Novablast Wurm MTG Card


Novablast Wurm - Worldwake
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Wurm
Released2010-02-05
Set symbol
Set nameWorldwake
Set codeWWK
Power 7
Toughness 7
Number119
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byMichael Komarck

Key Takeaways

  1. Novablast Wurm offers sweeping board control, potentially clearing multiple threats and shaping the match.
  2. Its demand for resource acceleration promotes strategic deck building with ramp spells and mana dorks.
  3. Playing Novablast Wurm allows for tempo manipulation, using instant-speed spells to protect key creatures.

Text of card

Whenever Novablast Wurm attacks, destroy all other creatures.

"The sun was born within its coils, but it fled to the sky. The wurm hungers for its child, and the world will bear its loss." —Screed of the Mul Daya


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Novablast Wurm offers a unique form of card advantage by potentially clearing the board of creatures. The massive sweep it provides can turn the game in your favor by dealing with multiple threats at once and setting you up to rebuild faster than your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: Although not a direct source of mana acceleration, Novablast Wurm encourages resource acceleration through its very nature. Its presence in your deck necessitates efficient mana usage to cast it quickly, which indirectly promotes incorporating ramp spells and mana dorks into your strategy.

Instant Speed: While Novablast Wurm itself is not an instant, its ability to dominate the board state allows you to take calculated risks with your mana at instant speed. This includes saving your creatures with indestructible spells or other protective measures, essentially controlling the tempo and flow of the game starting from the moment Novablast hits the battlefield.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Novablast Wurm necessitates a significant board presence to utilize its ability effectively. However, its attack trigger that destroys all other creatures can be a double-edged sword, often forcing players to discard their other creatures if they cannot be saved from the destruction.

Specific Mana Cost: Costing two green and five other mana, Novablast Wurm demands a heavy commitment to green mana. This restricts its integration into multicolored decks and can be challenging to cast in the early game when mana resources are generally scarcer.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total mana cost of seven, Novablast Wurm is an investment that can be difficult to justify, especially when up against agile and low-cost decks. While its power is undeniable, players may find themselves overrun by faster opponents before they get the chance to unleash this mighty Wurm.


Reasons to Include Novablast Wurm in Your Collection

Versatility: Novablast Wurm offers a unique dynamic to any green deck, fulfilling the role of a board wipe and a formidable creature all in one. It’s a powerful addition to decks that can exploit creature recursion or indestructibility to retain board presence after its sweeping effect.

Combo Potential: Combining Novablast Wurm with cards that grant your creatures indestructibility or using it to trigger “leaves the battlefield” effects can turn its seemingly symmetrical drawback into a one-sided advantage. It’s a key piece in decks looking to capitalize on such synergies.

Meta-Relevance: As creature-heavy strategies remain a staple in many formats, having Novablast Wurm in your arsenal provides a potent threat that demands an answer. Its ability to clear the board each turn can be disruptive against creature-based decks, positioning it as a strategic tool in specific meta environments.


How to beat

Novablast Wurm is an imposing presence on the battlefield, capable of cleaning the board with its sweeping attack. When piloting a deck against this monstrosity, the key is to prevent it from triggering its mass destructive ability or to minimize its impact. Instant-speed removal spells like Path to Exile can dispatch it before it declares an attack, thus negating its effect. Counter spells also serve as a precautionary measure to stop the Wurm from ever hitting the field.

Alternatively, strategies that don’t rely on creatures mitigate the threat it poses. Utilizing enchantments, artifacts, or direct damage can circumvent the Wurm’s strength. In multiplayer games, diplomacy can also become a tool—persuading others to join forces against the player controlling Novablast Wurm could turn the tides. The goal is to either buffer your board against its effect or make its attack uneconomical for its controller. Playing smart and keeping removal or negation options at the ready are the ways to ensure this mighty creature doesn’t result in your downfall.


Cards like Novablast Wurm

Novablast Wurm is a unique powerhouse in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering, with its ability to wipe out all other creatures on the battlefield upon attacking. When looking for comparable cards, the mighty Wrath of God comes to mind. While Wrath of God is a spell known for its sweeping effect, it lacks the imposing physical presence that Novablast Wurm brings as a creature to the board.

Terrastodon is another beast that initiates a form of mass removal, though it focuses primarily on non-creature permanents and provides opponents with elephant tokens in exchange, which is a milder setback compared to Novablast Wurm’s complete creature wipeout. Lastly, we can consider Baneslayer Angel, a creature with remarkable protection and life gain features that, while formidable in its own right, doesn’t share the same board-clearing capabilities as our wurm.

Ultimately, within MTG’s broad array of creatures, Novablast Wurm stands out for its combination of high power, toughness, and its rare ability to repeatedly clear the board of creatures, setting it apart in the context of mass removal strategies and creature-based power plays.

Wrath of God - MTG Card versions
Baneslayer Angel - MTG Card versions
Wrath of God - MTG Card versions
Baneslayer Angel - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Novablast Wurm MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake, 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 Novablast Wurm and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Novablast Wurm has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2010-03-01 If two Novablast Wurms attack, they’ll destroy each other. This happens before they can deal combat damage.
2010-03-01 Novablast Wurm’s ability destroys all players’ creatures (except Novablast Wurm), including yours.
2010-03-01 Novablast Wurm’s ability triggers and resolves during the declare attackers step, before blockers can be declared.

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