Ob Nixilis's Cruelty MTG Card

Ob Nixilis's Cruelty - War of the Spark (WAR)

War of the Spark (WAR)
2019-05-03 - Number 101

Ob Nixilis's Cruelty - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)

Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
2022-12-02 - Number 451

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty offers card advantage by efficiently dealing with invested threats.
Its low mana cost and instant speed provide significant gameplay flexibility.
Flexibility to exile creatures strengthens its role in various deck strategies.

Text of card

Target creature gets -5/-5 until end of turn. If that creature would die this turn, exile it instead.

Trapped on Ravnica with no affection for either side, Ob Nixilis sought gratification in random acts of torment.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Despite not directly drawing cards, Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty efficiently removes a threat and can potentially eliminate a creature that’s been a recipient of multiple spells or abilities, thereby negating your opponent’s prior investments and flipping the card advantage in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Although Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, its low casting cost of three mana, including just one black, allows players to deal with large threats early on while still developing their board, thus indirectly accelerating your game plan.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty at instant speed gives players the flexibility to react during an opponent’s turn, removing attackers or blockers in combat, or disposing of creatures before they can be utilized for effects or abilities. This timing utility is key for maintaining control over the pace of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty doesn’t explicitly require a player to discard a card, it necessitates having a card in hand to play it, which could deplete valuable resources, especially in the late game where each card’s strategic use is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty requires both black mana and generic mana, which can be restrictive for decks that aren’t heavily skewed towards black or that run on a very tight mana base. This makes it less versatile in multicolored decks where mana needs to be allocated meticulously.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With three mana needed to cast, one of which must be black, Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty’s cost can be quite hefty for an instant-speed removal spell. In formats where speed is essential, players might find themselves opting for lower-cost alternatives that provide immediate board presence or faster interaction with their opponent.

Reasons to Include Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty in Your Collection

Versatility: Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty is a flexible removal spell that can be a staple in any black-colored deck. The ability to give a creature -5/-5 until end of turn can handle most threats in the game, not to mention exiling the targeted creature if it would die, circumventing graveyard-based strategies.

Combo Potential: This spell complements strategies aiming to clear the board while setting up for your own win conditions. It works well with death-trigger abilities and spectacle costs, which require an opponent to lose life in a turn to be activated for an alternate cost.

Meta-Relevance: With creature-heavy decks often dominating the play environment, Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty stands out by being able to deal with significant threats consistently. Its low mana cost and effectiveness make it a great choice for sideboards or main decks, keeping you prepared against a variety of popular decks in the meta.

How to beat

Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty poses a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering due to its ability to remove creatures regardless of their size. This instant spell not only exiles a creature with toughness of 5 or less, it also handles indestructible creatures, thanks to its exile effect. However, beating this card is a tactical play – think instant-speed hexproof granting spells or abilities that can protect your creature before the spell resolves. Cards like Blossoming Defense are a prime example, offering a cheap and effective means to safeguard your creature from being exiled.

Understanding when to apply these effects is just as crucial as having them in your deck. Timing is everything, and watching for your opponent’s mana pool can provide telltale signs of a looming Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty. Additionally, by diversifying your threats and keeping the creature quality on the board diverse, it can dilute your opponent’s removal efficacy. Instead of relying heavily on one key creature, spreading the power across multiple creatures can force your opponent to make difficult decisions, thus preserving your board state from total decimation.

Ultimately, with strategic card choices and keen observation of the game’s flow, you can neutralize the impact of Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty on your game plan and maintain advantage on the battlefield.

Cards like Ob Nixilis's Cruelty

Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty stands out in the realm of creature removal spells in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest peers are cards like Doom Blade and Murder, both of which also aim to efficiently dispatch creatures. What sets Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty apart is its ability to exile the creature if its toughness is 4 or less, ensuring that it can’t return to haunt your game later. Doom Blade restricts you by not being able to destroy black creatures, while Murder’s broader utility comes at the cost of an additional mana.

Another related card is Lethal Sting which adds a -1/-1 counter to a creature. Although the counter mechanic can be beneficial in certain decks, the irreversible exile effect of Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty can be far more impactful. Then there’s Cast Down, offering a speedy alternative with its two mana cost, yet it’s limited by its nonlegendary clause. This distinction can be crucial depending on the composition of the opponent’s threats.

Assessing the choices for creature control, Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty is a formidable contender with its blend of mana efficiency, versatility, and permanent solution to problematic creatures on the battlefield.

Cards similar to Ob Nixilis's Cruelty by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ob Nixilis's Cruelty MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark and Jumpstart 2022, 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's Cruelty and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ob Nixilis's Cruelty Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Igor Kieryluk.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2019-05-03	War of the Spark	WAR		101	2015	Normal	Black	Igor Kieryluk
2	2022-12-02	Jumpstart 2022	J22		451	2015	Normal	Black	Igor Kieryluk

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ob Nixilis's Cruelty has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2019-05-03	The replacement effect from Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty will exile the target creature if it would die this turn for any reason, not just immediately after Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty resolves.