Navigator's Ruin MTG Card

Raid-triggered milling with Navigator’s Ruin can significantly disrupt opponent’s strategies in-game. Deck synergy is crucial; the card’s effectiveness hinges on a well-structured deck with raid capabilities. Understanding and countering Navigator’s Ruin’s impact can be the difference between victory and defeat.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment
Abilities	Mill,Raid
Released	2017-09-29
Set symbol
Set name	Ixalan
Set code	XLN
Number	63
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Zoltan Boros

Text of card

Raid — At the beginning of your end step, if you attacked with a creature this turn, target opponent puts the top four cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

"You won't be needing this. Or this. Or these . . ."

Cards like Navigator's Ruin

Navigator’s Ruin has carved its niche in the world of Magic: The Gathering as an enabler of the mill strategy, where the aim is to deplete an opponent’s library. This card stands alongside psychic corrosion in its ability to consistently erode the opponent’s deck. While Navigator’s Ruin requires raid to activate, ensuring you must have declared an attacker that turn, psychic corrosion does its work whenever you draw a card, presenting a less conditional approach to milling.

Another card that shares a similar purpose is Sphinx’s Tutelage, which also focuses on targeting the opponent’s library but triggers off of drawing cards. Unlike Navigator’s Ruin, Sphinx’s Tutelage provides a potentially higher mill rate depending on the color of cards drawn. Then comes Drowned Secrets, which offers a mill mechanism aligned with casting blue spells, showcasing a more focused requirement suited for a blue-centric deck—but doesn’t carry the raid condition.

Within the comparison of mill cards, Navigator’s Ruin offers a unique raid-dependent milling that can consistently apply pressure each combat phase, making it a distinct and specialized option for players employing an aggressive strategy coupled with the objective to exhaust their opponent’s library.

Cards similar to Navigator's Ruin by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Navigator’s Ruin is a linchpin in strategies focused on hand disruption, effectively nudging you towards card superiority. Each successful raid not only destabilizes your opponent’s deck but also deepens your grasp over the game’s progression.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly adding to your mana pool, this formidable enchantment fuels your strategy by forcing the opponent to deplete resources more quickly. This creates an indirect acceleration as you maintain your resource base while hindering theirs.

Instant Speed: While Navigator’s Ruin itself isn’t cast at instant speed, its continual trigger on each of your combat phases perfectly complements an arsenal of instant-speed interactions, ensuring your strategic maneuvers are as dynamic and flexible as the tides it represents.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Navigator’s Ruin necessitates the milling of cards from your own library, which can backfire if vital cards are sent to the graveyard unintentionally. A risky play that doesn’t always align with your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: With a specific blue mana requirement in its casting cost, this card remains exclusive to blue-inclined decks or those with a reliable mana base designed to accommodate such needs.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring three mana, with one being of blue, this enchantment’s mana cost is somewhat steep considering its potential impact on the game. Other cards available in MTG might offer more immediate or potent effects for the same or a lower cost.

Reasons to Include Navigator’s Ruin in Your Collection

Versatility: Navigator’s Ruin slides smoothly into any deck utilizing a mill strategy. Its ability to disrupt opponent’s plans by milling four cards each turn it exemplifies adaptability, working well in both aggressive and control-oriented decks.

Combo Potential: It shines when paired with other mill cards or abilities, allowing for the accumulation of substantial mill effects in a short amount of time. Utilizing Raider’s Wake, for example, can force your opponent to discard and lose life while you whittle down their library.

Meta-Relevance: Navigator’s Ruin holds a place in a meta where library manipulation is key. Against decks that require specific combo pieces or in a commander game where key cards can be milled, having this enchantment can give players a significant tactical edge.

How to beat

Navigator’s Ruin is a unique enchantment card that dives into the depths of your opponent’s library, mounting pressure with each successful raid. Every time you attack with a creature, Navigator’s Ruin demands the defending player to put the top four cards of their library into their graveyard. This milling mechanism can quickly deplete an opponent’s resources if not addressed early in the game.

To withstand the tide brought by Navigator’s Ruin, it’s crucial to focus on swift removals and counterspells to prevent it from hitting the board in the first place. Efficient and timely removal spells like Disenchant or Naturalize can dispatch the card before it begins its work. Moreover, incorporating graveyard interaction within your strategy can significantly reduce the impact of the enchantment. Cards that allow you to shuffle your graveyard back into your library, such as Elixir of Immortality, can mitigate the effects of milling. Alternatively, one could use the milling to their advantage by playing strategies that benefit from a filled graveyard, turning the tide back against the player employing the Navigator’s Ruin.

In essence, with the right counters and strategic plays, you can navigate any rough seas this card may bring and keep your deck safely out of the ruinous waters.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Navigator's Ruin MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan, 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 Navigator's Ruin and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Navigator's Ruin has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2018-01-19	Raid abilities care only that you attacked with a creature. It doesn’t matter how many creatures you attacked with, or which opponent or planeswalker controlled by an opponent those creatures attacked.
2018-01-19	Raid abilities evaluate the entire turn to see if you attacked with a creature. That creature doesn’t have to still be on the battlefield. Similarly, the player or planeswalker it attacked doesn’t have to still be in the game or on the battlefield, respectively.
2018-01-19	Some raid abilities trigger at the beginning of your end step. These abilities trigger if you attacked with a creature that turn, even if the card with that raid ability wasn’t on the battlefield when you attacked.