Nantuko Slicer MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Insect |
| Abilities | Conjure,Kicker |
| Released | 2022-10-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Alchemy: Dominaria |
| Set code | YDMU |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 17 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Simon Dominic |
Text of card
Kicker When Nantuko Slicer enters the battlefield, return target card from your graveyard to your hand. If this spell was kicked, conjure a duplicate of target card in an opponent's graveyard into your hand. It perpetually gains "You may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast this spell."
Cards like Nantuko Slicer
Nantuko Slicer is a card that finds company with like-minded creatures in the Magic: The Gathering ecosystem. It shares some common ground with cards such as Kessig Recluse, which also offers a defensive advantage with reach as an ability, allowing it to block flying creatures effectively. Slicer, with its penchant for dealing with flyers, gives players strategic defense options during play.
Another card worth noting is Sudden Spinnerets, a combat trick that not only grants reach but can also add that crucial additional point of power and toughness. This can be pivotal during those tight combat scenarios where blocking or eliminating an opponent’s aerial threat is key. Unlike Nantuko Slicer, Sudden Spinnerets is an instant, providing flexibility and surprise, catching the opponent off-guard.
Taking all features into account, Nantuko Slicer carves out a niche within the MTG community. Its balance of cost, power, and utility make it a solid pick in limited formats where fliers can dominate the battlefield. Although not breaking new ground in creature design, its presence in a deck reinforces defenses and deters airborne assaults, anchoring its role in a strategic defense lineup.
Cards similar to Nantuko Slicer by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Nantuko Slicer. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Sultai Combo | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 15 2024 | |
| Four-color Midrange | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 06 2024 | |
| Golgari Midrange | Gladiator | Gladiator Games: We're Back | |
| Four-color Combo | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 08 2024 | |
 | Abzan Midrange | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 12 2024 | |
 | Jund Midrange | Gladiator | Gladiator Team Unified League | |
 | Sultai Reanimator | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 09 2024 | |
 | Bant Midrange | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 06 2024 | |
| The Rock | Gladiator | Gladiator Team Unified League | |
 | Jund Lands | Gladiator | Gladiator Team Unified League |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Nantuko Slicer steps beyond the battlefield to cut directly through your deck, offering the potential to retrieve essential creatures from the graveyard to your hand, thus replenishing your hand and maintaining a steady flow of threats against your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: In the tug of war for resources, the Nantuko Slicer can be a key player. By potentially putting land cards onto the battlefield, it accelerates your access to mana and allows you to deploy your heavier hitters ahead of schedule. This creature not only slices, but it also ensures your mana pool doesn’t fall behind.
Instant Speed: The true strength of the Nantuko Slicer is revealed in its reactive nature. Its capability to be cast at instant speed affords you the flexibility to adapt to an evolving game state, surprise an unsuspecting opponent, or optimally time the recovery of a fallen comrade from the graveyard to your hand. This adaptability is a silent nod to the subtleties of game mastery, making it a card that rewards strategic forethought and timing.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Nantuko Slicer may demand players to pitch another card to activate its abilities or influence the battlefield. This ask could be problematic when your hand is feeling sparse, potentially gutting vital strategies or future plays right from your grip.
Specific Mana Cost: Wielding the Nantuko Slicer means you’re anchored to its rigid green mana dependency. This specificity can shackle and confine the card’s potential to green-centered or green-friendly multicolor decks, possibly alienating a wealth of other strategies and mana color profiles.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Swinging with the Nantuko Slicer comes at a price that may raise eyebrows, as its mana drain could be deemed excessive when compared to alternative creatures roving the MTG universe. Savvy players might opt for lower-cost alternatives, which could deliver a similar punch without the heavyweight mana toll.
Reasons to Include Nantuko Slicer in Your Collection
Versatility: Nantuko Slicer offers flexibility to any deck aiming to utilize cost-efficient creatures. With a moderate casting cost and respectable power and toughness, it can easily be a staple in green-centric or creature-heavy strategies.
Combo Potential: Thanks to its synergies with graveyard-centric tactics, like those involving reanimation or creature sacrifice, the Nantuko Slicer can act as a crucial piece in various combo decks, contributing to an intricate engine of play interactions.
Meta-Relevance: As the MTG metagame shifts, a card’s ability to adapt is key. This card’s inherent strength against certain control archetypes can make it a sleeper hit in matchups that rely heavily on creature-based confrontations, adding strategic depth to your game plan.
How to beat
Nantuko Slicer is a creature card that offers both offensive and defensive flexibility in Magic: The Gathering. To effectively neutralize this adaptable threat, players should consider utilizing removal spells that can bypass its regeneration ability. Cards such as Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile can exile Nantuko Slicer, preventing it from regenerating and returning to the battlefield.
Another strategy involves using board sweepers like Wrath of God or Damnation which do not target individual creatures, thus around the regeneration by destroying all creatures at once. Timing is critical when dealing with Nantuko Slicer; engaging it when your opponent has tapped out of mana minimizes the risk that they can pay for its regeneration, giving you a clear path to remove it from the game.
In addition, countering Nantuko Slicer as it is cast can be a very efficient play. Utilizing counter spells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak can stop the creature from ever entering the battlefield, which is a preemptive way to deal with the problem before it even starts. Through these methods, MTG players can confidently confront and best the challenges posed by Nantuko Slicer.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Nantuko Slicer MTG card by a specific set like Alchemy: Dominaria, 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 Nantuko Slicer and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Nantuko Slicer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |