Nimble Mongoose MTG Card
2001-10-01 - Number 258
2002-08-14 - Number rl258
2016-06-10 - Number 179
2019-06-14 - Number 174
2019-11-07 - Number 1280
2020-09-26 - Number EMA-179
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Mongoose |
| Abilities | Shroud,Threshold |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Nimble Mongoose can't be the target of spells or abilities. Threshold Nimble Mongoose gets +2/+2. (You have threshold as long as seven or more cards are in your graveyard.)
Faster than a cobra's bite.
Cards like Nimble Mongoose
Among the roster of efficient creatures in Magic: The Gathering, Nimble Mongoose earns its stripes with its unique set of abilities. Tarmogoyf is a creature often spoken in the same breath, famed for its potential to quickly become a formidable threat based on the variety of card types in graveyards. What sets Nimble Mongoose apart is its ‘shroud’ ability, making it immune to targeted spells or abilities, a defensive feature that Tarmogoyf lacks.
Delver of Secrets is another creature that comes to mind, beloved for its low cost and potential to transform into a substantial flying threat. While both creatures excel in tempo-based strategies, Nimble Mongoose distinguishes itself by being resilient against removal once it achieves ‘threshold’, the term for having seven or more cards in the graveyard.
In the realm of one-mana creatures that scale with graveyard size, we also observe Werebear, which not only grows in strength but also offers mana acceleration. Though both creatures benefit from a stocked graveyard, Nimble Mongoose’s established position is largely due to its evasion from targeted removal. This trait often tips the scales in its favor in the long game.
Cards similar to Nimble Mongoose by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Nimble Mongoose. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Temur Delver | Legacy | Temur Delver | Legacy League 2023-11-18 |
 | Temur Midrange | Modern | Temur Midrange | Spring Modern Championship |
 | Terrageddon | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent | |
 | Bant Tempo | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent | |
 | Decklist | Free form | 80#CS | |
| Temur Tempo | Legacy | Temur Delver | 2023 NA Legacy Champs |
 | Simic Stiflenought | Premodern | Eternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: A standout feature of Nimble Mongoose is its threshold ability, which gives the card a sizeable power and toughness boost without the need for additional cards, essentially providing value without depleting your hand.
Resource Acceleration: This characteristic is slightly subtler with Nimble Mongoose. While it doesn’t accelerate your resources directly, its low mana cost enables players to deploy other spells sooner, effectively speeding up gameplay and preserving your mana for countermagic or other instant-speed interactions.
Instant Speed: Nimble Mongoose isn’t an instant itself, but it synergizes well with instant-speed spells. Dodging sorcery-speed removal, players can fill their graveyard quickly to reach threshold status rapidly, thus turning the Mongoose into a formidable creature often when the opponent least expects it.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Nimble Mongoose requires a significant number of cards in your graveyard to be truly effective. Without achieving Threshold, which requires seven cards in the graveyard, its capabilities are substantially hindered.
Specific Mana Cost: Being a green creature, it demands a specific mana type for casting. This mana requirement can potentially limit the card’s integration into multi-colored decks that may not prioritize green mana or have sufficient sources of it.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the Nimble Mongoose itself has a low casting cost, achieving Threshold to unlock its full potential often involves using other spells or abilities, which can indirectly contribute to a higher overall mana expenditure in your game strategy.
Reasons to Include Nimble Mongoose in Your Collection
Versatility: Nimble Mongoose is a great fit for various green-centric strategies, adapting effortlessly to aggressive, tempo, or even control decks. Its inherent shroud ability makes it an excellent choice for protecting your field presence without worrying about targeted removal.
Combo Potential: With threshold mechanics, this card grows in strength, turning from a simple 1/1 to an efficient 3/3 attacker. Pair it with self-milling tactics or graveyard synergy for optimal performance, enhancing your board while disrupting opponents.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where graveyard interactions are commonplace and spot removal is prevalent, Nimble Mongoose shines as a hard-to-remove threat. Its resilience in the face of control and the ability to swing in for considerable damage make it a staple in certain metas.
How to Beat
Nimble Mongoose stands out in MTG strategies due to its resilience and the cunning threshold ability that can make it a serious threat on the battlefield. Nevertheless, overcoming this swift creature is not an insurmountable task. Recognizing that it thrives in graveyards filled with cards, strategic graveyard management becomes key. Employing graveyard hate cards like Relic of Progenitus ensures that you keep your opponent’s graveyard at bay, weakening the mongoose’s powers.
Removal spells won’t always do the trick thanks to shroud, but global board wipes like Wrath of God can sweep it away without needing to target. Similarly, playing around with the mongoose’s size by controlling how many cards are in all graveyards can render it less threatening. With careful planning and the right tactics – such as exile effects or forced sacrifice – players can contain the Nimble Mongoose, preventing it from reaching its full potential and dominating the game.
To sum up, adapting your strategy to handle graveyard-dependent creatures is essential in any MTG match-up. Nimble Mongoose requires a multi-angle approach, but with the correct measures, its agility can be countered effectively, maintaining control over the game’s flow.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Nimble Mongoose MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey and World Championship Decks 2002, 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 Nimble Mongoose 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 Nimble Mongoose Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2001-10-01 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2001-10-01 | Odyssey | ODY | 258 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Terese Nielsen | |
| 2 | 2002-08-14 | World Championship Decks 2002 | WC02 | rl258 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Terese Nielsen | |
| 3 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 179 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 4 | 2019-06-14 | Modern Horizons | MH1 | 174 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 5 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1280 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 6 | The List | PLST | EMA-179 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Nimble Mongoose has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |