Nef-Crop Entangler MTG Card

Trample and exert synergy make Nef-Crop Entangler a formidable force in early aggressive strategies. Its adaptability in decks is somewhat limited due to specific mana requirements and less impact than some contemporaries. Against this MTG card, employ quick removals or control strategies to mitigate its early-game dominance.

Amonkhet (AKH)
2017-04-28 - Number 144

Nef-Crop Entangler - Amonkhet Remastered (AKR)

Amonkhet Remastered (AKR)
2020-08-13 - Number 166

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Warrior
Abilities	Exert,Trample
Power	2
Toughness	1

Text of card

Trample You may exert Nef-Crop Entangler as it attacks. When you do, it gets +1/+2 until end of turn. (An exerted creature won't untap during your next untap step.)

"If you do not feel the thrill of battle, alive like a flame, you will never triumph."

Cards like Nef-Crop Entangler

The Nef-Crop Entangler thrives in the aggressive red deck space within MTG. Its ability to receive trample when exerted places it in a unique niche alongside other low-cost creatures. Comparable to Ahn-Crop Crasher, another card from the Amonkhet set, the Nef-Crop Entangler uses the exert mechanic to provide a temporary boost in power. While Ahn-Crop Crasher prevents opponent creatures from blocking, the Entangler focuses on trampling over blockers to dish out extra damage.

Reflecting on other cards, Gust Walker also utilizes the exert trait to become a more potent threat, gaining flying instead of trample. This shift in abilities offers a different angle for attacking. Additionally, Bitterblade Warrior brings an interesting contrast with its exert option granting deathtouch, favoring the control of creature-heavy boards rather than direct player damage.

In essence, Nef-Crop Entangler aligns well within the suite of exert creatures in MTG, offering a balance of power increase and aggressive play to those looking to pressure their opponent’s defenses early on.

Cards similar to Nef-Crop Entangler by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Nef-Crop Entangler itself does not directly offer card advantage, its Trample ability can help you push through additional damage, potentially clearing a path to defeat an opponent’s creatures and indirectly affecting the board state in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: This card might not provide a traditional acceleration of resources. However, its low mana cost allows for an efficient use of mana, enabling you to deploy other spells sooner. Additionally, exerting it gives it a power boost without additional mana investment, maximizing resource efficiency during your turn.

Instant Speed: Nef-Crop Entangler doesn’t function at instant speed, but it can synergize well with instant-speed spells. Being able to exert it during your attack can unexpectedly increase its power, aligning perfectly with combat tricks or removals you might cast at instant speed to surprise your opponent.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Nef-Crop Entangler doesn’t inherently demand a discard, it falls in a broader category of cards that could potentially trigger a discard mechanic to activate prowess or eternalize. Engaging with this mechanic without a solid hand can backfire, straining your card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature card requires both red and generic mana to cast, pigeonholing it into red-centric or multicolor decks that can accommodate such a cost. Players focusing on other colors may find incorporating the Nef-Crop Entangler limiting.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a two-mana investment, players expect a substantial return. While Nef-Crop Entangler offers prowess and can become a 3/3 with trample, other creatures at similar mana costs could provide greater impact or versatility on the battlefield, making it a less competitive choice in decks.

Reasons to Include Nef-Crop Entangler in Your Collection

Versatility: Nef-Crop Entangler thrives in aggressive decks, bringing flexibility as a 2/1 creature that can swiftly convert into a 3/3 trampler if you’ve gained life this turn. This adaptable nature allows it to serve as both an early threat and a mid-game enforcer.

Combo Potential: This creature works well with strategies that reward life gain or amass +1/+1 counters. With the right synergies in play, Nef-Crop Entangler can be much more than just a straightforward attacker.

Meta-Relevance: Due to its low mana cost and trample ability, Nef-Crop Entangler remains a relevant choice in meta where aggressive strategies are prevalent. Its capacity to contribute to early pressure can turn the tides in a fast-paced environment.

How to beat

Nef-Crop Entangler thrives in aggressive MTG decks focusing on exerting creatures for greater effects. This two-mana creature can become a 3/3 trampler until end of turn when exerted, providing a decent punch in the early game. To combat this card effectively, speed is of the essence. Utilize removal spells that handle creatures with low toughness before they get the chance to exert their power. Cards like Fatal Push or Shock offer a swift answer to the Entangler before it can pose a significant threat.

Control strategies would also fare well against it, enabling you to keep your opponent’s board clear while setting up for a more potent late game. The use of sweepers like Wrath of God or Spot Removal like Path to Exile clear the path for a more superior board state. Additionally, slowing down an aggressive deck with enchantments like Pacifism or Baffling End ensures that the Nef-Crop Entangler is controlled and neutralized, favoring a less aggressive and more calculative approach to sealing your victory.

Taking proactive control of the battlefield and maintaining a lead in resources will often negate the benefits that Nef-Crop Entangler offers in a fast-paced aggressive deck, solidifying your position and leading towards a triumph in your MTG matches.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nef-Crop Entangler MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Amonkhet Remastered, 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 Nef-Crop Entangler and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Nef-Crop Entangler Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Dan Scott.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2017-04-28	Amonkhet	AKH		144	2015	Normal	Black	Dan Scott
2	2020-08-13	Amonkhet Remastered	AKR		166	2015	Normal	Black	Dan Scott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nef-Crop Entangler has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2017-04-18	All cards in the Amonkhet set that let you exert a creature let you do so as you declare it as an attacking creature, as do some of the cards in the Hour of Devastation set. You can’t do so later in combat, and creatures put onto the battlefield attacking can’t be exerted. Any abilities that trigger on exerting an attacking creature will resolve before blockers are declared.
2017-04-18	If an exerted creature is already untapped during your next untap step (most likely because it had vigilance or an effect untapped it), exert’s effect preventing it from untapping expires without having done anything.
2017-04-18	If you gain control of another player’s creature until end of turn and exert it, it will untap during that player’s untap step.
2017-04-18	You can’t exert a creature unless an effect allows you to do so. Similar effects that “tap and freeze” a creature (such as that of Decision Paralysis) don’t exert that creature.