Nessian Game Warden MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Beast
Released	2014-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Journey into Nyx
Set code	JOU
Power	4
Toughness	5
Number	132
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Vincent Proce

Key Takeaways

Gaining card advantage aligns with green’s strength in creature-based library manipulation.
Thinning the deck indirectly accelerates resources, increasing draw quality.
Despite its power, it requires a tailored deck to maximize efficiency.

Text of card

When Nessian Game Warden enters the battlefield, look at the top X cards of your library, where X is the number of Forests you control. You may reveal a creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nessian Game Warden is designed to bolster your hand by revealing the top X cards of your library, where X is the number of forests you control. This ability provides an excellent opportunity to gain card advantage, selecting a creature card from among them and adding it to your hand. The rest go back to the bottom of your library, offering a strategic element to future draws.

Resource Acceleration: While Nessian Game Warden itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it assists in smoothing out future plays. By fetching creature cards, you effectively thin your deck, increasing the probability of drawing into vital lands or non-creature spells. This indirect resource acceleration can be crucial in the mid to late game, setting the stage for powerful turns.

Instant Speed: Although the Nessian Game Warden operates at sorcery speed, its ability once resolved can fetch creatures that do have flash, potentially setting up surprise blocks or end-of-turn plays. By securing instant-speed threats, the Warden extends its utility beyond its own summoning, impacting the board state even when played during your main phase.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Nessian Game Warden does not specifically require you to discard a card, it prompts you to reveal a certain number of cards from the top of your library, potentially exposing your strategy to opponents and possibly revealing key pieces of your deck.

Specific Mana Cost: Nessian Game Warden has a specific mana cost of three generic and two green mana. This requirement can be restrictive, as it demands a significant green mana commitment, making it a less flexible choice for multi-colored or splashable decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana in total, the Nessian Game Warden is competing with other substantial green creatures and spells that may offer immediate board impact or higher stats. In a game where efficiency and tempo can be key, its cost may deter some players from including it in faster-paced decks.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Nessian Game Warden has a home in numerous green-based decks that prioritize creature presence. Its ability to reveal a number of cards equal to your devotion to green can result in a significant advantage in decks that can easily manipulate that stat.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, this card can serve as a valuable piece in combos by digging deep into your deck and potentially retrieving creatures that can interact or initiate combo plays, acting as a catalyst for big turns.

Meta-Relevance: When creature-heavy and green devotion decks are thriving in the meta, Nessian Game Warden can excel by exploiting those conditions and ensuring you have a robust hand of creatures to outpace opponents in terms of board presence.

How to beat

Nessian Game Warden enters the battlefield as a formidable creature card in Magic: The Gathering, bringing with it the potential to enhance your game through its ability to reveal cards from the top of your library. Its strength lies in its interaction with the number of creatures you control, allowing you to look at that many cards and put a creature card from among them into your hand. This advantage can quickly tip the scales if not addressed swiftly.

To counteract the Nessian Game Warden’s impact, focus on controlling the board and keeping creature counts low. Removal spells are your ally in this endeavor; use them wisely to keep your opponent’s creature count to a minimum before they can cast their game warden. Board wipes can also reset the situation, nullifying the card advantage the warden may have offered. Another strategy involves using cards that limit your opponent’s ability to search their library, or cards that exile the warden immediately upon entry to avoid its effect altogether.

Employing these tactics reduces the value the Nessian Game Warden can provide, ensuring that the card advantage stays manageable and that you maintain a steadier path toward victory in your Magic: The Gathering matches.

Cards like Nessian Game Warden

Nessian Game Warden enters the scene as a powerful card in the realm of creature-based library manipulation within the game. With the ability to look at the top few cards of your library and grab a creature card among them, it mirrors the utility of cards like Courser of Kruphix, which also allows you to peek at the top of your library, albeit with a different benefit of playing lands from the top.

Similarly, Fierce Empath is another creature with a knack for fetching specific cards from your library, with the emphasis on grabbing a larger creature. However, while Fierce Empath is more specific in its search, Nessian Game Warden offers potential for a broader choice, giving it flexibility in a creature-rich deck. Woodland Bellower also shares a resemblant effect, fetching nonlegendary green creatures upon entering the battlefield, yet it’s the Warden’s choice among multiple cards that distinctively supports strategic plays.

Considering their features and tactical applications, Nessian Game Warden stands out as a versatile choice, making it a valuable asset for players seeking to refine their deck’s performance by harnessing creature synergy and strategic foresight.

Cards similar to Nessian Game Warden by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nessian Game Warden MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx, 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 Nessian Game Warden and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nessian Game Warden has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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