Mist-Syndicate Naga MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Naga Ninja
Abilities Ninjutsu
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Mist-Syndicate Naga’s token generation multiplies your battlefield presence with each successful attack on a player.
  2. Generates resource synergies, turning new creature copies into additional mana or other in-game advantages.
  3. Effective removal and damage prevention strategies are essential to counter Mist-Syndicate Naga’s exponential growth.

Text of card

Ninjutsu (, Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking.) Whenever Mist-Syndicate Naga deals combat damage to a player, create a token that's a copy of Mist-Syndicate Naga.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Mist-Syndicate Naga deals combat damage to a player, you create a token that’s a copy of Mist-Syndicate Naga, potentially multiplying your board presence and overwhelming opponents with repeated attacks.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana acceleration, the increased number of creatures generated allows for synergies with other cards that convert creatures into resources or mana.

Instant Speed: Though Mist-Syndicate Naga itself isn’t an instant, the token generation activates whenever it deals combat damage, which can occur unexpectedly during instant speed combat tricks, increasing its utility and surprise factor on the battlefield.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Mist-Syndicate Naga does not have a direct discard requirement, if a strategy relies on it without ways to bypass its conditions, it could indirectly cause a player to discard valuable cards in pursuit of setting up its triggering mechanism.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands both colorless and blue mana, necessitating a commitment to blue mana sources, which can restrict its inclusion to specific types of decks and may not fit well in multicolor decks requiring flexible mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Mist-Syndicate Naga can be seen as steep for its stats and initial absence of board impact. Other creatures or spells at similar mana costs might provide immediate effects or come with built-in resilience that offers a stronger case for inclusion in a deck.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mist-Syndicate Naga offers flexibility in deck building, able to seamlessly integrate into various blue-oriented decks. Its ability to create a copy of itself lends well to strategies focused on swarming the board with creatures.

Combo Potential: This card excels in combinations, particularly with effects that increase combat damage or proliferate the number of attacking creatures. Its potential to exponentially increase your creature count can turn the tide of battle swiftly.

Meta-Relevance: Considering its suitability in a meta that rewards player interaction and combat prowess, Mist-Syndicate Naga holds its ground. It can apply consistent pressure in matches, especially where opponents are unprepared for multiple attacking copies emerging each turn.


How to beat

Mist-Syndicate Naga holds a unique place in MTG, being a creature that can create copies of itself. Each time it deals combat damage to a player, a token that’s a copy of Mist-Syndicate Naga is created, which can quickly lead to an overwhelming board presence. To counter this multiplying threat, control cards are key.

Effective removal spells are your best bet against Mist-Syndicate Naga. Consider instant-speed options that can disrupt play before tokens are created, like Path to Exile or Fatal Push. Board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation can also clean up multiple Nagas at once. Since it depends on combat damage to replicate, creatures with reach or flying can block and minimize the chances of token generation. Pillow fort strategies involving cards that prevent creatures from attacking you, such as Ghostly Prison, are also useful.

Sufficiently handling Mist-Syndicate Naga requires a mix of timing and the right removal strategies. Keeping your opponent’s side of the board clear while setting up defenses that prevent the Naga from dealing damage will ensure this slippery creature doesn’t slip out of control.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mist-Syndicate Naga is a multifaceted gem in the MTG realm, sparking enthusiasm among players who crave tactical board expansion. Its clone-producing combat damage opens doors to overpower opponents with sheer creature volume. Balancing the advantages and addressing the drawbacks is key to harnessing its true potential on the battlefield. Mastery of timing and smart deck building around this nifty ninja can enhance your gameplay significantly. Ready for a deeper dive into optimizing your deck with Mist-Syndicate Naga? Explore further with us and gain insights to fortify your strategy and become a formidable player in the MTG community.


Cards like Mist-Syndicate Naga

Mist-Syndicate Naga offers a unique spin on creature cards in MTG, with its ability to create a token copy of itself whenever it deals combat damage to a player. This mirrors the functionality of cards like Spawnwrithe, which also duplicates itself under similar conditions. However, Mist-Syndicate Naga adds an extra layer with its ninja subtype, which can be advantageous in decks that capitalize on such synergies.

