Nether Traitor MTG Card

Nether Traitor provides continuous battlefield returns, creating an ongoing threat against opponents. Its shadow ability and instant speed reanimation offer a tactical edge in gameplay. Despite its strengths, Nether Traitor requires careful deck construction to be effective.

Time Spiral (TSP)
2006-10-06 - Number 120

Nether Traitor - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)

Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
2021-03-19 - Number 127

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Spirit
Abilities	Haste,Shadow
Power	1
Toughness	1

Text of card

Haste Shadow (This creature can block or be blocked by only creatures with shadow.) Whenever another creature is put into your graveyard from play, you may pay . If you do, return Nether Traitor from your graveyard to play.

Cards like Nether Traitor

In the realm of recurring creature cards within Magic: The Gathering, Nether Traitor holds a distinctive place. It shares some common ground with Bloodghast, as both have a resurrecting characteristic. Just like Nether Traitor, Bloodghast can return to the battlefield, albeit under different conditions—specifically, when a land enters under your control. However, Bloodghast lacks the evasion that Nether Traitor’s shadow ability confers, offering an unmatched level of unblockability.

Diving deeper into comparison, Reassembling Skeleton comes to mind. This skeleton can also come back from the graveyard but requires an activation cost, offering a consistent return mechanism. Unlike Nether Traitor, which requires another creature to die to trigger its comeback, the Skeleton’s return is at the player’s discretion, although it requires an extra mana investment for each revival.

Overall, the ability of Nether Traitor to repeatedly dodge defenders and its ease of return upon a triggering event make it a compelling choice for decks capitalizing on creature sacrifice and recursion strategies. Its unique blend of shadow stealth and persistent board presence gives it an intriguing tactical advantage in Magic: The Gathering gameplay.

Reassembling Skeleton - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Nether Traitor by color, type and mana cost

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Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nether Traitor boasts an impressive reanimation effect triggered whenever another creature is put into your graveyard, offering a recurring presence on the battlefield. Its ability to consistently return to the game allows for sustained pressure on your opponent and can edge you towards card advantage by making removal spells from the opponent less effective.

Resource Acceleration: As a low-cost creature with haste and shadow, Nether Traitor provides a reliable source of damage that’s difficult to block. This can generate indirect resource acceleration by steadily decreasing your opponent’s life total, potentially pressuring them into unfavorable trades or resource commitments to deal with this evasive threat.

Instant Speed: The reanimation ability of Nether Traitor can be activated at instant speed, which is essential for timing the return of the creature to the battlefield in response to events like board wipes or end-of-turn scenarios. This allows for strategic planning and can catch opponents off guard, especially when combined with sacrifice outlets for maximum efficiency.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Nether Traitor can return from the graveyard to the battlefield, which might initially seem like an advantage. However, its return is contingent upon another creature’s death, which can be a steep requirement, especially in a game where you’re already behind on board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Nether Traitor’s casting cost requires specifically black mana. While this complements a mono-black deck well, it can be problematic in multi-colored decks that may face mana color issues at critical moments.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of two black mana for a 1/1 creature, Nether Traitor might seem uneconomical when compared to other creatures at the same cost point. Despite its evasion and recurring capabilities, in decks not focused on creature death synergies, it can become less impactful.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Nether Traitor has the ability to easily return from the graveyard to the battlefield, making it a resilient threat that can be used in various deck archetypes, from reanimation strategies to sacrifice synergy decks.

Combo Potential: This card is famed for its role in several combo setups, as it pairs exceptionally well with cards like “Phyrexian Altar” for infinite mana or “Reassembling Skeleton” for recurring sacrifice fodder, unlocking numerous possibilities for victory.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where control and removal spells are prevalent, Nether Traitor shines by dodging conventional board wipes. Its evasive nature and shadow ability make it a consistent damage dealer in many match-ups, keeping your strategy relevant regardless of the prevalent decks.

How to beat

Nether Traitor is a shadowy presence on many MTG battlefields, notorious for its resilience and repeated returns from the graveyard. When it comes to overcoming this elusive creature, the key lies in exploiting its weaknesses and understanding its mechanics. Nether Traitor’s strength is its ability to return to the battlefield whenever another creature dies, coupled with its evasion through shadow, making it unblockable by creatures without the same ability.

However, cards that do not target, such as those causing loss of life rather than dealing damage, can bypass its evasion. Board wipes are particularly effective, as they can clear the board without targeting individual creatures. Graveyard hate, such as Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void, can also neutralize its regenerative capabilities by preventing cards from entering the graveyard altogether. Furthermore, proactive use of card abilities that exile or employ the ‘without targeting’ clause can negate Nether Traitor’s recursive threat, ensuring it remains a non-issue within the scope of the game.

Identifying and implementing these strategies is crucial for players aiming to neutralize Nether Traitor’s potential impact on the game, thus keeping the path to victory clear from its haunting returns.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nether Traitor MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Time Spiral 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 Nether Traitor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Nether Traitor Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Vance Kovacs.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2006-10-06	Time Spiral	TSP		120	2003	Normal	Black	Vance Kovacs
2	2021-03-19	Time Spiral Remastered	TSR		127	2015	Normal	Black	Vance Kovacs

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nether Traitor has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2021-03-19	A token you own that dies is put into your graveyard before it ceases to exist.
2021-03-19	If Nether Traitor and another creature are put into your graveyard at the same time, Nether Traitor’s ability won’t trigger. This is because it must be in your graveyard before the creature dies in order for its ability that returns it to the battlefield to trigger.
2021-03-19	If an attacking creature has multiple evasion abilities, such as shadow and flying, a creature can block it only if that creature satisfies all of the appropriate evasion abilities.
2021-03-19	If multiple creatures are put into your graveyard at the same time, Nether Traitor’s ability triggers for each of them. Once you return it to the battlefield, you may pay for the other abilities as they resolve, but they’ll have no effect if you do. Even if Nether Traitor returns to your graveyard, it’s considered a new object and won’t be returned.
2021-03-19	Multiple instances of shadow on the same creature are redundant.
2021-03-19	Once a creature has been blocked, that creature remains blocked and will deal and be dealt combat damage even if it gains or loses shadow or if the blocking creature gains or loses shadow.