Ob Nixilis, the Adversary MTG Card

Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Nixilis
Abilities Casualty
Loyalty 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Card advantage is a hallmark strength, enabling strategic depth through token generation and board control.
  2. Resource acceleration ensures momentum, offering land play enhancements and increased spellcasting speed.
  3. Compatibility with instant-speed spells permits reactionary tactics, bolstering both offense and defense during play.

Text of card

Casualty X. The copy isn't legendary and has starting loyalty X. (As you cast this spell, you may sacrifice a creature with power X. When you do, copy this spell. The copy becomes a token.)
+1: Each opponent loses 2 life unless they discard a card. If you control a Demon or Devil, you gain 2 life.
-2: Create a 1/1 red Devil creature token with "When this creature dies, it deals 1 damage to any target."
-7: Target player draws seven cards and loses 7 life.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ob Nixilis, the Adversary provides significant card advantage by harnessing its capability to create a token copy of itself with all of its abilities. Each token represents an additional planeswalker that can be used to draw cards and control the board, giving players a greater selection of options as the game progresses.

Resource Acceleration: This formidable planeswalker accelerates resources by allowing you to play additional lands. When a land enters the battlefield under your control, Ob Nixilis enables you to sacrifice another land, if you choose to, drawing a card and gaining one life in the process, hence maintaining momentum and opening paths to cast more impactful spells sooner.

Instant Speed: While Ob Nixilis itself is not an instant, it interacts well with instant-speed spells by providing a stream of creatures that can be leveraged during the opponent’s turn. The ability to sacrifice another creature after one of your instants resolves to weaken your opponent’s creatures or planeswalkers adds a layer of depth to your strategic options at instant speed.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ob Nixilis, the Adversary necessitates that you discard a card to take advantage of its blood token creation feature. This can prove to be a hindrance, especially when your hand is dwindling and each card holds critical strategic value.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Ob Nixilis, the Adversary requires both black and red mana, which imposes constraints on deck-building. Players must ensure a reliable mana base to accommodate this demand and may find it challenging to incorporate in a multicolored environment where mana flexibility is key.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes three generic and two colored mana, Ob Nixilis, the Adversary comes at a substantial cost. While the abilities are potent, the mana investment may deter players when considering tempo and other cards that could potentially deliver similar benefits at a lower cost.

Reasons to Include Ob Nixilis, the Adversary in Your Collection

Versatility: Ob Nixilis, the Adversary is a card that offers flexibility in multiple strategies. Due to its ability to create card advantage and manipulate life totals, this planeswalker fits well in various deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: With the capacity to produce creature tokens that can be sacrificed for other effects, Ob Nixilis sets up numerous combo opportunities. This allows for synergies with cards that benefit from creatures dying or entering the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where players often seek ways to outvalue their opponents, Ob Nixilis gives you the edge you need. It’s particularly useful in matchups where incremental advantage and pressure are key to winning.

How to beat

Overcoming Ob Nixilis, the Adversary in Magic: The Gathering requires a strategic approach. This formidable planeswalker card has the unique ability to create devilish copies of itself, complicating your quest for victory. Key to your strategy should be early prevention; denying your opponent the mana or opportunities to cast this high-value card sets the stage for success.

Utilizing instant-speed removal spells that can target planeswalkers, such as Hero’s Downfall or Bedevil, can serve as a countermeasure. Should Ob Nixilis land on the battlefield, focus fire with direct damage or plan to utilize sacrificial effects to bypass the obstacles its tokens present. Additionally, cards that limit your opponent’s drawing capabilities blunt the advantage Ob Nixilis confers, as it thrives on card draw.

Remember, maintaining pressure and having a response ready in your deck composition can often mean the difference between being overwhelmed by the Adversary’s power or outmaneuvering it to claim victory in your MTG matchups.

Cards like Ob Nixilis, the Adversary

Ob Nixilis, the Adversary is a formidable Planeswalker card in Magic: The Gathering that carves a unique space in the black-aligned deck strategies. Its closest analog might be Liliana of the Veil, which also offers potent disruptive abilities to unsettle opponents. However, Ob Nixilis, the Adversary increases the stakes with its Corruption counters, which can swiftly swing the game in your favor by delivering additional creature tokens.

Another comparison can be drawn with Kaya the Inexorable, which also provides a balance of defensive and offensive capabilities. While Kaya can impact the board with ghostly disruption and recurring exiled cards, Ob Nixilis stands out with its ability to consistently generate minion pressure each turn. Additionally, the final ability of Ob Nixilis can be a game-ender by itself, echoing the impact of powerful Planeswalkers like Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God, whose various abilities can dominate the game state.

When evaluating the potential of Ob Nixilis, the Adversary against its peers, it’s evident that its versatile and incremental advantages make it a noteworthy competitor among the roster of black Planeswalkers, offering strategic depth and high-value plays in MTG.

Liliana of the Veil - MTG Card versions
Kaya the Inexorable - MTG Card versions
Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God - MTG Card versions
Liliana of the Veil - MTG Card versions
Kaya the Inexorable - MTG Card versions
Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ob Nixilis, the Adversary MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Streets of New Capenna, 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 Ob Nixilis, the Adversary and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ob Nixilis, the Adversary Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2022-04-29 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 996872015NormalBlackTom Roberts
22022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 4482015NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk
32022-04-29Streets of New Capenna PromosPSNC 206s2015NormalBlackYongjae Choi
42022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 2062015NormalBlackYongjae Choi
52022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 2842015NormalBorderlessTom Roberts
62022-04-29Streets of New Capenna PromosPSNC 206p2015NormalBlackYongjae Choi
72022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 3482015NormalBlackIgor Kieryluk

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ob Nixilis, the Adversary has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-04-29 As you cast a spell with casualty X, you choose whether to pay its casualty cost and what the value of X will be.
2022-04-29 Casualty N means “As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may sacrifice a creature with power N or greater.” and “When you cast this spell, if a casualty cost was paid for it, copy it. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for the copy.”
2022-04-29 If you pay the casualty cost of a spell, the copy will resolve before the original spell.
2022-04-29 The copied spell from Ob Nixilis, the Adversary's triggered ability copies exactly what is printed on Ob Nixilis, except its starting loyalty is equal to the chosen value of X and it isn't legendary. The copy becomes a token as it resolves.
2022-04-29 The copy of the spell is created on the stack, so it's not “cast.” Abilities that trigger when a player casts a spell won't trigger.
2022-04-29 You can control exactly one legendary Ob Nixilis, the Adversary and any number of nonlegendary copies of Ob Nixilis, the Adversary.
2022-04-29 You may sacrifice only one creature to pay a spell's casualty cost, and you copy the spell only once.