Nemesis of Mortals MTG Card

Nemesis of Mortals excels through graveyard synergy, offering significant mana cost reduction and board presence. It demands strategic deployment and a stocked graveyard to maximize its potential and timing in MTG. Understanding its weaknesses allows players to effectively counter this card with removal and graveyard disruption.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Snake
Abilities	Monstrosity
Released	2013-09-27
Set symbol
Set name	Theros
Set code	THS
Power	5
Toughness	5
Number	163
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mathias Kollros

Text of card

Nemesis of Mortals costs less to cast for each creature card in your graveyard. : Monstrosity 5. This ability costs less to activate for each creature card in your graveyard. (If this creature isn't monstrous, put five +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)

Cards like Nemesis of Mortals

Nemesis of Mortals shines in the realm of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering with its monstrous abilities. Sitting in the same circle as other high-cost creatures, Nemesis of Mortals differentiates itself with its cost-reduction feature dependent on creature cards in the graveyard, making it a potential powerhouse in graveyard-centric decks. By contrast, Ghoultree, another creature that benefits from having many creature cards in the graveyard, lacks the monstrous ability but starts as a 10/10 creature.

Furthermore, we have Boneyard Wurm, which flourishes alongside Nemesis of Mortals by growing in strength with a graveyard brimming with creatures. Though not boasting the same potential for sudden growth through monstrous, Boneyard Wurm can still become a formidable force. In addition to these, Splinterfright offers an intriguing parallel, as it also gains from the number of creature cards in the graveyard and moreover, helps mill additional creatures into the bin.

By evaluating the abilities and synergies, Nemesis of Mortals holds a distinct position within creatures that interact with the graveyard. It’s this particular set of traits – the combination of its scalable monstrous ability and cost efficiency – that ensures its competitive edge in graveyard strategy decks.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nemesis of Mortals benefits from the creatures in your graveyard, enabling you to potentially summon a 10/10 monster for a reduced mana cost. This monstrous ability gives you a tremendous board presence and can translate to overwhelming card advantage against your opponent as it often requires multiple cards from them to handle it.

Resource Acceleration: Costing less mana for each creature card in your graveyard, Nemesis of Mortals exemplifies resource acceleration. This ability to potentially come into play as early as turn four or five can shift the tempo of the game significantly in your favor, ramping up pressure and forcing your opponents to react prematurely.

Instant Speed: While Nemesis of Mortals doesn’t have an ability that functions at instant speed, its mere presence incentivizes a strategic approach to gameplay. Knowing when to play it, especially post-wrath or when your graveyard is sufficiently stocked, can catch an opponent off guard, making its timing as crucial as any instant-speed interaction.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Nemesis of Mortals doesn’t require a discard itself, but it does leverage creatures in your graveyard as a resource. This dependence means if your graveyard is empty or lacks enough creature cards, you can miss out on its cost-reduction benefit, potentially slowing you down.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Nemesis of Mortals includes green mana symbols, making it a card best suited for mono-green or green-heavy multicolored decks. This specific mana demand can restrict its playability across various deck types that might not generate green mana as efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a base mana cost of six, Nemesis of Mortals may appear to be quite hefty. Despite its ability to cost less with creatures in the graveyard, in matches against fast-paced decks, finding the necessary mana or stocking your graveyard might not always align with your game plan, leaving you vulnerable to quicker strategies.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Nemesis of Mortals thrives in decks that ramp quickly or stockpile creatures in the graveyard. Its ability to become a significant threat at a reduced mana cost makes it adaptable to various game states.

Combo Potential: This card works seamlessly with graveyard mechanics, pairing perfectly with self-mill strategies and enablers like Satyr Wayfinder to unleash a monstrous creature onto the battlefield sooner than expected.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where slower, grindy games dominate, Nemesis of Mortals can be a game-changer. Its capacity to grow in strength aligns well with decks designed to prevail in the battle of attrition that characterizes such metas.

How to beat

Nemesis of Mortals is a formidable creature in MTG that thrives on graveyard mechanics, becoming a considerable threat due to its monstrous ability. Facing this creature often means dealing with a potentially massive 10/10 beater on the battlefield. However, there are strategies to counter this Gorgon’s influence within your matches. Removal is your best friend against Nemesis of Mortals – spells like Path to Exile or Murderous Rider handle it regardless of its size.

Exile effects are particularly effective since they bypass the creature’s ability to feed on graveyard resources. Graveyard management can also play a key role; cards like Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt can dismantle the graveyard synergy Nemesis of Mortals depends on, leaving it just a costly snake without its bite. In essence, proactive disruption of the graveyard alongside readying efficient removal spells are proven methods to tackle the threat posed by Nemesis of Mortals.

Drafting your deck with these aspects in mind prepares you to neutralize such potent creatures and maintain control over the game’s pace. Plan wisely, and the Nemesis of Mortals will never reach its monstrous potential on your watch.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nemesis of Mortals MTG card by a specific set like Theros, 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 Nemesis of Mortals and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nemesis of Mortals has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-09-15	An ability that triggers when a creature becomes monstrous won't trigger if that creature isn't on the battlefield when its monstrosity ability resolves.
2013-09-15	Monstrous isn't an ability that a creature has. It's just something true about that creature. If the creature stops being a creature or loses its abilities, it will continue to be monstrous.
2013-09-15	Neither the cost-reducing ability of Nemesis of Mortals nor the condition of its monstrosity ability can reduce the colored mana requirement of those costs.
2013-09-15	Once a creature becomes monstrous, it can't become monstrous again. If the creature is already monstrous when the monstrosity ability resolves, nothing happens.
2013-09-15	Once you declare you're casting Nemesis of Mortals or activating its ability, it's too late for players to try to change the number of creature cards in your graveyard to affect the cost of doing so.