Scourge of Nel Toth MTG Card


The card offers strategic advantage with its graveyard casting ability, heightening its utility. Scourge of Nel Toth harmonizes with decks designed to utilize the graveyard as a resource. Includes combo potential and meta relevance, solidifying its place in varied deck builds.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Zombie Dragon
Abilities Flying
Power 6
Toughness 6

Text of card

Flying You may cast Scourge of Nel Toth from your graveyard by paying and sacrificing two creatures rather than paying its mana cost.

"May all the cairns of Jund be toppled." —Meren of Clan Nel Toth


Cards like Scourge of Nel Toth

Scourge of Nel Toth serves as a formidable reanimator target in the vast array of creatures available in MTG. When considering its flying ability and the ease with which it can be cast from the graveyard by simply sacrificing two creatures, it becomes clear why this card often gets compared to other powerful cards in its league. It echoes the resurrection theme found in cards like Reya Dawnbringer, yet Scourge of Nel Toth offers a more aggressive reanimation strategy that can be executed earlier in the game.

Another card that resonates with the mechanics of the Scourge is the creature Grave Titan. While Grave Titan doesn’t share the flying trait, it similarly creates a substantial presence by generating tokens when it enters the battlefield or attacks, establishing an army of minions. Unlike the titan, Scourge offers the aerial advantage and potential for an early game swing in board state which cannot be overstated.

Ultimately, Scourge of Nel Toth stands out with its own merits. Its synergy with graveyard tactics and the ability to become a recurring threat makes it a distinctive choice for players crafting a deck with a strong mid to late game focus, specifically in formats that appreciate resilient threats from the graveyard.

Reya Dawnbringer - MTG Card versions
Grave Titan - MTG Card versions
Reya Dawnbringer - MTG Card versions
Grave Titan - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Scourge of Nel Toth by color, type and mana cost

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Butcher of Malakir - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Pit - MTG Card versions
Minion of Tevesh Szat - MTG Card versions
Minion of Leshrac - MTG Card versions
Cateran Overlord - MTG Card versions
Deathbringer Regent - MTG Card versions
Black Dragon - MTG Card versions
Reaper of Night // Harvest Fear - MTG Card versions
Zombie Brute - MTG Card versions
Patron of the Nezumi - MTG Card versions
Pus Kami - MTG Card versions
Tresserhorn Skyknight - MTG Card versions
Lim-Dûl the Necromancer - MTG Card versions
Phage the Untouchable - MTG Card versions
Ebon Dragon - MTG Card versions
Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet - MTG Card versions
Sheoldred, Whispering One - MTG Card versions
Sutured Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Abhorrent Overlord - MTG Card versions
Fell Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Butcher of Malakir - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Scourge of Nel Toth provides value upon entering the battlefield and again if it’s returning from the graveyard. Its capability to be cast from the graveyard essentially doubles the potential usage of the card, giving players a persistent threat that can lead to card advantage over opponents.

Resource Acceleration: Due to its self-recurring nature, the Scourge speeds up your game plan by allowing you to use your graveyard as a resource. This can accelerate your board presence without tapping into your hand, thus conserving cards for other strategic plays or interactions.

Instant Speed: While Scourge of Nel Toth itself isn’t cast at instant speed, its graveyard casting ability provides versatility similar to instant speed plays. This means during your turn, you can opt to hold mana open for other actions and cast the Scourge at the most opportune moment, usually at the end of your opponent’s turn or during one of your main phases after opponents have committed to their plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Summoning Scourge of Nel Toth requires you to discard two cards as part of its madness cost. This can deplete your hand and be detrimental if you’re already behind in card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost demands black mana, which can restrict its inclusion to decks that are aligned with black or have a suitable mana base to accommodate it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a conventional casting cost of five mana plus the additional creature-sacrifice requirement for its unearth ability, there are alternatives that may provide similar or more impactful board presence at a lower investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Scourge of Nel Toth can seamlessly adapt to various deck strategies, particularly those centered around graveyard synergy. Its ability to be cast from the graveyard makes it a persistent threat in any game.

Combo Potential: With its innate ability to emerge from the graveyard, this card can orchestrate powerful combos with other graveyard manipulators, enabling a chain of recurring creatures and overwhelming opponents.

Meta-Relevance: As graveyard-based strategies remain a staple across multiple formats, Scourge of Nel Toth maintains it’s relevance, countering decks that rely heavily on card removal to maintain control.


How to Beat Scourge of Nel Toth

Scourge of Nel Toth presents a challenging obstacle with its flying ability and the potential to return from the graveyard to the battlefield, making it a resilient threat. When facing this creature, managing your graveyard hate resources is key. Employing cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void will inhibit the Scourge’s ability to make a comeback, thus neutralizing one of its primary strengths.

Another effective strategy is to take advantage of removal spells that exile rather than destroy. Cards such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares can permanently handle Scourge of Nel Toth, ensuring it doesn’t return to the field and demand extra resources from your hand.

Lastly, consider running countermeasures to flying creatures if your deck lacks sufficient interaction. Cards like Spiderweb Armor or Windstorm can provide the necessary answers to flying threats, leveling the playing field and bolstering your defences against such evasive adversaries.

Eliminating the recursion capability and ensuring the Scourge of Nel Toth doesn’t persist on the board are essential tactics in maintaining control of the match when this formidable foe surfaces.


BurnMana Recommendations

The Scourge of Nel Toth serves as a testament to the strategic depth MTG offers. Leveraging its graveyard casting for a persistent board presence or capitalizing on its synergy with other graveyard-centric cards can significantly influence the battlefield. Equip your deck with robust counters and adapt your play to manage this resilient flier. The knowledge shared here can shape your approach to both utilizing and countering this card effectively. Ready to delve deeper into strategic deck-building or to refine your strategies against potent threats? Join us to further sharpen your competitive edge in the world of MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scourge of Nel Toth MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2015 and Legendary Cube Prize Pack, 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 Scourge of Nel Toth and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Scourge of Nel Toth Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2015-11-13 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Mark Winters.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-11-13Commander 2015C15 212015NormalBlackMark Winters
22015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 462015NormalBlackMark Winters
32017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 662015NormalBlackMark Winters
42020-07-17JumpstartJMP 2742015NormalBlackMark Winters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scourge of Nel Toth has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2015-11-04 As soon as you start to cast Scourge of Nel Toth from your graveyard, it moves to the stack. At that point, it’s too late for an opponent to prevent you from casting it by removing it from your graveyard. It’s also too late for players to try to destroy the creatures you sacrifice to pay for the spell.
2015-11-04 Casting Scourge of Nel Toth from your graveyard by paying the alternative cost doesn’t change when you can cast it. You can cast it only at the normal time you could cast a creature spell.
2015-11-04 If you cast Scourge of Nel Toth from your graveyard, it is a spell and can be countered.