Nicanzil, Current Conductor MTG Card
2023-11-17 - Number 236
2023-11-17 - Number 306
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Merfolk Scout |
| Abilities | Explore |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Whenever a creature you control explores a land card, you may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield tapped. Whenever a creature you control explores a nonland card, put a +1/+1 counter on Nicanzil, Current Conductor.
"This water can guide you anywhere, if you know how to ask."
Cards like Nicanzil, Current Conductor
Nicanzil, Current Conductor brings an electrifying presence to the realm of creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to our lightning friend, the classic Stormchaser Mage stands out, as both are flying creatures with prowess enhancing their strength with each noncreature spell cast. However, Nicanzil differentiates itself with its distinct ability to draw you a card whenever it triggers, giving a continuous advantage in the long game.
Consider also the Sprite Dragon, a fierce contender with the capability to accumulate +1/+1 counters with each noncreature spell you sling. While Nicanzil doesn’t boast permanent growth like this agile drake, its ability to cycle power through card draw shouldn’t be underestimated. Then we have the older kin, Enigma Drake, which grows stronger with the spells in your graveyard. Though it lacks the direct card advantage of Nicanzil, its potential for massive power spikes is notable.
All in all, when comparing attributes and gameplay impacts of similar creatures, Nicanzil, Current Conductor stands out in its own league with its unique card draw ability amidst the pantheon of prowess creatures in Magic: The Gathering. This positions it as a noteworthy option for players aiming to maintain momentum and card advantage.
Cards similar to Nicanzil, Current Conductor by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Nicanzil, Current Conductor is adept at offering sustained card advantage. It skillfully leverages synergies with instant and sorcery spells, enabling you to draw additional cards each time you cast one. This can be a significant boon when aiming to outmaneuver opponents through superior options on hand.
Resource Acceleration: This striking legendary creature facilitates a rapid increase in available resources. As it resonates with every instant and sorcery you play, it empowers you to summon a 1/1 colorless Spirit token with haste. This mechanism seamlessly translates your spells into a versatile mana-producing army, thus propelling your gameplay at an accelerated pace.
Instant Speed: Nicanzil, Current Conductor also features a potent ability that operates at instant speed. This grants you considerable flexibility, allowing you to react swiftly to the shifting tides of battle. Instantaneous actions can be pivotal in edging out competitors, giving you the capability to make decisive moves or disrupt opponent strategies without pause.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Nicanzil, Current Conductor demands a discard as part of its activation, which can potentially set you back, especially when your hand is already running thin on valuable cards.
Specific Mana Cost: Deploying this card requires a combination of colors, including blue and red mana. This might make it challenging to fit into decks not tailored around these colors or mana-fixing capabilities.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that leans towards the higher end, there are instances where Nicanzil might not be the most mana-efficient option for your deck, particularly when looking to establish early board presence or when in need of quicker responses to opponents’ threats.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Nicanzil, Current Conductor brings flexibility to your decks with its ability to tap for mana or become a creature with prowess. This allows it to adapt on-the-fly whether you need additional resources or a combative presence.
Combo Potential: This card shines in its capacity to pair with other instant and sorcery spells. The prowess mechanic means each noncreature spell you cast not only enhances Nicanzil but can also synergize with other prowess creatures or spellslinger strategies.
Meta-Relevance: Given the card’s dual utility and cooperation with prevalent instant and sorcery-based decks, it is well-positioned in many current metagames. It provides both early game advantage and late-game scalability, fitting into various dynamic playstyles.
How to beat
Nicanzil, Current Conductor emerges as a formidable force on the battlefield within the MTG realm. With the ability to disrupt strategies through its unique skill set, facing this card requires a blend of foresight and tactical prowess. To effectively counter Nicanzil, pinpoint removal spells are an indispensable tool in your arsenal. Instants such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push can unseat Nicanzil before it gets a chance to galvanize your opponent’s game plan. Additionally, exerting pressure with swift, aggressive creatures can circumvent Nicanzil’s brewing storm of electric prowess.
Disruption tactics such as Thoughtseize or Duress are also valuable, enabling you to dismantle your opponent’s strategy piece by piece. By strategically eliminating key cards from their hand, Nicanzil’s impact can be significantly diminished. Moreover, enchantment-based removals like Detention Sphere provide a more permanent solution, seamlessly exiling Nicanzil and curbing any imminent threats.
The key to triumphing over Nicanzil, Current Conductor is to synchronize precision removal with relentless pressure, ensuring that this powerhouse doesn’t tilt the match in your adversary’s favor. Among the roster of MTG cards, executing this plan with acumen can indeed nullify the potential upheaval Nicanzil might otherwise orchestrate.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Nicanzil, Current Conductor MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of Ixalan and The Lost Caverns of 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 Nicanzil, Current Conductor and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Nicanzil, Current Conductor Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-11-17 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-11-17 | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan | LCI | 236 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Fariba Khamseh | |
| 2 | 2023-11-17 | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan | LCI | 306 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cabrol |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Nicanzil, Current Conductor has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Nicanzil, Current Conductor card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-11-10 | If a creature leaves the battlefield before an effect instructs it to explore, it still explores. Abilities like Nicanzil's that trigger whenever a creature you control explores will still trigger. |
| 2023-11-10 | If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to explore but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still explores. If you reveal a nonland card this way, you won't put a +1/+1 counter on anything, but you may put the revealed card into your graveyard. Effects that trigger "whenever a creature explores" trigger as appropriate. |
| 2023-11-10 | If an ability instructs a creature to explore, its controller reveals the top card of their library. If it's a land card, they'll put it into their hand. Otherwise, they'll put a +1/+1 counter on that creature, then choose to either leave that card on top of their library or put it into their graveyard. |
| 2023-11-10 | If no card is revealed, most likely because that player's library is empty, the exploring creature receives a +1/+1 counter. |
| 2023-11-10 | In some unusual cases, noncreature permanents may explore. For example, if the creature card returned by Defossilize is somehow not a creature once it's on the battlefield, it can still explore. You'll take all the same actions, and you may end up putting a +1/+1 counter on the permanent. (Note that some effects target a creature, and those effects would still require a legal target to have it explore.) |
| 2023-11-10 | Nicanzil's first ability won't resolve until after you're done exploring. You may put any land card from your hand onto the battlefield, including the land card you explored (if it's still in your hand) or one that was already in your hand. |
| 2023-11-10 | Nicanzil, Current Conductor's triggered abilities care about the characteristics of the card as it was revealed while a creature explored. It doesn't matter what happened to the card after that. |
| 2023-11-10 | Once an ability that causes a creature to explore begins to resolve, no player may take any other actions until it's done. Notably, opponents can't try to remove the exploring creature after you reveal a nonland card but before it receives a counter. |
| 2023-11-10 | Some spells or abilities might cause a creature to explore multiple times in a row. If you reveal a nonland card when a creature explores and leave it on top of your library, then the creature explores again immediately afterwards, you'll reveal the same card again. |