Nimbus of the Isles MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Elemental
Abilities Flying
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Flying ability enhances board control and provides air-based offensive and defensive strategies.
  2. Two blue mana cost makes it a solid choice primarily for mono-blue or two-color decks.
  3. Its simplicity makes Nimbus of the Isles a reliable pick for straightforward strategies in MTG.

Text of card

Flying (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.)

The people of the Sevick Isles have a unique understanding of the term "ominous clouds."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nimbus of the Isles, with its flying ability, allows for maintaining board presence which indirectly contributes to preserving cards in hand as opponents may need to use multiple resources to deal with it.

Resource Acceleration: As a creature card, Nimbus of the Isles doesn’t inherently provide resource acceleration. However, its five mana for a 3/3 flier can be a reasonable cost in limited formats, fitting well into the curve and potentially freeing up mana in later turns for multiple spells.

Instant Speed: While Nimbus of the Isles is a creature card that requires sorcery speed to play, the strategic deployment of such a card at the opportune turn can still mimic the benefits of instant speed by dictating opponent responses and mana usage in subsequent turns.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Nimbus of the Isles does not have a discard requirement, but remember that cards with this downside can force you to make tough decisions between valuable resources in hand and the necessity of fielding a creature.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast Nimbus of the Isles, a strict requirement of two blue mana can be a challenge in multicolored decks, potentially causing delays or restricting its play to mono-blue or two-color decks where blue is heavily favored.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, including two from blue sources, Nimbus of the Isles comes with a high investment for a vanilla 3/3 flyer. In a game where the tempo can mean winning or losing, there are alternatives that could be a better fit for a deck looking to optimize mana efficiency and impact.


Reasons to Include Nimbus of the Isles in Your Collection

Versatility: As a flying creature, Nimbus of the Isles offers reliable air defense and offense, fitting into blue-based decks that capitalize on evasion strategies.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with spells and abilities that reward you for controlling creatures with flying or for casting creatures with a high mana cost.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where the board is often congested with ground-troopers, Nimbus of the Isles soars over for consistent damage and maintains a presence that’s harder to block.


How to beat

Nimbus of the Isles serves as a solid flier in Magic: The Gathering, providing aerial presence with its considerable toughness. It’s often utilized in decks favoring the skies strategy. To effectively counter Nimbus of the Isles, one strategy is to employ removal spells that can target flying creatures effectively. Cards like Plummet specifically designed to bring down flying creatures, offer an efficient and often less expensive answer to neutralize the aerial threat. Additionally, utilizing creatures with reach or other flying creatures that surpass Nimbus of the Isles in power can create favorable aerial blockers, pitting the skies to your advantage.

Moreover, it’s a good move to exploit Nimbus of the Isles’ predictability. Being a five-mana cost creature, it enters the battlefield relatively late, providing an opportunity to set up defense or removal ahead of time. This can leave the Nimbus player at a tempo disadvantage if they rely too heavily on it. Lastly, implementing counterspells to prevent Nimbus of the Isles from hitting the board in the first place ensures that you retain control of the skies and maintain an unobstructed path to victory.


Cards like Nimbus of the Isles

Dive into the skies of Magic: The Gathering with Nimbus of the Isles, a creature that parallels the functionality of many other flying creatures in the blue card pool. A comparison that instantly comes to mind is with Wind Drake – both creatures have the same flying ability, making them elusive targets in the aerial combat space. Nimbus of the Isles steps up with a marginally greater power, posing a more significant threat on the board.

Additionally, Watercourser is a creature worthy of mention when discussing similarities. Although it lacks the flying ability, it offers the flexibility of adjusting its power, which can be vital during close combats. Nonetheless, Nimbus of the Isles holds an advantage in terms of evasion, making it a more consistent aerial threat.

Stats-wise, Towering-Wave Mystic presents a comparable mana cost but exchanges flight for an ability to support graveyard strategies. Nimbus of the Isles, devoid of additional abilities, remains a simple yet dependable choice for players seeking straightforward aerial strength. These comparisons help MTG enthusiasts weigh their deck-building options, ensuring Nimbus of the Isles earns its spot in the roster of solid blue fliers.

Wind Drake - MTG Card versions
Watercourser - MTG Card versions
Towering-Wave Mystic - MTG Card versions
Wind Drake - Portal (POR)
Watercourser - Magic 2013 (M13)
Towering-Wave Mystic - Theros Beyond Death (THB)

Cards similar to Nimbus of the Isles by color, type and mana cost

Vesuvan Doppelganger - MTG Card versions
Water Elemental - MTG Card versions
Air Elemental - MTG Card versions
Pirate Ship - MTG Card versions
Sandbar Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Segovian Leviathan - MTG Card versions
Psionic Entity - MTG Card versions
Taniwha - MTG Card versions
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - MTG Card versions
Wu Admiral - MTG Card versions
Mawcor - MTG Card versions
Timin, Youthful Geist - MTG Card versions
Geology Enthusiast - MTG Card versions
Dreamtail Heron - MTG Card versions
Coastal Hornclaw - MTG Card versions
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - MTG Card versions
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - MTG Card versions
Richard Garfield, Ph.D. - MTG Card versions
Cloudhoof Kirin - MTG Card versions
Tidewater Minion - MTG Card versions
Vesuvan Doppelganger - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Water Elemental - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Air Elemental - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Pirate Ship - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Sandbar Crocodile - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Segovian Leviathan - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Psionic Entity - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Taniwha - Mirage (MIR)
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Wu Admiral - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Mawcor - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Timin, Youthful Geist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Geology Enthusiast - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dreamtail Heron - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Coastal Hornclaw - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - Commander Masters (CMM)
Richard Garfield, Ph.D. - Unhinged (UNH)
Cloudhoof Kirin - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Tidewater Minion - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nimbus of the Isles MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2015 and Battlebond, 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 Nimbus of the Isles and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Nimbus of the Isles Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-07-18 and 2018-06-08. Illustrated by Cliff Childs.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-07-18Magic 2015M15 722015normalblackCliff Childs
22018-06-08BattlebondBBD 1242015normalblackCliff Childs

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nimbus of the Isles has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks