Nevermore MTG Card


Nevermore - Innistrad
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Released2011-09-30
Set symbol
Set nameInnistrad
Set codeISD
Number25
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJason A. Engle

Key Takeaways

  1. Nevermore stifles opponents’ strategies by prohibiting specific cards, affording a proactive defensive tactic.
  2. It fortifies resource management, allowing players to better allocate mana by preventing future threats.
  3. The card’s preemptive nature provides an immediate competitive edge, despite its sorcery speed.

Text of card

As Nevermore enters the battlefield, name a nonland card. The named card can't be cast.

"By the law of Avacyn, the following thoughts, words, and deeds are henceforth disallowed."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Nevermore provides a strategic advantage by effectively removing an opponent’s key card from play without actually having to deal with it on the board. This preemptive measure can stifle your opponent’s game plan and secure you a superior board position.

Resource Acceleration: Though Nevermore does not directly accelerate resources, it conserves your resources by potentially preventing the need to respond to threats later on. This allows you to allocate mana more efficiently in subsequent turns, as you won’t need to spend it on answers to the named card.

Instant Speed: While Nevermore itself is not an instant, its ability to name any card can be a timely response to meta-game shifts or imminent threats, comparable to the versatility instants provide. This ensures that even though it’s played at sorcery speed, its effect on the game can be immediate and impactful, countering strategies that rely on specific cards for victory.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Nevermore does not necessitate discarding as a prerequisite for play, providing a strategic edge in terms of hand resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: With its white mana requirement, Nevermore can be restrictive for multicolored decks, especially those that lean on a different color as their base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana, including two color-specific ones, can be considered steep for its effect of prohibiting the playing of a named card, especially when alternative choices may provide more flexibility or additional benefits at a similar or lower cost threshold.


Reasons to Include Nevermore in Your Collection

Versatility: Nevermore’s ability to name a card and prevent it from being cast makes it a unique and flexible sideboard option in many decks, especially those geared towards control. It allows players to shut down key pieces of their opponent’s strategy, from powerhouse creatures to game-ending spells, adapting to various game scenarios.

Combo Potential: In decks that manipulate spells or benefit from denying opponents their options, Nevermore shines. It works great in combination with cards that allow you to see your opponent’s hand, ensuring you name the right card to disrupt their combos or protect your own strategy.

Meta-Relevance: As metagames shift, certain cards can become dominant forces. Nevermore has the capacity to single-handedly neutralize problematic cards that are prevalent, providing a layer of protection against decks that rely on specific spells to win. Its applicability becomes particularly pronounced if the meta favors decks with a linear and predictable game plan.


How to Beat Nevermore

Nevermore is a unique card that can pose quite the conundrum for many Magic: The Gathering players. The enchantment’s power lies in its ability to prevent any player from casting a chosen spell by name, effectively neutralizing specific threats before they even hit the battlefield. Beating Nevermore requires tactical adjustments and clever deck building.

To navigate around Nevermore, consider including versatile removal spells like Disenchant or Naturalize in your deck. These spells target enchantments directly, allowing you to dismantle the obstacle Nevermore presents. Alternatively, using cards with the ability to counter enchantments can prevent Nevermore from resolving in the first place. A well-timed Counterspell or Negate can save your crucial spells from being locked away.

A broader strategy entails diversifying your threats; don’t rely too heavily on any single card to win the game. By putting a mix of potent spells in your arsenal, you minimize the impact of Nevermore’s naming restriction. Cards like Echoing Truth or Oblivion Ring also provide versatile answers to a variety of situations, including problematic permanents like Nevermore. Adapting these strategies will help maintain your deck’s resilience against this potent enchantment.


Cards like Nevermore

Nevermore, a definitive piece in card denial strategy, carves its niche within Magic: The Gathering’s control archetype. This card resembles others like Meddling Mage, which also prevents the casting of particular spells. However, Nevermore is non-creature and evades removals that typically target creatures, hence making it slightly sturdier against certain decks.

Void Winnower is another card that disrupts opponents’ ability to cast spells, albeit nonconventionally. Rather than naming a specific card, Void Winnower blanket-prevents any spells with even converted mana costs. This includes a vast range of commonly played spells but doesn’t provide the pinpoint precision of Nevermore. Then Gideon’s Intervention is a similar enchantment that not only names a card to be prohibited from casting but also provides protection from the named card—a dual advantage that echoes Nevermore’s preventive nature with added defensive capabilities.

In evaluating the control options available, Nevermore stands out for its specific suppression ability, offering a distinctive advantage in games where blocking a particular card is crucial. Its resilience and precision make it a staple in formats where key cards or combos dominate the landscape.

Meddling Mage - MTG Card versions
Void Winnower - MTG Card versions
Gideon's Intervention - MTG Card versions
Meddling Mage - Planeshift (PLS)
Void Winnower - Battle for Zendikar Promos (PBFZ)
Gideon's Intervention - Amonkhet (AKH)

Cards similar to Nevermore by color, type and mana cost

Damping Field - MTG Card versions
Farmstead - MTG Card versions
Cooperation - MTG Card versions
Noble Steeds - MTG Card versions
Aura of Silence - MTG Card versions
Empyrial Armor - MTG Card versions
Cessation - MTG Card versions
Arrest - MTG Card versions
Glorious Anthem - MTG Card versions
Samite Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Pariah - MTG Card versions
Tattoo Ward - MTG Card versions
Sparring Regimen - MTG Card versions
Shielded by Faith - MTG Card versions
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - MTG Card versions
Oblivion Ring - MTG Card versions
Cage of Hands - MTG Card versions
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - MTG Card versions
Guardian's Magemark - MTG Card versions
Celestial Dawn - MTG Card versions
Damping Field - Antiquities (ATQ)
Farmstead - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Cooperation - Ice Age (ICE)
Noble Steeds - Alliances (ALL)
Aura of Silence - Commander 2015 (C15)
Empyrial Armor - Weatherlight (WTH)
Cessation - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Arrest - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Glorious Anthem - Junior Super Series (PSUS)
Samite Sanctuary - Prophecy (PCY)
Pariah - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Tattoo Ward - Odyssey (ODY)
Sparring Regimen - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Shielded by Faith - Signature Spellbook: Gideon (SS2)
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Oblivion Ring - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
Cage of Hands - Commander Legends (CMR)
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - The List (PLST)
Guardian's Magemark - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Celestial Dawn - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Nevermore MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad, 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 Nevermore and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Nevermore has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-09-22 Although the named card can't be cast, it can still be put onto the battlefield by a spell or ability (if it's a permanent card).
2011-09-22 No one can cast spells or activate abilities between the time a card is named and the time that Nevermore's ability starts to work.
2011-09-22 Spells with the chosen name that somehow happen to already be on the stack when Nevermore enters the battlefield are not affected by Nevermore's ability.
2011-09-22 The named card can be cast again once Nevermore leaves the battlefield.
2011-09-22 You can name either half of a split card, but not both. If you do so, that half (and both halves, if the split card has fuse) can't be cast. The other half is unaffected.
2021-03-19 If you name one of the faces of a modal double-faced card, players may still play the face you didn't name. (Players can never cast the back face of a transforming double-faced card)

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