Nissa, Nature's Artisan MTG Card


Nissa, Nature's Artisan - Kaladesh
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Nissa
Released2016-09-30
Set symbol
Set nameKaladesh
Set codeKLD
Loyalty 5
Number270
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byWillian Murai

Key Takeaways

  1. Brings card advantage and keeps options open with creature-based card draws.
  2. Untaps lands for rapid mana escalation and unexpected plays.
  3. Employs late-game elemental creatures for game-changing momentum.

Text of card

+3: You gain 3 life. −4: Reveal the top two cards of your library. Put all land cards from among them onto the battlefield and the rest into your hand. −12: Creatures you control get +5/+5 and gain trample until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nissa, Nature’s Artisan’s ability to draw a card when one of your creatures with power 3 or greater enters the battlefield helps you maintain a strong hand throughout the game, solidifying your position and increasing your options for strategic plays.

Resource Acceleration: This planeswalker’s second ability provides an impressive boost in resource acceleration by untapping up to two target lands. This not only ramps up your mana production but also can unexpectedly free up needed resources for instant responses or further development of your board state.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant herself, Nissa’s ultimate skill creates a swath of 5/5 Elemental creatures that can dramatically shift the game’s momentum in your favor, especially when used during the late game where instant responses from opponents become crucial.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Nissa, Nature’s Artisan doesn’t directly require a discard, her abilities, particularly the ultimate, may indirectly lead you to discard due to hand size limits.

Specific Mana Cost: Nissa demands a specific blend of mana, including double green, which can be challenging for multi-color decks to muster, especially early in the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing six mana to cast, your game may be set back due to investing a considerable amount in summoning her, potentially slowing down the deck’s overall pace.


Reasons to Include Nissa, Nature’s Artisan in Your Collection

Versatility: Nissa, Nature’s Artisan is a flexible planeswalker that can serve multiple roles in green-centric decks, from gaining life to replenishing your hand with cards, and even ramping up to your big creatures.

Combo Potential: Nissa’s ability to put lands onto the battlefield taps into landfall mechanics or can be an engine in decks looking to capitalize on high land counts for massive spells and effects.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that occasionally sees decks flounder against life loss, Nissa, Nature’s Artisan offers a sturdy option for offsetting that trend and keeping you within a comfortable life total while continually applying pressure through deck manipulation.


How to beat Nissa, Nature’s Artisan

Nissa, Nature’s Artisan is a powerful planeswalker card that offers a substantial advantage to players in MTG through life gain and creature deck acceleration. The key to countering Nissa is to focus on direct damage spells and abilities that can target planeswalkers. Cards such as Lightning Bolt or Dreadbore can be effective tools in removing her from the battlefield before her abilities significantly impact the game.

Additionally, playing counterspells to prevent Nissa from entering the battlefield in the first place can be crucial. Negate and Essence Scatter are excellent examples of spells that can prevent her from unleashing her potential. Keep in mind that while Nissa has the capability to gain life, her presence alone doesn’t protect the player completely, so maintaining pressure on the opponent’s life total is a sound strategy.

Finally, keeping a steady board presence and applying constant pressure can make it difficult for your opponent to safely deploy Nissa, ultimately forcing them to hold her back or play her at a less than ideal time. By managing these strategic elements, you can overcome the challenge presented by Nissa, Nature’s Artisan and secure victory in your MTG matches.


Cards like Nissa, Nature's Artisan

In the vast realm of planeswalker cards in MTG, Nissa, Nature’s Artisan is a notable presence. She shares elemental traits with cards like Garruk Wildspeaker, both of which excel in ramping up mana and generating creature tokens. Yet, Nissa, Nature’s Artisan offers something unique with her ability to gain life points, a useful tactic to outlast opponents in prolonged games. Meanwhile, Garruk can untap two lands, a different approach to accelerating mana.

Another comparable card is Nissa, Who Shakes the World. Although it costs one less mana, this iteration of Nissa focuses on doubling the mana from forests and doesn’t have the direct life-gain ability. What it lacks in life sustainability, it makes up for with the potential for explosive green mana generation. Similarly, Nissa, Vital Force, while only a one mana difference, hinges more on aggressive strategies, turning lands into formidable creatures and providing card advantage through its emblem.

Deciding on which version of Nissa to play often comes down to the deck’s overall strategy and desired pace of play. Nissa, Nature’s Artisan, with her balanced mix of resource enhancement and life-giving abilities, places a steady hand on the scales in a duel of wits and endurance in MTG.

Garruk Wildspeaker - MTG Card versions
Nissa, Who Shakes the World - MTG Card versions
Nissa, Vital Force - MTG Card versions
Garruk Wildspeaker - Lorwyn (LRW)
Nissa, Who Shakes the World - War of the Spark (WAR)
Nissa, Vital Force - Kaladesh Promos (PKLD)

Cards similar to Nissa, Nature's Artisan by color, type and mana cost

Vivien on the Hunt - MTG Card versions
Arlinn, Voice of the Pack - MTG Card versions
Garruk, Caller of Beasts - MTG Card versions
Vivien of the Arkbow - MTG Card versions
Vivien, Nature's Avenger - MTG Card versions
Garruk, Savage Herald - MTG Card versions
Vivien on the Hunt - Streets of New Capenna (SNC)
Arlinn, Voice of the Pack - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Garruk, Caller of Beasts - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Vivien of the Arkbow - Core Set 2019 (M19)
Vivien, Nature's Avenger - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Garruk, Savage Herald - Core Set 2021 (M21)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nissa, Nature's Artisan MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh, 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 Nissa, Nature's Artisan and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nissa, Nature's Artisan has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2016-09-20 The set of creatures affected by Nissa's last ability is determined as the ability resolves. Creatures you begin to control later in the turn and noncreature permanents that become creatures later in the turn won't get +5/+5 or gain trample.

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