Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Nixilis
Loyalty 5

Key Takeaways

  1. This planeswalker offers card draw as creatures die, providing a sustained advantage over opponents.
  2. Its ability to force opponents to draw and lose life can accelerate your path to victory.
  3. While potent, its specificity and cost may limit versatility across diverse MTG decks.

Text of card

Whenever an opponent draws a card, Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted deals 1 damage to that player.
-2: Destroy target creature. Its controller draws two cards.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted provides an immediate benefit by letting you draw a card whenever an opponent’s creature dies. This can help you outpace your opponent by gaining access to more resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly accelerating your resources, the card’s ability to force opponents to draw and lose life could indirectly speed up your victory, making your own plays more impactful by comparison.

Instant Speed: This planeswalker may not have instant speed itself, but its -2 ability triggers off any creature’s death, allowing it to synergize with instant speed removal spells you play, which in turns adds to its flexibility and threat level during the course of play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the facets of Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted that might be seen as a drawback is its forced draw on your opponent, inevitably giving them a chance to gain card advantage. While the damage inflicted is a plus, providing your adversary with the ability to refresh their hand could sometimes backfire.

Specific Mana Cost: This planeswalker card requires a specific mana commitment with two black mana in its casting cost. This feature can limit its inclusion in decks that aren’t sufficiently aligned with black mana or those that run a three or more color scheme where mana bases can be less consistent.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a casting cost of five mana, Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted poses a significant investment in the mid to late game. For such a cost, there may be alternatives that offer more immediate board impact or versatility in certain game states, making the cost-to-effect ratio a point of contention for some players.


Reasons to Include Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted in Your Collection

Versatility: Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted offers a flexible option for controlling the board, capable of dealing with threats through its ability to destroy creatures while simultaneously providing card draw, which is pivotal in many game formats.

Combo Potential: With its dual utility in dealing damage and drawing cards, it’s particularly potent in decks that capitalize on both card advantage and life-total manipulation. The ability to force an opponent to draw can synergize with decks centered around punishing players for drawing or holding too many cards.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment that appreciates planeswalkers who can be both proactive and reactive, Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted fits in seamlessly. It offers a balance between offensive strategies and defensive plays, affirming its place in sideboards and main decks alike, especially in metas with creature-heavy strategies.


How to beat

Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted is a compelling planeswalker card in MTG known for its double-edged ability to draw cards at the expense of losing life. Unlike other planeswalkers, Ob Nixilis actively damages its controller’s opponents by turning card draw, typically an advantage, into a potential threat. However, overcoming the challenge this card presents requires strategic play and deck building.

To effectively neutralize the advantages Ob Nixilis provides, players should consider using direct damage spells or creature abilities that can target planeswalkers, such as Lightning Bolt or Murderous Rider. These allow for quick elimination before the opponent can benefit significantly from its effects. Additionally, playing cards like Pithing Needle can prevent the activation of Ob Nixilis’s abilities, rendering it less impactful on the game. Employing strategies that prioritize board control and removal will keep this planeswalker in check, maintaining a balance and preventing the opponent from exploiting its destructive card draw ability.

Ultimately, while Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted presents a unique challenge in the realm of MTG, understanding its mechanics and preparing your deck with the right counters can ensure that it becomes more of a setback for your opponent rather than an insurmountable obstacle for you.


BurnMana Recommendations

Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted weaves complexity into your MTG gameplay with its unique ability to turn creature deaths into card draws and life loss for opponents. It invites a delicate balance of strategy and technical skill. For those seeking a different angle in deck-building or wishing to harness the manipulative power that this planeswalker offers, it presents compelling reasons to add to your collection. Discover deck synergy, capitalize on its disruptive tactics, and navigate your matches with a keen understanding of control. Immerse yourself in the nuances and sharpen your strategy with Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted. Join us to deepen your MTG knowledge and expertise.


Cards like Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted

The enigmatic allure of Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted makes it a noteworthy card among Planeswalkers in MTG. A parallel can be drawn with Dread Presence, as both cards share the ability to draw a card at the expense of some life. Ob Nixilis takes it further by allowing you to draw whenever any player’s creature dies and increases the stakes by dealing two damage to that creature’s controller.

Examining Erebos, Bleak-Hearted reveals another analogous card with a synergy of life-loss and card advantage. Though Erebos requires a creature to die under your control to draw a card and offers an indestructible body, it doesn’t directly remove opposing creatures as Ob Nixilis does. Another card with similar mechanics is Theater of Horrors, which enables card draw with an extra step of exiling the top card of your library to play it later, a slower strategy compared to the immediate impact of Ob Nixilis.

Considering these comparisons, Ob Nixilis the Hate-Twisted stands out in its dual capacity to impede opponents and fuel your hand, ensuring it carves its distinct niche in decks favoring control and attrition strategies in the MTG universe.

Dread Presence - MTG Card versions
Erebos, Bleak-Hearted - MTG Card versions
Theater of Horrors - MTG Card versions
Dread Presence - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Erebos, Bleak-Hearted - Theros Beyond Death Promos (PTHB)
Theater of Horrors - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)

Cards similar to Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted by color, type and mana cost

Lolth, Spider Queen - MTG Card versions
Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools - MTG Card versions
Ob Nixilis Reignited - MTG Card versions
Liliana Vess - MTG Card versions
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath - MTG Card versions
Liliana, Death's Majesty - MTG Card versions
Liliana, the Necromancer - MTG Card versions
Liliana Vess // Liliana Vess - MTG Card versions
Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Lolth, Spider Queen - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms (AFR)
Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools - Commander Legends (CMR)
Ob Nixilis Reignited - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Liliana Vess - Duel Decks Anthology: Garruk vs. Liliana (GVL)
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath - Commander Masters (CMM)
Liliana, Death's Majesty - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Liliana, the Necromancer - Core Set 2019 (M19)
Liliana Vess // Liliana Vess - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator - Wilds of Eldraine Promos (PWOE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Online Promos, 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 Hate-Twisted and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 722512015normalblackSansyu
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 779852015normalblackYongjae Choi
32019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 1002015normalblackYongjae Choi
42019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 100★2015normalblackSansyu
52019-05-04War of the Spark PromosPWAR 100s2015normalblackYongjae Choi
62019-05-04War of the Spark PromosPWAR 100s★2015normalblackSansyu
72019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 5112015normalblackYongjae Choi
82022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 4502015normalblackYongjae Choi

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2019-05-03 If Ob Nixilis leaves the battlefield before his last ability resolves, most likely because he only had 2 loyalty when you activated the ability, his first ability won’t exist to trigger when the creature’s controller draws two cards.
2019-05-03 If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Ob Nixilis’s last ability tries to resolve, the ability doesn’t resolve. No player draws two cards. If the target is legal but not destroyed (most likely because it has indestructible), its controller does draw two cards.

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