Nightfire Giant MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Zombie Giant
Released	2014-07-18
Set symbol
Set name	Magic 2015
Set code	M15
Power	4
Toughness	3
Number	109
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dave Kendall

Key Takeaways

Combining board control and strategy, Nightfire Giant excels at instant speed, offering significant in-game advantages.
Limited by specific mana requirements and high cost, this Giant may struggle to impact the game early on.
In decks with the right mana base, Nightfire Giant’s utility and combo potential can make it a powerful asset.

Text of card

Nightfire Giant gets +1/+1 as long as you control a Mountain. : Nightfire Giant deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

Nightfire turns the greatest weakness of the undead into formidable strength.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nightfire Giant grants an edge by offering the utility to control the board with its ability to deal damage. This creates potential card advantage as you can eliminate opposing creatures without losing your own.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Nightfire Giant itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, as a part of a deck revolving around the mountain and swamp synergy, it can complement strategies that ramp mana and expedite your game plan.

Instant Speed: The real power of Nightfire Giant lies in its ability to use its activated power at instant speed. This flexibility can shift the tide of a game, allowing you to respond to threats or opportunities as they arise, providing not just battlefield control but also leading to significant strategic advantages during your opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Nightfire Giant requires a hand discard to trigger its ability, which can be a strategic setback when your hand is depleted of non-essential cards.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for the Nightfire Giant includes both black and red, restricting its inclusion to only those decks that can produce both colors consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a substantial mana cost to bring into play, the Nightfire Giant may come too late in the game when faster, lower-cost creatures could be more beneficial to maintaining board presence.

Reasons to Include Nightfire Giant in Your Collection

Versatility: Nightfire Giant is a solid addition to decks that are built around a red and black mana base, as it can serve as a formidable creature in the later game. Its ability to become a 5/4 creature when you control a mountain makes it adaptable and powerful on different stages of the game.

Combo Potential: With its ability to deal damage to target creature or player when you have the requisite mana, Nightfire Giant works well with strategies that capitalize on direct damage or creature removal, enhancing your board control.

Meta-Relevance: Given its flexibility and strength in a land-heavy late game, Nightfire Giant could be especially useful in a meta that rewards enduring to the later stages of play. Plus, as removal becomes more critical, the added value of its activated ability can’t be overstated.

How to Beat Nightfire Giant

Nightfire Giant stands tall as a formidable creature card known for its strength in the game of MTG. Boasting versatility, it becomes more potent in a deck optimized for its mountain and swamp synergy. However, like any strategy on the battlefield, there are effective ways to quell this fiery threat.

One key to triumphing over Nightfire Giant is to control the land count. Because the Giant benefits from both types of lands, targeting a player’s mana base can be crucial. Land destruction or land conversion tactics can mitigate the Giant’s abilities, forcing the player to reconsider their strategy. Also, removal spells that don’t target, such as board wipes, can clear the Giant from the board without having to pay its formidable activated ability cost.

Lastly, direct creature removals, especially those that exile, such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares, can deal with Nightfire Giant permanently. By disrupting your opponent’s land flow and utilizing efficient removal spells, you can contain this creature and pave your way to victory against decks capitalizing on Nightfire Giant’s power. Remember to assess the battlefield and your resources to choose the moment for a strategic strike.

Cards like Nightfire Giant

Nightfire Giant stands out in the realm of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, especially among those that thrive on a specific land type. Comparable to the Giant is the Cinder Elemental, a creature that, much like Nightfire Giant, can utilize mana to deal damage to any target. However, Cinder Elemental requires mana investment and a sacrifice to activate this ability, whereas the Nightfire Giant’s ability does not require the creature to be sacrificed.

Another similar card is the Fire Elemental, which offers a straightforward physique for its cost but lacks the Nightfire Giant’s built-in ability to control the board by dealing direct damage. While Fire Elemental may be well-suited for aggressive strategies that prioritize power over utility, Nightfire Giant delivers versatility by adapting to a land-heavy battlefield, becoming a bigger threat when the number of Mountains increases.

In the landscape of versatile creatures within Magic: The Gathering, Nightfire Giant’s capacity to become a more dominant force with its activated ability and land synergy makes it a unique option for deckbuilders looking for multi-faceted cards that can shift roles from beater to removal depending on the game’s progression.

Cards similar to Nightfire Giant by color, type and mana cost

Obosh, the Preypiercer - MTG Card versions

Mishra, Tamer of Mak Fawa - MTG Card versions

Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury - MTG Card versions

Grusilda, Monster Masher - MTG Card versions

Garna, the Bloodflame - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nightfire Giant MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2015, 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 Nightfire Giant and other MTG cards: