Sengir Nosferatu MTG Card
2006-10-06 - Number 128
2021-03-19 - Number 136
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Vampire |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Key Takeaways
- Nosferatu’s transformation provides sustained board presence and can outmaneuver opponent removal tactics.
- Maintains resource advantage by saving mana otherwise spent on recasting creatures.
- Instant speed ability disrupts opponents while upholding tempo and strategy.
Text of card
Flying , Remove Sengir Nosferatu from the game: Put a 1/2 black Bat creature token with flying into play. It has ", Sacrifice this creature: Return to play under its owner's control a card named Sengir Nosferatu that's removed from the game."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sengir Nosferatu shines by offering a unique way to maintain card presence on the board. When threatened, it can transform into a bat token, essentially keeping your investment alive and ready to transform back into the vampire at a later time.
Resource Acceleration: While the Nosferatu itself doesn’t directly offer traditional resource acceleration, it cleverly circumvents removal spells that your opponents might cast. This effectively saves the resources you would have to spend on casting another creature, thus indirectly accelerating your board presence over time.
Instant Speed: The real strength of Sengir Nosferatu lies in its ability to dodge removal at instant speed. You can activate its ability, turning it into a bat token and back to Nosferatu at a moment’s notice, all while your opponents’ spells are on the stack. This flexibility can greatly disrupt your opponents’ plans and maintain your tempo.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In order to utilize Sengir Nosferatu’s ability to evade removal, you must discard another card which can set you back if your hand is already depleted or if every card is essential to your gameplay strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: The Nosferatu comes with a Black Mana intensive cost, making it less flexible for inclusion in decks that cannot reliably produce multiple Black Mana sources or that operate on a multicolor base where Black is not predominant.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of five mana, including three Black Mana specifically, Sengir Nosferatu has a steep investment for its stats and abilities. Other creatures in the same mana range can potentially provide more immediate board impact or come with less restrictive casting requirements.
Reasons to Include Sengir Nosferatu in Your Collection
Versatility: Sengir Nosferatu offers a resilient creature option for decks that need a stable presence on the battlefield. Its ability to dodge removal spells by transforming into a Bat and back again makes it a flexible choice for any meta that’s heavy on targeted removal.
Combo Potential: This vampire’s unique transformation mechanic can be synergized with effects that trigger on creatures leaving or entering the battlefield. This allows for clever interactions and can be harnessed to create unexpected advantages in both casual and competitive play.
Meta-Relevance: In metas with controlling or grindy strategies, Sengir Nosferatu becomes a valuable threat that demands an answer. Its resistance to board wipes and spot removal keeps opponents on their toes and can shift the tide of a game when used effectively.
How to Beat Sengir Nosferatu
Understanding your opponent’s strategy is pivotal when facing a card like Sengir Nosferatu. This elusive creature from Magic: The Gathering boasts a unique ability that allows it to dodge removal spells by transforming into a Bat token. To effectively counter this vampire, it’s essential to time your moves correctly. Aim for moments when your adversary is low on mana or when the Nosferatu’s ability is on the stack.
Having instant-speed removals in your deck can put you at a significant advantage. Since Sengir Nosferatu’s ability involves leaving the battlefield, a well-timed removal can intercept the vampire before it has a chance to convert into a token and later return. You can also employ graveyard disruption techniques to prevent it from coming back if defeated. Graveyard hate cards fit well in any deck and provide a robust answer to recursive threats like Sengir Nosferatu.
Ultimately, patience and strategic planning can turn the tables against Sengir Nosferatu. Considering the vampire’s relocation to the graveyard is a trigger you can respond to, having the right spell or ability ready can ensure that this powerful creature turns to dust instead of flying away unscathed.
Cards like Sengir Nosferatu
Sengir Nosferatu is a unique creature card within Magic: The Gathering with a special ability to transform itself. When delving into cards with similar features, Vampire Nighthawk appears as a creature card that also brings a significant impact on the game. Although it doesn’t share the transformation ability, it boasts flying, deathtouch, and lifelink, which provides a balanced offensive and defensive advantage. Meanwhile, Bloodghast offers a different approach to resilience, returning from the graveyard to the battlefield whenever you play a land, enabling relentless assaults on your opponents.
Further comparisons can be drawn with Sorin’s Vengeance, which emphasizes direct opponent damage coupled with lifegain, aligning with the vampire theme but diverging from creature-based strategies. Lastly, Misthollow Griffin stands out by allowing cast from exile, marking a distinct parallel to Sengir Nosferatu’s method of leaving the battlefield and returning later. Although none display the exact transformative nature of Sengir Nosferatu, each card embodies the essence of evasion and resilience that characterizes vampire-themed cards in Magic: The Gathering.
In evaluating similar cards, Sengir Nosferatu’s ability to evade removal and surprise opponents by transferring its essence to a bat token and back again demonstrates a distinctive and strategic depth, setting it apart in the MTG creature lineup.
Cards similar to Sengir Nosferatu by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sengir Nosferatu MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Time Spiral Remastered, 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 Sengir Nosferatu and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Printings
The Sengir Nosferatu Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Scott M. Fischer.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2006-10-06 | Time Spiral | TSP | 128 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Scott M. Fischer | |
| 2 | 2021-03-19 | Time Spiral Remastered | TSR | 136 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott M. Fischer |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sengir Nosferatu has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sengir Nosferatu card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2006-09-25 | The Sengir Nosferatu that the Bat token’s ability returns to the battlefield doesn’t have to be the same one that created it, and it doesn’t even have to be owned by the same player. |
| 2007-05-01 | If the Nosferatu is copied (by Clone, for example) and then the copy is exiled by the first activated ability, it won’t be able to come back using the second activated ability, since it’s no longer named Sengir Nosferatu in the Exile zone. |
