2014-02-01 | If Jeleva enters the battlefield without being cast, then no mana was spent to cast it. This means X will be 0, so no cards will be exiled. |
| 2014-02-01 | The amount of mana you spent to cast this creature is usually equal to its converted mana cost. However, you also include any additional costs you pay, including the cost imposed for casting your commander from the command zone. |
| 2014-02-01 | You can’t choose to pay extra mana to cast a creature spell unless something instructs you to. |