Quest for the Nihil Stone MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Induces card disadvantage, gradually undermining the opponent’s game plan and leading to potential dominance.
  2. Works best in black mana decks, leveraging discard strategies to pressure the enemy’s hand size.
  3. Carries meta relevance, disrupting opponents who rely on late-game strategies with robust hands.

Text of card

Whenever an opponent discards a card, you may put a quest counter on Quest for the Nihil Stone. At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, if that player has no cards in hand and Quest for the Nihil Stone has two or more quest counters on it, you may have that player lose 5 life.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Quest for the Nihil Stone can create a substantial card disadvantage for your opponent, forcing them to discard cards if they’re down to one during their upkeep. As they lose resources, your position in the game strengthens, potentially leading to a commanding lead.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, it can indirectly contribute to your mana development. By applying pressure on your opponent’s hand, you may force them to deplete their own resources faster, letting you outpace them in establishing a board presence and mana availability.

Instant Speed: Although Quest for the Nihil Stone operates at sorcery speed, its constant threat on the board works synergistically with instant speed disruption spells you play. By holding up instant-speed discard or removal spells, you escalate the threat of activating the Quest’s punishing ability, providing you leverage over your opponents during their own turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Quest for the Nihil Stone demands continuous discard from your opponent to be impactful. However, ensuring your opponent has no cards to discard each turn can be challenging, particularly against decks that quickly refill their hand.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires black mana, which means it’s exclusively beneficial to decks that run black or have a good mana base to accommodate the color. In mono-colored decks or those that don’t use black, Quest for the Nihil Stone is not a practical choice.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two black mana, Quest for the Nihil Stone can be considered high for an enchantment that doesn’t have an immediate impact on the game state. Other cards with similar or lower mana costs might provide more immediate benefits or less conditional effects.


Reasons to Include Quest for the Nihil Stone in Your Collection

Versatility: Quest for the Nihil Stone offers strategic value in diverse deck builds, excelling in setups aimed at controlling the opponent’s hand. Its ability to pressure opponents by whittling down their hand size makes it a versatile addition, useful across multiple playstyles.

Combo Potential: When paired with discard-focused cards, the Quest transforms into a potent weapon. Establishing a combo that forces your opponent to discard cards can rapidly activate the Quest’s ability, resulting in significant life loss for your opponent and swinging games in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where players tend to hold cards for late-game plays, Quest for the Nihil Stone becomes highly effective. It’s particularly potent against decks that rely on a strong hand to execute their strategy, making it a relevant choice in specific metagame scenarios.


How to Beat

Quest for the Nihil Stone is a unique card in MTG that can become a potent weapon in discard-themed decks. This card punishes opponents by leveraging their empty hand to chip away at their life total. To tackle this strategy effectively, one must prioritize hand replenishment and maintain a stable number of cards in hand throughout the match. Cards that offer card draw or those that allow recovering resources from the graveyard can be of great importance. It’s also helpful to utilize instant-speed spells that can disrupt the quest’s activation or counter the discard spells to ensure your hand stays full.

Another strategic approach is to employ cards that grant you benefits whenever you discard, thus turning the tables on what would otherwise be a disadvantageous situation. Utilizing abilities that protect from targeted discard effects, such as hexproof or shroud, can also provide a safeguard against this relentless quest. Lastly, quick removal of the enchantment before it accumulates quest counters could prevent its devastating effect entirely. Always stay alert to the possibility of an opponent’s untapped mana and potential responses, and adapt your game plan to stay one step ahead of the Nihil Stone’s quest.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive further into the strategy of MTG by integrating Quest for the Nihil Stone into your deck. This potent enchantment thrives in setups tailored for hand control and can significantly alter the course of a match. Its ability to reduce an opponent’s hand size not only cripples their strategy but can also lead to rapid life loss, potentially swinging games in your favor. As you refine your deck-building skills, consider the card’s synergy with other discard-focused spells to fully exploit its potential. For players eager to explore the strategic depth of MTG and unleash the full power of Quest for the Nihil Stone, we’re here to guide you toward victory.


Cards like Quest for the Nihil Stone

Quest for the Nihil Stone occupies a unique niche in Magic: The Gathering, standing out with its ability to severely punish opponents who run low on cards. Comparable to Shrieking Affliction in terms of initiating a loss of life for having a small hand, Quest for the Nihil Stone raises the stakes by imposing a punishing condition when the opponent discards, potentially leading to more significant life point hits as a payoff for fulfilling its quest condition.

Looking at Liliana’s Caress, players find another parallel as this enchantment also capitalizes on opponents discarding cards, albeit with a smaller immediate impact. However, it doesn’t have the buildup or requirement to watch an opponent’s hand size, making it a more consistent, if less explosive, choice for a discarding strategy. Then there’s Megrim, akin to Liliana’s Caress but with a higher mana cost, reaffirming the key notion that balancing cost, speed, and impact is crucial in deck building strategies.

In evaluating these alternatives, Quest for the Nihil Stone stands out for its potential for massive life point swings, thus marking its spot as a high-risk, high-reward option in discard-themed decks within Magic: The Gathering’s vast array of tactical enchantments.

Shrieking Affliction - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Caress - MTG Card versions
Megrim - MTG Card versions
Shrieking Affliction - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Caress - MTG Card versions
Megrim - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Quest for the Nihil Stone by color, type and mana cost

Paralyze - MTG Card versions
Unholy Strength - MTG Card versions
Evil Presence - MTG Card versions
Weakness - MTG Card versions
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Withering Hex - MTG Card versions
Genju of the Fens - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Link - MTG Card versions
Bloodchief Ascension - MTG Card versions
Paralyze - MTG Card versions
Unholy Strength - MTG Card versions
Evil Presence - MTG Card versions
Weakness - MTG Card versions
Imprison - MTG Card versions
Thrull Retainer - MTG Card versions
Torture - MTG Card versions
Death Watch - MTG Card versions
Leshrac's Rite - MTG Card versions
Sadistic Glee - MTG Card versions
Sarcomancy - MTG Card versions
Tortured Existence - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Motion Sensor - MTG Card versions
Sicken - MTG Card versions
Darkest Hour - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Reclamation - MTG Card versions
Withering Hex - MTG Card versions
Genju of the Fens - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Link - MTG Card versions
Bloodchief Ascension - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Quest for the Nihil Stone MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake and The List, 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 Quest for the Nihil Stone and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Quest for the Nihil Stone Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2010-02-05. Illustrated by Mike Bierek.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-02-05WorldwakeWWK 642003NormalBlackMike Bierek
22020-09-26The ListPLST WWK-642003NormalBlackMike Bierek

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Quest for the Nihil Stone has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Quest for the Nihil Stone 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 The second ability has an “intervening ‘if’ clause.” That means (1) the ability won’t trigger at all unless, as an opponent’s upkeep starts, that player has no cards in hand and Quest for the Nihil Stone has two or more quest counters on it, and (2) the ability will do nothing if that player has at least one card in hand and/or Quest for the Nihil Stone has fewer than two quest counters on it by the time it resolves. (If Quest for the Nihil Stone is no longer on the battlefield by that point, its last existence on the battlefield is checked to see how many quest counters were on it.)

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