Additionally, we have Stolen Identity, which not only creates a copy of a creature when it deals combat damage but can be ciphered onto a creature to repeatedly exploit this effect. Although gaining value from Stolen Identity requires a bit more setup than Mist-Syndicate Naga, it allows for duplication of any creature on the battlefield. Conversely, Phantasmal Image offers a different approach, entering the battlefield as a copy of any creature already in play, but without the recurring aspect of the token generation found in Mist-Syndicate Naga.

Each of these cards brings its own strategic benefits to MTG player decks, but Mist-Syndicate Naga stands out for its continued token production, providing ongoing pressure and a potentially unstoppable army if left unchecked.

Spawnwrithe - MTG Card versions
Stolen Identity - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Image - MTG Card versions
Spawnwrithe - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Stolen Identity - Gatecrash (GTC)
Phantasmal Image - Magic 2012 (M12)

Cards similar to Mist-Syndicate Naga by color, type and mana cost

Wall of Water - MTG Card versions
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Apprentice Wizard - MTG Card versions
Homarid - MTG Card versions
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Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions
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Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions
Wall of Water - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Prodigal Sorcerer - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Apprentice Wizard - The Dark (DRK)
Homarid - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Wall of Air - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Daring Apprentice - Mirage (MIR)
Time Elemental - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Reef Pirates - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Rootwater Shaman - Tempest (TMP)
Wind Drake - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Volrath's Shapeshifter - Stronghold (STH)
Clam Session - Unglued (UGL)
Stronghold Biologist - Nemesis (NEM)
Quicksilver Wall - Prophecy (PCY)
Phantom Warrior - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Wormfang Drake - Judgment (JUD)
Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - Commander Legends (CMR)
Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mist-Syndicate Naga MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons and Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, 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 Mist-Syndicate Naga and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Mist-Syndicate Naga Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-06-14 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Randy Vargas.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-06-14Modern HorizonsMH1 582015normalblackRandy Vargas
22021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 2182015normalblackRandy Vargas

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mist-Syndicate Naga has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2019-06-14 Although the Ninja is attacking, it was never declared as an attacking creature (for purposes of abilities that trigger whenever a creature attacks, for example).
2019-06-14 As you activate a ninjutsu ability, you reveal the Ninja card in your hand and return the attacking creature. The Ninja isn’t put onto the battlefield until the ability resolves. If it leaves your hand before then, it won’t enter the battlefield at all.
2019-06-14 If Mist-Syndicate Naga leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, the token will still enter the battlefield as a copy of Mist-Syndicate Naga, using Mist-Syndicate Naga’s copiable values from when it was last on the battlefield.
2019-06-14 If a creature in combat has first strike or double strike, you can activate the ninjutsu ability during the first-strike combat damage step. The Ninja will deal combat damage during the regular combat damage step, even if it has first strike.
2019-06-14 The creature with ninjutsu enters the battlefield attacking the same player or planeswalker that the returned creature was attacking. This is a rule specific to ninjutsu; in other cases, when a creature is put onto the battlefield attacking, that creature’s controller chooses which player or planeswalker it’s attacking.
2019-06-14 The ninjutsu ability can be activated during the declare blockers step, combat damage step, or end of combat step. If you wait until after the declare blockers step, because all combat damage is dealt at once, the Ninja won’t normally deal combat damage.
2019-06-14 The ninjutsu ability can be activated only after blockers have been declared. Before then, attacking creatures are neither blocked nor unblocked.
2019-06-14 The token will have Mist-Syndicate Naga’s ability. It will also be able to create copies of itself.
2019-06-14 The token won’t copy counters, Auras, or Equipment on Mist-Syndicate Naga, nor will it copy other effects that have changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on. Normally, this means the token will simply be a Mist-Syndicate Naga. But if any copy effects have affected Mist-Syndicate Naga, they’re taken into account.

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