Nurturing Bristleback MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 7 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Dinosaur |
| Abilities | Cycling,Forestcycling |
| Released | 2023-11-17 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan |
| Set code | LCI |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 5 |
| Number | 203 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | John Tedrick |
Text of card
When Nurturing Bristleback enters the battlefield, create a 3/3 green Dinosaur creature token. Forestcycling (, Discard this card: Search your library for a Forest card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.)
Cards like Nurturing Bristleback
The Nurturing Bristleback steps into the fray as a unique creature in Magic: The Gathering. Its comparability to other creatures revolves around its self-sacrifice for land retrieval capability. Looming over other green creatures, the classic Dawntreader Elk provides a similar sacrifice ability, enabling players to ensure land drops and thin the deck. While the Elk serves a purpose, the Nurturing Bristleback extends this further by granting life equal to its power, a beneficial ability in prolonging the game.
Another comparison is drawn with Satyr Wayfinder, which also facilitates land retrieval. However, instead of the direct swap the Bristleback offers, the Satyr sifts through the top four cards of the library, granting a different kind of deck manipulation. Yavimaya Elder is worth mentioning, providing a double effect upon death for card advantage, yet lacks the life-gain edge that our Bristleback friend has.
Evaluating Nurturing Bristleback within the scope of green creatures with sac-for-land abilities, its extra layer of player sustain through life gain sets it apart. Its well-roundedness in both land smoothing and life gain enforces its position as a solid choice for many Magic: The Gathering decks focused on longevity and resource control.
Cards similar to Nurturing Bristleback by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Nurturing Bristleback offers players a valuable opportunity to draw cards upon its death, provided certain conditions are met. When paired with self-sacrifice mechanics or when used as a blocker, it can enable the replenishment of your hand.
Resource Acceleration: This creature can be an enabler in strategies that aim to leverage creatures entering the graveyard. This serves as a form of indirect resource acceleration by potentially unlocking synergies with other cards that benefit from creature deaths or graveyard interactions.
Instant Speed: While Nurturing Bristleback itself isn’t an instant, its ability to convert into card draw at the time of its death can indirectly benefit instant speed plays. It assures that even if it is removed during your opponent’s turn, it delivers value, keeping you fluid in resources and ready to adapt to the evolving game state.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Nurturing Bristleback’s utility comes at a cost; activating its key ability means you’ll need to part with a precious card from your hand. In a game where each card is a strategic resource, this trade-off can sometimes leave you at a disadvantage, especially when your hand is running low on options.
Specific Mana Cost: While Nurturing Bristleback can be a boon to green-themed decks, its need for specific green mana to cast can make it a less flexible choice in multicolored decks. Players who don’t have a reliable source of green mana might struggle to play this card when it counts the most.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that could be considered steep for its abilities, Nurturing Bristleback may not always provide the efficiency that players seek. Other creatures and spells at a similar mana value might offer more impact or versatility, potentially relegating Nurturing Bristleback to the sidelines in the face of more cost-effective alternatives.
Reasons to Include Nurturing Bristleback in Your Collection
Versatility: Nurturing Bristleback is a unique card that easily finds its place across a variety of decks. Its ability to contribute to life gain while posing a substantial presence on the board makes it a solid choice in both aggressive and defensive strategies.
Combo Potential: This card can synergize well with strategies that revolve around life gain or +1/+1 counters. Its innate ability to gain life upon entering the battlefield or dying enables multiple synergistic plays and can be a linchpin in decks that capitalize on such mechanics.
Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating nature of the MTG meta, Nurturing Bristleback provides resilience against many common threats. It shines in a meta where creature-based strategies are prevalent, providing a bulwark against opponents while aiding your overarching game plan.
How to beat
Nurturing Bristleback presents a unique challenge on the battlefield, being more than just a straightforward creature card in MTG. With its substantial toughness and life-gain ability, it can be a thorn in the side of many players. To outmaneuver this card, you need a strategy that either bypasses its lifegain mechanic or removes it from the field without engaging it in combat.
Targeted removal spells, such as Murder or Path to Exile, offer a clean and efficient way to handle this persistent creature. Alternatively, countering Nurturing Bristleback before it even touches the battlefield with spells like Cancel or Essence Scatter can prevent its effects from coming into play entirely. The key is to avoid allowing Nurturing Bristleback to establish a presence, or to use evasion tactics that nullify its advantages, such as flying creatures or unblockable abilities that sidestep direct confrontation.
Mastering these strategies against Nurturing Bristleback can shift the tide of the game in your favor, ensuring that you maintain control over the board and keep your opponent’s lifegain to a minimum. With the right approach, this formidable creature becomes a hurdle that can be easily overcome.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Nurturing Bristleback MTG card by a specific set like 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 Nurturing Bristleback and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Nurturing Bristleback has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |