Nimana Sell-Sword MTG Card

Generates card advantage and creates potential for favorable board trades in combat scenarios. Ally synergy and instant-speed interactions with other allies boost in-game strategic flexibility. Restrictive use conditions and a mana cost that demands careful deck construction may limit versatility.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Warrior Ally
Released	2009-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Zendikar
Set code	ZEN
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	106
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daarken

Text of card

Whenever Nimana Sell-Sword or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Nimana Sell-Sword.

"He asked if I had work for him. No wasn't the right answer." —Samila, Murasa Expeditionary House

Cards like Nimana Sell-Sword

Nimana Sell-Sword serves as an interesting player in the collection of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. It’s a creature that reminds one of cards like Borderland Marauder, as both carry the human warrior tag and have power-boosting abilities. However, Nimana Sell-Sword brings a bit more flexibility to the board with its ability to gain power and toughness by controlling another ally, thus making it potentially stronger during combat phases when compared to Borderland Marauder, which only gains power during your own turn.

Stepping into the same arena, we find the card Aven Skirmisher, which also offers an early battlefield presence due to its low mana cost, similar to Nimana Sell-Sword. Although the Skirmisher doesn’t grow stronger with other allies, it offers flying, which can be a significant tactical advantage in evading blockers. If we broaden our scope, Canyon Wildcat is another creature that shares the aspect of attaching importance to the type of other creatures you control, specifically rewarding you when you play with a Mountain.

Examining Nimana Sell-Sword in light of these companions, it stands out for its synergy with the ally mechanic, making it a worthy contender in deck building strategies that focus on mutual creature support and combat tactics in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Nimana Sell-Sword by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nimana Sell-Sword can provide an advantageous trade on the battlefield potentially leaving you with a stronger board presence than your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: While Nimana Sell-Sword itself does not directly accelerate resources, its decent power could contribute to quickly reducing your opponent’s life total, expediting your path to victory.

Instant Speed: Nimana Sell-Sword, as a creature, cannot be played at instant speed, but its ally mechanic can synchronize well with other instant-speed ally cards to create unexpected in-game synergies during your opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Nimana Sell-Sword demands an ally on the field or a card to be revealed from your hand to activate its ability. This precondition can sometimes be restrictive, particularly when your hand is empty or the board lacks other allies, reducing its optimal playability.

Specific Mana Cost: Nimana Sell-Sword requires one black and one colorless mana, making it challenging to integrate into multicolored decks, especially those not focused on a black mana base. It could potentially lead to a slower gameplay or mana fixing issues within the deck setup.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for its stats and abilities, other creatures in the same mana range may offer greater versatility or stronger board presence, making Nimana Sell-Sword a less attractive option for those slots in your deck.

Reasons to Include Nimana Sell-Sword in Your Collection

Versatility: Nimana Sell-Sword, a creature card from the Zendikar set, can be a flexible addition to decks seeking to enhance their creature presence. It’s fitting for various builds, particularly those that require a solid and cost-effective creature.

Combo Potential: With its ally subtype, Nimana Sell-Sword has great synergy in ally-focused decks. Its ability to potentially get stronger with other allies makes it a valuable card for creating formidable board states that capitalize on those interactions.

Meta-Relevance: While not dominating the meta, Nimana Sell-Sword’s role can be tailored to suit mid-range decks that benefit from its solid power-to-cost ratio. In the right meta, especially one filled with ally cards, it could prove to be a strategic addition to your arsenal.

How to Beat Nimana Sell-Sword

Nimana Sell-Sword can be a nuanced challenge in a Magic: The Gathering match. This creature card can become quite a powerhouse in decks that capitalize on the Ally mechanic, which bolsters the stats of all Allies on the battlefield. Overpowering it through combat can be difficult if it’s been enhanced by other Allies.

However, there are strategies to neutralize the threat presented by Nimana Sell-Sword. Removal spells that bypass its possibly inflated power and toughness, like Path to Exile or Doom Blade, can effectively dispatch this creature without having to clash on the battlefield. Control strategies can be particularly effective, using counter spells to prevent it from hitting the board in the first place. Sweepers like Wrath of God can reset the playing field, and since Nimana Sell-Sword lacks inherent protection or self-recursion, it is vulnerable to such mass removal tactics.

In a nutshell, while Nimana Sell-Sword has the potential to be a formidable foe on the board, it can be countered by direct removal or broad-sweeping spells. Keeping a balanced array of defensive tactics in your deck can help ensure you’re prepared to dismantle an Ally-based strategy that relies on this card.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nimana Sell-Sword MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar, 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 Nimana Sell-Sword and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nimana Sell-Sword has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2009-10-01	This ability triggers on this creature entering the battlefield, so it will enter the battlefield with its unmodified power and toughness, and then receive a +1/+1 counter a short time later. It does not enter the battlefield with the +1/+1 counter already on it.