Nesting Grounds MTG Card
2020-04-17 - Number 71
2022-04-29 - Number 418
2024-03-08 - Number 276
2024-03-08 - Number 502
2024-03-08 - Number 1030
2024-03-08 - Number 804
2024-06-14 - Number 437
2024-06-14 - Number 302
| Card sets | Released in 8 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
: Add . , : Move a counter from target permanent you control onto another target permanent. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
Dappled coats become armored hides. Soft jaws become razor tusks. Nestling play becomes the fight for survival.
Cards like Nesting Grounds
Nesting Grounds stands out in the landscape of utility lands within Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to move a counter from one permanent to another offers a unique form of versatility not found in most lands. When evaluating lands like Llanowar Reborn, we see some similarity in that it also interacts with counters, granting a creature a +1/+1 counter upon entering the battlefield. However, Llanowar Reborn doesn’t offer the same level of utility and constant interaction found with Nesting Grounds.
Comparatively, Novijen, Heart of Progress also deals with counters, but rather than transferring them, it adds an additional +1/+1 counter to each creature that entered the battlefield this turn. Nesting Grounds extends its utility beyond just creatures and +1/+1 counters, affecting any type of counter and any permanent, giving players a wider scope of strategic options. Then there’s Oran-Rief, the Vastwood, it acts similarly to Novijen but specifically enhances green creatures. Nesting Grounds, with its broader reach and flexibility, can impact the game in more varied ways than its counterparts.
Nesting Grounds may not fit every deck strategy, but for players focusing on counter manipulation, it offers unparalleled control that other utility lands can’t match. This card’s distinctive ability to optimize and respond to the ever-changing battlefield earns it a spotlight amongst MTG lands.
Cards similar to Nesting Grounds by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Nesting Grounds provides a unique advantage by allowing you to move a counter from one permanent you control to another. This flexibility can be key in maintaining or gaining the upper hand, enabling you to adapt to various game states effectively.
Resource Acceleration: By optimizing the use of your counters, Nesting Grounds can effectively accelerate your resources without producing mana. It enables the enhancement of creatures, the proliferation of +1/+1 counters, or the shifting of loyalty counters on planeswalkers, making it an asset for decks that thrive on synergies and counter manipulation.
Instant Speed: Though Nesting Grounds’s ability isn’t used at instant speed, it offers instant-like flexibility. You can utilize its effect at will during your turn, allowing for strategic repositioning of counters right before the most critical phases of your game. This ensures you’re always prepared, offering a reactionary tool that many lands don’t provide.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Nesting Grounds requires players to discard a card to activate certain abilities. This can deplete hand resources, becoming a setback when options are already scarce.
Specific Mana Cost: This land’s ability hinges on a specific mana allocation, which could impose restrictions on deck flexibility. Managing mana becomes crucial, and the risk of being color-locked is an aspect to consider.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Using the capabilities of Nesting Grounds comes at a notable cost. In the pace of game where every mana point counts, the expense to utilize its ability might be steeper compared to other lands or cards with similar or enhanced effects.
Reasons to Include Nesting Grounds in Your Collection
Versatility: Nesting Grounds is a unique land card that can be seamlessly integrated into a variety of decks. Its ability to move a counter from one permanent to another offers endless strategic plays, fitting into decks that are based on +1/+1 counters, charge counters, or even more obscure counter types, broadening its application across different formats.
Combo Potential: This land has significant combo potential, enabling players to maximize the impact of permanents with powerful counters. Whether you’re shifting a loyalty counter to your planeswalker or a +1/+1 counter to amplify a creature’s strength, Nesting Grounds enhances combos that can turn the tide of the game.
Meta-Relevance: Considering the current meta where permanents with counters are omnipresent, having Nesting Grounds in your arsenal means you’re prepared to manipulate the board to your advantage. Its presence allows you to adjust your strategy on the fly, making it a card that can adapt to a wide range of competitive environments.
How to Beat Nesting Grounds
Nesting Grounds brings a unique twist to the battlefield through its land-based ability to move a counter from one permanent to another. Deceptively simple, this may not seem like a direct threat at first glance, but under the right circumstances, it can tip the scales dramatically in favor of your opponent.
When facing a deck with this hidden gem, your best strategy lies in preemptive measures and well-timed responses. Planeswalker and creature abilities that strip or neutralize abilities entirely, such as Disenchant or cards with the Krosan Grip effect, can mitigate the impact of Nesting Grounds. Playing a patient game and keeping mana open for instant-speed responses can spoil your opponent’s intended synergies, making Nesting Grounds a less potent commodity.
Remember, while Nesting Grounds itself does not create an immediate board advantage, its presence turns every counter-generating tool into a modular instrument. Monitor the board closely—denying your opponent the creatures or other permanents they want to shuttle counters to is your main avenue to neuter Nesting Grounds’ effectiveness in MTG play.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Nesting Grounds MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2020 and New Capenna Commander, 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 Nesting Grounds 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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Printings
The Nesting Grounds Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2020-04-17 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020-04-17 | Commander 2020 | C20 | 71 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han | |
| 2 | 2022-04-29 | New Capenna Commander | NCC | 418 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han | |
| 3 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 276 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ashley Mackenzie | |
| 4 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 502 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ashley Mackenzie | |
| 5 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 1030 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ashley Mackenzie | |
| 6 | 2024-03-08 | Fallout | PIP | 804 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ashley Mackenzie | |
| 7 | 2024-06-14 | Modern Horizons 3 | MH3 | 437 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han | |
| 8 | 2024-06-14 | Modern Horizons 3 | MH3 | 302 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Nesting Grounds has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Nesting Grounds card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-04-17 | If either permanent becomes an illegal target, no counter is removed or put. |
| 2020-04-17 | The two target permanents don't have to share a type, which can result in some counters on permanents that would not occur normally, such as loyalty counters on creatures or +1/+1 counters on lands. Keyword counters will grant the permanent that keyword even if it's meaningless (such as trample on an enchantment); +1/+1 counters won't affect the permanent unless it's a creature; and many named counters (such as soul counters) won't have an effect unless the recipient permanent refers to them in some way. |
| 2020-04-17 | To move a counter from one creature to another, the counter is removed from the first permanent and put on the second. Any abilities that care about a counter being removed from or put onto a permanent will apply. |
| 2020-04-17 | You choose the two target permanents as Nesting Grounds's second ability is put onto the stack. You choose which kind of counter to move as that ability resolves. |